|
|
Activities > Trip Reports > Loch Fyne May 2005
|
LOCH FYNE TRIP - MAY DAY WEEKEND
Nine of the club went on this trip:
Jonathan, Joan, Craig, Bill, Phil, Steph, Simon.
Chris and Bev (or "Babs" for short!). Three non-divers: Steph, Chas and Jane.
Telepathy was at work Friday night because somehow, despite having no mobile
phone signals we all met up in the same pub. The "campers" would have had a
2 mile walk back but luckily someone always volunteered to stay sober and drive
the party back. Fortunately Craig was spared the trauma of putting up his tent
once again! Arriving late on Friday night and asking Jonathan and Joan to help
him erect it was a clever ploy which resulted in his invite to share their van
(sorry... luxury en-suite facility). Bill's accommodation was much less flamboyant.
As a self~confessed tent hater he slept al fresco just in sleeping bag.
On Saturday morning the sea was flat calm and the weather fine.
Things were looking good. We met the skipper, Male and his mate, Stibbs.
They weren't flustered one bit when half an hour later the group were still
missing 3 members. Jonathan (sporting his normal "green" complexion},
Joan and Craig finally arrived. Even the delicious smell of Joan's cooking
couldn't rouse the men from their beds.
The first dive was on the wreck of the
Margaret Niven.'it was approx 26m deep and it was full of life - which was more
than could be said for the hands of the divers wearing neoprene gloves.
At a max sea temp of 8 degrees all weekend we were all envious of
Joan's "hot flushes''. Male suggested that once we had seen enough of the
wreck we could "navigate" to some rocks which held lots of life.
That word filled Chris and Bev with horror! Still, the pair carefully
synchronised compasses at the bow as instructed.
By the time 'his complicated
Procedure -,was complete 2 other divers set off on the route boldly in front of them.
That was the cue Chris and Bev needed. They speedily and sheep-like followed them!
The second dive was on a site called '"The Garden`'. This was a submerged (of course!!)
rock in the middle of the loch. It was covered in huge plumrose anemones in bright
orange, whites and yellows. Massive starfish of all colours fought or space on
the rocks vvhich were alive with brittle stars.
This description is mainly for
Jonathan's benefit because he missed this dive. On the surface he started screaming
hysterically that he'd "had a leak". One side of his dry suit had literally fallen
apart at the seams. Everyone continued their dive oblivious but what a shame we
missed the spectacle of Jonathan hauling himself up the ladders, 10 gallons of sea
water in each leg and blue with cold. The only one who was lucky enough to witness
this was Phil who, having got ready and jumped in then decided he '`couldn't be bothered" so climbed straight back out.
He'd had a premonition of better things to come!
On Sunday the weather was cloudy with some rain. We did another scenic dive similar
to the previous dive. Bill returned again with a massive bag full of scallops
and Stibbs opened some there and then so we could eat them alive on the boat.
His barbarity then continued. The baby scallops were kept to one side only to be
put back into "the nursery' > .........ie hurled into the propellers at the back
of the boat. The final dive was on the small wreck of the Arran III. There was some
very interesting crockery down there! Steph and Simon were not impressed though.
They described the dive as "boring'...... but then they have been spoiled by Coniston.
The hardened drinkers then headed straight for the pub to partake in singalongs,
morris dancing and slagging Bev off.
This was an excellent weekend!
|
|
|
