[Paul Oliver]

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Guys

We (my other club) are organising a trip to Scapa and are trying to do some groundwork, like top boat's, accom, wrecks, journey tips, etc.

We, 12, possibly more, divers will be travelling up from Kent. So any tips will be welcome. Can we get bottles and lead on the boats as carrying ours that far will be a pain. I have read quality tips in the past on the ferries and baggage movement but cannot remember it all.

We will proberably all be on Nitrox, but no Trimix or CCR. We are all experienced wreck divers.

Will we be safe from the wild scotsmen? We have a Paddy we can feed to them while we run away. Do they serve Shandy in scotland?

All tips are welcome.

Ta in advance.

Paul

 

[Diving Dude]

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The first time we used two boats, the Girl Mina, which when I booked the trip I didn`t realise was one of the less famous wrecks, however the skipper Terry was a great laugh, he had 12 ltr tanks on board (no test dates)
The other boat we used was Radiant Queen skippered by Ian Trumpess, boat was rather open with limited inside cabin space. Both boats moored at Stromness and we stayed in the Ferry Inn. None of us drank shandy for the week.

The second time we went we used two different boats, although we had a great week the first time we didn`t book the same boats again because the first time we didn`t have twelve divers (we paid fo twelve) on each boat and both skippers took additional divers and did not reduce the price accordingly.
The boats we used the seond time were the MV Triton, probally the best condition day boat in stromness, however skipper needed a sense of humour transplant.
The other boat was the www.annette-rosenkilde.com
skippered by Neil Mcgibbon, the only(I think) skipper to charge per person and not x amount for whole week regardless of number of divers, he also gives you a choice of dayboat or livaboard/ part livaboard i.e. some of your party may want to stay on board and some on shore.
Large well kept boat with 12s & 15s & nitrox, and a great skipper.

The third time we used the Anette Rosenkilde again, some of us staying on board some in the Ferry Inn.
We travelled up from NW London, it is a barsteward of a journey.
It took one guy 14 hrs non stop.
Last time we decided to break the journey on the way up and stayed with puffin divers at Oban and dived the Sound of Mull for two days.

This year we are using The Annette Rosnkilde again and will be breaking the journey on the way back by staying at Seahouses and diving the Farne Islands for two days.

As for the question "will you be safe from the wild scotsman" that all depends if you avoid Glasgo and miss Peter K

We looked into all ways to travel up and the only realistic way is to drive either shared cars or hired minibus.

We will have spaces on our trip I will post on planned trips next week when I know excatly how many.

Another tip is don`t bother with suncream

I offered my daugher the choice of Red Sea livaboard or Scapa and she chose Scapa without a moments hesitation.

It is my favorite dive site.
Hope you have a great time.

I`ve gone back to one red ball and one post?

(Edited by Diving Dude at 1:16 am on Feb. 23, 2003)
Realised what it is, using different computer and entered my nick name starting with capital letters.

Howard


(Edited by Diving Dude at 1:24 am on Feb. 23, 2003)

 

[Mr T.]

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Quote[/b] ]Quote:

As for the question "will you be safe from the wild scotsman" that all depends if you avoid Glasgo and miss Peter K

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Was that 'miss' as in avoid? Or is Peter (with an 'R') not telling us something about his sexual orientation? Petra?

 

[mitch]

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Paul the Annette Rosenkilde is a bit of a pig in any sort of seaway, but Neil the skipper is top man. We took 24 up there last year for a week used Neils boat and also the Triton, Davy the skipper is one dry bastard who has no time for dickheads. The Triton is extremely well set up for tekkies with 2 wonderful kit up benches at the perfick height for your twins and sidemonuts. The 2 skippers worked very well together. I would recommend them both.If you can  stay at the Ferry Inn, room 9( has very fond memories)and it is a 30 sec walk from the boat and we had supberb service. If you can do one wreck them forget the German stuff and dive the James Barrie it is worth the trip on its own. 40 mtrs with an intact ship on its port side with 20mtrs plus viz. Deco was never so much fun.

 

[peter k]

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Hello Sailors. You won't miss me. I can smell an Englishman from a quarter of a mile away. They have a certain odour about them. A mixture of Morris dancer leather and foxhunters crotch sweat, so I'll be waiting with a big stick in my hands to beat the Englishness out of you. This technique hasn't worked yet but it's been fun trying.
As for chasing the Irishman, I don't think so. The Irish are our muckers. He would probably replace the stick when it breaks.

Petra   xxxxx

 

[Bob Cooper]

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Paul

I've only ever been to Scapa Flow once.  We used the diving cellar www.divescapaflow.com and I'd recommend them.  The "John L" isn't the fastest boat in the flow but the skiper (Robert Swanney) has years of experience.

We had a great week there.  Accomodation is for 12 in two terraced houses in Stromness, a short walk from the boat jetty. It's self-catering, but somebody comes in to cook your breakfast and clean up, leaving you with the rest of the day to enjoy the fabulous diving.

You get the use of a 12 seater minibus for the week.  We took 2 cars instead and loaded our gear in the cars.  You can get a container to load your gear in and travel on the ferry as a foot passenger (cheaper that way).  The container is delivered to the John L for loading.

The "Ferry Inn" in Stromness does a wicked Karaoke on a Friday night (our last night there) and much fun was had by all.

Regarding the diving... We went in September and vis wasn't too good.  I think there was an alga bloom.  The most enjoyable dives for me were on the blockships.  The Tabarka really is a fantastic dive.  The battleships and cruisers in the flow itself (Kronprice Wilhelm, Markgraf, Karlsruhe etc. are awesome).

I wrote a story which was published in "Sport Diver".  If you're interested, I'll e-mail you a copy (no pics though).  I think it was published around September 2001.

Have fun....I did!

Bob

 

[Mr T.]

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Hey Bob,

Don't be shy mate!! Let's have your published story on SCAPA in our 'Recent Trips' section. I'm sure the troops would be well eager to read it. Cut-n-paste that man!!!

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Bob

ThanX, a very good article, i'll pass it around those going.

Regards

Paul

 

[Steve Summers]

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Hi Paul,
we went with scapa scuba on the sharon rose and jean elaine can't fault them, the only downside to the trip was me developing a taste for battered haggis :surprised: in the ferrybridge inn.

Safe diving,
Steve.

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Steve

I've long had a taste for Haggis (Bought one last week - In Kent). So i'm looking forward to some more. I should have said sooner that i taught sking for a while in Avimore, so i've picked up several sweatey sock habbits.

ThankX for the comments, all are welcome.

Regards

 

[Mr T.]

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Hey Paul mate,

Have a look at these sites - top photies!

http://www.gunsofscapa.demon.co.uk/

http://www.scapaflow.co.uk/

http://www.aquaworld.freeserve.co.uk/Personal/divesites/scapasites.htm

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/jralston/rk/scapa/

HTH.

(Edited by Bren Tierney at 7:24 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Bren

ThanX, top site's. I'd seen some but not all of them. So much to see, so many choices to make.

Regards

Paul