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Thanks first - to Andy for organising it all and to Ian for buddying me again, bloke must be a glutton for punishment thats all I can say.
I only did the Sunday dive, a civilised start from home at 8.30 and a nice little 2 1/2 hr drive around the M25/M3/M27 followed by a very pleasant pootle around some of Dorsets loveliest areas. My wife and I had our honeymoon in Wareham so I diverted slightly to visit that area plus Corfe Castle and its village. All this in lovely sunshine, some nice tunes on the car stereo and a dive to look forward too as well. Very happy person indeed.
As expected I couldnt get into the Pier car park and parked in the top park, Ian arrived shortly after. We strolled down to the Pier, having paid the carpark fees up top, which by now was beginning to fill up, so beware. Fortunately the advance party had already got into the Pier, well done all, so we thought we might drive one of the cars down, drop the stuff off and re-park. Having greeted the early arrivals and got back up top we decided to manually move the kit or risk not getting parked again.
First dive was on the Kyarra and we were advise that viz yesterday was very good, not so on the Sunday about 4m, from the previous 8/10m, oh well thats life. Whilst the others scabbled about in the silt Ian and I took the moral high ground and just 'observed'. Unfortunately it was all over too soon as air supply dictated a return to the surface. However during the dive we saw some fish, perhaps not as many as on the hood, pollack (rather large), ballan wrasse, but the one that made it for me was a Tompot Blenny resident in a whole in the wreck just poking his/her head out. I found that fish hugely amusing and very cute, all coo at this point. We came back up the shot and did our stop as planned got to the surface and deployed one of our gas blobs, very easy no fuss nice and tall as well. Our dive was cut short as we had spent too much gas getting down to the wreck as we had circled on the surface waiting to drop for what seemed like an eternity, regs in and breathing too deeply I suspect, at least in my case as I felt somewhat anxious as this would be my deepest ever dive and in UK waters to boot. I really had no need as it was an easy dive and well within my existing experience. Ian bless didnt complain, especially kind as he had a 15 tank and his gas guzzling buddy was on a 12, mind he did make some reference to my breathing like a sex maniac. Fair comment really, so it looks like a 15 is on the cards soon, only fair really.
Now the hard part, getting up that bloody ladder, after last times lift I really wasnt looking forward to it and I was right. Bloody hard work, bruised shins and as elegant as an elephant, probably less elegant actually. Oh yeah 27m, 20 odd minutes and 14c
Second dive was a drift after a brief look at a wreck at 12m, hands up who hasnt done a drift, that'll be Binnie then again.
So more anxiety, actually I REALLY enjoyed it. 4 a breast for a backward roll quick OK signal and drop onto the wreck. Quick look round, longer could have been good as well, followed by a drift in the gentle current. Not much wildlife but the feeling of moving along with little effort was great, we think we saw a Dogfish shoot off as we approached, a few crabs, including edible ones, which we left alone. Some small shoals of small fish (dont know what they were mind) and some vegetation, probably animal really. As we ran close to 50bar I signalled Ian and he donated his primary on a long hose to me, which I wasnt really expecting but took it anyway, well he'd paid for it we might as well use it. We continued to drift along and a Bass shot between us. Shortly thereafter we decide to surface, Ian asked me to stow his DV, behind him, so I did. Now is it my fault he only has an Auto air and no 2nd valve
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so I stowed it as requested, or at least thats what I thought he wanted, er wrong. Live and learn, sorry Bud. We deployed Smb and surfaced, this time I stayed nicely buoyant so no complaints from my Buddy about bubbling him this time.
Back on the boat, bit easier this time to be earole bashed un-mercifully about sticking his DV behind his back
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Jeesus I get less grief at home! Another lesson learnt.
De-kit and head for home. I played the Greta Card, by wanting to go home, come on fellas I had a near three hour drive and it was 6.30 and I hadnt had me dinner, so 2 pints on an empty belly and I wouldnt have been fit to walk let alone drive.
All in all though another really enjoyable experience, thanks again to all those that came along (Howard, two Steves
, Mark Chase, Howard, Alex, AndyP and Ian, who have I forgot?) especially to Andy for organising it all.
Matt
Thanks first - to Andy for organising it all and to Ian for buddying me again, bloke must be a glutton for punishment thats all I can say.
I only did the Sunday dive, a civilised start from home at 8.30 and a nice little 2 1/2 hr drive around the M25/M3/M27 followed by a very pleasant pootle around some of Dorsets loveliest areas. My wife and I had our honeymoon in Wareham so I diverted slightly to visit that area plus Corfe Castle and its village. All this in lovely sunshine, some nice tunes on the car stereo and a dive to look forward too as well. Very happy person indeed.
As expected I couldnt get into the Pier car park and parked in the top park, Ian arrived shortly after. We strolled down to the Pier, having paid the carpark fees up top, which by now was beginning to fill up, so beware. Fortunately the advance party had already got into the Pier, well done all, so we thought we might drive one of the cars down, drop the stuff off and re-park. Having greeted the early arrivals and got back up top we decided to manually move the kit or risk not getting parked again.
First dive was on the Kyarra and we were advise that viz yesterday was very good, not so on the Sunday about 4m, from the previous 8/10m, oh well thats life. Whilst the others scabbled about in the silt Ian and I took the moral high ground and just 'observed'. Unfortunately it was all over too soon as air supply dictated a return to the surface. However during the dive we saw some fish, perhaps not as many as on the hood, pollack (rather large), ballan wrasse, but the one that made it for me was a Tompot Blenny resident in a whole in the wreck just poking his/her head out. I found that fish hugely amusing and very cute, all coo at this point. We came back up the shot and did our stop as planned got to the surface and deployed one of our gas blobs, very easy no fuss nice and tall as well. Our dive was cut short as we had spent too much gas getting down to the wreck as we had circled on the surface waiting to drop for what seemed like an eternity, regs in and breathing too deeply I suspect, at least in my case as I felt somewhat anxious as this would be my deepest ever dive and in UK waters to boot. I really had no need as it was an easy dive and well within my existing experience. Ian bless didnt complain, especially kind as he had a 15 tank and his gas guzzling buddy was on a 12, mind he did make some reference to my breathing like a sex maniac. Fair comment really, so it looks like a 15 is on the cards soon, only fair really.
Now the hard part, getting up that bloody ladder, after last times lift I really wasnt looking forward to it and I was right. Bloody hard work, bruised shins and as elegant as an elephant, probably less elegant actually. Oh yeah 27m, 20 odd minutes and 14c
Second dive was a drift after a brief look at a wreck at 12m, hands up who hasnt done a drift, that'll be Binnie then again.
So more anxiety, actually I REALLY enjoyed it. 4 a breast for a backward roll quick OK signal and drop onto the wreck. Quick look round, longer could have been good as well, followed by a drift in the gentle current. Not much wildlife but the feeling of moving along with little effort was great, we think we saw a Dogfish shoot off as we approached, a few crabs, including edible ones, which we left alone. Some small shoals of small fish (dont know what they were mind) and some vegetation, probably animal really. As we ran close to 50bar I signalled Ian and he donated his primary on a long hose to me, which I wasnt really expecting but took it anyway, well he'd paid for it we might as well use it. We continued to drift along and a Bass shot between us. Shortly thereafter we decide to surface, Ian asked me to stow his DV, behind him, so I did. Now is it my fault he only has an Auto air and no 2nd valve
Back on the boat, bit easier this time to be earole bashed un-mercifully about sticking his DV behind his back
Jeesus I get less grief at home! Another lesson learnt.
De-kit and head for home. I played the Greta Card, by wanting to go home, come on fellas I had a near three hour drive and it was 6.30 and I hadnt had me dinner, so 2 pints on an empty belly and I wouldnt have been fit to walk let alone drive.
All in all though another really enjoyable experience, thanks again to all those that came along (Howard, two Steves
, Mark Chase, Howard, Alex, AndyP and Ian, who have I forgot?) especially to Andy for organising it all.
Matt
When everyone was back on the boat the smiles all round said it all…except the Steves who thought the first dive was better! It is funny how you can dive the same site and see such different things because for C and I there was far, far more marine life on the Kyarra than the Sky but Team Steve had the opposite.
