Back in March Simon Hanmer suggested some dives over Easter. We arranged several,
but nearer the time he had to drop out. I'd already paid for boat spaces, and didn't really
want to cancel, so started looking for a buddy with a message to NDG.

Gordon Henderson of scuba-uk fame gave me a call the next day - he was looking for
something to do with his Inspiration over Easter and fancied coming along. Great, now
I've got a buddy. Then a few days later Rob Royle of Britannic 98 fame called up and
said he was interested too! Wow, this guy has been to the bottom of Dorry and to 120m
on the Britannic! Why does he want to come to do the Sidon and the Pom with us mere mortals?

The weather forecast for the weekend was good, the kit was packed, and early Saturday
morning I started off for Portland. Unfortunately, the weather forecast didn't seem all that
accurate. It was rather foggy and damp. Once down at Parry's though Ian Parry assured
me with some little weather ditty that mist in the morning would be gone by lunchtime.

One nitrox fill (£9 for twin 10's, ouch) later, I spotted someone standing around with a
3L O2 cylinder in his hand. It was Gordon. His O2 fill came to the same price as my
nitrox fill, which didn't amuse him one bit, specially as he has 2 big cylinders full of the
stuff in his garage. We stood around and chatted for a while, as the boat was not leaving
until 11...

Down at Castletown, there was mayhem. The car park was full. Divers of all shapes and
sizes were kitting up all over the place. There was nothing for it but to drop the kit off at
the slip, and go and park at the helicopter viewing area. Not such a good start.

Onto the Kyarratoo, skippered by Paul Cooper. A total of 12 divers on board for the M2.
Once underway, the delightful perfume of diesel fumes surrounding us, the fog started clearing.
The journey was uneventful, about the usual hour to hour and a half, with the sea quite calm
when we got there. It was easy to tell when we were there, as there were 7 RIBs and 2
hardboats in total over the M2 at that point in time...

Kitted up, shot down, Gordon and I were first in and asked by the skipper to make sure
the shot was on the wreck, and to send up a washball when all was OK.  We descended
into the gloom... past about 15m it was pitch dark. All of a sudden the bottom came racing
up to meet us, hello bottom. Hmmm, no sign of the wreck though. At this point Gordon started
lifting the shot a couple of feet at a time in the direction of the compass bearing the skipper
suggested the wreck was. Just as we were about to give up I heard a "Woo Hoo" (Inspiration users
really can talk under water) and there was the side of the hull. Viz was only 2m or so in the good bits,
so it was a case of feeling your way round the wreck! We went astern, under the propshafts,
then I came up one side with Gordon on the other. Fortunately after a few seconds we spottted
our torchlights in the murk. After that it was along towards the bows, around the conning tower,
to the top of the hanger, peering in nooks and crannies. I spotted some large brass screws
which were firmly attached, not that I would have taken them off a war grave.

About this time I started feeling a bit bouyant despite dumping air, so signalled to Gordon
that it was time to ascend after about 25 mins. Up went the dsmb and up we went too,
total time 34 mins / 33.1m max.

Back at Portland, we didn't have much time so got an air top up from Breakwater Diving Centre
(£5) before getting back on the boat. Instead of a West side drift we did Lulworth Banks. It
was the first time I'd been there, and was pleasantly surprised as the viz was better (maybe 4m)
and it was light at 15m, although I had my torch on just to pick out the colours of things better.
Plenty of sponges, scallops, spider crabs, anenomies etc. After 40 mins of drifting I was freezing
though (note: must buy a Weezil undersuit) and we reeled up the line.

That evening, we met up with Rob Royle and went to Weymouth Tandoori for a luvverly curry
and a natter about all things diving.

Sunday dawned even foggier. Down to Parry's for a fill, then again to park at the helicopter
viewing area - it was even busier at Castletown. We were on Autumn Dream, skippered by
Len Hurdiss, for the Sidon. A total of 4 Inspiration divers on board, all the rest except one
had twinsets, one guy with stages. Rob was also diving his Custom Divers wing with twin 12's.
He'd modified the backplate somewhat with a lump hammer to stop the wingnuts digging
into his back (this is really a fault of the CD backplate design, I just use nuts on mine).

Off we went into the mist. This time it did not clear, and there was a long swell running.
Only one other boat out at the Sidon - the K2. They had already put a shot down and we soon followed.
Down we went into blackness again, this time however the shot was right on the wreck - hurray!
Then a tour to the stern, under the rudder at 34m, along and up to the conning tower with its
periscope tubes still in place, round the conning tower and along to the bows before returning.
With the computer run out of no deco time after 30 mins it was time to launch the dsmb
and come up. All went swimmingly until at 25m I noticed my computer bleeping 'slow'. I started
dumping, thinking the additional 3lbs I'd taken down this time was still not enough, but realised
it wasn't me and we were being pulled up. Gordon meanwhile let out line,
but it was not good and the line broke, leaving us at 15m. While he was reeling in the broken line
I did a midwater deployment of my dsmb, which for some reason I managed more easily than
I do at the bottom... Examining the line later showed signs of antifoul paint, so it would appear
that one of the boats (we think the K2) caught the blob with its prop. Could have been nasty...

Back up at the top, dive time was 40 mins / 34.1m max, then we had a long wait for the guy with
stages who had done 40 mins bottom time on air followed by a 30 min deco stop on 50% O2.
I had managed only 10 mins less bottom time with about 6 mins stops on nitrox 32, shows just
how useful nitrox is doesn't it? With an extra 3lb lead weight my bouyancy felt fine on this dive.

We didn't make it for the second dive, as we didn't get back until 4:30, so after getting a fill at
Parry's we went back to the B&B, had a nice hot bath to warm up... Out and about in Weymouth
later followed by some nosh and a relatively early night.

Monday was foggier still. We thought we'd be clever and get a parking spot by going straight
to the slip at 9AM, even though the boat wasn't due to leave until 11:30. No chance. But we
did manage to park on the pavement near the Aquasport hotel, so just a short walk with the twinset.
We hung around a bit in the Breakwater cafe and Portland oceaneering before the K2 arrived.
Skipper was not sure if the conditions would be OK. He said he'd take us out past the Bill and
we could decide.

Well when we got out of the harbour, the sea was a bit rough. As we got to the Bill, a couple of
really large waves - as big as the boat - apparently made the skipper decide to turn around
and head back. He offered us the Bennendyk but conditions would not have been very good,
and he ended up taking us all the way back to the slip. At least we got a refund from Parry's.

So after all that we said our goodbyes and headed on the long trek home again. The dives had
definitely been worth it, despite the conditions, as a warm up if nothing else. Roll on summer.