Eclipse yesterday in Portland

[MattBin]

A quick post about yesterday.
Grabbed my kit from the garage, bugger [1] I had sent Adam to Uni with my fins, his are huge bladed Seac's, would the foot pocket be OK, going to have to be. Bugger [2], this is getting like 2 weddings and a funeral, onsite realised I have grabbed my 'spare' mask, yes the one with a hole in the skirt. Bugger [3], now this isnt going to plan at all, the C8 isnt shinning at all brightly (bit like its owner). Over to UE, new mask, fins are OK and they hire Halcyon torches at £20 (10w focusable HID) not shiney but it will do. Who am I kidding, it will do!!!!! I'll say it will do. Can I convince Tom its mine, nah, I'm grinning to much when I tell him so he susses me out straight away.

Anyway, the diving, with Skipper/Eclipse. This is more like it, park up in the Aqua hotel carpark (£5 a day) and walk over to the boat, what 30yds, no more beach struggles, the day can only get better. Actually its already damn fine, weather is glorious, sea looks flat, diving is on and I have a bright torch, full tanks and the kit is good to go.

Nice gentle pootle (on Eclipse??? er that wil be a no then), Dave as usual guns the boat and we are on dive site in no time flat. "It's big" - OK so that is the dive bried done, (it was actually a bit more than that, but I wasnt listening). Drop in with Tom, haul ourselves down the shot as there's a bit of a current running, one of the things I like about Dave, the shot goes IN and he likes you to pull yourself down, so I do as I am told and there's the wreck. Viz isnt brill, but OK, the torch is a monster. Scuttle round at 30m (alex van something or other), Big conger lit up by the torch, Tom missed it as it reverses out of site, bit of life, a few crabs, Tom spots a Lobby, nice one too. We leave him alone (as usual). All too soon I thumb the dive as I'm down to the agreed turn point, the pooter is screaming deco and we ascend nice and slow, do the deco (not much) and await a pickup. There is Dave in the distance, my mind goes back to my last boat dives at Scapa and I start to wonder how long it will be before we are picked up and if I'll get cold waiting.
The boat and skipper in Scapa were excellent and we never had to wait too long but I did get cold a couple of times. Then I see Eclipse lift her front and Dave shoots her across a flat see in double quick time and picks us up. Now I'm no spring chicken and I wear twin 10's but that ladder is just so easy and I have come up in rough conditions too. Does make me doubt if a lift is worthwhile, I can manage a hardboat without a lift, even with their high sides and I can see the value if your in full Teck gear, but Eclipse sits so low in the water its just so easy to climb 4 or 5 rungs, swing a leg and your in. The offer of soup doesnt go down well with me and after a bit of gentle cajoling Dave makes me a coffee (ta mate). Dive over, usual banter and a blast back to harbour for a re-fill of the tanks in prep for dive 2. Dive 2 just Tom and I are in for this one, the Countess, in the harbour. Two or three minutes later we are on site, she's bouyed so Dave ties in and we drop in, nice dive, very peacefull, only me and Tom on her. Very silty but plenty of swim throughs, which I dont normally do, but its so big and open even I am happy to do them. I would imagine the viz would be less brilliant if it was busier, it isnt so we enjoyed a good dive. Cirumnavigated her inside and out a couple of times, dive time up (as agreed with Dave) and up we go. As I get up the ladder Dave hands me coffe, black, 1 sugar, cheers Dave, but can I get in the boat and some kit off first please.

Summation - I'm still grinning. Thanks Tom/Dave for a great day's diving.

Matt