Halton Ocean

Saturday 26/05/06

After a long journey battling with roadworks, crawling tractors, RTA’s, and an hours delay at the Forth road bridge it was a pleasure to remake our aquaintance with Bob and the MV Halton and as we fell into our bunkspace we looked forward to our first day of diving and our 5th trip with the best skipper in scapa flow (probably).

Sunday 27/05/06

With the sun breaking through, the party were soon out of bed and falling into a familiar routine, and as the excited chatter gave way to air leaks, curses, and clouds of talc it quickly became apparent that some of our party were more dived in than others. A little D.I.Y. soon saved the day and had the buddy pairs dropping through the clear waters. The Dresden, glorious in natures camouflage, shyly showed herself to our advance party, at first as an obscure shape looming hauntingly out of the depths, then slowly morphing into a silent witness to a bygone age, yet feeling as familiar and comfortable as a favourite sweater. The dive did not reveal any new secrets, however, the party agreed that we were off to a good start to the week as all the kit had worked and everyone had overcame their first hurdle, dive #1 in our Orkney oddesey.