Tynemouth 23/24th August 2003

[Marco Botros]

Please Digger, would you send me a copy of the accomodation list , I could not email you as I am at work and the email is not working on this  computer.

[Digger]

Marco, I can't send it as it's atatched to an e-mail I already have. Instead, I'll waste a big old load of space sticking them on here:

TYNEMOUTH

No. 61                              0191 257 3687
Martineau                       0191 296 0746       £19-£27+ per person
Grand Hotel                 0191 293 6666 £27+ per person

CULLERCOATS
Bay Hotel                         0191 252 3150
Forty Five                       0191 252 5247
Holford Guest House       0191 252 8718 £16-£27 per person

WHITLEY BAY
Cherrytree House             0191 251 4306 £16-£27 per person
Dorset Hotel                   0191 253 0497
Esplanade Hotel               0191 251 7557 £19-£27 per person
Fishermans Lodge           0191 252 6845 £12-£15 per person
Glen Esk Guest House   0191 253 0103 £12-£27 per person
Rex Hotel                 0191 252 3201
Windsor Hotel 0191 251 8888 £19-£27 per person
Aald Northville                 0191 253 3787       £12-£15 per person
Amalfi Lodge               0191 252 4637 £12-£15 per person
Avalon Hotel 0191 251 0080 £19-£27 per person
Belgica Guest House 0191 253 0857 £16-£18 per person
Caprice Hotel 0191 253 0141 £19-£27 per person
Chedburgh Hotel 0191 253 0415 £19-£27 per person
Collingwood Guest House 0191 252 5340 £12-£18 per person
Dorset Hotel 0191 253 0497 £12-£18 per person
High Point Hotel 0191 251 7782 £27+ per person
Lindsey Guest House 0191 252 7341 £16-£18 per person
Marlborough Hotel 0191 251 3628 £19-£27+ per person
Melrose Guest House 0191 251 4037 £16-£18 per person
Park Lodge Hotel 0191 253 0288 £27+ per person
Rex Hotel 0191 252 3201 £27+ per person
Seacrest Hotel 0191 253 0140 £27+ per person
Shangri-La Guest House 0191 253 0230 £16-£27 per person
Southlands Hotel 0191 2528642 £16-£27 per person
York House Hotel 0191 251 3953 £19-£27 per person




All the Tynemouth guesthouses are within walking distance of the centre and are in quiet locations.

Cullercoats is a five-minute drive from the centre along the coast and is considered the quietest of the three areas.

Whitley Bay is approx. ten minutes from the dive centre and has lively nightlife at any time of the week. Whitley can be noisy and is recommended for the young at heart who do not mind some noise at night.

******************

Well, that kind of worked. You'll just have to read across from each line to the prices after it.

I think we may well sort something at the Whitley Bay Caravan Park. Should be pretty good, reasonably local, and if a few of us get together, we can undercut these prices by quite a bit. I have yet to call them, it's on my list for tomorrow. If they do tents, we'll probably go for that option. I've got a tent we can easily hang drysuits up in, anyway.

Let me know if you want me to include you on the accommodation at the park.

Digs.

[Digger]

Righty ho. I've got onto Whitley By Caravan Park, and they aren't insured for us to put tents up. Bummer. They did, rather helpfully, give me the phone number for another place that does. Yay!

Right, the other place is in Blythe. Anyone know where that is? They claim to be 5 miles up the coast from Tynemouth, which I think I can stand. As it's £6 a night for diddy tents, as she described it. Or £10 for big ones. I don't think she reaslises how big my tent is, but there we go.

I did ask about the caravan option at Whitley Bay. Now, if we get 6 of us in one, it's £266 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. They weren't dead impressed by my haggling over whether we stay Sunday night. That works out at £46ish each for the three days. Not bad, but not exactly budget rates. And there'll be people sleeping on sofas and all sorts.

So, decisions boys? I think the camping idea sounds good. B&Bs are all well and good, but a bit on the pricey side if you do the 3 nights, which we probably will.

[Dr Stevil]

Blythe... "Smack" capital North East  True, it is only a shortish drive up the coast but I tend not to stop if I have to drive through it, if the camp site is in the South Beach area that's a tad more respectable, in fact I think I've noticed a camping/caravanning park when passing thru.
Alternatively you might want ot consider South Shields S Shields camping but that means going thru the Tyne tunnel there and back, £1.00 a time for a car
HTH
Steve

[Marco Botros]

Thank you Digger for the information

[PaulC]

In a burst of optimism I've booked on the boat for the Saturday. I'll have done a check out dive the previous weekend (if I'm passed fit that is).

I would just repeat what's already been said a couple of times that you need to phone the dive centre yourself (0191 296 0218) and confirm with them you're on the boat.

I'm on  a single as well so won't be adding to the 'twin monster' problem - my pony'll go up in the bow somewhere.

You can either choose named wrecks in which case Scott (skipper) will take you to them (conditions and sufficient votes permitting) or just suggest a profile for the day (e.g. 30m followed by 20m) in which case the man will choose something for you.

NB filling (or nearly filling) the boat is good because the dive sites will be chosen to suit the less experienced on the boat.

See you there!

P

[Digger]

What is the experience level at on the boat so far (if you'll excuse a boy for asking your qualification?). Just wanted to get an idea of who had what planned.

I'm presuming everyone so far is roughly AOW and above? Otherwise it doesn't matter who's on the boat really, unless of course we're trying to take over the world!!!

They must have sites which are pick you depth kind of places? I suppose we can sort that nearer the time.

So, we're up to 6. Come on boys and girls, it's a bank holiday! Come and party up north! Hey, we only need 4 more and we're laughing. My maths is good these days. It all started when I learnt to count...

[Steve Summers]

<font color='#000080'>I have just booked for sat don't know about the sunday yet as I will probably have the tribe in tow.

Safe diving,
Steve.

[PaulC]

Digs, so far as I know no-one whose booked on at the moment is depth limited; the max would be 32-33m if we do the Mars (although given that it's cold and dark down there it does no harm to have done one or two such dives before - nothing a big torch can't take care of though).

As to 'pick your depth' no, not really. All the wrecks lie on a flat sand/silt bottom and all are fairly well broken so no sculling around the superstructure.

Best, P

[Digger]

Well, we're all depth limited to some extent, just wanted to get an idea of what the planned range would be. If we can get 30ish on a few of them, I'm ok with that. Neither me or my bud dive nitrox as a back gas because our tanks aren't clean, so we just have to do the long hangs.