Launching off Gelliswick slip on Saturday morning, our boat handler, Roger, navigated to the east of the Mew Stone, on the south, and leeward, face of Skomer. Rich and Tim were first in, quickly followed by Jim and Geoff, all having a cracking 45 minute dive, with lots to see in the 8m vis, edible and spider crabs, lobster, dog fish, sea cucumbers, starfish, urchins, squirts to name but a few. The life was teeming, maximum depth being around 15m.
A short journey through Jack Sound took us to the mainland north east of Skomer and into Martins Haven where the first wave of divers were dropped off and the second, Matt Davies, Ian and Sam, along with boat crew member Dave, were picked up. Matt Drage stayed on shore, not feeling like diving. They had driven from Gelliswick and had a short shallow shore dive to check weights etc prior to Vixen’s arrival.
They returned to dive the same site, albeit closer to the Mew Stone, but by then, the tide had turned and was starting to move. They had more of a drift dive which took them round to the seaward side of the Mew Stone.
Returning to Martins Haven, we had lunch, took the air cylinders to Haven Diving in Milford Haven for filling and filled one of the boat petrol containers.
Ian and Matt Drage returned to the Haven Sea Scouts hut in Gelliswick to sort out tea and prepare the trailer for Vixen recovery whilst the rest took the short hop across to the North Wall of Skomer for a gentle drift dive, staying in the same pairs and dropping in at five minute intervals. An interesting 45 minute dive but not as much life as had been seen on the south side of the island. That said, we saw dolphins when on the surface, seals on the surface and a seal only feet away when concluding our dive.
The return journey was with the wind and tide, making for a fairly quick and comfortable return and, following a radio message to provide advance warning of arrival, a very swift recovery from the slip.
Tea was followed by a short visit to the yacht club, everyone being tired by this time.
Tide times not being that convenient to allow a second dive and return to home at a sensible hour, there was only one dive on the Sunday. Launching at 9.15am we dropped our shot onto the Dakotian at 9.45am, with the same sequence of diving as the previous day, divers down at 10.05am. An enjoyable 45 minute dive ensued on the former liberty ship with lots to see, albeit visibility was only between 2-3m.
Divers were swapped over on the pontoon at Dale just after 11am, with Matt Drage and Ian going in first to be followed by Matt Davies and Sam. They returned to Gelliswick for a swift recovery around 12.30pm following which Vixen was washed down in fresh water prior to us having lunch. Equipment was packed, cars loaded, hut cleaned and tidied and keys handed over and we left site around 2.45pm, arriving back in Leicester some 4 1/2 hours later.
The cost worked out to £75 per head, travel fuel being the largest component, followed by food, boat fuel, scout hut and air. Having two waves of divers from one boat with a dedicated boat handler, made a significant difference to cost. Two boats would have increased costs by c£30 per head.
In summary, a very enjoyable weekend, made so by the help and involvement of all who went plus without doubt, the weather, with some very interesting diving. Haven Sea Scouts, Yacht club and diving all made us very welcome and were very helpful. Would we go back, yes.
