The cars are loaded, we’re ready to go and the sun is even shining! Arriving at Weymouth we search for Tango – as the name suggests its bright orange and can’t be missed. Once everyone arrives the boat is loaded skipper Phil goes through the rules and we are ready for the off. The sea is deceptively calm and we may not have the need of all the sea-sickness tablets, Boots the chemist’s profits go up whenever we go out as Aunty Les buys all the Kwells available! On leaving the harbour a couple of Dolphins came to play in our wake before shooting off into the bay. A fairly long trip out gave those of us who can’t handle an early morning the chance to catch up on some sleep (that will be Ruth then).
We arrive at the first dive site, one I have wanted to do for a while, the M2. There are some wonderful films of the M2 before she sank and it is worthwhile watching these before you go as it gives you a feel for the wreck. The wreck itself is intact and navigation is not a problem.
Down we go and as I reached 25m I was looking forward to seeing the majestic wreck appear before me, alas no this was not to be, my first sight was Paul seemingly having some kind of fit, the worried look of his buddy Mark rapidly turned into fits of laughter as he realised he was not having a fit but needed his dry suit hose connecting! Moral of the day – REMEMBER TO CONNECT YOUR DRY SUIT HOSE!
The day we did the dive the viz was very good and the dive was a complete pleasure, the sea had an amazing blue colour to it and there was plenty to look at. Phil being Phil was trying to catch every lobster we saw. The biggest one was obviously used to divers trying to catch it as it had a very good hiding place in the compressed air tubes that extend from the hanger. We swam around the whole wreck which is still intact at the moment and the dive was only marginally spoilt by someone’s dive computer beeping the 30m warning, oh yes that was Ruth…again! Returning to the top of the wreck we dropped into the conning tower where there was lots of wildlife. The dive seemed to end much quicker than I wanted it to and from that depth a slow ascent is in order making sure to follow your dive computers safety stops.
On surfacing the nice blue sky had disappeared and clouds had gathered. The trip cross the bay gave time for a snack for those who could eat; those who couldn’t have the opportunity to reach for more sea sick pills!
The second dive was a drift dive over Lulworth bay to catch as any scallops as possible for Richard’s dinner. Again I was buddying Phil, who is a bit manic when it comes to collecting scallops, but unfortunately for us Richard and Yvonne had already been there and instead of scallops there were just holes in the sand where they used to be! Unexpectedly we passed over the wreck of the British Adventurer where I found myself trying to travel backwards through the drift to watch the huge number of fish hanging around there.
Back to the harbour and the sooner the boat is empty the sooner we can get into the pub for the après-dive beer, with this in mind a human conveyor belt gets all the kit off the boat and soon the dockside looks like a bizarre car boot sale selling dive kit and numerous bags of scallops.
Luckily the pub is next to the fish and chip shop so we sit on the dock pondering the days dive, beers in hand and waiting for the fish and chips to be ready. A peaceful end to the day, eating and drinking, only to be ruined by a shout “who ordered the two faggots?” Phil jumps up “oh that’s me!” ... and he wonders why we worry about him!
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