November Stoney Cove Dive Trip

Tuesday

On the day before D-Day, I decided to book it off and have a lazy day at home. It wasn't as lazy as I would have liked because it was frantic packing of the car. A quick break for lunch, and netflix and chill with the missus before having to leave.


On the way I stopped at my brother in laws, in Leyland, for dinner before continuing on for another few hours to get to the Red Lion where I was staying.




Arriving at the pub I met a bar maid who showed me to my room so I could get unpacked and on the Wi-Fi to start writing this blog! Oh yeah and to call the missus to have a chat

Wednesday

Waking up at 730, but with plenty of snoozing until 745 where I eventually got vertical and went to the Cooperative to find something for breakfast. In the end I had bread with peanut butter, spread using spoons that I had to buy from the shop too
Arriving at Stoney Cove for 830, I just sat in the queue and waited and scoffed some more ... I was going to say toast but that wouldn't be right!

Ah the Stoney Queue!

I parked up near a post and started to set up my gear and took a mandatory kit photo.  The weather right now is lovely, almost as though Storm Barney has blown itself out.

Gear shot ...

Rob eventually arrives at about 9 with Chong and we continue to get ready while we wait for Chris to arrive. Chris arrives for about 930 with several friends: Lesley and Charlotte.  I did a double take because that's my partners name!


We get kitted up and get in for dive #1.


For the first dive, my objective is to do a robust weight check.  I've moved most of the weight I use onto a weight belt (with the exception of 2kg as a tail weight). So that I am able to remove it and be selective picking up any weight if I need to.


Entering the water at the main quay, we assemble on the shelf at 3m. We are diving together as two groups of three: Chris, Charlotte and Lesley are leading whilst Rob, Chong and I follow. Rob is #1 in our team, this way he's a connection to the front team and with his primary light, will be able to communicate back to me in #3, meanwhile Chong is in #2 sandwhiched between us.


We saw several large Pike in the reeds and along the wall as we swam!


We went all the way to the far-right hand side which is always nice and peaceful and has good visibility.




On the way back I had Chong and Rob wait for me on the 6m shelf. Now it was time to do a weight check.  So I lay on my back on the ground and undid my weight belt, which had 6kg on it, before I let it go I did one last dump of any gas in the wing and suit - and I let go with anticipation ... I stayed exactly where I was! I was comfortably neutral. Woo hoo!




The thing is - my set isn't empty there is still around 4-5kg of weight just in the gas left in the twinset (as a very approximate guess, 1,000 litres (approx 40 bar in twin-12s) weighs 1.2kg. With 160 bar left that means there is arround 5kg of gas in the cylinders, THAT means if I was empty and out of gas, I'd need 5kg of lead to counteract that.




So despite taking a 6kg weight belt off and being neutral, I realistically still need about 5-7kg to be neutral.




Getting out of the water, I realise how bad I'm leaking - my undersuit is soaking!! So I strip out of my suit and leave the drysuit turned out of the railings, whilst I take the undersuit to the changing rooms and leave it on the radiator to start drying out - meanwhile I change into my Santi BZ400.

We did two more dives after each dive I would get out of my suit and rotate undersuits to try and stick with a dry undersuit (as best as I could) At the end of the night, we retired to Nemo's Bar to have dinner. I was a little cheeky and had a hot chocolate with a dash of rum in it - oh it was lovely! Warmed the cockles right up!

Sunset across the Cove

Returning back to the B&B after some drinks and food with the guys (and lady - Charlotte) I got my undersuits hung up to start drying out.

The result of a (very) leaky suit - lots of very wet gear!

Thursday

Returning to the north was a long tedious day once again. I left the hotel for about 9am, thinking that the vast majority of morning rush hour traffic would have dissipated.

The miles flew by and by the time I started to get into the heart of the proper land (the North-West) both the car and I needed a fill up.

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I was chuffed when I stopped at some services just north of Preston and I found a Potato and Meat Pie!! You literally cannot get them outside the North-West, believe me, in my years of living around the country they are rare!!

Keep on rollin'

Back in the right country to my destination!