A
fter my disaster of dive
leading the previous day, due to computer malfunction, I was eager to
make amends on this dive.
Weather was cloudy but warm. Sea
state was a small swell, but enough swell to cause Julian to chunder
like a thundercat all over the diver pick up area at the rear of the
boat.
Well I gave a short dive plan to
Julian and Bryan and off we went. We descended the shot line to the
Scylla's fox'll at a depth of ten past 3 (17mts to those in the know!!!
). Checking we were all good to go I indicated our heading. After
a gauge reading, we followed the starboard side deck. A few openings on
Scylla's side gave us a chance to look around. Not much life here but
4-5m vis, so we continued our epic journey to find the flight deck.
Flight deck found and a gauge
reading checked we then lost Julian. Retracing our dive I soon located
Julian and as punishment, decided to squeeze him through the smallest
hatchway I could find, as he was carrying so much equipment. I now led
us from the hanger to the ships port side (that will learn him!!).
Gauge check, now off down the
port side, ship's bridge my next target. Not wanting to torture Julian
any more, we entered the bridge on the port side lookout's position,
which was about 2 mts above us. A short look around an empty bridge and
another gauge check later, led me to indicate we needed to head down to
the fox'll and the shotline for me to ascend. I was only using a 12lt
dumpy, whilst both Julian and Brian had twin sets on and could both had
stayed for a while longer (sorry guys).
The ascent was of course brills,
having snuck in front of Jenny, we completed our 3 min safety stop
leaving Jenny at 8mts having to wait for us to finish ours before they
could start theirs (sorry again).
Pick up was swift and Julian's
sick well gone.
Bryan gave me some good advice
about the dive and how to improve my leading skills, but deep down I
know he was double impressed.
The Scylla is a great dive for
those wreck hunters amongst us, but lacks any sea life. Great vis on
this dive, and a superb leader.
Report by Allan Dennis
(Plymouth photo
report)
