Saturday 26th June 2004
The Whitby weekend was planned to give trainees a shot at some shallow wreck diving sites. The Rohilla and the Skane were high on the list of shallow wrecks that we were going to attempt.
We arrived on Saturday morning to find the wind level fairly low SE 3 but there was a very large NW swell of 2 - 3 metres. The Harbourmaster checked conditions with a yacht and they didn't like it. NOT the conditions for diving. The Saturday diving was duly cancelled.
Well what does an intrpid dive
team do in Whitby without any wrecks to dive on then. A half a second
debate and we were off to find the local butty shop. Nice mug of tea and
a bacon butty for some. Well that killed half an hour,"What can be
do now" Oh well just put some money into a machine and buy a few
things. (and try them on) Our Club fashion Icon trying on the Red version.
Don't know what he did with them afterwards.
Then on to sample the local fish n chip restaurant. You could tell most of the committee were there, as it took about half an hour to pick a place to eat. After a mill about in the town (and up the pier) then we were off to the Bed and Breakfast accomodation...
We had booked a B&B reasonably
close to the slip. So decided to go and have a look at it. Just a short
walk over the railway crossing, and up a few steps and it was there. The
first thoughts were that we had made a big mistake, but boy we couldn't
be been more wrong. The accomodation is run by Jan Elliot and the standards
were absolutly fabulous. Jan could not have been more helpful. We wanted
for nothing. Jan's breakfast was the best I have ever had in a B&B
and probably better than most good hotels. Fresh strawberrys and kiwi
fruit. Freshly baked bread. Kippers from Fortunes (if you have not tried
them then you have missed out on life) and a fantastic full English breakfast.
Dive perfect.
Saturday evening and it was out on the town.
We were booked in the Middle Earth pub for an evening meal. The Middle
Earth pub is situation on the east side of the river. We had been there
before and some how forgot. Last time it was full, this time there was
only 3 other people in apart from our selves.
If you want find out what it was like then call us. We would probably
get in trouble if we put down in writing what we thought. We will try
somewhere else next time. Off to the Volanteer pub with a bit of folk
music a few pints and then back to the B&B.
Sunday morning
and a weather check with the Harbour master. The swell has died down overnight.
Its all go for a dive. We are going to dive and practice Diver Coxswain
skills too. Both boats launched and off we go to Robin Hoods Bay to dive
the wreck of the Paul. After an eventful day and a dive on a dark wreck,
then more Coxswain skills and then the back to the slip and home.