STONEY COVE (part 3) - SOMETHING NEW

Glynis - Derby Diver

Having met Glynis on a dive she organised I contacted her with a view to exploring her home diving center of Stoney Cove (http://www.stoneycove.com/). I have dived here a few times - NAS course and deep dives but didn't really know the distance areas, so what better way to find out than by teaming up with a local.

View of Stoney Cove 

We met in the main car park and had the usual chart of 'dives wot I have done' and then kitted up. The first dive was from the 'bus stop' entry point and off round the western arc. 

Map of Stoney Cove (from http://www.stoneycove.com)

Heading off at about 7 meters we followed the edge of the quarry and made our way past looming overhangs and inviting alcoves.

Glynis

We passed the resident pike (for this site), it hovered arrogantly ignoring us knowing that it was master of all it surveyed. Soon we began descending and met the plateau to the west of the deep area and began circumnavigating the basin. We passed a few stray boulders stopping to follow the trails of crayfish to where the diminutive crustaceans waved their claws at us and then shot backwards (often forgetting that there was a rock behind them) and finally came to the Cessna.

Remains of the Cessna

We continued on passing a few rotting cars and some dead tress looming spookily out of the gloom, eventually we began our ascent and completed the dive with a moving safety stop towards our exit.

SMB deployment

For the second dive we headed off on the standard route hoping for a few pike and to hit all the classic Stoney wrecks. We swam past the bus, the Stanegarth and then the Defiant and finally a pike lying in the lake bed watching us nonchalantly as we finned past.

Pike 

More of the same

Finally we headed upwards to the 6 meter ledge and headed back to the exit point on the way allowing Glynis to practice an SMB drill with her new kit. As we made our way the dive was interrupted by two pikes completely oblivious of us as they swam round each other in a frenetic dance.

Sad to say I had to set off immediately after we finish but a great days diving with a good diver, looking forward to diving with her soon.