YD Invitation Dive - Chepstow NDC !!

[Mr T.]

Fair point Stevie lad,

Let's just mark the dates as YD's Northern Team going 'darn sarf' to visit ourselves up on an unsuspecting (yet welcoming) Suvvern Mob. They are for ever coming up our neck of the woods, so it would be rude not return the favour for a mixed gig - indeed sir, you are a practitioner of same yourself: did we not see you (a denizen of the sacred turf of Georgie Land) wander down Swanage way of late??

We can always put it to a vote - some may genuinely want to check out the NCD (for future ref on winter diving); or, we may turn around and say "well we're this close to the South Coast, make sense to go large and do the Oggin instead".

We're quite casual in the galley here, Stevie, so the world's our jellied-eel mate  

[Dr Stevil]

<font color='#0000FF'>Yes indeedy! I was that Northern diver darn sarf (recently christened Batman and advised not to inflate my 100lb wing with a heliox mix ! &nbsp;- good call AndyP )

Not sure what'd be worse southern jellied eels or our northern speciality pease pudding!

I'd definately be up for another southern briny dip at some point
Che-az
Steve

[Andy Phillips]

Here you go, I am going to start another thread to get some ideas about what people would like to do.

So see thread in Planned trips

Andrew

[Mr T.]

Err..Andy,

I'd rather you hijacked (and I mean that in a constructive way!) this thread, then folks know where they are mate. If we need to change venues, it can be done in this thread, as at least we have a day and date agreed, which folks have &nbsp;signed up for. Your other posting is asking for dates, ideas and a venue! Nothing surer to cause a bun-fight mate and end trying to manage a box of frogs - I know, I tried that tack with my initial Anglesey posting way-back-when.

We've got the day-dates, we've got diver take-up. If the NDC and the Hood don't suit, then they can, as I offered above, be changed for more popular gigs.

After reading Team Bunny's report, what about:

* Porthkerris??
* Dover??
* Isle of Wight??
* Howard's favourite dive manor??
* Swanage II - The Merciless Revenge??

See what I'm getting at?? It doesn't matter where we dive, as long as we get together dive and drin....ahem, 'socialise'. We've got buy-in for the date etc, &nbsp;all we need to do is agree a venue for the troops. Fair?

[ian Price]

Hi y'all

I am all for a dive in Portland!

not sure about a deep gloomy pit!

and you'll need to allow about 2 hours Bristol bridge side to weymouth on a bank hols.

anyway count me in for the sea bit!

Ian

[Mr T.]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I recently placed a request for info on Marsa Alam on Divernet and had some excellent and detailed 1st hand responses.

http://www.diverforum.co.uk/talkfor....68.html

As you can see from the above URL, one such response was from Bristol-based Steve Lovell, and we then got to talking and then he made this blanket and warmly received and much appreciated invitation to us YD'ers to wander down 'Chez Suvvern' and get in amongst it - Daz, looks like we'll be invading your manor! 'Bring on Da Massif!!' and don't you dare skimp on the bacon butties!!

http://www.nationaldivingcentre.com/

OK, let's be having your names in the hat:


1 * Bren Tierney
2 * Andy2Tanx
3 * Daz x 6 (the 'Bristol Massif')
4 * Steve Lovell
5 * Tim Ingmire
6 * John Duncan
7 * Richie (NDC)
8 * Matt Binnie (Portland/Hood)
9 * Adam Binnie (Portland/Hood)
10 * Ian Price
11 * ............??

Total = 10 (not including 'Da Massif')

Well in 2Tanx for coming up with a date - 30th August 2003.

Actually - what about NDC one day and the HMS Hood (block-ship over Portland Harbour) the next?? The world is our veritable oyster troops!

Well in John Duncan for getting in amongst it as soon as you joined! We like that.

Welcome aboard Richie and Ian Price.

Matt, cheers for the link. Not having dived either Portland (to my eternal shame &nbsp or the Hood, I can't comment on how the Spring tide might affect her? She's a block ship over the harbour entrance and I've heard rave reviews form just about everyone who's dived her. Anyone who's a regular on the Hood/Portland care to comment on how the tides might affect our chances of a one or two-tank dive that day?

Daz, any update on how many of the 'Da Massif' are coming? And, you being 'darn sarf', what's the travel time from your gaff to do the 'HMS Hood' for the second day?? Actually Daz might be in the Red Sea as we speak, so can anyone else tell me how far/travel time from the environs of the NDC to Hood??

NB: After some of the experienced views above, we might need to make this in to a weekend of sea-dives (no shame there) as opposed to an NDC and sea. Hell if we're going that far 'darn sarf', we might as well say Hi to Poseidon, right?

Come on in - the water's loverly

&nbsp; &nbsp;

[Andy Phillips]

Hi,

The problem is Bren, I can dive Portland pretty much anytime, I was trying to go down another route for another date. I've done the NDC, it is where I did most of the TRIMIX course, it's OK, but I am in no hurry to go back.

I could hijack the thread, but just glancing through it most seem to have settled on the idea of Portland. If people want to trust me and spend a weekend in a fabulous place that isn't Portland I will start to put some ideas together, but what sort of diving do people want to do. The Hood is OK, but there are much better wrecks around, we can even find some that are the right way up. Personally speaking, I like to end each weekend on a drift, or a wall. Just to remind myself that there is more to the UK than a bit of metal lying on the bottom of the ocean. Pembroke is nice, in fact it is fabulous. But, we are going back at the begining of July (it is the reason I have to pull out of Anglesea, my partner suggested it would be better for my health).

Also, not Swanage, I love it there, but I it would be more fun to try something different.

Just a couple of thoughts. Let me know what you think.

Andrew

[Mr T.]

Hi Andy,

OK, but by the same token I can dive any number of sites NW, NE, Scotland, Wales any time I fancy - but I'm thinking of a broader brief mate.

Always up for ideas mate. Name the sites you fancy and we'll go for it. I was, as always, just trying to get a mixed group of YD'ers together for a weekend's wet-stuff, and in doing so I have to keep a fairly loose brief (oo-er matron) to attract the optimum number of divers, which is my primary aim.

The diving's what we all enjoy and get together for on these mass weekends mate, no doubt, but some will want to come and not dive deeper than 30 metres; some will insist on doing 30+ metres, so I try and pick something I know is gonna try and hit the mid-range: NDC you can do upto 85 metres, Hood as a second dive after another deeper wreck is ideal - so we try and cater for all.

If we wanna do a smaller group with 'a' certain wreck, or 'a' certain depth in mind, then let's plan it. What I'm trying to do is score a mass gathering where folks can turn up, dive, chill, chew the fat and enjoy themselves and, err... possibly enjoy a polite, medium-sweet sherry en route!    I know it's a bit of a wide bombing area, but they seem to work AND allow YD'ers from far and wide to dive AND hook up.

You and I both know we could bill a trip for 65 metres, 30 miles off-shore and get a certain bunch of names that would arrive and have a ball - superb and get in amongst it. Nae probs.

Conversely, and whilst I would actively encourage members here to organise trips like the latter, I'm just trying to put together trips, at the moment at least, where YD'ers can hook-up and dive, and that means a mixed gig catering for all sorts. The more the merrier. I am in NO WAY poo-pooing your, more specific options - they very much have a place here too mate.

So go on dude, please suggest away!

[Andy Phillips]

Bren,

I agree with you, I do my deeper stuff with Mark, and I am happy that way, if others on the YD want to join us, I am happy with that too. I just wanted to go somewhere other than Portland. I will have a rummage and stick it on here in the next day or so

Andrew

[Mr T.]

Cheers Andy, result.

That will help, you've obviously remembered that any number of norrvern-and-other-based YD-wallahs have not done any number of the Suvvern dive sites and might be gagging for it! Post your thoughts (which I know will be based on experience and NOT mere whimsy) on where you reckon will offer a mixed bag of wreck, reef, wall etc. and we can get in amongst it.

Cheers in advance Andy,