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It was one of those days when you drive into Swanage the day before you plan to dive and the view across the bay is stunning. Even the sea had stopped moving, it was too much effort to do so under the warm rays of the Sun. The water took on that turquoise sheen that is reminiscent of more tropical waters. |
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| Creating the illusion that it would be warm and with good 25m viz. Yep, it was one of those moments when you just want to throw your kit on and get in the water whilst it looks good. But not us we hit the pub for the mandatory one pint and chips. Then off to an early bed, although a nagging thought in the back of the head. "please let it be as inviting tomorrow - please." |
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And for once our prayers were answered; it was a "warm" and sunny Easter Saturday morning. Martha appeared in the glare of the Sun new engine roaring. The speed of the entry into Swanage Bay belying the power of the 4 stroke beast. With Phil at the helm we all waved him in from the pier. As this was both the first diving weekend of the club calendar and largely a training weekend lots of new kit appeared from the backs of cars. With a flurry of plastic and cellophane we suited up ready to see if the water that looked so inviting was indeed pleased to see us. We were marshalled into our buddy pairs and then the instructing and practice started. All of us were under the pier experimenting with our kit,making sure we could still clear |
| a mask in the icy water. Yep it wasn't as warm as it looked - 10 degrees. |
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For some of us there was the chance to drag our buddies up the beach, kissing furiously their ungrateful noses. The locals clearly un-nerved by this intimate act between neoprene clad partners and encouraged by further neoprene clad "teachers". |
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Thankfully by the time we were dried and dressed we were unrecognisable to the inhabitants and were given a very warm welcome at Mamas Restaurant. So pleased to see us and keen for us to stay that they didn't want to serve us too quickly, so that we would stay; so stay we did.
Day two and we were back to good old Swanage weather, rain and mist and I believe 2m viz was found by some of the group although such is not substantiated. |
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The brave went further a field with Christine at Marthas helm. Whilst the real die hards stayed at pier. I had always thought of those risqué postcards when hearing the words "sandy bottom" my experiences under the pier this day has forever changed that image.
The increasing rain and fog was signal to the end of the diving and of the weekend. So it was a case of throwing a scalding cup of tea down ones neck |
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| (super-heated by the lovely old lady in the pier shop) and hitting the road for home. Somehow I know we will all be back. |