:: Capernwray January 2008 - Diver Training Weekend ::

Trip Report : Fun and Frolics in Capernwray (By Richard Thompson)

I believe I am speaking for the majority when I suggest we were a little apprehensive about the Ocean Diver weekend. After all, descending to the murky depths of a twenty-metre quarry is far from the realms of plodding around in a warm swimming pool where we had mastered the very basics of scuba diving. An early start on the Saturday morning was followed by the first diving brief in the café on site, where the coffee was in fact really good. Setting up the equipment was now second nature to me, and soon we were on the side of the water undergoing the necessary buddy checks that should always precede any dive. Some say diving is a dangerous sport, but I say not, so long as the equipment is sound, the buddy checks are done and the correct procedure is followed.  As I stood on the side of the water I could not help in realising that Capernwray was in fact the ideal site in which to dive. The water appeared clear and believe it or not, refreshingly inviting and the atmosphere was sociable and friendly. The mixture of individuals who undertook such an activity also surprised me, ranging from teens and studenty-types to the much older side of the spectrum.
 
Upon submerging for the first dive, the first thing I noticed were the number and size of the fish in the water, well, that and the cold. The initial shock of the water is quickly overcome however, as the body soon adjusts to the six degree temperatures.  After we had all assembled under water, Ranjit took the lead and we followed on an underwater exploration, where we practised fining techniques and our buoyancy control. Sam had other plans however and decided to follow a particular fish that had taken his fancy and we were left one man down for a brief period. Luckily Tom was on the ball and followed in pursuit, eventually managing to convince Sam into rejoining the group.  Even through his hood and mask, it was clear Ranjit was not entirely impressed by these proceedings. The rest of us laughed through our regulators.

The dive was over far two soon for my liking and was I eager to get back into the water as we sat in the café and debriefed.  The second dive of the day was equally fun and by the time it was over, our buoyancy control was much improved, although I had developed a tendency to moon walk along the bottom. This became subject to criticism, or banter really, although I didn’t really see the problem. When all said and done, we are men, not fish. 

The evening arrived and after hot showers and after a change of clothes we set of into Morecambe for curry and beer. Most of us were tired from the day’s exertions and the early start, although we still found the energy to visit several pubs in which to unwind. Dom managed to flip and catch thirty-six beer mats in one go, a most commendable achievement by anyone’s standards.

After a bit of the old shuteye and a full English we were back in the water again, this time going to a respectable fourteen meters down the shot line. The water was surprisingly clear with a good six meters of visibility, meaning we could explore the underwater attractions, including the boat, car and helicopter wrecks. Following this we practised the drills and skills we had mastered in the pool, and all managed to successfully remove and replace our masks, despite the chill. The highlight of this dive was Dan rocketing to the surface after pumping a little too much air into his dry suit.

The second dive of the day was nearly over before it began for Ranjit, who was seconds away from plunging into the icy water with his flies undone. Fortunately, Dom noticed just in time and was able to inform Ranjit of this most terrible predicament. What Dom was doing looking at Ranjit’s crotch is anybody’s guess, but since this is scuba diving, I guess it can be excused as an efficient form of buddy checking.  I believe we reached the sixteen-metre mark on this occasion, making it the longest and deepest dive of the weekend and all parties were able to perform successful buddy lifts to the surface at reasonable speeds. By the time the dive was over, we were cold and hungry, yet pleased, as this had been the most demanding, yet enjoyable dive of the weekend. After packing up the cars, Ranjit and Tom gave the debrief over a round of steaming hot chocolates. In essence, the weekend was a unique and fun experience to me and provided insight into an activity I now plan to pursue further. Hopefully we will be back at Capernwray in a few weeks time.

Your humble narrator
Richard

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