Following dates free on Halton for Scapa this year. (13/5/07)
Individuals/ small groups
3 - 8th June………………….8 spaces
7 - 12th Oct………………….4 spaces
Price 270/head
Full groups
17 - 22nd June
24 - 29th June
Price 2700/week
Away destinations considered for June weeks: loads of diving along the North coast that is untouched but needs an adventurous gp to tackle it. Duslic?
“So how was it for me?” I hear you all clamour.
To be frank, from the point of view of the boat, this has been one of the best years ever and I think that has been down to the weather in the main. Yes, I know the last week was shite and that there were a few missed dives along the way but on the whole I basically did what I wanted, when I wanted. I was able to deliver on promises made at the start of the year and to match expectations.
Scapa started off poorly with a week of poor vis right just when I needed it least. The French were here to film their documentary and a bit of clarity in the water would have gone down a treat but in the end the video looks good and they seemed to go away happy enough.
Then away down the west coast and the walkers’ initial trepidation was alayed by the Halton’s sturdy build, fine weather and beautiful scenery.
The birders failed to make a decision and ringed a lot of birds so also went away happy. The diving in the Shiants was poor, one of the summer’s disappointments, but the above water toings and doings more than compensated.
Then off to Shetland. We lost dives at the start of the time due to fog but the Lerwick change overs made life so much more simple and gave the troops the full spell of time on the islands rather than in transit.
Back through Fair Isle and one of the most rewarding weeks of the year. The EGG was a complete unknown, a shot in the dark, and, as with many gambles, paid off many times over.
It is always good to get back in the Flow: east, west, homes best but it was not long before the off again and away to Fraserburgh. Again, this was an unknown quantity and we were hindered by the weather but the diving still got the troops excited and we divid the first virgin wreck of my time.
Home again to run the season out and that sees us to now, just basking in reflections and memories. Many, many things have gone wrong this year with a tragedy that has yet to be resolved but the diving has been among the best ever. The two don’t balance each other out but the diving does keep that desire explore the horizon alight and that’s why I will be back next year.
Wind again. The two diving professionals buggered off to buy personal adornments whilst the rest of us got on with the serious business of diving. Was very windy so just one drop on the Konig.
KH mask strap was loose and could have failed at any time (the resultant catstrophe didn’t bear thinking about apparently) but I managed to pour soothing balm on his histrionic wife and rescue him from the water before anything untoward went wrong.
And that was it. Made an arse of tying the boat up for the last time but apart from that, it was job jobbed. Season done. Over for another year. Home James and don’t spare the horses. Beers and goodbyes and then start stripping the boat ready for a winter idleness.
Brummer then Karlsruhe.
Novice was taught that wildlife is there for when we get hungry, not for gawping at and besides, its rude to play with your food. Lyness pier is actually a half decent drop if you look about.
Brummer then Dresden
Squeezed a drop in on the F2 myself with a novice as a buddy. Got to bring the next generation on in the underwater world, you know. Novice did very well apart from the abject failure to realise that guns are more interesting than feeding wrasse. That lesson will take a bit longer to learn, I guess.
KPW then Karlsruhe.
Trying to show another skipper the ways and whatsits of the Flow this week for when they bring their boat here but it is tricky when they have done more in a boat than I ever probrably will so ended up mostly teaching a granny to suck eggs.
Erm, forgot to write it in the diary? But I remmember it being windy.
Aha, inspiration! (By text that is) Dived the UB116 in the morning to get a lee from Flotta but the vis was poor form some reason then headed off to the Coln in the afternoon.
Screaming wind so gentle start: Dresden then F2. Two no shows from the diving professionals.
The rest of the gang pulled up today, only I didn’t recognose them in their new van. Normally they are all packed into this thing that has coughed a spluttered it’s way over 600miles form Worchester only failing to break down through fear of the wrath of the driver and the thought that soon that mass of dive kit would be disgorged. I think they saved all the straws lying next to collapsed camels and threw them in too just for good measure.
The new van said “expert” on the back. I can spot a hire car at a 100 paces.
They got off the late boat down from Lerwick (not many divers come south to Scapa) and it was brilliant to see them both. This was the start of my freinds and family week, a round off to the season where all those folk who had either helped me out over the summer or who I wanted to say thank you to in one way or another gathered just to see out the season. I suppose it is like the cool down sesion at the end of a work out. Just a way to bookend the weeks and scratch a few backs that I owed.
Anyway, I used to share a flat with them both a decade ago and so I took them straight into our old haunt the Ferry Inn. Nothing had changed in the interveaning years: all was exactly as it was when they left all those years ago, even down to the order of folk on the bar stools! Home from home!
Once again I forgot to ask the troops what ferry they were on so off to meet yet another ferry! Must remember to check in future.
Update. It was me being muppet and not writtibg things in the diary properly, and a breakdown in comunication that meant the group never appeared. So week off to catch up with books, paperwork and the like. No point blogging the 40hrs I spent in front of Excel this week so I won’t. Best just to fast forward to the last week, which I will.
Think everybody did a site each today:
Konig first, then Dresden, scrap yard site, MG (was meant to be KPW but skip fcked up) the F2 to finish.
Weather fresh Se by the time we were back in port.
We left the harbour at 8am…
Wind speed avg 45kts, gusts 63kts.
Yesnaby
Stromness
The boys did split wave Koln/Mg, Lyness lunch then KPW.
All apart from Timothy who stayed at home with a sick note from his mum and spent the day catching up on reading the blog.
Warm in the wheelhouse too.
Weather is here. Wish you were beautiful - and thats just the skipper, Snapper Bob. The glare of Summer is over and only the hardened divers and drinkers remain in Orkney. The monotony of the diving is only broken by the sound of Bob buying a round……………………..Its very quiet
Dived the MG/Dresden then Dresden. Weather ok today.
What a difference a day makes.
Sunday
Monday
Vis is good though.
