Our first dive weekend of the year 2020. For many years we have gone to Swanage in April but this year it was planned for September so to have lots of divers who are ‘dived up’ to be able to visit the deeper wrecks.
Did the weekend deliver? It certainly did. Only 5 divers for this weekend, Colin Nobes, Steve Rogers, Richard Scola and Richard van Maanenberg in the caravan in Swanage Coastal Park and Andy Bloss who stayed on a campsite nearby.
Weather this weekend was superb. Not much wind, lots of sunshine and temepratures in the mid 20’s Celcius. Visibility whilst diving was very good, up to 6 meters.
We thought of doing a night dive on Friday as we were in Swanage relatively early but after filling the diving cylinders with air and ourselves with fish or sausage and chips that thought left us quickly and we settled for a beer in the caravan instead.
Saturday was a relaxed morning, starting at about 9 to drive to the slipway. First dive of the day was the Fleur the Lys, always an entertaining wreck dive with lots metal and fish to see. A very brazen cuttlefish kept showing it’s skin changing skills and was not afraid to stay with us for a long time. After the cylinder fill and lunch surface interval we headed for the Valentine tanks.
Well, what can I say. The best dive I have done in a long time. The permanent shot took us down to the middle of the line between the two tanks. Tank one, massive congers, massive lobster, lots of pollock and bib. Tank two, even bigger congers hiding in the track and underneath the tank. At one stage I sat on the seafloor, looking at the turret of the tank through a school of fish, seeing the rays of the sun scatter above on the surface. It could have been the med! And this was at 14 meters deep. Absolutely amazing and fantastic dive, so much life on the tanks.
Sunday had a somewhat earlier start. Alarms went off at 05.30 to meet the morning slack and dive the Kyarra. It was worth it with a great dive on the 30 meter wreck. Lots to see and so much of it easily recognized. Stern without the rudder, bollards, crane, hull, hold, etc. Not as much fish life as on the Valentine tanks.
After filling the cylinders, late breakfast and snooze on the boat we went back to the Kyarra to go towards the bow and rummage in the forward hold to retrieve our shot which had got stuck on the wreck after the first dive. Anther lovely dive with still so much more to explore but not enough bottom time or air to do so. Other divers came up with a bottle of Champagne from the forward hold. Must try harder to find something next time.
So it was a lovely weekend with great diving. Did everything go well? No, it did not. Steve lost his go-pro on the first dive on the Kyarra and Colin lost his on the second Kyarra dive. Luckily it had been found and the great footage of the Valentine tanks can be seen on this website.
More of these weekends please.
Richard
