Not the Resurgam...Anglesey 30/9/2006

[mrvf100]

Well this was to be my first trip with YD, so wasnt really sure what to expect...(This is also my first trip report, so please be gentle....)

We knew the Resurgam was off as Elfyn had told us earlier in the week that the winds were against us. Never mind, we still fancied a day out.

We were going to leave Macclesfield at 5.45 am, but as Scotty slept in, we finally got away at 6.30. Elfyn wanted us in Amlwch for 8, so the stress levels were rising..... After much frantic texting to tell him we would be late, we finally made it at about 8.30 to find Elfyn and Peter-L onboard the Empress.

We were late as hell, so I was confused that nobody else was there. Elfyn then told us that this was it, nobody else was coming, so off we went. Everyone has paid up front, so we now had the luxury of a fairly roomy boat for just the three of us, grand! The sun was now belting down, its flat calm, and I'm going diving . Elfyn suggested the "unkown tug" in about 30m as a first dive. When we arrived at the site, the wreck was still bouyed much to his amazement, so we kitted up and dropped in as a threesome. Water was a pleaseant 15 degrees.

Viz was looking good at about 5-6m on the line, and the light levels on the wreck, even at 30m, were excellent, with viz again at about 5-6m. The wreck is split in two amidships, but we spent all the dive on the stern section. Still very much recognisable as a ship, the graceful lines of the stern are clearly visible, with the rudder and prop disappearing into the sandy bottom. The wreck is absolutley plastered in orange and white plumose, a riot of colour. We also spotted three lobsters (one was pretty chunky with barnacles all over his claws), a few congers, and huge shoals of bib and pollock hanging over the wreck. There were so many fish at times that we couldnt see the wreck through the shoals. A very slight current allowed us to drift over the site and have a look at the remains of the superstructure, then a quick nosy round the engine block. During the whole dive, I kept thinking to myself "Whats going on, Anglesey is supposed to be rubbish, but this is great??!?"

Reluctantly we headed for the shot, then back up to the Empress for a brew, then back to Amlwch to pick up Jen and have a cup of tea in the sun.

Second dive of the day was the Dakota, just outside the harbour wall in about 18m. Jen and Peter buddied up for this one. We dropped on to the shot, and the viz was ok, but not as good as the morning, maybe 1-2m. This was more of a rummage dive, although there are still some fairly upright bits of the wreck visible. We had a good look around, and there was plenty of life to see. Loads of shrimps under plates, and tompot blennies galore. Scotty also managed to find a stack of broken crockery. After an hour, we decided to call it a day. Back on board, Peter had some spidge, a trowel that Elfyn had lost when diving on the wreck a few days previously.

Within about five minutes, we were back in, and unloading was dead easy, with the car parked about 25 yards away. We had a quick pint with Jen and Peter, then headed back home.

A great days diving, with warm, sunny weather and excellent company. Very impressed with Elfyn's operation, we will be back!

Great to meet you Jen and, Peter, fingers crossed that you and Billy get to the Resurgam in two weeks time.

Ray

[Jen]

Great trip report and great to meet you too

[Neil M]

Hi Ray..

Did Scotty get his breather wet??

have you managed to pursuade him to come on here yet??

Cheers
Neil

[Angleseyskipper]

Originally Posted by mrvf100

Well this was to be my first trip with YD, so wasnt really sure what to expect...(This is also my first trip report, so please be gentle....)

We knew the Resurgam was off as Elfyn had told us earlier in the week that the winds were against us. Never mind, we still fancied a day out.

We were going to leave Macclesfield at 5.45 am, but as Scotty slept in, we finally got away at 6.30. Elfyn wanted us in Amlwch for 8, so the stress levels were rising..... After much frantic texting to tell him we would be late, we finally made it at about 8.30 to find Elfyn and Peter-L onboard the Empress.

We were late as hell, so I was confused that nobody else was there. Elfyn then told us that this was it, nobody else was coming, so off we went. Everyone has paid up front, so we now had the luxury of a fairly roomy boat for just the three of us, grand! The sun was now belting down, its flat calm, and I'm going diving . Elfyn suggested the "unkown tug" in about 30m as a first dive. When we arrived at the site, the wreck was still bouyed much to his amazement, so we kitted up and dropped in as a threesome. Water was a pleaseant 15 degrees.

Viz was looking good at about 5-6m on the line, and the light levels on the wreck, even at 30m, were excellent, with viz again at about 5-6m. The wreck is split in two amidships, but we spent all the dive on the stern section. Still very much recognisable as a ship, the graceful lines of the stern are clearly visible, with the rudder and prop disappearing into the sandy bottom. The wreck is absolutley plastered in orange and white plumose, a riot of colour. We also spotted three lobsters (one was pretty chunky with barnacles all over his claws), a few congers, and huge shoals of bib and pollock hanging over the wreck. There were so many fish at times that we couldnt see the wreck through the shoals. A very slight current allowed us to drift over the site and have a look at the remains of the superstructure, then a quick nosy round the engine block. During the whole dive, I kept thinking to myself "Whats going on, Anglesey is supposed to be rubbish, but this is great??!?"

Reluctantly we headed for the shot, then back up to the Empress for a brew, then back to Amlwch to pick up Jen and have a cup of tea in the sun.

Second dive of the day was the Dakota, just outside the harbour wall in about 18m. Jen and Peter buddied up for this one. We dropped on to the shot, and the viz was ok, but not as good as the morning, maybe 1-2m. This was more of a rummage dive, although there are still some fairly upright bits of the wreck visible. We had a good look around, and there was plenty of life to see. Loads of shrimps under plates, and tompot blennies galore. Scotty also managed to find a stack of broken crockery. After an hour, we decided to call it a day. Back on board, Peter had some spidge, a trowel that Elfyn had lost when diving on the wreck a few days previously.

Within about five minutes, we were back in, and unloading was dead easy, with the car parked about 25 yards away. We had a quick pint with Jen and Peter, then headed back home.

A great days diving, with warm, sunny weather and excellent company. Very impressed with Elfyn's operation, we will be back!

Great to meet you Jen and, Peter, fingers crossed that you and Billy get to the Resurgam in two weeks time.

Ray

yep not a bad day after all ray ,the forecast was right for the day it just came a little later than predicted as it blew up around teatime so it was a good call.
Easy day for me with just 4 bods on board but thats the way it goes some times.
the early start gave us loads of options for the alternate lw slack wreck dive so we managed to sneak off shore for better Viz and an unnamed wreck in 30m happy days.
top marks for recovering me lost airlifting trowel i can sleep at night now!
fingers crossed for the next attempt you never know.
elfyn

[angleseydiver]

I can sleep too!-
Now I have the "conger-smiting trowel" back.
Good find, that man!
Since it's absence the " conger-smiter" has now been relegated to the substitute's bench and been replaced by the "screwdriver
/chisel conger-poker-in- the- eyer"
Not tested it on the conger yet, but for rooting in the mud and feeling around it's the dog's...

[mrvf100]

Hi Neil

yes indeed he got the old YBOD out for a dip. He's talking about signing up, but needs a bit more encouragement. Cheers

Ray

Originally Posted by Neil M

Hi Ray..

Did Scotty get his breather wet??

have you managed to pursuade him to come on here yet??

Cheers
Neil

[DVR]

During the whole dive, I kept thinking to myself "Whats going on, Anglesey is supposed to be rubbish, but this is great??!?"


A great days diving, with warm, sunny weather and excellent company. Very impressed with Elfyn's operation, we will be back!


Shhhh, dont tell everyone, we've been trying to keep it a secret
I did try to get down to meet you all but never made it, there's always next time.

[peter-l]

Not much to add,Ray has covered everything.

Thanks to Ray and Scott for buddying up with me on the first dive,it really was a great little wreck.

After reading the cargo manifest of the Dakota during the surface interval,I had a surge of excitement when I saw only the handle of the trowel poking up through the silt.When I recovered it I remembered that there had been no mention of builders tools on the manifest......oh well,maybe next time it will be something more valuable!

Also thanks to Jen,even though her dive was cut short.

And last but not least thanks to Elfyn for a top day out and more tea in a few hours than I think I have drunk in the past year!

Hope to see you all again soon,

Peter.

[Justin Owen]

Hi Elfyn...!

It was nice to meet you on Saturday too! Just been speaking to Chris H at our monthly committee meeting and we were trying to figure out who the mystery hard boat was on the "not the lady windsor"

I was driving the RIB when we first came over - I was NOT the one cox'n when we went in

Are you sure you're not ugly enough to be Scot? When I asked if the buoy was on Elfyn's line I was inviting you to own up as to who you were!

Will hopefully chat to you next time (when we're not running so late for slack - trailer got bogged on Traeth Buchan).

[mrvf100]

Hi John

Wont tell too many people, I promise . We will definitely be back, so hope to meet you then. All the best.

Ray


Shhhh, dont tell everyone, we've been trying to keep it a secret
I did try to get down to meet you all but never made it, there's always next time.[/quote]