Day 1
After much preparation and planning there is always one thing that is always uncertain (The weather). A total of 6 club members where venturing down to Pembrokeshire to dive for the weekend.
The boat was being towed by Dewi who was joined by Andrew and Laura along with 15 Cylinders + equipment. David, Irfon and Lee where traveling down separatetly with the intention of meeting up at the rented Airbnb (accommodation for the weekend.
Journey commenced on a still day with bright sunshine which took 4 hours, the club boat was deposited at Gelliswick Yacht club ready for the diving the next day. On arrival down south the wind had clearly picked up and on looking out into the Milford Sound is was looking very choppy.
Enroute to the Digs we received a call from David who had arrived in the area before us and was doing a recci of the Peninsula. We joined him at the Martins Haven and took a walk over the headland overlooking Skommer Island, we can honestly say it on looking down at the sea that diving the next day was going to be a challenge if the forecast was to stay the same. We went down to look at the bay in Martins Haven which seemed to be well protected from the elements and then retired to a little pub down the road for a swift pint t consider some options.
A short trip to Broad Haven and we discovered our Airbnb accommodation for the weekend. A well presented house with 2 x twin rooms, a master bedroom and a single room. David being an Airbnb virgin had to sleep in the converted garage with Lee, whilst Andrew and Irfon shared the upstairs twin. Laura declined the master bedroom with ensuite so it was gratefully accepted by Dewi.
Hunger was getting the better of all so David, Andrew, Laura and Dewi headed down to the local pub for a meal. A short 5 minute walk and we had arrived at the Gallion Inn. Orders were placed and the food was very good, the enthusiastic waiter and entrapped us into the pub quiz that was to follow, thankfully it was delayed which allowed reinforcement to arrive in the shape of Irfon and Lee. A credible effort was made by team LLeyn Scuba otherwise known as “The Gambian Boys” and we came second overall.
Day 2
Well it had been more or less decided that day 2 was likely to be a shore dive given the forecast, having got up in the morning this was confirmed. The shore dive had been recommended by Jake who had dived at Martins Haven previously. We arrived early at the car park, everyone got changed and the kit was ferried down to the beach by the pickup, including 2nd cylinders. All boat traffic had been cancelled due tot he weather therefore the options of diving both the left and right side of the bay where open. Care had to be taken especially as we had no boat cover, if any current was detected that diver should turn around.
David and Lee elected to dive the left side whilst Laura / Andrew and Irfon / Dewi chose to dive the right side. Viz was surprisingly good and all divers reported good dives reaching depths between 15 -20 meters.
The Bay was well sheltered from he elements and the 2 hour interval looked like a bunch of seals sleeping on the shore line. Following the interval everybody kitted up and a reversal was done, again everybody reporting decent dives with plenty of life. The gear was transported up to the car park, and following de-kitting we retired to the nearest pub for a debrief and hatch a plan for Day 3.
On return to the Airbnb we had a bit of a catch up on the Rugby World Cup before returning to the Gallion Pub for a well deserved meal.
Day 3
Wind had gone down but the rain had moved in, It was an earlier start, Dewi, Andrew and Laura went to fetch the boat from Gelliwick, a decision had been made the night before to launch from Porthgain which wound be an hour closer to the homeward journey. An hours journey from Milford Haven to Porthgain arriving at 10am, the car park was largely unoccupied and we quickly kitted up and put the boat in on the very accessible slip. Lee had decided to Cox the 1st wave and Dewi was to cox the 2nd wave.
On firing up the boat we quickly found that we had no operational depth sounder or fuel gauge. We knew the boat was full of fuel and decided to take a GPS reading to a wreck off St Davids head and dive in that vicinity. David, Andrew and Laura were the first in, tide was running a bit and while having decided to try and go down a Lobster pot this was quickly abandoned. Lee towed them to a different location. On surfacing they reported limited Viz and a somewhat disappointing div.
Dewi and Irfon asked to be dropped off further up current and landed in 25M of water, dive was dark but the Viz was reasonable, excellent topography with the highlight of the dive was seeing 5-6 Cray fish including one monster Cray.
We returned to Porthgain for lunch and to drop off Lee, post interval David, Irfon and Laura were having a 2nd dive with Andrew also opting to Cox with Dewi. We dropped them off south of Cerrig Gwylan. The sea state was probably force 4 overcast and sometimes rain. It was better to be under the water than on the surface. All three surfaced having had a good dive to depths of about 25 meters. The reality is had we been back home the diving would probably have been called off, a lesson to us all perhaps.
We returned to Porthgain got everything together and everybody then headed off back home taking 4 hours to do so. On the journey home the mudguard of the trailer fell off near Aberystwyth on a narrow stretch of road, fortunately it fell into the oncoming carriageway when no vehicles were passing.
In Conclusion
Nice place to stay, Weather wasn’t brilliant, good company and we got some decent dives in. That’s my trip sorted over to you Andrew and Brett.
Dewi