A most relaxed and enjoyable weekend attended by Jim, Matt Da, Geoff, James, Mark, Adam and Matt Dr, accommodation being at the Brixton Scout hut, which features safe parking for the boat and good beer in the Foxhound Inn close by but is somewhat tired as a facility, although they are making efforts to improve things.
Based on the weather forecast before we left Leicester, south westerly force 2/3 rising force 5/6, we fully expected to be diving within the confines of Plymouth Sound, a large natural harbour protected from the extremes of the weather by a long breakwater. One of the seven P’s associated with planning must have come to our aid as Saturday morning rose with fine weather, wind easterly force 2/3.
We launched at Mountbatten and, having contacted Brixham coastguard to advise them of our plans, toodled off on the twenty five minute journey round past Cawsands Bay to Whitsands Bay with the plan of diving whichever of the Scylla and James Egan Layne had the least numbers of dive boats on it. The Scylla it was. Buddy pairs agreed, Mark and Matt Da, Adam and Matt Dr, and Jim, Geoff and James, we dropped in for a look round. Unfortunately, although he had checked it earlier, James suit started to leak when we were half way down. After a few minutes on the deck the leak was considered too great for safe diving and we returned to the marker line and back to the surface. Jim experienced a problem with his ears which also raised concerns about continuing the dive and which later, having not cleared satisfactorily, resulted in Jim making the decision not to dive the rest of the weekend. Those that got onto the Scylla had an enjoyable dive and noted a considerable increase in growth and life.
We returned to Mountbatten for lunch and to fill up the cylinders and then back out to Whitsands Bay. Jim boat handled and Matt Dr and James remained on shore, having chosen not to dive that afternoon. The weather had deteriorated and the passage around the headland was sufficiently rough to make us think carefully about continuing, however on rounding the headland things improved and the decision to continue was vindicated with a very acceptable seas state over the James Egan Layne. Matt Da and Adam followed Geoff and Mark down onto the Egan Layne, the marker line dropping us onto a high point on the stern only five metres below the surface. Vis was
5-6 metres and a very enjoyable dive was had by all, even finding a large conger eel hiding down a pipe.
Cylinders dropped off for filling and collection the following day, we recovered the boat and returned to Brixton, for “Otter” and chilli spagbol. Having risen at 6am we were all pretty shattered and had retired by 10.30pm.
Sunday started at a far more human time of 7am with sunshine but the weather forecast had caught up with itself – now blowing South Westerly straight into Whitsands Bay and the breakwater across Plymouth Sound. There was no way we could go beyond the confines of the harbour. Permission granted from the Longroom, we launched (8.5 out of 10 to Matt Dr for artistic impression), toodled across the sound to the inner breakwater wall and dropped in around a Martello tower (fort), circumventing it and then heading due south to turn left along the breakwater. A scenic and interesting dive with Matt Dr and James, Mark and Geoff, Matt Da and Adam was followed by a cylinder fill (for some) and a scenic dive in 6 to 9m off Bovisand before returning to Mountbatten for boat recovery and wash down. We then returned to Brixton to repack everything before setting off at 5pm to return to Foxbox for 10pm.
Thanks to Geoff for organising a relaxed and enjoyable weekend, cost being £62 per head. Thanks also to Alan for being home contact.
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