After the massive success of the Scuba + Outdoor Pursuits Centre - Doing It Club Trip to Porthkerris, there was much anticipation for the next instalment. The next of our Doing It Club adventures would see us heading off for some great scuba diving off the North East Coast, close to the Scottish borders, at St Abbs. 

On this Doing It club trip we were to be diving (Ah, note the word “were” !) the voluntary marine reserve at St Abbs, famed for its amazing shore dives and stunning off shore reefs.

I woke on Sunday morning to see heavy grey skys over the entire St Abbs area, and the rain beating down on my window, typical British diving weather. “Never Mind”, I thought the rains not a problem we’ll just have to keep our fingers and everything else cross that the wind either blows it self out or changes direction. So around 8.30am the troops started to gather around the Scuba + Outdoor van eager to dive, but all of course with more than a mind full eye on the weather.

With everyone gathered I delivered the brief, and shared all the information that was required (Including - Where we could get the all important Bacon Butty and where the nearest Pub was – Thinking ahead !!!). With everyone now in the picture on how our St Abbs weekend would run; safety aspects for scuba diving at the coast covered; and dive procedures confirmed it was time to get underway.

With all our dive gear assembled the group followed each other around the harbour wall to where we would do our shore dives from. We could now see the dive sites for the first time 3 huge stacks of rocks jutting from the increasingly heavy seas – these were Big Green Carr; Little Green Carr and Broad Craig. The plan was for us to dive Big Green Carr some 5 minute surface swim from the harbour wall. Unfortunately the weather was going to have its say today, and during the short time after delivering the brief the sea conditions had worsened, so Big Green Carr was a non starter. With swift thinking, a back up plan was formed to dive Broad Craig.

The gang assisted each other down the rocks and two by two got there fins on and they were away, this was quite a feet in itself as the conditions were now quite challenging. Whilst the Doing It’ers enjoyed their (all be it slightly bumpy) dive myself and Dianne (the surface cover) scanned the choppy seas for our intrepid explorers. It was excellent team work, as Dianne would spot the surfacing buddy pairs and Dave would position himself in the water ready to assist with fins etc and help get them out.

Some 60 minutes later everyone was safely out of the water, all be it some a little more bruised and battered than others, and talk was of the wonderful marine life and stunning topography they had just encountered on Broad Craig. However by now sea conditions had deteriorated and after discussions with the harbour master, it was decided that the weather had gained the better of us and all diving was stopped.

Oh well at least we had managed one dive, so for the rest of the day what would we do ? Ah ha - Some of the Doing It Gang had remembered where the Pub was from the earlier brief, and headed off there; some of us went to Eyemouth and the rest just headed off for some kip

In the evening we all meet at the Anchor pub in St Abbs village and sat down to a nice meal and a few drinks (well quite a few drinks acyually for some !) and swapped stories of our earlier dive on Broad Craig, and what they had been up to in the afternoon. Soon conversation changed to the weather and would we get out on the boat tomorrow. With a quick glance out of the window things didn’t look to good, as the wind was still blowing its lungs out. I reassured the group that I was sure it would be ok in the morning (Yeh Right !), and just about everything crossed on my body. Several pints later everyone made there way back to there accommodation except for the Hyatts, the Ferns and the Hathaways who went on a Ghost Walk in Edinburgh (Oooooooooooooooo Ooooooooo).

So morning came and ater looking out from the widows, it was a scene that resembled like i had seen before, with rolling crashing waves coming over the harbour wall and a 3 meter swell. This was it then, with the weather; waves and conditions pitted against us our Doing It weekend was over. There was no chance of diving today, as the boats couldn’t even get out of the harbour. At around 8 am the gang turned up on the car park, but they didn’t even have to ask the question – one look at the conditions said it all.

Oh well from a positive point at least we all managed to get 1 dive in; had some good company and some good food (and drink) – So in the words of Arnie “We will be back” !