Porthkerris May 2005 May 25, 2005
Posted by Mark Gilmour in : UK diving , trackback5 hours and multiple toliet stops later we arrived at Porthkerris. We had planned to get there for 6pm but in the end it was 7pm. Scubanut and Scubachick welcomed us to the patch that they had made their own over the previous couple of days and allowed us to invade!!
Quite a little army when we turn up
Out the car don the warm hoodie and into the roof box to get the tent. The wind had picked up slightly making the job of putting up the tent some what amusing…..
Thankfully Gary & Kathy were on hand and shortly afterwards Sch, his better half Andrea and Simon come down to the site aswell and we all grapple with the tent in the wind and succeed. But not without a lot of laughter and comments that I will never live this down on YD.
With the tent standing and not blowing away we unpack the rest of the camping gear into the tents and put the kids to bed, ready for the next day.
Many thanks to the Thursday evening crew for helping with the tent, as it survived a quite stormy night. Found the tent had a leak but fortunately not in a critcal place!
Friday, This was to be my first try out with the twinset in the briny. Up till now it had been confined to Wraysbury but now was the time to reap the benefit of the practise.
Dive 1: Drawna Reef - 56 min; 13.3m. 10deg; Viz up to 12-15m
A stunning pootle around the house reef at Porthkerris. I buddied with Andrea but we went in as a group of six. My weighting was pretty much spot on so I was really happy.
Gary led us off heading slightly south/east of the reef and then we turned north. Loads of life, large urchins, starfish, large crab, superb shore dive. I am sure the others will add to the list, especially as we had a couple of spotters in our group.
At the end of the dive getting back onto the shore was a giggle, ended up on my back like a stranded turtle at one point.
S.I Spent chatting, flying the kite with the kids, having some grub and enjoying a break in the weather that seemed to last most of the day. Thanks MattBin for not coming then!!
I think Sch has a nice pic on this phone to send you!
Dive 2: Drawna Reef - High Tide 40min: 10.4m; Temp 10deg Viz 6-10m
By this time Lou and Caroline had arrived and so Lou and I buddied up as Caroline wasn’t diving on the Friday. Again we went in as a group, Gary and Sch led the way as this time we headed north and then around the outer reef heading back on ourselves to the beach.
The reef itself is beautiful with mini kelp forests rising about 1-2m from the rocks, it gives the whole area an astounding beauty. Moving around the reef, again we were treated to urchins, anemoes, crab, starfish…..
Lou at 3m towards the end of the dive.
Getting back onto shore this time was even more laughable than in then morning. Gary was first out and we all sniggered as he crawled out on hands and knees to try and get up the peeble beach. We all followed slowly and very cautiously. I ended up AoverT more than once but managed it. Sch and I very courteously went to help Lou out and then Sch disappeared with the tide 2 or 3m, not sure if we were a help or a hinderence!!!
Anyway safely back on shore, we dekitted got our tanks in for a nitrox fill for the morning and got ourselves set for a BBQ.
In the break between dive and BBQ took the kids up to Roskilly’s for Ice cream…. ummmmm. Then it was back for the BBQ.
Neil - Your food ended up on the bonfire, you were late
With the sun set and night upon us, we all bid each other goodnight and headed off to our respective beds.
After a 2 hour interval, Mike briefed us on our second dive. A bit of Wreck and Reef.
Dive 2 Drift Manacles Reef & Mohegan 23m. 44min, 10deg. Viz 10m. Again Sch and I were in first, this time no comedic entry into the water, that would be saved for the trying to get back onto the boat.
With the current moving we descended pretty much immediately down to 10m, the current took us south easterly, our brief was stay west to stay shallow, but the current had other ideas so we just kept going south easterly, conmpletely missed the wreck, so popped the SMB and drifted along. The first part was a little slow as we drifted into a more settled part of the reef. Moving off the 20m ledge we drifted slightly off the reef to the sandy bed, we turned in and finned a little back onto the reef where the current picked up and we moved along nicely. Lots of anemones, dead mans fingers, excellent colours. After 35minutes we decided time to go up so a nice steady ascent to 5m and the required safety stop. Upon surfacing the weather had turned and the waves were back up. It took us a minute or two to locate the boat. It was a long ten minutes as we watched the boat bob up and down then turn away from us. I thought typical the time I forget my flag and there we are actually needing it. Another half an hour and we could have stepped onto shore such was the current.
Once the boat was upon the order came out, one at a time and the other stay back. The boat was jumping up and crashing down, taking the ladder out of the water and crashing it down. I was first on, Simon, Andrea Gary and Kathy were already onboard and basically dragged us up the ladder and onto the deck, dekitting us as we went.
Lou, Caroline, Neil & Jo were the last on board and then we motored back to the safety of Porthkerris beach. Whilst we were all sorting our stuff, those Beef Skewers continued to play havoc, so off went Gary into the water to swim to shore, we were all a bit too slow for him. I think after that all was well!!!!
Once back on shore it was time to slowly dekit and for me and the family pack the kit together, strike the tent (in the pouring rain-thx Gary for helping again), pack the car and head off.
The plan then was to meet up at Roskilly’s for Ice Cream and nosh. For us the day had been too much and before we had even left the drive way of the campsite, the children were asleep. So left a couple of messages and we hit the road, thankfully back as far as Devon, to stay at the Grandparents for the night so no huge long drive.
A HUGE THANKS to Sch for getting the trip off the ground, although he loses brownie points for not guaranteeing the Baskers, but I hear dolphins were spotted on the Sunday.
BIG Thanks to Gary & Kathy (Scubanut and Scuba Chick) for being so gratious to the children and allowing us to wreck their peace and quiet and with whom we had a lot of fun.
Thanks to Neil,Jo, Lou, Caroline, Andrea and Simon also for a top weekend. We as a family enjoyed it immensely.
Mark, Lisa, Scott Elizabeth & Emily
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