I have to say it was all a bit disconcerting when snow was mentioned coming down from Scotland into the North East but off we went anyway to the Farne Islands renowned for seals and great sea dives.
Friday night saw 10 of us in our log cabins and very nice they were too, eagerly looking forward to the trip the next day.We had been told to get to Seahouses for 9 am and also that we would be on a hard boat. This was getting even better; all the hard boats had diver lifts!!!
However 9 am Saturday morning told a completely different tale. Northerly winds were sweeping down the east coast of England and within minutes it was all over.We were blown out. No boats were going out at the weekend be they fishing boats pleasure craft or dive boats.Wed contacted the local dive shop and school and they confirmed the same. No sea diving this weekend. What a bummer.
So we mooched on Saturday and visited places that wed not been to. Some went off to Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle and the scenic coastal road. By 3 pm, the weather predictions had really come into their own. At Seahouses where we had been parked 6 hours earlier, the sea was crashing over the harbour wall and the rain was torrential.
Back to the cabins as we prepared the barbeque.Fortunately we had the gas BBQ with the lid as poor Leaky had drawn the short straw for burger flipping. Over tea we discussed how we were to save our poor diving weekend and decided that as there were no local inland water sites to dive in we would go to Capernwray.
So on Sunday, off we went to Capernwray and had two fantastic dives, AND, for the first time in my 7 year diving career I saw the sturgeon. Not once, not twice but THREE times.
It was a shame the weather blew us out as I am sure that it could have been spectacular, especially as over the last couple of weeks we had been talking to divers who had been up the week previously and had a fantastic time.
But a nice weekend away was had and there was plenty of chocolate crispy mars bar cake (thank you Alix) and wine!
