After popular demand from those who had missed last years trip but were jealous of the stories from those who hadn't, it was decided that Capernwray would be Aprils Doing It destination. So on a beautiful spring morning, and after a nice lie in (compared to Stoney Cove) we all made our separate ways up the M6. The trip wasn't without incident as people got worried when the signs started saying "M6 CLOSED". As it happened this turned out to be a nice diversion up the A6 near Preston (Mmmm very nice).

Comment was passed about the more relaxed arrival arrangements, and of course they were all very positive. Imagine that, a dive site where you only need to arrive ¾ of an hour before the gates open and still be 5th in the queue (Now that's diving !). The small van was then swamped by about 20 people, all trying to let it be known that they were there and ready to get in for some adventure. The small training team of Matt, Toby and James managed to juggle and manage the happy “Doint It’ers and of course make up all the right excuses for John and Mark not turning out (again !!!).

During the dive briefing the usual buddying up took place and routes were sorted. Matt's posse of intrepid  explorers decided to dive to the right of the slip so they could take in the famous Capernwray horses “Lord Lucan and Shergar” (Yes its true, they are there to be seen !). All of the compass bearings were noted with the 1st being the slip to the chopper/oil rig, and the 2nd being chopper/oil rig to the orca coming back by the horses and on to the slip (a great plan what could possibly go wrong ?).

After entering the water, the Capernwray viz was good and the chopper/oil rig could easily be seen and all  congregated there where Matt then set the 1st bearing (have you spotted the mistake yet because Matt didn't – He He He !). After Matt started getting 50 bar signals and finding a wall running 90 deg the wrong way it was decided to surface and there started the longest surface swim ever possible at Capernwray, back to the slip all in good  humour (of course with only a ‘small’ amount of leg pulling. Not wishing to waste this valuable opportunity, the time was taken to practice tired diver towing, comments about getting to the gym before diving with Matt again and the usual banter, ensued.

Once back at the slip Matt politely asked Toby to go over the bearings with him and soon spotted his mistake, he apologised to the posse and promised to buy the after dive drinks if they bought the PADI Navigation Speciality course for him, there weren't any takers. During the tea and butty break it became obvious that Matt wasn't the only one who had led people into unplanned parts of Capernwray so ‘yes’ that navigation course might be needed.

The 2nd dive Matt led was a revised version of dive 1 with out the bad navigation and all things were accomplished including the ride on Shergar, but Lord Lucan looks like he fell at the last fence and is due for the knackers yard.

Click Here to read a review of the previous
Capernwray Trip

So that was it, there ended another good Doing It with friends met, lessons learnt and good diving had by all.