Dive Organiser and Leader Duncan Read, Participants Bev Dixon, Pete Dixon, Dave White

Duncan had arranged the trip and pre-booked at campsite not far from the coast. So we set off early Saturday morning, having secured the boat and all equipment, and arrived late morning at our campsite.

We headed to the coast for our first dive. Tide was in and we chose not to launch the RIB till later. So first dive would be a shore dive.

Have to say the bay we chose to dive from was beautiful. A classic horse shoe shaped cove, walled on either side with a gently sloping beach into water. Weather was lovely and the walls buffeted any wind so making the water very still indeed.

Duncan was my leader and buddy and we planned to follow the contours of the cove and take it nice and easy.

Walked into the water from the slipway and made our way slowly out diving to sea bed approx 5m. Water was lovely and clear and bottom was sand. After a few minutes Duncan spotted several guppy's on a small rock. He then proceeded to feed them with some shellfish. Fish didn't seem too bothered and swam right up to Duncan as he enticed them with the shell fish. Continued round the cove which gently slopped off to a maximum depth of about 7m. Didn't see too much more marine life so Duncan put me through some buoyancy drills which were greatly appreciated.

We surfaced after approximately 35 minutes (record time under the water for me) and waited return of Bev and Pete.

After we set-up camp we made our way back to the cove and launched the RIB. Earlier that morning we had been given some GPS details of a wreck approx 2 miles up the coast from another dive group.

Taking the boat out we headed towards site of the wreck -instructions included look for the yellow marker buoy- have to say we didn't have too much success locating the site but agreed to anchor the boat and dive anyway.

Duncan deployed a DSMB and we dived to a maximum depth of 9m and another good dive. Water very clear not too much seaweed and again nice sandy bottom. Saw lots of spider crabs (very ugly) both in amongst the rocks and clinging onto seaweed. At one point of the dive we entered an open clearing and before us was a very large spider crab. Duncan swam towards it and it was a case of "this town ain't big enough for the both of us" as Duncan challenged the crab to a dual with his hand. Needless to say the hand won as the crab, probably bored marched off.

We continued to swim around and this time saw a beautifully camouflaged flat fish lying still on the sandy bottom. You could just make out its fins. Duncan disturbed the water behind it and this fish gracefully raised itself from under the sand and literally floated away - a great site.

Returned to shore later then expected and enjoyed a couple of drinks in the local pub down the road - very civilised. The plan for the next day was to launch the boat at around 8 O'clock and head off to the wreck site again. However we needed two people to launch the boat and two to make breakfast. I think Duncan and I lost the toss as we had to launch the boat.

The weather the following day couldn't have been more different - dull, wet and windy and forecast was for things to get worse. Duncan said we should get into our dry suits and bring mask, snorkel and fins with us - I was thinking why? Soon became apparent after getting the boat ready we had to swim back to shore due to level of the water.

After a hearty breakfast (thanks Bev and Pete) we set off by this time it was raining quite heavily and driving at speed in a boat with wind rain and spray is not very pleasurable believe me.

Again another good dive, although we still didn't find the wreck, similar underwater conditions to the dive the night before visibility good sandy bottom majority of marine life seen were spider crabs. Only this time several were mating and having watched one couple for a while (if the male is the smaller crab) you wouldn't want to be a male - female very aggressive.

Returned to shore early afternoon and due to weather conditions - it hadn't stopped raining - we all agreed to make our ways home.

Another excellent weekend thanks Duncan, Bev and Pete. Maybe this site should be visited again especially for less experienced open water divers as the sheltered cove seemed to be an ideal place for perfecting techniques- see it as an alternative to Capernwray?

Dave White