Julies Journal

April/May 2006

Easter weekend was a huge success, arriving at Hope Cove on Good Friday afternoon to a mini heat wave! All bags unloaded and ready for the first dive, Burgh Island was the chosen site and after the boat was eventually started (there’s a knack to it apparently Rocky...better get them to let you in on it)! off they went and a very good first dive.

Both boats went out on Saturday, had a very nice little dive on the Ramulees, Alan and Geoff were adamant that they saw a tropical fish!….’pink and yellow it was’! we’re still not sure if they were narked or still suffering the effects of last nights whisky consumption! The big boat went out to Burgh Island for those who missed it yesterday. Well done James for pulling the boat out as the tide was racing in, a classic case of ‘lose your nerve or lose your pick-up’ didn’t fancy your chances as your wheels disappeared under the waves but fair do’s you did it!

Sunday saw a dive on the Persier, vis was so good you could see the whole wreck.… Paul likened it to a walk around a scrap yard but I enjoyed it....he always did know how to show a girl a good time!

A little bit of an accident occurred whilst waiting to take the little boat out…we’re told the trick is to start the boat BEFORE lifting the anchor, then it won’t wash onto the rocks or tear a great big hole in the tube! The person responsible (who shall remain nameless but bears a striking resemblance to action man) also needs to be let into the secret that is how to start the little boat!
Good weekend.. thanks to Rachel for organising it.

It was off to Lulworth Cove for the May Day bank holiday, not a bad turnout considering how close to Easter it fell. Camp site was really good and the weather was lovely if a little cold, thank goodness for electric hook ups and heaters! Saturday morning was lovely and sunny… loaded all our cylinders onto the boat – piled all the kit into Paul’s van and set off for lulworth beach, we eventually got our kit down to the beach having waited what seemed like a eternity for a white van driver to move off the single track road!

The first dive was on the ‘Blakoork’ (which when translated from Evesham speak means Black Hawk I think)! the sea was calm and the vis was brilliant about 10 – 15 metres but still quite cold!

Our second dive was on a pretty reef, Paul took little Chris in for his first sea dive, he was like a dog with 2 tails when he came back… never before has anyone seen anything like it! … how we all remember the enthusiasm after that first ‘real’ dive!

Well it was up with the lark on Sunday morning to dive the Kyara, we had to be at the site just before slack water at 9.00am, now for our club to be ready to dive at anytime before the crack of noon is a near impossibility, so when we were all ready and waiting – boat launched – kit on – it was a wonderful sight to behold! Only to be told that our calculations were just a little out and slack water was in fact at 1.00pm! This will go down in history as the only time Evesham sub aqua club has been too early for anything!

As we had missed breakfast because of our ‘early’ start, we sought out a little café and ate heartily while we waited. The Kyara was subsequently dived that afternoon – a text book dive executed with such precision – all in together all out together– fantastic! – (apart from James nearly dislocating Rachel’s shoulder as he landed on her)! Very good vis considering the depth of the wreck, lots to look at.

Back to the camp site for the mandatory barbecue – come hell or high water there will be a Barbie!

There was a lot of activity among our younger members who had arranged a surprise 40th birthday party – complete with big hat and balloons - for Richard – welcome to the geriatric division of ESAC Rich, many more of us and we may qualify for a disabled sticker for our Rib!

Woke up Monday to complete devastation of our make shift party area – was it the howling wind and rain during the night or was it hurricane Marcie? Time to pack up and go home again so tent’s packed and boat washed off we went –
Thanks for organising it Rich – looking forward to Pembrooke!