Destination UK

[CotoChris]

<font color='#0000FF'>Planning my dive trips for next year and my Mrs and I decided that for the summer (July) 2004 we will go to the UK for our dive holiday. We will be driving from Portugal and planning to spend 3 weeks in UK &amp; Ireland. For this trip we will be heading to Wales, Northern England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Ireland. (I see how far we can go before the money runs out) Following the discussions in the past few months my idea is so far:

1) Farne Islands
2) Isle of Mull
3) Scapa Flow

Where else should we not miss?

Another problem is how is the best way to organize the diving? I can't quite get a skipper just for two people, should I contact local clubs closer to the date? As we are on holiday we will be doing a lot of mid week dives,

As I'm driving I can take my cylinder but wonder if I will have problems with filling it. I brought it in Spain and is checked yearly but it will be a waste of space if I can't have it filled due to some paperwork.

Many thansk for your input and surely get to meet some of you then.

[peter k]

Hi Chris,
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Let me know ASAP when you want to do Mull and I'll throw together a YD gig.

Peter

[abucksdiver]

<font color='#000080'>If you are into Wrecks, then ya can't beat the sarf coast!

abucksdiver

[Jules]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (peter k @ Oct. 08 2003,15:24)]Hi Chris,
          Let me know ASAP when you want to do Mull and I'll throw together a YD gig.

Peter

Hey Peter
Can you put us down for it then?
Book early to avoid disappointment!

Jules
x

[CotoChris]

<font color='#0000FF'>We are looking at the last three weeks of July but can't plan dates yet, that is far too organise for me.
Don't do much wreck diving but one of the ideas is to have a look when up there, but doubt I'll do any penetration (inot the wrecks that is).
My local dive club found a fishing trawler that sank last year at 40m, intact with mobile phonesn, coats and a flask of cofee! Still havn't been there but will try this weekend if my cold gets any better.
Thanks for all your help

[John Gulliver]

Chris, as you plan to go to the Farnes, you shouldn't miss St Abbs. It's about an hour north of Beadnell/Seahouses by car and has excellent scenic diving – it's a voluntary marine reserve. We stayed and dived with Farne Diving Services in Beadnell (the boat goes from Seahouses) http://www.farnedivingservices.co.uk/ and Billy and Alison Aitchison in St Abbs. http://www.divecentrestabbs.com/ . I can recommend both.

[Driftwood]

<font color='#0000FF'>Erm... I'd add in the Summer Isles. Easily done out of Ullapool or get a liveaboard from Greenock.

Diving is absolutely fan-dam-tastic, especially the Fairweather IV.

[peter k]

The &quot;only&quot; boat that leaves from Ullapool now is supposedly not very good. I'm sure RB won't mind me c'n'peeing his report;


Just back from a weekend diving out of Ullapool on a newly introduced boat from Camasnagal.
What a weekend, everything that could be wrong or go wrong did. The boat had no toilet, no gas for tea, the worst ladder I have every seen, a hull that would roll on wet grass and an engine that packed in for half one of the days. The weather was bad and he seemed to think this was the reason we were unhappy but we have all been around and know the score. This was the only thing outwith his control and nobody was bothered. The only weather related issue was that we could not attempt the ladder in anything over a flat calm as it had no hardrail going over the bulwark and OVERHUNG so you were climbing up hanging on your arms!
The skipper was doing all sort of weird things with the boat like reversing towards divers to pick them up and didn't know any of the sites. Even put us on the Innisjura instead of the Fairweather by mistake. The wrong wreck and considerably deeper than the nitrox divers could dive to in the party due to their mixes. Nobody was happy with the way the boat was handled.
We had two brand new and just cleaned twinsets contaminated with oil and another fill so putrid that it couldn't be dived and the guy missed the whole days diving. All without any embarrasment from the skipper.
I don't think he will last as nobody on the boat is going to recommend him except for keelhauling. The last comment was &quot;look forward to seeing you again&quot; not bl**y likely!

Bit more;
If it had been just me there on my own and not organising a group, or there was an alternative boat, I would have walked off after the first day. Unfortunately it is different when you have got a group of divers from three widely seperated parts of the country and you just have to try and make the best of it. We were also in the position of having accom booked for the three nights and travelled hundreds of miles to get there which doesn't help. I only did one dive the whole of Saturday and Sunday as I was unwilling to chance the ladder more than I absolutely had to plus had to modify the ladder as best as could be.
I managed to get some money back for the half day lost when the boat broke down and for part of the fills but nothing was offerred and it had to be asked for.
I have run a awful lot of hardboat trips and this is the first time I have ever been totally dissatified with one. Sometimes the boat isn't perfect or the skipper is a bit grouchy but nothing like this.
The name of the boat is Laura Dawn. and she runs out of Camasgnal in Little Loch Broom.
Unfortunately the whole thing will just have to be put down to experience for us but I am hoping it will save others from the same problems and someone who do the same for us elsewhere in the future.


Peter

[Conor]

If you are doing Ireland then I have heard that the sites not to miss are mostly off Cork and Donegal.

The more experienced guys will fill in the details, but I believe it is the KowLoon Bridge (??) off Cork and a variety of U boats off Donegal. For the Irish diving you can either contact the local operators (listed in Dive Mags), or contact one of the Irish Dive clubs in the Areas (CMAS affiliates normally I believe).

BTW I have to say I am no expert, have never dived in the UK or Ireland, but I grew up in Derry (near Donegal) and spent a couple of years in Cork, so when I'm brave enough (soon ?) I want to go a dive off Ireland.

[louigi]

<font color='#FF0000'>Hay Wales is a loverly place to dive. Did my first boat dives of the Pembroke coast. for mid week dives try my mate Bruce @ www.westwalesdiveingschool.co.uk. The scanery above and below the water is fantastic.As for your cylinder so long as it is stamped with an up to date inspection mark ie it should be inspected 2.5 years after manufacture visual inspection and after 5 full mechanical test. also it should have the relevent manufactureing marks for europe. Then it should be ok.
Maybe see you over there.