2nd Jan 2005, first dives..

[Dave Crampton]

Hi folks,

Popped down to Abbs today. Twas quite windy, though it was blowing off the west and as Abbs looks out NE we were fine. Joined up with a few guys from Lothian, getting a guy through his AOW dives. We went out to White Heuge, and had a wee bimble round in the rocks at 12m, for 30 mins. Bit boring and not much life outside the anenomes. I was the first off billies boat for 2005!!
Then after popping back to harbour to change cylinders and pick up a couple more divers, before we headed out to Wuddy Rocks. All I can say is Woooww weee!!!. For anyone who doesn't know the site, Billy drops you off at the side of the large rock, see piccy, and you swim north and then west through a narrow, gap in the rocks, not very unlike a cave. Its all dark from the outside but brightens up inside as the roof has a very narrow crack running the length. The cave opens up inside and the bottom rises from 12m to 8m, bearing right/North, and ends up squeezing you out into Burnmouth Harbour. As the squeeze out is narrow you fly out with the outward surges and hold on for the return surges. Then heading into the harbour, we headed down, and followed the wall to our right. This brings you eventually round to another large looking gap between two very large rocks/walls. This time the gap at the top of the rocks is so narrow, and the length of the tunnel 7m long as to make the inside look very dark. There are spectacular waves in the boulders and stones which line the bottom of the tunnel, formed by the continual surging back and forth of the water in and out of the harbour especially in rough seas. The rocks are white/grey in colour contrasted quite brilliantly with the red boulders and stones forming waves in the tunnel. So being carried with the outward surges and stopping in the troffs of the stone/boulder waves for the inward surges we worked our way through this larger sponge finger lined tunnel, exiting just outside the entrance to the first narrower crack we'd entered by. Signalling OK to Rob, and seeing he had 140 BAR left I made a circling movement with my right forefinger, signalling, again?? A BIG OK came back and we repeated the circuit, this time flying through the tunnels. After the exit a second time, we headed out east into open water before deploying my DSMB and assending to the surface. What a remarkable dive.

Dave C

[Helen F H]

Nice report Dave, i wish i had been there! Glad you were the first person off the boat in 2005, always a nice thing to be able to say. I have never dived Wuddy, but would now very much like to. Indeed, my most memorable and favourite dive up there was one of my first, which was Seagull rock when i was very novicey and hadnt got a computer - i had to curtail my dive time and was much cursed by the other trainees! If anyone fancys a day up there when i can blag a lift off the other half please just say (or if you are passing i dont mind driving as you can fit two sets of gear into my car). Also in the summer, if people want to dive midweek at abbs in the evenings i am more than up for that.

[Dave Crampton]

Funny thing about today and last Thursday was, I was speaking to a few shore divers both Thursday and Today. They were saying what a chore it was to get in and out on the rocks at the end of the pier. Leaves me thinking, There is Billy's boat, 7.50 a dive, why the flip would you want to struggle >300m along the pier with kit, down a slippery rocky entry at low tide, to be washed round Broad Craig/Big Green Carr and have the problems of getting out again with Billy only 50m away??

Dave C

[Helen F H]

I tell you, shore diving at abbs is a last resort! I was a novice back then, and last time i was desperate to get in the water. Boat diving is soooo much nicer.

[D.D.J]

hi
when i did my aow it was at st abbs. i liked the shore dives as i just love getting wet but when we did the deep dive we went out in the boat...it was awesome. definetly the best one.

[gunsentry]

Good report Dave. Sounds like you had a blast.

Wish I could have gotten out with you.

Anyways did dive today with Billy and my son, Black Carr. Nice drift dive. N and NW.

Hope to get out with you soon.

All the best,

Gary.

[Dave Crampton]

Did I say.. I was the first person to dive off his current boat in 2005!! Yay...

[gunsentry]

Originally Posted by Dave Crampton

Did I say.. I was the first person to dive off his current boat in 2005!! Yay...

Billy is getting new Catemaran in next few weeks.

Last charter weekend on his old boat is 8th - 9th Jan 2005.

Three weeks or so later new catermaran will in harbour, looking forward to divng from the new boat.

No name as yet.

Wishing Billy all the best of luck with new boat.

Cheers,

Gary