[JohnK]

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OK, so its noy a sea dive, or somewhere exotic but we returned to Vivian today after about 2 years absence. Its a small hole in the welsh hills with magnificent views over snowdonia. Did 2 dives (Once clockwise and once anticlockwise so it seemed new !!) and it was great.

Vis about 10m, 19m max depth and a circuit that takes in all the sights (about 40 mins incl safety stop - dont fin too fast !!!). So whats in there

1.  2 boats
2.  Blast house with swim thru + gnome garden on top
3.  Larger blast house (no entry)
4.  Car wreck
5.  6m `platform` for trainees
6.  Underwater scrap heap
7.  Saw ONE trout
8. DaveJ saw massive eel
9.  huge slate boulders/crevices etc

All in all for a small site it was great - you can see the lot on dive one, then in reverse for dive two.

Water temp was 6 degrees - minimal silt (some haze nearer the surface) AND a one degree thermocline.

registration cost a fiver (for life) and a days diving cost a fiver. Would recommend the Early starter breakfast + black pudding at the little chef on the way.!!!

We got pissed off with cape and this was totally different - new owners are good guys and very friendly so if you fancy summat different and the sea is blown then try this - good fun was had by all

 

[[email protected]]

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Nice one Kirky, so it was you who got to see the trout?

I went there last weekend for a bit of a change, just like yourself, don't tell me you missed the pink mountain bike and excercise bike? Let's face it, when divers see two objects like these, what must we do? RACE.

I think this place is probably the most scenic quarry I have dived, it reminds me of "the lion, the witch and the wardrobe".

James  

 

[Jules]

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I did my PADI OW qualifying dives in vivian and it's ideal for training. reasonable Viz and not to easy to get lost. Very pretty.
Must go and take another look. glad to hear it's open again and so reasonably priced.
jules

 

[JohnK]

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Yes - did see the bike and excercise bike - wierd swimming to the boat and there they were standing upright. Also, the underwater tree/bush is superb - really made the place look eerie - like a horror movie. Also found the skull, the silver hand and for the Scots (Oh-Oh !!) there are loads of pennies that folk chuck in from the viewing platform

The fish are in the scrapyard

One you have got to do is the 2m giat stride entry - WOOOOHOOOOO !!!!!

The new ladder is a lot better for getting out but watch out for falling weightbelts - DO NOT swim directly under the entry point as DaveJ found a weightbelt at 15m that had obviously been dropped on the way out - Ouch if that had hit ya.

A days diving is £5. Air fills are £2.50 for a 12L and they are at 240 bar (but warm)

Decent fills, dcent topside scanery, very decent underwater. All its missing is a burger bar !!!!!! Even the vis keeps good atfer all the trainees have finished - definitiely better than Cape/Stoney

I`d recommend this place to anyone who wants a different dive. It took about 90mins to get there from Runcorn which aint bad as it takes me 75 to get to Cape.

 

[Balders]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Ummm could make a nice change to Capenwray as you say Kirky.  Where excactly is it?  Does it have a web site i could check out?

 

[JohnK]

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Try www.divevivian.com or simply type in vivian dive site into your search engine. Lots of info and directions etc

 

[Dave J]

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Ever thought of renaming your web site john

KIRKYS DIVE SPOTS VIA LITTLE CHEFS

This is a great spot with very friendly people what more can you ask for.

 

[Jules]

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Quote[/b] (kirky @ Mar. 14 2004,11:36)]All its missing is a burger bar !!!!!!

we used to go into the slate museum cafe for hot drinks and nosh, it was free entry..is that still open? seem to remember it was rather good.
jules

 

[Mark Davies]

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<font color='#000080'>I've not been since it re-opened. It's a beautiful spot in Llanberris and not far at all from where my parents live. But my buddy used to find that swimming pool ladder too difficult for getting out (she's only got little legs!) which has given me hours of amusement and for her hours of frustration! So we didn't go there too often. Nice to hear it's been replaced - so we might pay another visit.

I found the cafe in the slate museum rather poor. The last time we went half the stuff on the menu was not available (the first three things I asked for they didn't have!) and the service was dreadfully slow. Maybe we just caught them on a bad day. Other good places to eat in the town though.

The biggest drawback is the fairly lengthy walk from the car park, through the tunnel and on to the entry point. It was particularly difficult last time I went as they were still building the extension to the miniature railway line right across the path. Have they finished that yet? I usually take a trolley.

The viz is always brilliant, but because of the high, steep and sheer sides of the quarry the sun never gets in there and the water is always a few degrees colder than anywhere else. Be prepared!

 

[JohnK]

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I think the Cafe is only open in summer - but I can recommend a Little Chef on the way - as Dave says - I wont go anywhere if there aint a little Chef on the way !!!

The walk is a pain (about 300yards) but you can leave your heavy kit near the water - we had no problems)

 

[Tim Ingmire]

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Quote[/b] (kirky @ Mar. 15 2004,17:50)]- as Dave says - I wont go anywhere if there aint a little Chef on the way !!!

So, given that there are no LC's in Mexico I'll bet you would've needed to have, ooohh, at least two Olympic breakfasts to tide you over.

 

[JohnK]

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AND.....I took a pic of one to look at before every dive......drooooooool

mmmmmm......Olympic...........

 

[Tim Ingmire]

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mmmmmm.......Olympic.....droooolll...

I suggest that when you get you're housing we do a gig and meet up at a LC and take piccies of our breakfasts with our complete rigs

...mmmmmmmmm...breakfast

Imagine it, an Oly breakfast captured by and Oly camera


..mmmmmmmm, Oly-licious.

 

[Bantam]

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Wow! I didn't know it was open again. I love to dive there - if only because it's such good viz usually, and the skull made my friend jump out of his skin last time (I shone my torch into the house first while passing to make it glow as it's glow in the dark!!). I came out of the tunnel and watched him go in and saw his eyes as he looked in and jumped a mile!

Also, when I go there, I usually stop at 'The Heights' which is a great Bunkhouse with a fantastic bar for £17.50 per night inc breakfast (in the Bunk Beds, which are excellent fun). Decent beer too.