The trip was almost off, with the Saturday having to be cancelled due to a forecast wind force of 6 to 7. Just a bit choppy for even the rufty tufty divers!
For the Sunday, 9 divers made it - Colin Murray, Anoushka Clark-Dunn, Sharky Ward, Peter Choppen, Rod Hogg, Simon Robins, Cathy & Steve Prior, and Geoff Vernon
We dived the Flag Theofano and the Landing Craft. More details on the dives below the story.
Colin 'Smiler' Murray – cheering everyone up with his grin!
Cath entertaining with her antics, trying to smoke a razor shell......
"History will be good to me, because I intend to write it" - Winston Churchill.... she’s got a bit too much hair to do a good impression though and rather better looking!
The landing craft dive – view from the surface...... looks a bit like any other dive......
Underwater, it was a light dive, the visibility was pretty limited but adequate. I dived the landing craft with Cath & Steve. We came around the back of the wreck, to find Pete Choppen on his own. We searched for his buddy, Sharky, for a minute or two then Pete and I surfaced. Needless to say, Sharky continued his dive......
Rod proudly displaying his collection of world war II 'shells' found around the tank landing craft.
My favourite fish, the Tompot Blenny.
Cath found one on the hull of the Flag Theofano. This superb photograph was taken by Rod. I think it's a she (only because of the haircut) and translated, the expression means "what are you looking at, Sonny Boy".
Sharky continues the Churchill theme for the day, with Anoushka unaware....
A crab, doing what crabs do.....good job Rod found it/them, not Sharky!
Pete and his girlfriend Carly
She wasn't entirely sure about the accuracy of Pete's pre trip statement “come out with us for a lovely day on the boat, it'll be flat calm, nice and sunny – don't worry about anything".
After all it turned out nice again!
Cath looking constipated? Steve looks on....
Simon Robbins first proper cold water trip for many years and he came up with a beaming smile!
Steve Dimmer, the skipper, trying hard to look cool.
Actually an excellent skipper, made the day a lot of fun with a relaxed and yet efficient style.
A jet skier uses our wake as a launch pad, made the return trip a bit more interesting!
When I got home, cleaning the kit – I couldn't get rid of Pete the pigeon.
He/She/It took a shine to my dive box. The ring around the leg suggested he may have been tame but he was insistent I wasn't going to clean my kit and I tell you, I don't need many hurdles to dissuade me!
Credits – Under water photos – Rod Hogg, surface photos Geoff Vernon.
The dives:
Flag Theofano (20m)
This 2,500 ton ship now stands in 20m of water just to the side of the shipping channel in the approaches to Portsmouth. The wreck stands up to 15m in places and went down in 1990.
This 20m dive is on the more or less upturned hull, lying over to one side. There’s a hole cut for salvage which gives access to rigging etc.
The Flag Theofano probably capsized during terrible weather in January 1990. The sinking was only discovered when a lifeboat and bodies were washed ashore. The ship was carrying 4.000 tons of bulk cement en-route from Le Havre to Southampton at the time. Salvage operations were put into action during August 1990, but by now the cargo had hardened and the ship rolled upside down, making any attempt futile. The wreck is marked by two (North & South) cardinal markers labelled "Dean Tail" and lies very close to the main deepwater channel which is to the east of the site. The seabed is mud covered by shells. This wreck is extremely easy to find using a fish finder or echo sounder, as she is extremely intact and gives a very strong trace against a generally flat seabed. **It is essential to dive this site at slack water, as tidal streams can prove very strong!**
Landing Craft (10m)
First discovered in 1984 this is a tank landing craft, up-side down in 8-10m. 22mm shells are still to be found scattered around on the seabed. A very pleasant dive with lots of life hiding within the remains of the landing-craft's structure.
