LOCHALINE 2009
Lochaline 2009.
Warren was good enough to collect Graeme and they headed towards the north west to meet Gavin and Lorna for a cheeky wall dive. 3 hours later and having run a few Sunday drivers off the road they pulled in to find Joe, Allan and Pedro dripping after a fun play and Gavin and Lorna fully kitted up waiting for more divers.
Gavin was so keen to get in the water he quickly carried Graeme’s gear down to the water and Lorna hurled his weights down the slope onto the beach. All four then enjoyed a fun shake down dive on the deep wall with some nice life on it. Gavin kept mumbling something about tropical conditions but the others ignored him assuming he was just bent. Apparently the temperature was in double figures at least 11 degrees! But that is one stunning drop-off and we had at least 10m viz.
Will and Costas arrived around 9pm and found everyone, having scoured both drinking establishments in Lochaline!
Turns out Allan found his dive a little too wet but luckily managed to convince a local to loan him a drysuit which was fortunate since no other suits were available, anywhere.
Morning brought quickly changed plans as the skipper realised he had 102 air fills to do before we left (the boat can only steam slowly when the compressor is running). All good though and the day was re-arranged to dive the Hispania in the afternoon.
After arriving at the Shuna everyone kitted up and Warren was first in. Graeme stood up, realised how heavy dive gear is and fell over. Luckily he was standing next to the entry and simply hit the water. As all the divers made there way down, the wreck came alive with HID’s and bubbles diffusing upwards. Nice enough vis with some fantastic life in the superstructure (wheelhouse?). The pollack have apparently seen the odd diver before and weren’t fazed at all. Joe heard Gavin’s laugh from across the wreck when Lorna came face-to-face with a huge conger in a pipe on the deck! Great stern section with spare prop on the deck.
Since there were a few hours till slack the Brendan headed back to Lochaline for the divers to refuel on venison burgers and grab a nap on a sunny patch of grass.
At some point Will wandered into the Old Post Office and curiously asked if anyone knew much about stoats and weasels. He had seen a small, brown animal scurrying across the rocks then jumping into the water and swimming off. Other than a slightly suicidal weasel it was agreed that Will had been lucky enough to see an otter. Everyone quickly went out to try to find the otter / weasel / stoat and ten minutes later we were all rewarded with a very curious little otter who seemed intent on scoping out the interesting people watching him.
To allow for some faffing-time skipper John had ropes off again at 1.30 to arrive shortly after 2 for a dive around 3pm. To everyone’s dismay radio traffic indicated other boats were heading for the same dive site. However on arrival at 2.15 it became obvious it was close to slack so everyone quickly kitted up and got in. The Hispania didn’t disappoint with fantastic swim-throughs on the superstructure, good vis and the awesome rudder section overhanging a drop-off. The holds, cabins and companionways were beautiful and we were accompanied for most of the dive by huge (4-5 foot) pollack. With the green light coming from above, and every inch of the wreck covered with colourful life it was a great dive.
Two boat dives weren’t enough for some of the party so off came some gear for another wall dive at the hotel. Graeme and Warren did their best to convince the boys to giant stride the pier next to the old post office but the 3m drop didn’t fill anyone with too much joy so a traditional dive it was (3m drop become 6m at LW but plenty of ladders). After a 40 min dive the boys surfaced just off the wall. Gavin took a heading and ducked under to finish the dive. Warren, Graeme and Lorna then watched in amazement as Gav and Will headed parallel to the beach for 50m then out to sea!! After a further 10 minutes the boys surfaced twice as far off the beach! Nav course anyone? (Editorial by Gav –“Ha we were chasing baby flounders… honest!”)
After a quiet night everyone met for breakfast again in the newly refurbished dive centre. The place is now very flash with a big deck for BBQ’s and wet rooms with showers ensuite to all bedrooms. Still bunks in the rooms though, and it is becoming less self catering focused.
Nearly all were down to the boat for an 8 o’clock ropes off for the Rondo - although Pedro had to return home for a ‘surprise’ fathers day. At the pier we had a good look at Lochaline dive centre’s new boat Sound Diver – which looks like a great dive boat, and even has a lift. However, chatting to our skipper it seems that they have had a few teething problems such as missing dive sites, running her aground and, whilst we were there, blowing an impellor (so no coffee for anyone).
Having tasted their first Sound of Mull wrecks a few of the divers were looking forward to the challenge of the Rondo. The books say she lies at around a 35o angle but everyone tends to agree it feels like she towers vertically and even feels like some parts overhang you as you ascend. Most divers planned a contingency depth of 50m in case they saw a mermaid (narcosis anyone?) or huge scallop disappearing off towards the bow. However, most expected to stay in the 35 – 40m range. As the divers entered it became clear it was a great day to dive the Rondo: good vis at the stern which only increased as divers ventured deeper. The swim through at 25m was stunning with huge life on the underside of the hull and shoals of fish taking shelter from the mild current.
As the divers progressed further down the wreck it became apparent that the deeper waters held the best visibility, over 10m, so contingency depths came into play. Some commented afterwards it was the best conditions they had ever seen on the bow, and Graeme even managed to chase down that ‘huge’ scallop at 50m.
Sitting at around 42m looking back up the Rondo made a stunning impression. Although the life is maybe not in the league of the Hispania, the wrecks location is quite unique. Ascending back up gives a great profile for the dive and some divers even swam further along the wall the Rondo lies on with the reward of some fine Dead mans fingers and small shoals of various juvenile fish.
A new addition on the stern section is a clear reminder of danger to all those who venture underwater - a plaque dedicated to a diver who did not return alive in 2008. Kind of sobering whilst on your safety stop… and a good reminder that a deep dive must be worked up towards and planned well.
After the dive Gavin was still going on about tropical conditions, possibly his nav had taken him to somewhere south of Sharm.
Whilst waiting for the next dive the skipper of the Sound Diver asked for tide times, surely he should have known these? And our skipper kindly shared his information. However he was later heard to comment “Mushrooms mate……....keep them in the dark and feed them shite!” Apparently he may have not given him quite the right times!! The competition is friendly then!
Whilst waiting for some time to elapse before the next dive Warren had a little play driving the boat. We went looking for wildlife and whilst there were no Sea Eagles there were plenty of seals and their pups.
The Thesis provided the final dive of the trip. Most were surprised to learn she could be dived anytime on the flood and a few were sceptically waiting to see the buoy. John was spot on though (again) and in we went. The anchor was the first stop, sitting just off the port bow. Then down the port side to the stern section. Inside the hull is a photographers delight, with light streaming in through the ribs where the hull plates have fallen away. We even found a sea mouse in the rear hold!
Graeme managed to flood his mask frequently, due to laughter. Every time Warren told him the deco requirements on his VR3 compared to the other three computers they carried!! It went into deco on every dive of the weekend! It starts to get cold hanging around at 5m after a while, but apparently the VR3 didn't want to stop being underwater!! Graeme's Suunto was doing something similar trying to tell him it was 14oC!! Ha!
As we all headed up to safety stops Warren was kicked in the head by a diver from another boat, later he commented that he was sure it was the same diver who had kicked him the day before on the Hispania!!
We got back to the jetty for around 1pm, and everyone quickly unloaded the boat. Everyone except Graeme that is… He woosed out of doing anything remotely like work, but did go and get some orders in for burgers! (Apparently when Hue Fernley-Whitingstall comes to visit eats many a venison burger).
Overall a fantastic trip with great conditions, quiet wrecks, good wildlife, no real equipment problems and although costs have gone up a little the extra space on the boat, less divers on the wrecks and nearly a room each seemed to be generally accepted as a good trade-off.
At this point I would like to thank Gavin, Warren and Lorna for all their assistance lugging my gear about all weekend. Without their help I would not have enjoyed one of the best dive weekends I have been on for many years. Thanks guys… my back seriously appreciates it.
