Author name: mikeb

3rd July 2010 The advent of larger more comfortable RIB’s often funded courtesy of the Lottery fund appears to have led to the virtual demise of the use of small inflatable boats for diving, once the common stay of most club ‘boat’ diving. Small inflatable RIBs do however still offer a number of positive advantages […]

27th June 2010 The aim of the day’s diving was to explore a cannon site off the Farne Islands . Usually this site is best dived on slack water. With an ebbing tide decreasing at the approach of slack water, Richard and John entered the water first and explored the NE area of the reef.

12th-13th June 2010 by Richard Booth After the clubs earlier successful trip to Loch Long in April of this year it was time to venture a little further North to explore the rich green waters of Loch Fyne. This time however the logistics of the trip were a little more complicated in that we decided

June 2010 by Richard Booth The forecast had deteriorated over the previous with the result that the planned club dive out to the Farnes was going to be a non starter. Instead, the Diving Officer reorganised the weekend‘s dive programme to a club dive down at Ellerton for those individuals who were still desperate to

22nd-23rd  May 2010 First dive of the day was a drift dive close to the West Hurkur. Mark dropped everyone close to the cliffs with the instruction to look for the submarine gully’s running out to shore. The tide was running but we quickly found and took shelter in the main gully and worked our

May 2010 by Richard Booth On previous dive trips to the Maldives I have always gone for the liveaboard. This time however with a non-diving partner, Belinda, we decided to try the resort option. After careful research and advice we settled on the resort of Filitheyo, complete with luxury spa and dive centre! Flying from

15th May 2010 by Richard Booth Big Spring tides made for a slightly tricky low water launch from Seahouses harbour with the end of the concrete slipway left high and dry out of the water! Despite the challenge of negotiating a launch across the mud we soon had the club RIB Seawitch afloat in what

April 2010 by Andy and Fiona Hunt Armed with a copy of Gordon Ridley’s book Dive North West Scotland and Anita Sherwood’s “100 best UK shore dives”, coupled with some knowledge from previous trips, we set off after the Loch Long club trip and carried on driving and diving further north. We have done this

3rd April 2010 With a dodgy weather forecast and the news that Capenwrays latest attraction was now in place a select group of Tyneside 114 divers headed across the Pennines to experience the quarry’s latest attraction, a sunken passenger plane! We expected to find a crowded car park and were somewhat surprised to find that

April 2010 I first came across the diving in Loch Long after a club trip to St Abbs with Durham City Divers last May was faced with the prospect of a blown out weekend with no diving available in the sea due to the inclement weather and rough sea conditions. In desperation we made the

January 2010 Despite the last month of freezing weather a few hardy souls ventured down the A1(M) to enjoy the delights of Ellerton Lake. Assembling in the car park, we awaited the arrival of Mr Hunt. Where was he at the appointed time? A quick phone call established that his absence was due to a

May 2009 This year’s Tyneside 114 expedition to the Mull had a simple aim; to seek out new dive sites off the South West tip of the island. Whilst most dive trips to this area of Scotland tend to focus on the wrecks in the Sound of Mull, the waters surrounding the island itself also

16th-17th May 2009 by Richard Booth The problem with booking any UK based weekend trip well in advance is that you are entirely dependent upon the great British weather. In recent years the May Scoutscroft weekend organised by Durham city divers has had something of an unlucky record when it has come to good diving

10th May 2009 by Richard Booth Fresh back from extensive engine repairs Sunday provided a good opportunity for ‘testing’ the clubs osprey RIB, Sea Eagle. The weather forecast was not particularly promising but fortunately turned out better than predicted. Sea Eagle was duly launched from Seahouses and engine firing on all cylinders headed out towards

2nd May 2009 by Richard Booth With a brisk Westerly breeze Spellbinder headed out for the site known locally as the Cider wreck in the hope of finding some clearer water as well as gaining some protection from the wind. Things looked quite promising with the shot line remaining in view for some depth. On