Lundy Hardboats

[MarkP]

Hi all,

Does anybody have any suggestions for good hardboats and skippers that will go to Lundy?

The proviso is that the skippers must be happy to allow twinsetted divers on their boats... I've bailed out of a trip this weekend because the skipper of the boat I was supposed to be on doesn't like twinsets or ponies.

Regards,

Mark

[GarethC]

My one and only trip to Lundy was on the Jessica Hetty, a smallish boat out of Clovelly.
+ Points
Skippers Lundy knowledge was excellent
Freshy caught Mackerel for lunch
Dive with seals in the 'seal swimming pool'
- Points
Boat doesn't travel well in rough waters due to its size
Returning to Clovelly at low water means carrying kit up the beach
Ladder was fairly awkward

If were to do the trip again I would probably use the Offshore 105 that operates out of Ilfracombe. I'm afraid I can't remeber its name.

[ScubaK@]

Andy Begey, Obsession (now I think Obsession 2, a Cat)

Obsession Boat Charters | Diving Charters

Andy had absolutely no problems with us diving twins! And he's a really great guy...

[DannyB]

I've done it once out of clovelly, don't remember the boat but it really doesn't matter, it was clovelly that was the problem. I would never dive out of there again, the rowing boat transfer to the dive boat was a nightmare. We couldn't get out on the second day as the wind was too high to get the boat out to lundy, we had to wait for hours until he could get the boat into the harbour to get kit off. We popped into the pub to get a coffee and whilst serving beer to locals we were told by the bar staff that he couldn't give us coffee as they weren't open yet. Walking up and down the hill is a nightmare. Final straw was as we finally offloaded our dive kit the skipper was loading tourists onto the boat to take them out to lundy for some sight seeing, even though we had been told it was too rough to get over there.

According to the locals you can't park at the bottom of the hill as only they are allowed to park in the public free car park.

The most unfriendly people I have ever met.

The diving on Lundy was great, would love to do it again some time, however I would make sure it was from ilfracombe.

Danny

[David Tombs]

I have to say my opinion of diving out of Clovelly is the same. Not overly impressed by the skipper,the ladder was lethal and the hill,well stupid really. Lundy was ok for diving but prefer the Farnes. People say that Ilfracombe although longer ride in the boat is much easier generally.

[ScubaK@]

Andy goes out of Ilfracombe, and we're heading off for our 4th August Bank Holiday with him in a couple of weeks. It's a great set up!

[MattS]

I dived Lundy off a charter that picked us up from Clovelly. OK the hill is a bitch but I quite enjoyed the overnight stay in the village. The pubs seemed friendlly enough. The landlord of the pub at the bottom said he was fine with us dropping kit on quay in the morning provided we did it quietly and did not try to get all the cars down there at the same time. So that's what we did and the local were happy enough. Getting kit onto the boat at low water was a bit of a faff but not too bad if you know how to hitch a cylinder and don't mind working together. No more troublesome than loading boats at Bovi.

The boat was a bit small but adequate enough.

The skipper was a perfectly nice guy until things did not go according to whatever secret plan he had. First day the engine broke down after the first dive. Judging by his demeanour that was our fault. I got a dressing down for doing nothing more than staying well out the way of the flying spanners and cusses. To this day I have no idea what else I should have been doing.

The hill leading to the village on the island is even more of a bitch than the one at Clovelly. The accommodation was spot on. The pub is OK but the every dish on the menu tastes remarkably the same and takes ages to arrive.

The second day after the first dive the skipper moored up in a bay while some of our divers went for a bimble. A pair managed to drift out the bay and put up a DSMB hence being blown off in the current. A mortal sin, made worse by the fact the skipper had fouled his anchor. I went on to free it but found it wedged through the Middle of a Stone Henge arrangement. I had to kick seven bells out of it just to loosen it and then cut the line, extract the anchor and re-tie. I was feeling quite pleased at having managed it until I got back aboard. Not a word of thanks, just some grumbling that we had taken too long and cut his line (thank god I managed a decent bowline).

So no I can not reccomend a charter. I can give you the name of one that is operated by a miserable **** that I would rather not ever meet again. It sounds like a variety of red wine grape.

Hope you have a better time of it Mark.

[Kirstie]

Originally Posted by DannyB

I've done it once out of clovelly, don't remember the boat but it really doesn't matter, it was clovelly that was the problem. I would never dive out of there again, the rowing boat transfer to the dive boat was a nightmare. We couldn't get out on the second day as the wind was too high to get the boat out to lundy, we had to wait for hours until he could get the boat into the harbour to get kit off. We popped into the pub to get a coffee and whilst serving beer to locals we were told by the bar staff that he couldn't give us coffee as they weren't open yet. Walking up and down the hill is a nightmare. Final straw was as we finally offloaded our dive kit the skipper was loading tourists onto the boat to take them out to lundy for some sight seeing, even though we had been told it was too rough to get over there.
According to the locals you can't park at the bottom of the hill as only they are allowed to park in the public free car park.

The most unfriendly people I have ever met.

The diving on Lundy was great, would love to do it again some time, however I would make sure it was from ilfracombe.

Danny

Same here, don't remember the boat (there can't be that many operating out of Clovelly, though). Got there for 8.30am, unloaded kit down by the harbour, drove back up hill to park, walked back down. Boat due to leave at 9.30am, skipper appears, too rough, have to try later. Sod all to do in Clovelly all day. By the time the tide has gone out and come back in again it's 4.30pm. Sea's still pretty choppy but we went anyway, godawful crossing in small boat, took 3 hrs when it should've taken 45 mins or so. The skipper was a grumpy sod who obviously runs his business in spite of divers, rather than because of them.

Diving was ok, although the viz was pants. Played with the seals at lunchtime although they all mysteriously vanished when we got our dive kit on. I think they worked for the skipper.

The walk up the hill to the campsite is a ballsache as well. Pub food stops at 8.30pm.

Apart from that, it was lovely

[onthetrain]

Originally Posted by ScubaK@

Andy Begey, Obsession (now I think Obsession 2, a Cat)

Obsession Boat Charters | Diving Charters

Andy had absolutely no problems with us diving twins! And he's a really great guy...

I did as trip with Andya couple of years a go when he first started up. A great guy and nice boat. I think he runs two boats now!!

[David Tombs]

Must have been about 4 years ago,the skipper was a right grumpy bugger,unhelpfull,did not really try for us,and yes blamed us. It certainly was not the last guy mentioned. I had been looking forward to the trip,but he did not enhance the pleasure.