Today’s trip was organised by Mandy who was all excited. She had learned a few weeks prior that part of the ship’s infrastructure had collapsed and today’s objective, treasure!
For many, it was our first hard boat trip since lockdown in the rather surreal world of Covid-Secure. With additional forms signed and masks in hands, it was an early arrival to the pier for parking. That said, we should have been able to get another hour or so in bed as there was plenty of room
We were diving with Swanage Boat Charters today and with a leisurely ropes off, we all kitted up and met at the pre-boarding muster station for our Covid brief. Once on board it was a 20 minute slow cruise to the Kyarra, plenty of time for final preparations.
The six divers today were Mandy, Tom, Artur, Kris, Rhys and Mark. With different kit configurations, a few moments to familiarise en-route before the site briefing.
The Kyarra sits around 30 metres deep to the seabed and can be quite menacing at times. As Mark put it, he has experienced gin clear 15 metres one day and brown chocolate zero metres the next. With a high tide, skipper Bryan thought the visibility would be around 5 metres and with directions on how to find the treasure, all six divers made an easy entry and descended the shot.
We were told that once at the bottom of the shot, turn 180 degrees with the highest point of the ship on your left, take a 45 degree bearing, pass the boilers, past the stanchions and there you will find treasure.
The good news was that we were in the right area, but unfortunately no treasure was found as the current started to pick up and so we took a drift over the wreck before deploying our DSMBs and ascending to the surface. Water temperature was a balmy 18degC and some metres visibility.
Fleur de Lys
Dive two was supposed to be a drift over the Peveril ledges, but as one of the divers did suffer with an ear problem on the Kyarra, we decided a shallower 12 metres on the Fleur de Lys maybe better in that the buddy pair could abort the dive should ear problems occur. Again the current was moving and while Tom and Mandy went on to photograph some of the marine life, Rhys, Mark, Kris and Artur took the easy life for a shallow drift. Visibility was a skanky grey 3 to 4 metres, with rays and scallops spotted as the divers swirled around multidirectional currents.
All in all a very pleasant Monday and yes, Mandy has booked a return trip for September.
