Lyme Regis – 29 April to 1^st May

This was a camping and diving for the select few even the campsite only had one other tent on it!!!

Six divers took one boat to Lyme Regis for the bank holiday week end. The launching of the boat was very straight forward as long as we got there at 8:00. After that the launching area was very busy. The Harbour master was both friendly and helpful but I think that was because we contacted him and made him aware of our plans as soon as we reached the launch site on the first day. We found the best way was to launch the boat with two people getting into dry suits to launch, tie it up then load it. We were fortunate the tide was always in early morning!

Lunch time and evenings were more of a problem when the tide was out of the harbour completely.

Due to having the boat with the smaller petrol tank and the requirement to dive around the 20 meter mark we stayed fairly close in. The visibility was excellent on the first day when we dived the St Dunstan and the Baygitano.  There were several charter boats on the St Dunstan, a steam bucket dredger sunk 1917, but as they had no divers down we were able to put in our own shot. Allowing some of our divers to bring up the shot and finish some of their dive leader tasks. Our shot was very close to the boilers and we were able to swim inside the engine room.  The Baygitano is another steam ship sunk in 1918. This wreck is only two miles outside the harbour and was an excellent second dive absolutely teaming with fish and a conga was spotted and it spotted us at it reversed to look at us through a hole!!!

On the second day two of the divers attempted East Tennents reef, this apparently has an 18 meter hump which would have fitted the requirements of all our divers. We did not find a point that shallow. The dive was interesting due to the large amount of wildlife including a number of Dogfish in one area. Usually seen in ones we saw over half a dozen. Again a Conga was spotted. Those that did not do that dive dived the Baygitano again visibility was excellent. The Final dive that day was on the saw tooth reef again this proved difficult to find and the sea state was getting choppy.

On the third day only four divers remained and the forecast was force 5 to 6 in the afternoon. It was agreed to do one close in dive, on the Baygitano!! yet again a good dive. 3 congas were spotted.

Karen B.