UKRS Weymouth - 21st/22nd April 2001

Digs, Andy C, Jack, Jeff, Mike 1, Gordon H, Mike 2, Andy H, Barbara, Paul and Fritz

(I have put names to the pictures for those who may not know us)

The event started a bit later on on Friday for Digs, Andy Cox and me. As Digs had had to return home to pick up a forgotten drysuit, this left Andy and me with the one option of exploring the hostelries of Bradford-upon-Avon. We managed three pubs before Digs found us and moreorless made me gulp a half-pint of 1664 in one ! It was a good job that Andy and Digs had offered me a lift as I hadn't a clue where I was going or what the hotel was called.

The 'Langham Hotel' on the Weymouth seafront was very accomodating in keeping the bar open into the small hours as we awaited the arrival of Rob Smith. It is still not known where he had got to. Before turning in, I caused some hilarity (and concern?) to Paul, my roommate, by tring to get a German plug into the plug socket in the hotel-room using a spoon and a fork !!

Andy Cox

Breakfast on the first day was served two hours earlier for us by the very kind staff at the hotel. I think Digs managed to forewarn everyone about the camera as they had all disappeared when I went up to my room to get it (Apart from Andy who was probably wondering when his was going to re-appear again later that day)

From Left: Mike 1, Barbara, Digs and Paul

Jack

Andy C

Why did I take the same picture twice ??

Paul, Barbara and Mike 1

Digs and Andy C

Mike 2 and Andy C in front of the very nice hydraulic diver-lift !!

Jack, Jeff and Digs

Jack, Jeff, Paul, Barbara and Gordon

Gordon captivates the audience with more stories of 'Green Snot' (see Icebreakers page 2001) while Digs notices the camera !

We were originally going to do the 'M2' submarine for our first dive but after hearing that a flotilla of dive-boats with more horsepower than the entire battle of Trafalger had gone there we went for something else..........

Dive #1 Saturday - The 'Sidon' ("Buddy lost and found")

The 'Sidon' was a class S British submarine that sank in Portland harbour in 1956 with a loss of 13 lives due to an accident with the torpedo propellant. It was raised and then used as target practice by the Navy a year later, sinking 15 miles out of Weymouth in Lyme Bay at a depth of 34m.

Woody expertly got the shot just behind the conning-tower and after a five-minute descent while Mike 2 sorted out his dodgy octopus 2nd Stage, we hovered above the wreck. Within minutes there was a line of divers from the boat all shining torch-beams at the abundant wildlife. The visibility was around 3-4m which was a lot better than other weekends this year on the South coast. It wasn't good enough to stop me following Paul for 2 minutes and, having realised that Mike 2's pony-bottle had suddenly enlarged to 10 litres, I was then searching for Mike 2 !! With 11 of us in close proximity to each other, I was not unduly worried and searched around the bow and down the other side of the sub - eventually spotting Mike (2) who was doing the same in searching for me. He then started waving wildly with his torch and shone it down on a rapidly-retreating creature that was disappearing out of his torchlight. It was the biggest lobster we had both seen. Despite none of the others seeing this monster (and I do not exaggerate here) it's main claw was 2-3 ft from tip to the main part of its body !!! Our search further for this monster pulled us into a decompression dive (my first) and because I had been a bit deeper than Mike (2), we froze for an additional 7 minutes at 5m on the shotline.

After the luxuray of the hydraulic lift to raise us back to the boat, Jo then took orders for more tea and coffee !!

Dive #2 Saturday - The 'James Fennell'

The 'James Fennell' was a steam-trawler built in Scotland which grounded and then sank after a salvage attempt in 1920. No lives were lost.

Jo joined us for this dive which was a descent down the shotline straight to the ship's boiler area (once again, Woody's drop of that 56lb weight were spot on). Mike (2) and I cruised around for a bit and then let the currents take us in seemingly allsorts of directions around an area that was littered with huge rocks and lots of nooks and crannies that torches could be shone into. If the drift was faster then it would have been like the dodgems at the local fairground as some of these rocks were huge !! The visibility was around 5m at a depth of 17 - 20m. After 40 minutes, Mike deployed his SMB and we surfaced to the welcoming lift back to the boat.

Jo stripped out of her gear and put the kettle on !

It was then on for food..................... Indian !!!!........ Before a day's diving ???!?@#@!$........

                    .................. why not ??????!!!!!!

After the frivolities and the subsequent nocturnal screams from Gordon who was obviously dreaming about someone substituting his 'Inspiration' for a single+pony setup, we arrive on the Sunday...................

These pictues do NOT do justice to the placid scenes from the boat on the Saturday, the sea was rough enough to throw people and equipment all over the place - even on the 'Our W'. After a barfing-session from Digs (Ribena with no diced-carrots), the planned trip to the 'Pomeranian' was cancelled just off the Portland Bill lighthouse. We did suggest 'The Hood' to Woody but the response was a stare that just said 'You Imbecile !!' .......... he was right !!...... all of the dive-boats were back in the harbour shortly afterwards. The sea was hostile and it was raining and was time to unkit, pack up, unload the boat and go home. Despite having boated us out ten miles, Woody did not charge for the aborted trip so it left us with lunch and a trip home.

We were still happy. The Saturday was voted the best day's diving this year for all !!!!!!

Many thanks to Digs for organising this trip and also giving me a lift.......... 'till next time .......