Not the full Story - Mull

[Dundee]

I see news of the trip has already reached shore.

Having returned to shore on Sunday evening (so did Gav and a couple of others due to work commitments) I thought I could attempt a report.

Friday, met up with Paul (bruvva) at Loch Long to annoy the congers and test the kit. Bloody cold but a few wrasse and congers to liven the dip. Dry suit neck seal leaked! Not a good sign.
Carried on to Lochaline and bumped into PK and Keith waiting for the Corran Ferry. Half hour later we arrived at Lochaline where a many of the team were already installed. A few introductions and handshakes later and Philip (proprietor) drew up a diagram to dive the Lochaline Pier. Quick aquasure repare to neckseal then Keith joined us for night dive. Highly recommended, easy entry dive with depths to about 70m or more (so I am told) we stuck to 25m.
Neck seal leaked again.

Quick shower and joined the team at the Social Club to decide who was on what boat and what the buddy pars would be. Oh yes and Beer!

and more Beer


and Jose Cuervo paid a visit..


Saturday
Sensible 9am start. For some strange reason I didn't have to worry about my leaky neck seal, I borrowed PK's (Pedro) drysuit! Half the team boarded the Brendan, the rest on the Peregrine. Sunny skies, light wind, perfect.

Rondo first, lunch on board and a radio message from John (skipper on the Brendan) saying that one of the "teckies" had jumped in minus some essential equipment! Guffawing echoed around the Sound. Mocking tactics were discussed at length.

Lunch on board then a dip on the Shuna.
Nice dive, good prop! Everybody back on board and home to Lochaline for tea. Oh! and hot soup for the journey.
Back just in time to see the world champions getting gubbed.
Jules downloaded her piccies, including some of Porg upended on the deck of the Brendan.

The team regrouped and most went to the evil pit of hell for tea (the lochaline hotel). Couple of glasses of fine red wine to complete the day.

Sunday
For some strange reason I didn't need to test my Aquasure smothered neck seal yet again! I borrowed PK's suit for the second day. I don't know why he didn't need it himself?

Beautiful sunny day with flat calm water. This is March for God's sake!!!! We steamed up to a pinnacle North East of Tobermory and had an interesting wall dive before heading into Tobermory for a couple of hours. Some went to the pub to watch Celtic/Rangers, others wandered round the headland to the lighthouse. Sunbathing on the pier.

Off down the sound to the Thesis. Soaring Sea Eagles overhead on the way. The weather was unbelievable. As we approached the site we could see the seal colony sunning themselves on the rocks. Alan the skipper gave us the brief as another Sea Eagle soared above us.

The Thesis wasn't quite as clear as usual but a great dive none the less. Large Wrasse hiding under the plates at the bow. The sun's rays penetrated to the sea bed, improving the experience.

More soup as we pootered back to Lochaline. The Brendan radioed in to say they were hunting for scallops.

Quick goodbuys and handshakes then back home by 9pm.

It was a pleasure to meet the gang, everybody was extremely friendly and living proof that YD works. I hope Peter gets the use of his drysuit today (Monday).

Did I mention the weather?

Chris

[Bren's Edit - 30/01/05: this post merged as it allows us to see a pattern at this establishment.]

[Fiona]

Just a little note to start with, I am sure there will be more to come . Good run up on Friday morning James and I got there at about 4.30pm only took 6 hours, thanks James for driving all the way there and back again. I eventually got home just before midnight last night and I am feeling very tired. Thanks to Bren for organising yet another great trip.

Everyone started to arrive, except our illustrious leader Bren who had been detained at home and would miss the Saturday dives, don't worry I said you never do day one anyway I won't repeat his answer .

Saturday

Down to the Perigrine for 9am, a nice leisurely start, boat loaded and we were off for a dive on Englishmans Point, a sloping wall where you could pick your depth, James and I started with a 63 min dive to about 30m. Lots of life and some VIZ hurrahh at last which made a change from most of this years diving.
To start with it was a bit dark but when we got to about 20 you really didn't need your torch, lovely and for someone like me who normally only does about 40 - 45 mins it was quite warm.

Second dive was on the Thesis, again a really nice dive but everyone who has done it will know that, only 44 mins at 31 metres on here. Although I think we need to be back on the boat sooner as the soup had already been started.

Back to the dive centre for a small sherry and Fi and Gav (well Fi mostly) prepared us a hearty meal of Thai chicken and rice. We duely awaited for Bren to arrive, which he did and we were off to the social club for a few more sherries or in Bren's case several large single malts. Apparently Bren doesn't remember walking back to the dive centre, that is according to Gavin.

Oh, did I mention the sound was like a boating lake, although it was cold the diving was really good.

Sunday

Again a nice 9am start and a pleasant trip up the sound to another scenic site called Sligneach Mor, lots of life and good light and viz, what more could you really ask for. 60 Mins max depth 29

The next dive was the Shuna, a bit silty but all the same quite a nice dive. I was on a richer mix than James and I didn't think about his deco committment, so when he gave the signal to go up and we got to the 6m stop I thought he was just going to do about 3mins, the minutes ticked by and then James said he had another 10 mins to do, so I went up and left him to it, on the surface I did a head count on the boat and realised everyone else was up, so I decided to go back and join him for his stops. Blimey so we were last back on the boat again. Dive time of 52 mins max depth 29.3.

Sunday night at the Lochaline Hotel !! Think I might leave this to Bren , I am sure the story of the "Fried Egg" will make an appearance.

Monday

After receiving my instructions from the night before I was coffee monitor for Bren who required a wake up call at 7.45 Coffee was left on the step for him to retreive.

Again another 9am start (begining to sound like a club trip to Trearddur Bay), the two wrecks on the cards today are Rhondo which was OK but has been done before, although I don't think James has. Dive for 39mins (blimey that was short) depth 37.3 metres. This was followed by the Hispana, excellend light although neither James or I saw the props, someone must have kicked up some silt. We were assured it was there, I stayed around the 20 metre mark to take some photos, dive 56 mins depth 24.6 metres. Oopps last on the boat again, James and I spent almost 5 and a half hours underwater which for 6 dives in October was pretty good.

Back to the dive centre clear out the rooms and change for our long trip home. More stunning scenery both in the sound and on the first half of the journey home.

Thanks to everyone who was there, for making it an enjoyable trip.

And Chris and Paul who now have the entire world on their side for a boycot of the Lochaline Hotel. Nextr time we just need to be more organised and cater for ourselves, no customer should be spoken or indeed treated that we were on Sunday night.

Roll on May 2005

[HelenM]

Nice write up Fiona, glad to hear that a good time was had by all. Wish I could have been there with you all to enjoy it as well

No great surprise that the Lochaline hotel is now permanently on the s***list - TBH after my last trip there in August I was all for permanently boycotting the place. That man is unspeakably rude...

Sounds like Mull is still utterly fab - as you say, roll on May next year!

H (nose finally stopped streaming!)

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by HelenM

That man is unspeakably rude...

Sounds like Mull is still utterly fab - as you say, roll on May next year!

H (nose finally stopped streaming!)

Helen glad you are feeling better, you did miss one hell of a trip in more ways than one.

If you thought he was rude you should have heard that bloody woman (the wife / Boss of Charles 'The Bearded One'). He didn't even have the guts to stand up to the the so-called chef.

Hearing her scream "Arseholes!!" from the kitchen was plainly aimed at us.

[HelenM]

Originally Posted by FionaB

If you thought he was rude you should have heard that bloody women (the wife / Boss). He didn't even have the guts to stand up the the so-called chef.

Oh, I know she is 'unique'. One of our number (Bren, obviously ) had a run in with her husband last time about a fried egg, I wandered up to the bar a few minutes later to overhear her chuntering (again, plainly about our group) finishing with a snarled 'well, we were nice people until we started running a hotel, and apparently now we're obnoxious'.

It took all my self control to stop myself fervently agreeing

H

[Mr T.]

I was unaware of the gash which Chris and Paul (Dundee Brothers) had been through a year ago and shall build their experiences into my trip report - later today.

Needless to say, the Sunday night's experience at the hands of these Muppets was epoch-redefiningly appalling. Quite honestly, you couldn't write comedy like it - I was just glad that there were so many of us there to witness it firsthand.

[Helen F H]

So mr weirdy beardy strikes again eh? Miserabe old sod.

May his crotch be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels and his arms too short to scratch!

[The Dougie Paddler]

Nice line in curses, but Charles was just cringingly quiet, how about one for Mrs beardy/weirdy, and one for the "chef" in the dyed black syrup and the even older poloneck. Had we ben introduced to the "chef" before hand I suspect we would have refused dinner and put in a call to the local health dept.

Originally Posted by Porg

So mr weirdy beardy strikes again eh? Miserabe old sod.

May his crotch be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels and his arms too short to scratch!

[parahandy]

Nice to see the consistant service there and that Sybil and Basil from Lochalines Faulty Towers excelled in customer service yet again. You really shouldn't have asked for that egg Bren should ya????? Reminds me of the dirty fork sketch in Monty Python

This is the Third time by my recollection that the YD crew have been slagged off by these people. Oh yeah and they are NOT members of the Scottish Tourist board, now isn't that a surprise!!!!!!!

Thankfully we go there for the diving and "the crac" not the cuisine.

[fatboy]

a thoroughly excellant weekend of diving. the thesis second dive on sat was my 100th dive and is one of my favourite wrecks as well. and the best dive of the weekend was the hispania with the brothers(us) enjoying some excelent penetration of the wreck courtesy of some serious light devices it was brighter than on the boat down there!
the company was easy going and hope to see the same old faces again and some new
as for the lochaline hotel all we could say in between hysterical laughter "was we told ya"