2011-04: Plymouth
This was a BSAC12 Club trip, taking both the Club RHIBs (also see the BSAC12 Club Dive Trip Report). I traveled down with Gill on Friday night after work, picking up Dave Grocott on the way. The journey was smooth apart from a flat tyre about 30 miles out of Plymouth. Dave and I changed the wheel easily, after first having to remove all the dive kit from my boot to get at the spare wheel. After booking into the B&B (The Cranbourne) we walked down into the town to find most of the others partying in the Cider Press pub.
For me, first thing Saturday (16th) morning was spend finding somewhere to fit me two new rear tyres (thanks Plymouth Tyres!). I joined the rest of the divers at the marina. We kitted up on the car park and made our way to the slip where Russ promptly arrived with the second RHIB, Paul Anderson having towed the first down the night before. Whilst planning to launch the first RHIB Paul took a tumble and cracked his head open, blood everywhere. Sue graciously volunteered to take him to the hospital whilst everyone else went diving. The weather was dry and warm with the sun threatening to break out. The was very little wind and Whitsand Bay was as calm as a Millpond. Unfortunately, after the first dive on the Scylla, one of the RHIBs failed to start and the other boat had to tow us back to the marina, and diving over for the day. A nice man diagnosed a faulty battery isolator switch. Left cylinders at 'In Deep' for fills. A couple of pints went down well whilst waiting for the boat taxi. A quick shower and out to the Mexican for a meal.
Sunday (17th) was dry, warm and sunny, excellent for diving. After collecting cylinders (one was out of test! ... but kindly loaded us a spare), we traveled out to the James Eagan Layne for our first stop, where everyone got in a good dive. We went to Bovisand Fort for our air fills and a few hours surface interval. Quite busy and really sunny. I drove the RHIB out to our second dive. Although we failed to find the wreck of the Persia a few of us dove a shot that was already in place before heading back to the marina for a late finish. Dave, Gill and I had a quick, eventless but tiring drive back home.
The remaining 8 divers had a good couple of dives on the Monday (18th). Unfortunately, I was well es-consed back at work.
Dive #007
50°19'38"N, 04°15'12"W (50.327222,-4.253333)
Sunk as an artificial reef on 27th March 2004
(see Divenet Wreck Tour #64)
