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Yes, it’s a picture of Brian Smith and
Ray Mckee in the
sump
at Stoney on the
November night dive!
What
more needs to be said? – only that the water was fairly warm,
the car park was full and six of us made the trip to experience
another interesting night dive.
The
wreck of the Stanegarth featured as high priority in the dive
plans – Lee and Dean found it with no problems (it is buoyed after
all), whilst Brian and Ray decided to go down the sump first and
then swim round to it. Jim and I decided to go to the helicopter-it’s
a superb sight when all the beams of light from a multitude of
torches pass through the holes in the superstructure.
It
was Jim’s first night dive, so I explained the dive plan carefully-down
the roadway, turn left at the lamp-post, follow the cliff face
along and get to the helicopter. Dead easy - except that we missed
the lamp-post!
We
swam along, then headed for the direction of the cliff face, passing
over several sleeping perch and an otherwise featureless bottom.
Then we saw the box of shell-cases! (Brian-eat your heart out!)
- great stuff! Continuing on we came across a group of divers
performing a sort of underwater ballet, all shining their torches
on nothing in particular on the bottom (Jim’s comment afterwards
was about how eerie it looked). We gave them a wide berth and
then found two Mini’s - another first for PF in Stoney! After
giving them a good coat of looking at, we continued until we reached
the cliff face.
Decision
time – we turned right – bad move, as we eventually surfaced somewhere
near the far corner and had a long surface swim back!
On
the way up to 6 metres we spotted a dead fish, closer examination
gave us a big surprise – a crayfish had got hold of the tail in
it’s claws and was trying to drag the fish backwards up the slope!
No mean task, as the fish was about 3 times the length of the
crayfish and weighed a great deal more!!
Chatting
afterwards, Ray said that they had also had a long surface swim
– from about the same spot as us – after missing the Stanegarth.
We must be losing our touch – but who says that Stoney is boring!
(I’ve been diving there for seventeen years, Ray and Brian for
somewhat longer).
Lee
and Dean went home promptly – probably miffed at the lack of excitement
on their two ‘normal’ dives! (only joking, lads!!!!!)
Guess
what! – the next one will be even better (note the date – 19th
December 2001). Hopefully, we will be in a position to install
the Christmas tree (complete with lights) on that date (usually
at 6 metres).
What
will you see on your next
deco stop!
Phil Frecknall.
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