On a dull windy day a motley bunch from Banstead Under Water Dive Club assembled at the checking in area at Gatwick airport around 5pm on the 9th June. A suggestion by the Mudies last year about diving at the Island famous for its clubbing, drunken orgies and hedonistic lifestyle had hit a spot and so 18 people were now meeting up. They were Andrew & Jenny, Bryan & Tracy with baby stone (Amy – non diver), Jacqui, Steve and Charlie non -diver (Amy’s nanny!), Malcolm & Chris (non diver), Stuart & Debra (non diver), Paul & Jo (non diver), Alan, Sue, Alison and finally storming Norman .
After booking in with luggage, passing through the usual chaos of security we split up in the departure lounge with the sensible looking to have a meal as it would be around midnight before we arrived at the Hotel. Time soon passed and we set of for gate 111 at the North Terminal which turned out to be quite a distance and involved a trip over part of the runway going up and down some of the longest escalators we have seen. Arriving in the departure area people grabbed copies of papers and magazines, initial photos were taken and we sat down waiting for the final call to board the plane. Following us in were a large party of men for a Stag do all in their printed tee shirts, closely followed by another large party this time of women on a Hen do all in Pink tee shirts, it was clearly not going to be a quite flight and that was true, I think most people thought this was the nosiest flight that anyone had ever been on, in fact you could not even hear the engines!!!.
We arrived at Ibiza airport around 11.30 with the temperature around the low 20’s and to be mee by the guys from Punta Dive and 3 large transit type vehicles. Luggage was soon loaded and off we set to the Hotel Anfora Playa at Es Canar which was about a 30min ride. No views yet of the island as it was very dark out there. Before we knew it we had arrived at the Hotel (which on first impressions looked good though in the lounge was a “British Comedian” doing a turn!!!). Some of our people who did not eat at Gatwick went of into the town and luckily a restaurant owner took pity and reopened his restaurant to provide food for the hungry. The rest headed for bed as we had to be up by 8am for breakfast ready for collection for our first dive just after 9 at Cala Martina a 5min ride from the Hotel. Friday morning dawned and people were soon meeting up in the breakfast room ready for the day and the first dive. (MK)
