Isle of Man 2008

by Paul Brown
Paul
Brown.

In July 2008, 10 members of Trafford Sub Aqua Club (BSAC 0584) went on a weekend trip to the Isle of Man

After some interesting renaming of group members, 10 people and 3 cars boarded the ferry at Liverpool. Some 2 and a half hours later, the group and their cars disembarked at Douglas and headed for Port St Mary on the south of the island to meet their host for the weekend, Mike Keggen of Isle of Man Diving Holidays.

Mike is a diver and has been a member of the Port St Mary Lifeboat crew for the past 35 years. He provides accommodation in a well appointed 5 bedroomed house near Port Erin, and diving from a Dive Centre adjoining his workshop in Port St Mary Harbour. The actual diving takes place off an 8.0 meter Coastline Rib with an inboard 4.5 litre Mercury Turbo Diesel engine.

Mike and his boat.

The group drove to Port St Mary to meet Mike, and as the main roads were closed for the Southern 100 Motorcycle race, The group had some interesting diversions down some very narrow roads. The group met Mike at his dive Centre, dropped off the Cylinders, suits and dive Bags and headed off to the accommodation.

Once in the house, the group headed off to sample the delights of Port Erin and found the Bay View Hotel. After some liquid refreshment, the group adjourned to the restaurant for a meal. The group then headed back to the house and an early night. REALLY early.

Most of the 10.

The next morning, the diving started. The first dive was a ‘shakedown’ dive on a site called Garden Rock and (as much for Mike to check us out, as it was for us to check out our kit, etc). During the dive; lobster, edible crabs, sea urchins, tompot blennies, spiny starfish and numerous other life were spotted in the almost aquarium-like visibility.

The second dive of the day was to the Sugarloaf Caves. This is a series of 3 caves, only one of which has no open surface and one of which is a swim through. The largest cave also possesses a wall of jewel anemones and elephants ear sponges. The gateways were spectacular, and the route from the second cave to the swimthrough to the third led through some kelp. During safety stops, at least one buddy pair was ‘buzzed’ by Guillemots flying through the water at 6 meters plus – an incredible sight.

The first dive of the second day’s diving was to a series of gullies called the Skerranes. The gullies were covered in kelp; and this made for some fun swimthroughs.

Dive 2 of the day was to The Burroo (or as the locals pronounce it the Burrow) This is a rocky outcrop in the south of the island, and as you approach from the water, it looks like the head of a dragon drinking from the sea. Spectacular isn’t the word. The diving was also superb. It was like diving through a garden. Several of the group also spotted what must surely be the world’s largest living edible crab on this dive.

The Burroo

After the dive on the Burroo, a pony clamp screw POPPED one of the tubes on the boat. Cliff and Amy went for a drive to the village of Cregneash and the tip of the Island over the sound, where Cliff POPPED the question and Amy accepted. That evening, champagne corks were POPPED in the Falcon’s Nest Hotel restaurant as the group toasted the newly engaged couple.

Dive 1 the next day was to a wreck called The Afton in 25 meters. Mike shotted the wreck, and the last pair in sent up the lifting bag with the shot anchor from the boilers– spot on shot. The wreck itself is pretty broken up, but the boilers and ribs are still visible and there is an abundance of life. Apart from the superb visibility; highlights of this dive were a free swimming conger, a ling in his hole and a HUUUGE lobster at the bow of the wreck.

Dive 2 was to the wreck of the Clan McMaster off Thousla Rock in the Sound between the main island and a smaller island called the Calf of Man. There isn’t too much to see on the wreck (apart from the inquisitive seals that sit and watch you at 10 metres), but a right turn at the bow leads into an exhilarating drift dive up the Sound.

On the last day, the group decided against diving; opting for a Basking Shark hunt instead. The group struck gold. Seals, an Orca breaching about ½ a mile away; several thousand jellyfish and 7 Sharks, (including 1 that swam through a group of snorkelling, squeaking divers).

Overall, a fantastic weekend. Great diving, basking sharks, good company and a good skipper with a good boat – what more can a bunch of divers want? To go back next year of course.