Salcombe Wreck Expedition - June 13th - 15th 2005

[jptaylor9]

Plenty of space on DiveTime, only 6 of us...

Monday:
Good dive on the "Maine" (30 - 35m) in the morning with Tim ("timmy twotanks"), dragged him through some swim throughs. Well, he's got to learn how big a hole he can get thru with a twin set & stage

In the afternoon we dived the "Sudan" (20m). broken up, but 2 large boilers & stern section.

Tuesday: Dived the "Skaala". About 49m to the sea bed & about 45m on the decks. Not dived it before. Wreck upright, cargo of large coal blocks in abundance. I dived with Mark Powell, did a full circuit of the wreck. Anchors in place on bows, looked like well encrusted rudder on stern. Large blast hole on starboard side near stern where we guessed torpoedo hit & were able to do a bit of a swim thru there. Nice wreck, reminded me of the the "Mexico". After about 35mins we started our ascent & did deco & stuff... then back on the boat for a nice ham/tuna salad lunch.

Excelent viz on both days.

Unfortunately, weather turned nasty & diving on Wednesday was cancelled. But at least I got home at a reasonable time.

Again, thanks Mark for organising then trip.

Also met Kev W & Nigel W.

[Nigel W]

A good accurate write up. Just one point it was Nigel W!

[Mark Powell]

I just got back last night after the second part of the trip. A new group of people and a much fuller boat. 12 on Friday and Saturday and 10 on Sunday.

Thursday was also blown out but Friday was better and the weather improved as the week went on.

Friday we did the Maine again and then the Soudan.

Saturday saw a long discussion as to whether we should do the Riversdale, Skaala or Newholme. The tides rulled out the Newholme and after some final discussion we decided to do the Skaala as I was the only one that had done it before. Another great dive and fantastic viz.

Sunday was the Persier as the tides were too late to do anything more ambitous. A great dive with fantastic viz again and the dive was only spoilt by the fact that there were so many divers on the wreck. Five other hardboats and several ribs was a bit of a change after having all of the Salcombe wrecks to ourselves.

Left Salcombe at about 4 and were back in Weymouth by 9:30 and home just before midnight.

[Mark Powell]

I forgot to mention that on sunday we saw two John Dorys on the Persier and then a Sunfish on the way back to Salcombe.