Today’s Dive on the Tanks and Bulldozers was cancelled by the skipper Simon of Southern Coastal Charters. The weather was looking 50/50 yesterday at 18:00 but from Simon’s viewpoint the colour of the water looked bad so decided to call off the dive and be a bankrupt skipper.
Last time Dan and I tried to do this dive, Simon dropped the shot line down, looked at the colour of the water and decide the viz was rubbish. We moved on in hope to dive the Shirala (‘T’pot) and the viz appeared better, so we dived. The viz was rubbish and we lost the wreck after 20 mins so surfaced.
So this morning I had a lie-in and hope for better weather next week when I am booked on a dive with Wightdiver to the far Mulberry followed by the landing craft on the 4th April. I will be diving with my dive buddy Dan and my son Will, for Will this will be his second major open water dive.
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Luis and Bembridge Ledges Drift 21st March 2010
This was my first dive of the year with the newly refurbished Wightdiver. It was a double dive on the Luis off the south west side of the Isle of Wight followed by a drift dive. I hooked up with Terry, Jamie and Graham for the dive. Graham was using a re-breather so we decided to dive as a foursome on the Luis.
I have never dived with another diver using a re-breather although briefed beforehand by diving reflexes kicked in as soon as I was under water much to the annoyance of Graham but he did not say anything.
I drop when descending, usually to keep up with my buddy, which is not the thing to do with a re-breather. The shot line was a bit slack and hence I was hanging lower than Graham as he was changing air mix at 6 metres.
It was black at the bottom and we lost Graham within minutes and only due to the amazing light from Terry’s torch is some of the video any good. Terry caught a lobster during the darkest of dives. Terry, Jamie and I managed to stay together for the whole of the dive some 34 minutes long with the water a toasty 7°C.
The next dive was a drift dive over Bembridge ledges with Graham was just a fun dive. The viz was not great at about 2 metres but the fun part was the numbers of scallops we managed to pick up, interesting for Bembridge ledges. It was less of a drift with almost no tide so more of a slow paddle, really nice all the same. The temperature was still at 7°C and again with the new 5mm gloves and the extra layer under my dry suit we had a 57 min dive.
I can’t say that this video is a real recommendation for UK diving but it is what happens with UK diving from time to time and one has to be taken in one’s stride. The UK dives are interesting, entertaining and fun (?) they just don’t have that WOW factor that ‘blue water diving’ has.
I have found that overseas being a Solent diver is a ‘badge of honour’ with the words “if you can dive in the Solent you can dive anywhere”. Don’t get me wrong my view is that macho divers end up as dead divers, and from that stand point I will, and have, called off a dive when it is not fun.
I feel very fortunate that I live in the Solent area with such a high concentration of wrecks. For me it is not the wrecks themselves but the wildlife that lives on the wreck that I enjoy.
Anyway the next dive is on the 28th March and is the Tanks and Bulldozers to be taken out by Southern Coastal Charters with Skipper Simon. I believe a wreck with lots on nooks and crannies for sea life. A first time dive for me on this wreck, so hopefully good weather to dive, good viz and a bit warmer! Note to self: new batteries for torch.
Here is the weblink to the diving video:Luis & Bembridge Ledges Drift March 2010
I have never dived with another diver using a re-breather although briefed beforehand by diving reflexes kicked in as soon as I was under water much to the annoyance of Graham but he did not say anything.
I drop when descending, usually to keep up with my buddy, which is not the thing to do with a re-breather. The shot line was a bit slack and hence I was hanging lower than Graham as he was changing air mix at 6 metres.
It was black at the bottom and we lost Graham within minutes and only due to the amazing light from Terry’s torch is some of the video any good. Terry caught a lobster during the darkest of dives. Terry, Jamie and I managed to stay together for the whole of the dive some 34 minutes long with the water a toasty 7°C.
The next dive was a drift dive over Bembridge ledges with Graham was just a fun dive. The viz was not great at about 2 metres but the fun part was the numbers of scallops we managed to pick up, interesting for Bembridge ledges. It was less of a drift with almost no tide so more of a slow paddle, really nice all the same. The temperature was still at 7°C and again with the new 5mm gloves and the extra layer under my dry suit we had a 57 min dive.
I can’t say that this video is a real recommendation for UK diving but it is what happens with UK diving from time to time and one has to be taken in one’s stride. The UK dives are interesting, entertaining and fun (?) they just don’t have that WOW factor that ‘blue water diving’ has.
I have found that overseas being a Solent diver is a ‘badge of honour’ with the words “if you can dive in the Solent you can dive anywhere”. Don’t get me wrong my view is that macho divers end up as dead divers, and from that stand point I will, and have, called off a dive when it is not fun.
I feel very fortunate that I live in the Solent area with such a high concentration of wrecks. For me it is not the wrecks themselves but the wildlife that lives on the wreck that I enjoy.
Anyway the next dive is on the 28th March and is the Tanks and Bulldozers to be taken out by Southern Coastal Charters with Skipper Simon. I believe a wreck with lots on nooks and crannies for sea life. A first time dive for me on this wreck, so hopefully good weather to dive, good viz and a bit warmer! Note to self: new batteries for torch.
Here is the weblink to the diving video:Luis & Bembridge Ledges Drift March 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Anchor Reef Drift Dive 14th March 2010
14th March 2010: First dive of the year. Simon Bradburn the skipper on his boat [Southern coastal charters]. With my dive buddy Dan. This dive was a drift dive over Anchor Reef, 10 Metres, which is off Bracklesham Bay. It was very cold at 5C (yes, we must be mad!) the viz was poor due to stirring up of the silt on the bottom.
Stirred up by Dan and myself as well as the other divers. Odd with all the open water, we came across two other diver pairs.
I had to call the dive off as I got too cold even in my dry suit, next time I will have an extra layer on.
Nice dive to get into the diving feel again. There was not a lot of life just the two edible crabs, but they were too small. Dive time 34 mins!
Unfortunately this drift dive appears to be typical of all my drift dives, well at least those in the Solent. The drift dive I had in North Cornwall was truly superb and at 24 metres down!
Next dive is planned for next week is on the Luis and followed by a drift. I am again hoping for good diving weather and better viz.
Anyway here is the weblink to the diving video:Anchor Reef Drift Dive
Stirred up by Dan and myself as well as the other divers. Odd with all the open water, we came across two other diver pairs.
I had to call the dive off as I got too cold even in my dry suit, next time I will have an extra layer on.
Nice dive to get into the diving feel again. There was not a lot of life just the two edible crabs, but they were too small. Dive time 34 mins!
Unfortunately this drift dive appears to be typical of all my drift dives, well at least those in the Solent. The drift dive I had in North Cornwall was truly superb and at 24 metres down!
Next dive is planned for next week is on the Luis and followed by a drift. I am again hoping for good diving weather and better viz.
Anyway here is the weblink to the diving video:Anchor Reef Drift Dive
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Blog Ramble
I found that in UK waters my 'exciting' underwater picture of a fuzzy brown fish did not get the attention I felt it deserved! My camera also can take video so at some point I took video of a dive.
The appreciation was amazing. A video of a fuzzy brown fish therefore has wide appeal to all divers and most of my non diving family. Since then I have made or at least attempted to make a video of all the dives I have done.
Don’t get me wrong diving comes first and having fun, the video always comes second, otherwise I may upset my dive buddies by wasting valuable bottom time playing with my camera.
I get a wide spread of reaction from my dive buddies, first they stop moving to pose for a photo then very slowly they remember that I am taking a video of them and then continue to move, then they are keen to see the video afterwards.
I find that a diving video is an excellent record of any dive. Most of my dives are in the Solent since I live just north of Portsmouth (UK)
A self video!
The appreciation was amazing. A video of a fuzzy brown fish therefore has wide appeal to all divers and most of my non diving family. Since then I have made or at least attempted to make a video of all the dives I have done.
Don’t get me wrong diving comes first and having fun, the video always comes second, otherwise I may upset my dive buddies by wasting valuable bottom time playing with my camera.
I get a wide spread of reaction from my dive buddies, first they stop moving to pose for a photo then very slowly they remember that I am taking a video of them and then continue to move, then they are keen to see the video afterwards.
I find that a diving video is an excellent record of any dive. Most of my dives are in the Solent since I live just north of Portsmouth (UK)
A self video!
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