Up to Fetlar to do some split wave spotting on a number of new sites: Snap/Likilk and the SE point.
Round and thru Colgrave Sound to do a drfit on the Jane and up to Balta Sound for the night.
Managed to get a sneaky drop on the Tonis Chandris myself: well chuffed.
Gwladmena then off to the Rumble and Grif Skerry.
The group are ardent scenic so rust was little appreciated on this occasion!
Angus tried to dive the Pacific but failed. Let you work that one out for yourselves.
The new Zodiac driver passed with flying colours.
Inside Out Skerries for the night. (couldn’t resist!)
Off we go again… new bunch straight off the ferry and down the Giant’s Legs and then thru the Orkneyman’s cave.
Troops did quick drop on the Valkyrie and then we headed in to pack up, cry and wail and wave white knotted hankies as they sailed into the distance and back to their homes south…
Maybe they were not such a bad bunch after all…!!
Just a black cape and a long wait needed to complete the picture….
Curacao:
“right, go down and tie the shot to a cannon”
splash
“..no cannons.. bollox.. there are 27 of them.. in an area of 40sq m… under weed?.. start grazing then..”
Try again.
And again.
And again.
The old saying implies success with this strategy.
Sunniva.
“Right. Go down and tie the shot to the prop”
Splash.
Big grin.
He’s got his mojo back. Back out the pond and sitting on the log to bask in the sun.
“You saw a ballet of pipe fish..??”
“a what?!”
“a ballet“
FFS. A ballet?
He wasn’t on the log long.
Well they found a fork…
and he found a fork the next day but never let on…
.. so on the next day, before they jumped in the water, I surruptitiously gave two of them forks from the cupboard to wave at their mates in the water.
The two that came up first had forks. But they were not the two I had given forks to.
Then the next two had forks too
Funny. Everybody managed to find a fork.
Nice that nobody was left out.
Can’t see the Sophia Excelby is gonna be that chuffed though.
Repeated Glen Isla then dropped the troops on the Giants Legs.
I managed a drop in the Orkney Mans Cvae then the Lunohods. Chuffed with both drops.
Well, you get attached to a wolly bear. By the end of the week it often gets attached to you too.
So when the zip goes you know that it is just starting to get warmed up. Fine wine, other items of vintage… time creates pedigree.
When its time to sew up the front with corelene cos the zips bust.. well, then it has just becomes an old friend.
Troops dived the Valkyrie and the Murryfield today. The vis was superb: I could see them hanging on the line at 6m. Two of the gang saw a 5ft shark that we guess either to be a Tope or small Porbeagle.
One of the gang found “treasure!!”
We did a team photo……..
Then Dave came up from his cabin and wandered past…….
The Kodak moment was lost by then.
I did a drop on the Murryfield: she is a steamship wrecked on the beach that now lies down to 30m with a solitary boiler and broken plates remaining.
Bohus as expected.
Even got a drop myself that I thourghly enjoyed. She was a 3 masted Barque that went ashore after losing her way and now lies broken up and scattered in deep cut gullys. The vis as always was superb and although only a small area was covered, I was kept occupied tring to piece together all the bits and pieces.
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> Have seen the Blog - assume that once clare has seen it, this will be
> Bob’s last birthday
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> Very sad
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> Happy diving guys
The bunnyshuck technique. Also known as the “Longhope backhand”.
1 Find a willing bunny and unwilling clam.
2 Hold clam upside down and slide knife randomly across roof until internal components completely mangled.
3 Stab clam again like a crazed axe murderer until the little blighter opens.
4 Remove lid and discard.
5 Grab remains left that are fit for consumption.
6 Gobble up anything else before anyone else comes along.
7 Fry scallops shucked using skipper technique for fare paying punters.
1. Find a cup of tea, sharp knife and new freind.
2 Hold scallop with hinge at finger tips and insert blade into side. Cut adductor muscle by sweeping knife forward close to lid.
3 Open shell and discard lid.
4 Remove mantle, gills, shite pipe and stomach, leaving coral and muscle still attached.
5 Remove rest of bits and tidy up remains. Rinse well in seawater.
6 Hand rest of catch over to new found friend to complete and cook.
7 Retire for cup of tea.
Beaten back from the Tonis Chandris again so did drift on the Jane.
Now headed for the Bohus.
Dived the Jane and in to Mid Yell for the night.
Seem to have a bunch of lilly lived lightweight land lubbers that start to cry at the first hint of a wave on the boat this week. And I thought they bred them tough in that NE corner of England. Sure this week must be the girls rounders team on tour.
Started the day on the E49 and had planned the Tonis Chandris after but the weather has beaten us back so we are off to the shelter of Colvidale Sound.
Dived the Glen Isla then the Lunokhods under the Kebister light.
Up to Balta Sound in the evening.
Bundled the troops onto the boat, set off to do a shake down dive on the Gwladmena then a nip across to the Pionersk.
Snuck in a sneaky dip with my mucker, Flinty. Dropped onto the bow of the Samba.
Flinty broke my HID. Never cross the beams.
Well, managed to turf the troops off the boat for 8 without them realising it was my birthday: never let on things like that as it always ends in tears (or a sore head).
Had better presents in the past though..
