Random Jottings
Weight and Lead
Since my back operation I have made a concious effort to loose some weight, well I put on a bit leading up to the operation and I got a bit of a shock the other day!
I'm off to Scapa at the beginning of October and the fates conspired in such a way that my twin-set would be out of test during my holiday week so I had to get it tested and O2 clean, I got it back nice and tested then put everything back together and used it a couple of weekends ago, a steady couple of dives with no issues and all was fine with the exception that I really need to do a dip with my deco bottle strapped on, but that's another issue.
Whilst sorting around in my external 'dive' shed at the weekend I found my V weight.....on checking my rig yup I had forgotten to bolt it in.
That got me thinking, I have lost about 10kg and I have been able to take 6kg from my weights with no impact to buoyancy control, although I suspect that I have a tad less air in my suit.
So this weekend with my standard 12l rig I took out 2kg and went diving, no problems, I decided to check things out and at 4m with 60bar in the tank I could drop all of the air out of my suit and slowly sink, I guess that means I can take out another 1kg and try that!
I am hoping with another 10kg to go I can get rid of another 2kg from my 12l kit and also dive the twin-set with no additional weight over and above the stainless steel back-plate, now that would be an achievement.
So there you go get a bit of weight off and your lead requirements will also drop significantly, something I'm sure lots of experienced divers know but simply don't adjust for, perhaps we all should do this more often?
Dive safe
RichW
Latest Photographs


A small Common Hermit Crab (Pagurus bernhardus) in a discarded winkle shell, the bottom of the site is crawling with these critters, searching for food, squabbling with their brethern over shells and generally going about their daily business!
What looks like a small 'donkey boiler, it was certainly of very robust rivetted construction
Drop over to the 'hull side' of the vessel and it's still pretty messed around.
Not as common as in Southern waters or even around Howick but here is a Lesser Spotted Catshark, or should that be dogfish? (Scyliorhinus canicula) Years ago you rarely saw any but they are becoming more common, in 2018 a party of divers got photos of a large Tope out at the Farne Islands.....apex predators you have been warned!
This section of deck has been thrown to the shore end of the main gully and is quite photogenic as it stands proud of the sea-bed so options for photos, just make sure that the sun is in the right place!
The head of a Greater Pipefish (Syngnathus acus)
More wreckage that has just collapsed in on itself
There are more and more Bull Huss (Scyliorhinus stellaris) in the area and this one was relatively lively and wouldn't let me get close for a photograph.
A plate from Yewglen and its got my name on it! That said I think that it is probably a plate for a MacGregor patent hatch cover.
The barrel of one of the secondary guns
A Common Hermit Crab (Pagurus bernhardus) this one is in a winkle shell and was quite happy trying to stare me down, cheeky little blighter!
Always nice to see lots of Dhalia Anemone (Urticina felina) of various colours on any dive!
As you approach the debris field you will find little lengths of lead coated wiring sticking out of the sand or protruding from under stones.
This particular Bloody Henry (Henerica oculata) was a vivid purple/black, something that I haven't noticed previously in the area.
Pretty sure that this is a Shanny (Lipophrys phalis) that had set up shop in the cut off end of the pier hand rail. This 'dries out' at low water so either the hole has water inside or the fish darts out and waits until the tide comes up again!
A turbine or part thereof or a focussing arrangement from a search-light?
A view of the business end of an Angler-fish (Lophius piscatorious) there are loads about the sites and once you've spotted one they become easier to see.
More identifiable bits, the steam powered windlass that was mounted near the bow, the main steel mast in lying to the left (North) up and onto a reef and there are bits of bollard and the like adjacent.