Halton Ocean

Another superlative dive brief by CH..

Blustery night in Longhope but managed to find shelter in the Royal Hotel. Food fantastic as usual.

Dropped troops on the Brummer first thing, Lyness and Wea Fea for lunch and now making slow amble towards Karlsruhe.

Today was organised by CH, who did a magnificent job. She and her buddy had the pleasure of Porpoises swimming past them in the water while they were after scallops near the Roedean. First time I have heard divers see cetaceans in the water in the Flow, so they were lucky, I guess.

An early start after a blustery night in Burray seen us headed for the Flow. Four managed the arduos trip from bunk to dry suit to do a drop on the Barrie and reportedly superb vis.

In to Lyness for lunch then F2. Saw porpoises on the way in.

Off to the Roedean/scallop run then Longhope for the night.

splash, duck.

Should maybe put skins on.

Splash. Duck.

Just do this bottle.

Splash, duck.

In a minuit.

SPLOOSH.

Should have put my oilies on.

KPW then Tabarka.

Windy from the SE as we head toward Burray for the night.

Dropped on the stern of the Dresden, then the Doyle.

Home for tea.

Gave the troops a gentle start: Dresden then Gobernador Bories.

They have worked out the international signal for “Tea, white with one”…..

which, to be frank, seems to work.

Finished cleaning the boat just as the ferry blew and another eager crew jumped aboard. A new group for me so all unknown faces, mostly Scapa virgins from the sounds of things. See if I can remember where to go and what to do..

Think this is the first day since July that I have not been out with divers.

Snuck thru the fog to sit on the KPW first thing followed by a bottle dive in the sunshine.

Home at last. Been living in a bubble for that long, everything seems a bit unreal at the moment. Now that the bubble has burst and the floodgates of reality have been breached, it is time for a touch of dispasionate thinking and some hard decisions. Not something that can be done with a head like mince, bobbing around on a 60ft boat in the middle of Shetland.

Oh well, off to push my cap back and have a scratch.