BUDDY DIVERS NEWSLETTER
www.skiptondivers.co.uk

Firstly sorry for the late appearance of the newsletter, but we have been away diving!! Secondly thank you to all who eventually turned up, there was nobody there for ages then a bus load arrived! Never mind, we had cake for JT’s (belated) birthday as the lucky chap was in the Bahamas on the actual day. I am sure we will see the fruits of his DVD labours soon.

Dive Trip Vouchers  - we did give out a few more vouchers, but not many. Come on, the next trip is looming and you may need them!

If you haven’t ‘shakendown’ your diving yet this year, there are lots of people wanting to go get wet, join them, check out your gear and be ready for St Abbs on the 18th and 19th June.

St Abbs – 18th and 19th June trip with Paul Crowe on Tiger Lily, 10 places booked on boat with tail lift, but we can have more as his brother now has a similar boat we can use. The cottage is free at the moment. Accommodation should be booked yourselves. £30 per person for 2 dives per day

Farnes – 6th and 7th August trip with William Sheil to see the seals as last year. Accommodation should be booked by yourselves. Cost £40 per day for two dives. We have booked 10 places but more are available.

Ullapool trip – Great weekend (or more for some people!) away. The JT’s, Ruth and Joe were both a week or more into their hols on Royal wedding day, as the rest of us struggled up to Ullapool in the blazing sunshine. Mike had a gargantuan ‘British Breakfast’ which set him up for the day and had him raving about haggis. At about 3.00pm we had a call from the JT’s who were heading down to the pub in Dundonnell for a beer. Luckily Kaz and Mike were almost at the pub and were on hand to give JT lifesaving beer when he found out that the pub was shut. Richard passed in his tractor and collected JT and took him back to the B&B leaving Joan to walk back or get very squashed in the back of Mikes car. Beer in hand she opted for the car!.

As we waited at the B & B, Ruth and Joe arrived closely followed by Chris and Steph even more closely followed by Jonathan Atkinson/Aether (now JA) as he had spotted Chris and Steph a few miles back and had cleverly followed them from a distance as he did not know exactly where the B & B was. Dan and Liz had already set up camp with friends a couple of miles down the road. Friday night we had food and drink down at the pub with entertainment by the local folk group. We tried to get Chris and Steph to give us a tune but they declined.

Friday night and Saturday morning saw the wind pick up considerably and Richard wisely postponed the morning’s diving and would review at 12 noon. Kaz, Mike and JA went to look at some shore dive sites suggested by Richard and picked up Dan at the campsite, which was wonderfully located 10 yds from a beach. Just as we were setting off to get back to the B & B for 12 noon briefing, JT called and said that Richard thought it best to abandon the diving due to the high winds. Chris and Steph opted to go to Ullapool, Dan went back to his tent for a kip, the JT’s did the Fairy Loch walk at Gairloch, Ruth and Joe opted to go home, whilst Kaz, JA and Mike went to the Mountain Coffee shop in Gairloch for enormous scones and cups of coffee.

After a look at the map there followed a hair raising 'Top Gear' style drive to the lighthouse at the end of the peninsula to check out what the chaps laughingly called ‘do-able dive’ sites. Do-able my a**e! These sites were at the bottom of sheer cliffs, underneath the lighthouse, or down grassy slopes of about 75 degs! Do-able only by abseiling or helicopter drop off. Kaz despite shaking from the effort of holding onto the door handle for grim death for 16 miles, kept their enthusiasm in check and they returned to the B & B and had a dive in the loch. Saturday night we went back to the pub for more food then back to J T’s van for a squashed but sociable drink and snacks.

Sunday morning the wind had abated slightly and we set off down Loch Broom on Richard's new boat for the Fairweather Five wreck. Still as lovely, festooned in massive anemones, with Wrasse, Pollock and Cod watching as we circled around. Sadly Richard has yet to fit the lift and we had to climb up the fin ladder to get back into the boat. OK for chaps with long legs, but Kaz and Joan had to be hoisted over the top rail as our legs were too short to reach the deck. The surface interval saw us joined by one and then several Skua’s. Large brownish birds with a 4ft wingspan and a fearsome reputation. After fighting for scraps of bread and biscuits on the waves they decided that ripping them out of your hands was the best option. JA got some pictures of this happening to JT, watch out for them on the media page.

Second dive was on a coral and scallop bed, goody bags were made ready and after a shortish dive the result of the haul was 1 scallop for Dan and 6 for the JT’s. everyone else nil. The JT's kindly gave their scallops to Dan, hope you enjoyed them!!!. After packing our gear away we headed back to the B&B and the JT’s celebrated the end of another dive trip in their usual style. Whilst Dan, Liz, Chris and Steph opted to stay another day, Kaz, Mike, JA and the JT’s started the long journey home and back to work.

Many thanks to Mrs Ross for her wonderful hospitality and fantastic breakfasts. Huge thanks as always to Richard for his patience, boat handling, diving expertise and manhandling of short legged divers. Thanks as well to all who made it a great weekend away, see you on the next one. Oh and if Mike or JA suggest joining them on a 'do-able' dive, my best advice - don't!!

Now the weather is warming up, people are getting back to diving and looking for buddies so please check the forum regularly for requests.

Nick has asked for your opinion on some changes to the Forum front page. Please see the Forum for details and let him know what you think.

Don’t forget to post some of your pictures or short video clips onto the media page on the forum. Please add any photos from your trips and a few details of what you got up to. Kaz has added some from Ullapool, if anybody else has some photos can you post them too (JA especially the skua ones please!!)

Please say hello to the new divers on the Forum. There have been several recently and hopefully they will be able to come to the meeting, be gentle with them.

Please tell everyone if and when you are planning a trip, someone may want a buddy and would like to join you. There are lots of mid week divers now, so just ask.

The next meeting is on Thursday 5th May at the Cross keys no later than 8.30 please!