Review by Paula Bunner

 

At only £100 cost for the accommodation, air fills, meals, loads of free laughs, we can say that the weekend was excellent value for money even without the diving.

 

Eleven of us made the trek in the end, some of us travelling down on Thursday staying over in Glasgow, others making the drive up to Largs on the day taking about 4 hours. Traffic was ok overall, just a little congestion due to Road works near Glasgow airport but no real problems.

 

The ferry from Largs to Little Cumbrae Island/Millport cost £15.20 plus £3.50 for driver and each passenger RETURN, and they run every 15 minutes very efficient.

 

We finally checked in at the Marine Station, got shown our rooms, and informed tea was to be served at 6.00 p.m.

 

Unfortunately, we didn’t dive on the Friday as we had no surface cover due to two divers with DCI being placed into the Recompression Chamber. But not to be perturbed by the Scottish wind and the rain we took a brisk walk to the local watering hole, then back to our digs for a substantial chicken curry then back down to the pub.

 

Saturday was more promising after a hearty breakfast we all managed a dive in the morning at “The wishing well”. Phil who runs the Recompression Chamber kindly drove us to and from the site in his pickup, three people deciding to take the trip sitting on the tailgate!

 

Apparently the wishing well has some fresh water springs which can have strange effects underwater as it disperses in to the salt water, but as far as I know no- one came across one. The water temp wasn’t too bad at about 13’C, unless of course you leave your dry suit zip slightly open. Enough said about that, at least the diver involved (not wishing to name names) carried on with the dive water filled for about 40 mins, what a trooper! Even if the fish weren’t as abundant as they possibly might have been this still probably due to the recent poor weather, the viz wasn’t too bad we saw lots of Crabs, Dog fish, lobster and an odd Wrasse. Everyone seemed to have had a good time.

 

Despite the worsening weather, after lunch and a quick cylinder fill some of the gang was up to a second dive “under the pier”. The surface conditions looked awful with a swell which got up to about 1.5 mtrs. However the conditions below the waves were not too bad at all and the current almost nil. There where lots of anenomes on the legs of the pier and loads of large shells on the sand, but again though the fish life was a bit limited

 

The day finished with a good Evening Meal and back down to the local where we were again made really welcome.

 

After breakfast on Sunday we all met at the Recompression Chamber had a safety talk then split into two groups to start the 50m-chamber dives. It was an excellent and valuable experience as a diver, and gives an experience for the first and hopefully the last time for most of us of Nitrogen narcosis. Phil gave us and informative talk afterwards about many aspects of his work dealing with divers with the bends, as well as reiterating some symptoms and treatments.

 

Following the talk we all said our farewell’s and got the ferry back to Largs and the drive home.