We set off from Dartford at midday on Friday and headed for Ilfracombe, full of beans and expecting a fantastic weekend diving one of our most precious diving locations. Arrived 7.5 hours later (who put stonehenge at that junction on the A303?) with considerably fewer beans, having found out en route that our charter boat had blown 2 injectors and was nadgered! Mark, Jason and Andy managed to get on another boat on Saturday after we drew lots on Friday night in the Britannia Inn. We managed to arrange an alternative on Sunday but it was only licensed for 10 so we had to bump 2 of our party who hadn't quite left London yet! Thanks Craig and Claire for your very good natured acceptance. The seven unfortunates then set about drinking the situation all better. We managed and it seems that a hangover is most definitely the best way to miss a day's diving. The guys said they had a couple of very good dives with plenty of life, a fair few seals and a seriously lumpy crossing. A day in Ilfracombe nursing our hangovers and watching Deb buy more shoes than Imelda Marcos, a relatively early night and we were all ready for Sunday.

Conditions were fair and the crossing was quite comfortable aboard our emergency charter, Jay Jay. Dolphins and porpoises both put in appearances but the basking shark we ordered failed to show up. We were very impressed with the boat and skipper Steve was excellent; relaxed and a good laugh, other Lundy skippers should take note! We managed to get three dives in, the first on the wreck of Carmine Filamena, the second on the pinnacles and gullies in front of the Devil's slide and a final bimble to play with the seals in Gannet's Bay. The weather was fine and the scenery stunning with masses of birds to amuse us during our surface intervals, including a hunting peregrine falcon. We were lucky to get a good 8 metres viz and we could see the corals and kelp were in rude health, there were lots of anenomes and filter feeders and we were blessed with plenty of seals, some in a boisterous mood. My only concern was an apparent lack of fish life. Although we saw some of the usual suspects there seemed to be very few lobbies and crabs, shoaling fish, doggies and conger. We tend to see more in the channel (when we can actually see!). The number and condition of the filter feeders are clearly indicative of how nutrient rich these waters are and it confuses me as to why there is not more fish life in the Marine Conversation Zone. I felt the same last year and was interested to see if a year had made much difference but I don't think so.

We finally returned to the harbour after 8.00pm, a long day out at sea and definitely worth the trip, even after the heartache, and heartburn of our bumped Saturday. A few of the guys had to set off for home straight away and will have arrived home in the wee hours of Monday morning. I certainly didn't envy them. The rest grabbed a pizza and a well earned beer at our bunkhouse accomodation. It's true, your beer does taste better after a day's diving!