Yaaay! My Seaskin got salty!

[Buoyant Babe]

This has been a poor year so far for getting in the sea. All of my salt dives have been blown out so far. Normally I get in at least two a month January to March and more from April onwards. This year I have only managed 14 puddle dives, although a lot of those have been for trying out my new Seaskin and for honing skills, so all dives had a good purpose to them.

It is three weeks today 'til I go to Scapa for my first trip there and I'm trying to save my pennies, so I don't want to travel far to dive or to pay boat fees if I can avoid it - but I do need to sort the salt-water weighting out on my new membrane suit.

I had suspected from my puddle dives that I would actually need more lead in my membrane than I did in my neo. It is still quite a heavy suit and I now need to wear Arctics and a merino wool base layer instead of just my thin Xerotherm leggings.

I met up with Eeyore today at North East Dive Academy in Roker to get a fill. I got a fill, but only in one tank, so that once the manifold was opened on my twinset I'd be able to do my weight check with relatively light tanks.

We planned to shore dive Roker as there are some nice reefs parallel to the shore in about 6m of water, but there was nowhere to park and we didn't fancy getting hefty parking fines while we were in the water...and we didn't really have a plan B.

Not to be deterred, we headed a few miles North along the Coast to South Shields where I live, and parked at Trow Rocks. The sea was quite far out by this time, but desparate for a weight check and a salty dive we decided to give it a go.

Getting down to the water wasn't so bad, if a bit of a trek across the sand. We entered at the rocks, swam out a bit and dropped down into 3m onto a sandy bottom. Heading in an easterly direction, we tried to get some depth, but never managed more than 3.8m. Threre really was only sand to see, apart from lots of tiny little flat fish, so after 12 minutes and getting no deeper we turned round and came back.

I'm glad I wore the extra 2 kilo, I was perhaps a tad heavy but I'd rather be able to take some off later than find I'm too light to hold a stop.

Getting back up the sand in the sweltering heat was a nightmare but who cares - MY SEASKIN GOT SALTY!

The dive would be quite a good one at high tide, as there are some nice rock formations at Trow to look at which are submerged at high tide. No doubt we'll go back as it's cheap and cheerful.

Hxxx

[copperband]

Nice one. Not long to go now

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by Buoyant Babe

Tihs has been a poor year so far for getting in the sea. Al of my salt dives have been blown out so far. Noramlly I get in at least two a month January to march and more form April onwards. This year I have only managed 14 puddle dives, although a lot of those have been for trying out my new Seaskin and honing skills, so all dives had a good purpose to them

It is three weeks today 'til I go to Scapa for my first trip there and I'm trying to save my pennies, so I don't want ot travel far to dive or to pay boat fees if I can avoid it - but I do need to sort the salt-water weighting out on my new membrane suit.

I had suspected from my puddle dives that I would actually need more lead in my membranthan i did in my neo. it is still quite a heavy suit and I now need to wear Arctics and a merino wool base layer instead of just my thin Xerotherm leggings.

I met up with Eeyore today at North East Dive Academy in Roker to get a fill. I got a fill, but only in one tank, so that once the manifo,d was opened on my twinset I'd be able to do my weight check with relatively light tanks.

We planned to shore dive Roker as there are some nice reefs parallel to the shore in about 6m of water, but there was nowhere to park and we didn't fancy getting hefty parking fines while we were in the water.. and we didn't really have a plan B.

Not to be deterred, we headed a few miles North along the Coast to SOuth Shields where I live, and parked at Trow Rocks. The sea was quite far out but this time, but desparate for a weight check and a salty dive we decided to give it a go.

Getting down to the water wasn't so bad, if a bit of a trek across the sand. We entered at the rocks, swam out a bit and dropped down into 3m onto a sandy bottom. Heading in an easterly direction, we tried to get some depth, but never managed more than 3.8m. Threre really was only sand to se, apart from lots of tiny little flat fish, so after 12 minutes and getting no deeper we turned round and came back.

I'm glad I wore the extra 2 kilo, I was perhaps a tad heavy but I'd rather be able to take some off then find I'm too light to hold a stop.

Getting back up the sand in the sweltering heat was a nightmare but who cares - MY SEASKIN GOT SALTY!

The dive would be quite a good one at high tide, as there are some nice rock formations at Trow to look at which are submerged at high tide. No doubt we'll go back as it's cheap and cheerful .

Hxxx

Twas a bimble for sure
just been on the phone to Ian at marine quest.....flat calm, Viz between 12-15M win some, loose some........at least I have Scapa to look forward to in a few weeks

[Buoyant Babe]

Just edited all the crap spelling in my first post

Here is a googled pic of Trow Rocks to show where we went in.

[Stesh]

I hope you remembered to wash that nasty sand off your boots

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by Stesh

I hope you remembered to wash that nasty sand off your boots

Funnily enough, I used a water bottle from my car

[Letz]

Nice one

All set now for Scapa salty stuff

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by Sixsquid

Nice one

All set now for Scapa salty stuff

Oh I'd forgotten we are going to Scapa

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by Stesh

I hope you remembered to wash that nasty sand off your boots

[DIVE BUDDHA]

ooo what i wouldnt give for a dive at eyemouth !

flat calm u say

well done with the suit helen im glad that your now getting used to it