Pete Young of the BTRSAC had organised a couple of day's diving on Taurus, based out of Eastbourne. The idea was to do the SS Seaford, a channel ferry about 25 miles out lying in 45ish metres. There were 10 of us, and we buddied mostly as:

Pete Young and Helen Johnstone
Chris Pitts and Anke Otto
John Cook and Raj Mistry
Ian Gould and Jane Cannon
Ken gould and me

Come Thursday morning, it was dark and cloudy in Reading, but heading down south the sun came out  around Brighton and gave way to clear blue skies. I arrived at Soverign harbour at about 8:30, and shortly after the others started to arrive. Pete had found out that to make the Seaford we would have had to set out at 8:30 rather than 9:30 as the skipper had told us, so that was out. Besides it was looking rather windy, and we weren't sure if we could get out at all for a bit. Next we heard that Chris and Anke had to call in to Runnymede to pick up tanks at 8am, and were not going to make it on time. Not a promising start...

Once the kit was on board Taurus we set off on a bit of a lumpy sea. Pete had decided on the Carlise Castle, a large wreck in 40ish metres. The journey out took about 2 hours, but as we got there the wind calmed down to a 2 or 3 and the sea became reasonably calm.

Kitted up, we went down the shotline to find excellent vis - 10-15m, and still light enough at 40m not to need a torch most of the time. It was really possible to get a clear view of the wreck as we swam about. The Carlisle Castle had been carrying ammunition, and there were wooden boxes of shells still visible, but we didn't take any. After about 30mins Ken put the blob up and we ascended. I'd forgotten I'd put some air in my wing (I don't normally do this, but I was carrying a stage bottle this time) and felt rather bouyant, and went above the 6m stop for a bit until I dumped the air, which caused my computer to add on a few extra minutes of deco - about 18 in total, I was decoing on 70% mix.

In the afternoon we headed over towards the Soverign lighthouse and did the Oceania, which in HW lies in about 28m. I buddied this time with John Cook. Unfortunately I didn't have much gas left despite a topoff, and with it not quite being slack either (requiring a bit more effort finning) I was down to 40 bar after 25mins and had to put the blob up. Oh well...

By the time we got back to port ot was getting late, and we had to go over to Hastings for air fills for the next day. Pete became closer to a real DIR diver after buying the dive shop's last remaining pair of Jetfins... We stopped at a pub (Swan) between Hastings and Eastbourne for a meal and a couple of drinks before retiring to the David Lloyd Centre where we had booked rooms for the night. It turned out to be an excellent choice - nice rooms, ensuite bathrooms, good breakfast, and all for only £26!

Friday morning dawned a bit dull and wet, but calm. We headed out to the Wellpark, another large wreck again about 40m to the seabed. Viz was similar to  yesterday, but darker because of the lack of sunlight. As I was approaching the wreck on the shot I noticed some white blobs - strange. As I got nearer they appeared out of the gloom as part of a large trawl net that was covering the wreck. Hmm, better keep a bit of an eye out on this one. Fortunately there didn't seem to be any monofilament line. We swam down the starboard side, stopping to check a porthole lying on the seabed near the wreck. It was intact although affixed to what looked like a metal door. Ken tried to dislodge it but gave up, although he reckoned it could have been removed... next time. We reached the bows and swam back up the deck, finally again after about 30mins releasing the blob and carrying out a leisurely deco.

That afternoon we did the Rio Parana, quite close to the Oceania. Slightly less viz, this wreck had its large prop still there to see at the stern in about 28m. There were some *enormous* crabs about, and Helen came up with not one but two large lobsters! A nice dive to round off the day, just as we were heading back to port the sun started to appear, to end a couple of good day's diving.