England

Most of you know I am in England and I have now completed 5 days of diving and some serious castle/monument touring. It has been more than wonderful and I got the break I needed. While I have seen a lot, learned a lot, and could due more…. this is Not a world class dive destination. They only dive re-conditioned quarries, not lakes; but the quarry facilities are Awesome. If I should show pictures to Mike at Gilboa he’d probably throw me out. NDAC at Chepstow, National Diving Activity Center, to the west just in Wales by Cardiff is THE place but all have their charm. Pool dive was Monday night to watch training, after I took a long nap because I took myself on a walking lunch tour of local pubs. Tuesday was Windsor Castle and no, I didn’t see the Queen. Wednesday morning was Warwick Castle to the North, then back down home and off to Wraysbury, by London…local training….10-15 acres….30′ Thursday we took off for a 3 day tour and dove Vobster, about 110 miles to the SW west…..25-30 acres….80′. Had to stay in a 250 year old hotel and drink with the locals. Darn. I still think Julian played a trick on me that day because as we came over a hill on the highway he said ‘Look, Stonehenge, did you want to stop?’ He seemed to take an answer of wide eyes, dropped jaw, and shaking hands as a yes and started laughing. Everybody thinks of the stone circle, but as I stood on the hill, as far as the eye could see was artifacts built over a 2000 year period and they still have no idea why or how. They have proved some of the Big stones came from over 200 miles away, without horses. Friday was NDAC/Chepstow, about 100 miles NWN of Vobster by the Severn River & Cardiff….60 acres…20′-270′ with 30′-50’of vis. Saturday was Weymouth/ Isle of Portland/Lyme Bay on the south central coast, about 120 miles south of NDAC where we dove the M2, an experimental British sub with an airplane & hanger and the James Fennel, a steamer. Vis there was 4′-6′, so no complaining about our dives. Sunday I will start working Facebook, as I have some great stuff to show you. They keep pushing tea & beer at me and I’m getting fond of both. Cheers ’till later, Mike