Oban 2006 - I Am Spartacus
[Pictures by Martin Kay]
A lady once said “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get…”
Whats the connection between that and Oban 2006? Well, apart from the trip being organised by our very own Forrest, exactly that - when it comes to the diving, you just don’t know what you’re going to get…
Most arrived at Oban late on Thursday night, what with some not setting off till after work, and others delayed waiting for comrades to arrive following a closure on the M6. Latest were Andy & Nigel getting in after midnight. Still a few beers in the Oban Inn, somewhat a tradition, and everyone was setup for a good nights sleep. Friday morning saw us heading off to Puffin Diver centre for the pickup by MV Diving Belle. The boat was loaded up nice and slick with only some minor moaning about the weight of the twinsets, and before long we were on our way to the Breda for Dive #1.
A relatively easy dive, we swam around the ship to the stern section before hopping onto the decks and swimming amongst the holds and the remains of the superstructure. Good visibility was the order of the weekend, which was great as the weather topside was nothing to write home about! Highlight of the dive was prodding a conger in a pipe and trying to get it to launch at PWJ while he looked down the pipe at it! Second dive, and a cruel twist of fate saw us at the Rondo.
There were a few straight faces when this one was announced, but due to tides and weather it couldn’t be helped. PWJ still got a bit of grief though. For the suitably qualified and prepared it is possible to obtain some depth on this dive. But as the majority of us were diving on Nitrox we were limited to around 30m. So, the deco stages were left on the boat and we were in to make the best of it. Dropping in we found the viz 10-15m and crystal clear, there wasn’t even any current running (even the infamous “down” current!). We managed the swim-through under the wreck at around 26m, then came off the wreck for a bit to swim along the reef and annoy the squat lobsters that live amonst the rocks. A nice dive but still frustrating not to have full cylinders and reduced nitrox to explore the full potential!
Once everyone was up we were heading off to the bunk-house at Lochaline to get unpacked and get some tea. PWJ had arranged for a cook, so we were treated to chicken, rice, and vegetables not long after we’d arrived and got settled. The night was then spent taking the mick out of each other and trying to watch Monty Pythons ‘Holy Grail’ on video. It was probably funny 20 years ago, but one by one our lot eventually disappeared off to bed and it was switched off.
Day two and dive three saw us heading to the Hispania, one of Mulls favourite dives. Last year the current was running and the viz was average at best. To be honest I wouldn’t have been bothered about doing this dive at all. This is where “you never know what you’re gonna get” comes in! Dropping down to the rails on the port side, we thumbed down and started the descent down the hull to the sea bed. Hmmm, can see the sea-bed from the rails, this is good. Not only that, the wreck is perched on the top of a scour, and we can see another 10m or so down the scour too. We headed towards the stern with no perceivable current against us. Arriving at the stern, we could see the huge rudder still in place, the prop having been salvaged. It was stunning, a conservative estimate on the viz would be 15m. It was like a Red Sea wreck dive, only colder! We got daring now and swam *under* the stern section and onto the starboard side. We looked at some of the wreckage on the seabed, before heading back up the hull and onto the decks. We started at the stern, carefully swimming through the remains of the deckhouses and walkways, taking in the spare prop and then navigating through two of the holds. We then came up onto the superstructure, finding the captains bath and the bridge where its said he was last seen - saluting as the ship went under. Onwards still we swam out along the now collapsed mast and back again. Finally, we spent a few minutes on the bow, before heading back to the superstructure and the shotline. I’ve been known to talk pollocks, and it should be noted that this wreck has the biggest i’ve ever seen! Some were easily 1m+, and quite formidable when you come face to face with one is a narrow passageway! Final section of the dive was bailing off the shotline as the group from Mupper Divers R Us climbed over our divers in their scramble for the surface - SMB deployed we enjoyed a much nicer ascent and came up very happy!
There was no way the next dive could follow the Hispania, and it didn’t! After a surface interval in Tobermory including time for a group photo taken by a passer-by (”no, I am a passer-by!”) we headed the short distance to Calve Island for a wall dive. A crab and a small cave at 25m were the highlights, and apart from using PWJ as a scooter it was uneventful. The dolphins passing us by as we headed home were more exciting than the wall…
Home for local, hand made steak pie was the next highlight. Some almost missed there’s as they seemed unable to leave the pub! Nothing new there then! That evening was a film for some, and heated debate in the diving room on the merits of DIR and the long-hose for others! It was a long way off from the blind darts/pool championship of 2005.
Our final dives of the day saw us at the Shuna and Thesis. An early start was had so we could get back to port as early as possible, I think we were all a bit tired by this point! The Shuna wasn’t too bad and the guys/gals did OK to not kick the silt up for everyone else. PWJ and I managed a full circuit of the wreck on the sea-bed, before we headed to deck level to look at the coal and massive steam engine. On the way to the bow we found the fattest conger I have ever seen in my life. It was a case, of “back away from the conger, get back in the pipe!”. We found Martin aka Spartacus to take a picture of it, and we carried on to the bow. No deco time up we ascended via SMB and straight onto the ladder of the boat.
Final dive was the Thesis and wreck penetration 101 for PWJ. We entered via the bow and swam through the wreck, passing the boiler and remains of the engine before exiting via the hold. We then swam down to the stern section before heading back up the wreck and finishing out the dive on the bow. Final discovery was a beautiful purple nudibranch sat on the bow of the ship.
We came up in the rain and de-kitted and packed as we headed back to Oban in much rougher conditions than the previous 3 days. We packed our cars in torrential rain and were totally saturated by the time we were done. Some of us got changed in our cars we were that wet! Final task was the long drive home, which was made in good time for most of us. You couldn’t help feel sorry for Gaynor though, who on gettin back to Chester then had to drive home to Swansea on her own. A text at 3am confirmed she’d finally got home safe and well.
Overall, we had it good. Some of the best conditions I’ve seen in the UK, with stunning fish and wildlife, and the best viz i’ve seen bar the blockships in Scapa. Good food, excellent company, not a single hangover, and everyone home safe and well. The only bad news was waking up on Monday morning to hear that Steve Irwin had died in a diving incident in Australia.
Thanks to our very own Forrest, PWJ for organising the trip and the cook! Seeing as it may be a while before we return to Oban, it was certainly one we will remember.
Ta!
September 4th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
Thanks to all for making me feel so welcome on a fantastic weekend. Great to meet you all
September 4th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
PS Thanks to Paul for the loan of his “personal lubricant”
September 4th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
JO, you beat me to it, very good
The Main Points.
Getting there, always a good start
Getting back, even better,
I’m Spartacus,I’m Spartacus etc
I’m a Passer-By, wonderful, ‘top draw’
AS1 being pissed off with 21%, dangerous
The Rondo for tempting us then letting us down on 35% EAN
The Hispania for being the best there is, better than sex
The Cook, wow!! what can you say
The Friday night’s dead wine bottles and the story they tell
The snoring and botty burbs - phew ;-(
Nick for his briefs, no, not them Jean
Jean the Scream when she came face to face with All Man in the shower
The ‘Personal Lubricant’ that did the rounds
Gaynor for keeping the little man happy
Sperring for being Top Draw
Trev for his hat
Ronnie for the tales over lunch.
Neil and Spartacus for being ADM’s
No Chuckle Bros to cook, thank goodness Amanda was there to help
The Light Sabres for being so cool to play with.
Quote of the day - it’s DIR, oh!f**k off
Thanks to everyone who took part, glad you all enjoyed it. Now let’s have your money on Wed night, details later
ps. let’s have a big hand for the crab that made the Wall what it was, crap
September 4th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Well done Lads
Good reports
Cracking Weekend
Cracking
Dives
Cracking Company
Well done PWJ for all the hard work!