Around 2 ish on the 30th, there was a statement from the government saying that as of the 31st December we were to be locked down due to the Covid Virus. Whilst we were expecting something to this extent, we had Stoney Cove booked, the concern was that they would not be open, or we could not travel. That’s when the phone started ringing, we were not sure if we should go or not, would we get there, or get turned round halfway by a police cordon. Anyway, Helen phoned Stoney, their reaction weas that they had just been told as well and as they had staff due in and bookings already made, they would be open, although they didn’t know how many would turn up.
We had been struggling with lock downs and releases all year, it started in March with the Virus entering the UK , by April it was infecting many people, I have been off work ,working from home until early May, when we went back for 1 day a week in the office. The club had been shut down as the local swimming pools had been closed, then they opened with restrictions and closed again in November. So we were desperate to dive, literally to do something, even get some exercise, life had been boring, all we had heard was Covid, Covid and more variants of Covid. Along with Russell and Ross we decided to go for it, or at least try to get there, as we would be in the open air why not!
Helen and I arrived and were booked in at the gate, it was obvious that not many had turned up although we could see some open water swimmers walking down to freeze on the surface. Russell was there, he was always first, even sleeping in the car sometimes outside the gate. The car park was predictively empty, it was cool but not freezing cold. Ross followed us into the car park, we all laughed at being locked down again, but we had escaped!
It was decided that the dive was going to be the grand tour which I would lead, the visibility would be good, just how good we would find out very soon. There was a buzz between us, and we quickly kitted up and got ready. We walked down to the Bus stop, and I put my fins in the slats as I got the hood on, a quick spit in the mask, we would have to wash the spit out in the water as the rinsing bucket had been removed as it was a potential ‘covid risk’. Fins next then the buddy check, always good practice even if you are experienced divers as we were. Gloves on and then I stepped into the water, the initial shock of the water soon dissipated as the others followed me in. I raised my BC hose and dumped the air; I immediately began to sink below the surface. I could also feel my suit venting and the squeeze from the water pressure start to take effect. Looking down I saw the bottom clearly at 6 meters below me, I got into the freefall position and cleared my ears, thankfully they behaved and down I dropped. I added air into drysuit and it brought me gently to a stop on the 6m shelf. Looking round I located my companions and after a quick OK between us I swam over to the Viscount cockpit, the main cabin entry space where the door should have been loomed in front of me. Going straight through I turned right and dropped down to 8m while the other followed.
Helen was next to me with Ross and Russell behind, down we went to 10m, at this point I turned left and went over the edge, we swam out a little way from the edge of the cliff and dropped. Again, clearing ears and venting air into the dry suit I landed gently at the old toilets. The old WC had been smashed up many years ago and all that remained was the 4 walls of concrete that only come up about 3 feet now, with silt now in the bottom of the blockhouse. I checked my depth and that all the gauges were working, I had pre-set the compass to 200 degrees as it saved a bit of time messing around, I quickly lined myself up. My Buddies were all ready, so I started moving off keeping at least a meter off the bottom to avoid the silt clouds that were easily kicked up and something all diver’s hate.
I could see the single decker bus waiting in the gloom after about 10m of leaving the block house, it faced me, still and confident. I swam up to its front and heaved myself through the long-disappeared windscreen into the interior and swam on through. I knew Helen was behind me and assumed the others were behind her, there was not enough room to turn round and look as I would have to stop to do this, and that meant Helen would also have to stop. At the back of the bus, I turned and went out the emergency exit. I stopped.
There in front of me was the ‘Stangarth’, it was stunning. The others came alongside, and we swam the 15-20 m to the ‘Stangarth’. The old tugboat was sat on an even keel in 20m of water, we swam up to the main deck and stopped. I looked at my air gauge, yes, I had plenty. I was glad I had taken the 15L, it made a lot of difference as I would be nearly the same as Helen and Ross, Russ was on a 15 anyway. I went round to the right and into the wheelhouse, there was a dark doorway immediately to the right which led down to where the engine room had once been. As my eyes became accustomed to the gloom of the empty engine room the clarity of the visibility was striking, with the portholes allowing the light to shine through in wide beams. As I moved through I became aware that no one had followed me, so spotting the main hatch I came up to find the other swimming around the sides in my direction, I later found out they had not seen me disappear into the wheel house.
We assembled on the rear of the ‘Stangarth’, I was about to reset the compass but realised that I could see the next target ‘The Defiant’ standing proud off to the left slightly. Staying at the 14 meters that we were at I pointed the course and we started to swim together to the next ship. I was starting to become more aware that I was getting low on air, so I swam along her length ignoring the opportunities that she offered to explore inside. Off her rear was the ‘Belinda’ another vessel that had been put into the cove for divers to be entertained. Again, swam along her length without paying too much attention as I knew I had to keep moving. At her rear a dull shape manifested itself, I made the decision to go for it, knowing full well I may pay the penalty later during the dive due to the amount of I had remaining.
The dull shape slowly took shape in the form of a box like structure solid and dark, the unmistakable shape of tracks revealed the shape as the APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier). Beyond it lay the cliff face, at this I indicated up, the others agreed. I moved my computer up so I could control my ascent if it need to do some stops. Slowly we ascended, at 6m I indicated left and stay at 6m, we started the swim back. After a good 5 minutes the main 6m ledge appeared, I paused to allow the others to come alongside.
Ross was obviously struggling to stay down which was unusual. We grabbed some rocks for him to hold on to, this helped but not totally. By this time, we had done our safety stop time so were safe to surface, if necessary, I still had 60bar. We started to swim back to the exit point, at some point Ross gave up holding the rocks and let himself slowly rise to the surface. Not a problem. The exit point was only a few meters away, he was first out, we then realised that one of the slabs of weight had dropped out of his BC. That’s the problem if they are not clipped in, they should always click, if in doubt pull them out and replace. No diving kit is cheap, it’s a shame to lose any. Our time was up, as always, the hardest part of a dive, getting out the water and regaining your feet after being weightless. Gravity then starts to act on everything you carry, making you feel like a 90-year-old hobbling around. We dekitted and piled up the kit then went to chat about the dive as is our usual practice- some call it a debrief. Yes, we were pumped, I had not seen visibility like that all year and this was incredible, just a shame more could of not joined us for the dive. But that is what happens, its sods law.