Castaways Sub-Aqua Club
	A Branch (Branch No 2071) of The British Sub-Aqua Club

Fog and Pink Stetsons

Plymouth

3rd & 4th June 2000

It was overcast when we left, but were assured that it would brighten up later. It was raining at Exeter but that was north of Dartmoor and not typical of Plymouth. Even the low cloud on the A38 didn't prepare us for Mountbatten, and FOG, in June, in Plymouth and against the shipping forecast. That is those who knew where Mountbatten was. The look on the squaddies face when an Indian guy jumps out of a white van at HMS Cambridge was a sight.

We stood outside the Mountbatten Centre and waited. Eventually we decided it was clearing, as we could see a boat shape halfway across the Cattewater. As this vanished into the swirling mist we kitted up and loaded the boat confident that things would improve - after all this always happened in Plymouth didn't it? And it would be better out in the sound. Famous words were uttered "bound to better past the breakwater", "always clearer out to sea".

We inched our way out to sea in worsening conditions eventually finding end of the breakwater, still once round Rame head all would be well. 10 minutes later we passed the breakwater again proving that compass navigation is hard in the fog and that boats can go in circles. Following the GPS we kept going and it actually got worse so we headed back, passing the breakwater for the third time and struck out for home.

Camouflage is the art of marking big things hard to see, and the navy is seriously good at it. Grey tankers in fog are hard to see until you are very, very close and then appear (in a puff of smoke) in front of you. Still Paul has quick reactions and in fairness there weren't many lights visible (there wasn't much boat visible). After all the fun we had a coffee and the cloud lifted, mainly because it was lighter having dropped all that rain on us. Clearly was time for some lateral thought so we went on a supper spotting expedition to the national marine aquarium i.e. trout, salmon, skate, ray, dogfish etc and came out to find the cloud had lifted. We then invoked the six o'clock rule and spent an hour watching men hit things with hammers to fail to move a big boat down a slipway and subsequently set of to find the B & B.

Courtesy and libel law prevents a full description but its safe to say it was memorable and we were in the pub by 6, in the posh chippy by 7.30, in the pub by half 9 and in bed by 10 or near.

Sunday dawned better, it only was raining but the cloud was more than 6 feet above the sea. Slick organisation saw us at the James and in the water and the anniversary was commemorated with the traditional tour, bows and back through the holds. Sadly the damage over time is more apparent with Hold 1 full of debris and one big lobster, and the sides falling away. The engine room now changes every dive, this time swim throughs last seen a few years ago had reappeared. Behind this the large metal rooms have reopened, but despite the changes this is still a stunning wreck. Other divers reported damage /vandalism to the stern area, but overall a good one, and we went home happy in the sun.

A rather disappointing lunch followed, we must remember not to try for the roast at 1.00 on a Sunday, or Chicken Kiev or food really, easier just to go to the bar and say "here's some money, give me some food".

The second dive was at 'Cuttlefish alley' or Penlee point, just north of the coastguard hut. True to form Sue and I saw 2 cuttlefish, dogfish, a big ballen wrasse, crabs and even a nudibranch (camera at home) though others faired less well. Back to Mountbatten for the team photo and muttered comments about the manners and parentage of Jet Ski owners then home.

The infamous pink stetson - was on the head of the bridesmaid of the wedding that happened at Mountbatten on Saturday. It was bright pink and looked 'interesting' next to the sliver wedding dress, though pink and silver are big in Plymouth this summer, probably thanks to a bloke in a Market somewhere, you have been warned.

Jake Easton