Seriously SCUBA

This past week found Stephen based in Kinsale after been asked to work on a documentary on the Lusitania. The brief was that Stephen & 2 other divers would be on standby incase the ROV which was surveying the wreck got entangled in the many nets which festoon the wreck.  It was an interesting week based on the 42' Interceptor  "Seahunter" & working with cameramen Dan Stevenson + Steve Brown.

Stephen joined the "Darkstar" team of deep technical divers from England on a week long expedition around the Irish North Channel on board the Loyal Watcher. They only got a couple of dives in on the Irish coast before the summer weather brought some horrendous gales forcing the expedition to the West coast of Scotland in search of some new marks. It wasn't a bad week, a bit disapointing that the weather didn't hold out but that's the risk you run with Irish summers. Wrecks dived included HMS Boniface, The Flavia & Lairds Castle.

Monday 17th March found us in Ballycastle boarding the boat to take us to HMS Drake & SS Lochgary. We were running late because Jonny couldn't get out of bed, but no matter we were still in time to catch the tides. It was a flat calm & sunny trip over to our 1st dive, the HMS Drake. This wreck resembles a scrap yard much more than a battleship now but it still has many interesting features not least of which are the 13" guns or the many shells still on the wreck.

A stop on Rathlin Island for tea & sanwhiches was followed by a dive to the SS Lochgarry. Always an impressive dive it didn't dissapoint this time either. Visibility was a wee bit down but with the weather we have had this year it is hardly surprising.

We had a nice relaxing swim around it before heading back to the shot line for our ascent. It seems to have suffered a bit more damage over the winter, but further dives will tell the tale.