Having suffered thunderstorms and heavy rain earlier in the morning, and with the threat of more whilst kitting up in the marina car park, enthusiasm was ebbing fast like the tide. Spirits were further dampened when the rain arrived and we sheltered under the car tailgates. However, not wishing to be wimps, we set off and headed into a lumpy sea under a leaden sky and were surprised to find Worthing branch already diving on the Pine as we passed eventually arriving on site as a hint of blue sky opened on the horizon.
After the customary “debate”, the wreck was duly shotted and with little current in evidence, Julian and George went in, finding the wreck after 10 minutes and reporting a good 45 minute dive but not with good vis. After checking with the sounder that the wreck was where we thought it was, Bryan and Andrew headed down into the gloom hitting the bottom before seeing it. After attaching the lifting bag to the shot and inflating it, we headed North as planned and within a few feet bumped into the massive sloping wall of the hull which was covered in silt. We then set off along the hull eventually coming to a more broken area but still with substantial lumps of wreckage giving an idea of the substantial size of this ship.
Although the vis wasn’t great (2m?), with bright torches it was good enough to have a decent dive although bad enough not to be able to get any orientation on the wreck, but affording plenty of exploring under plates, spars and assorted mangled metal with the usual marine life in evidence. This would be a great dive in good vis! By now running into deco, it was time to deploy the Delayed and ascend to find Julian and George enjoying bright, hot sunny weather.
