Divers: Dave Metcalf, Geraldine Metcalf, Mark Knox, Mal Brown, Gail Brown, Ray Brown, Ian Brown, Brenda Wilkinson, Carl Wilkinson, Clare Tate, Ian Muirhead, Carolyn Kippling, John Kippling, Mandy Alderson, Paul Alderson. 

During the run up to this weekend the Diving Officer and his team had spent many an hour meticulously planning the series of intended dives on the wreck of the Nidelvin.  

The wreck is lying around 7 miles South of Beadnell and a mile out of Craster. She is considered a deep wreck resting on its keel on a flat sand bottom in around 45m of open water.  Positioned away from the shore the site is prone to strong currents and can be affected by sea conditions, particularly in an Easterly or North Easterly wind. 

The dive team, 15 of us, were all experienced divers. The Diving Officer had ensured that the crew were a minimum of Dive Leader, had twin rigs and were all ‘dived in’, and they were practised in wreck diving with deco stops. Most of the team intended to use nitrox, either as their main gas or for the deco stops.  It was planned that we would come back up the shot and use a trapeze deco Station. To enable us to do this we were to use distance lines on the wreck if we were unfamiliar with the layout.  As additional safety all of the divers would be carrying a DSMB and reel with back up (divers can quickly drift away from this site and can be easily lost sight of in the swells). 

The intention was to place shot line on the site on the Saturday, and leave it place for the following days.  

Our three ribs and 15 divers indicated it would be busy above the wreck, a short slack window meant we all had to know our positions and roles for the dive.  The experience of the marshals, boat handlers, divers, riggers etc was critical to the success of the dive.  All had been primed, we eagerly anticipated and awaited the dive.  

It was a civilised start as we assembled at 10am in Beadnell car park.  Slack was 1pm with around a 1-hour window.  We planned to launch for 11:30am, leaving time to reach the wreck, locate it and shot it. 

The launch went well and we sped South into a light wind and slight sea. With the boats on the plane we homed in on the GPS co-ordinates.  Passing the ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle on our starboard side, we scanned the seas for feeding sea birds, an indicator of the presence of dolphins, porpoise and whales. None were seen on this journey.  Last year Minke whales were often seen around this area, and dolphin and porpoise are frequent visitors.  

Soon we were at the site and on the lead boat the ‘Viper’, Mark was preparing the shot. The shot was soon over the side and the line spooling off.  The shot was teased and tested and the ‘OK’ given, the shot was in place.  The trapeze deco station, buoys and deco gas were rigged and attached to the shot with a trailing weighted line at 18m.  The run on the surface relaxed, our indicator to start preparing the divers.  The dive plan was going as expected, with pairs of divers being dropped onto the shot buoy at frequent intervals.  Marshals and boat handlers working hard to keep everyone on track. 

Our turn came, Gail (my wife and buddy) and I dropped down the shot line.  Passing other divers on the line and at rest on the Deco Station we were greeted with a big ‘OK’.  A good sign, you could almost see them smiling, I knew it would be a good dive.  I personally enjoy dropping down the line into the inky blue, to me it is the thrill of the unknown, adventure, and danger all rolled into one; who really knows what’s down there. 

At 30m the wreck came into view, the white of the anemones and dead mans fingers luminous in the gloom.  The shot was on the bow, and we clipped on and reeled off.  We were at 39.9m with a good 10m viz.  A pair of big cod eyed us as we moved passed them, a huge deck winch their sentry post.  Netting draped around the bow, an ever-present danger to be avoided.  The ribs of the wreck stood proud, festooned with life and standing tall in the torchlight.  It felt as if we were alone down here as the wreck is big enough to absorb a number of dive pairs.  All too soon we were retracing our route and slowly ascending the line.  We moved up to the Deco Station and off gassed, joined by David and Geraldine we watched as a flight of Lions Mane jellyfish drifted harmlessly by. 

Back on the surface the details were recorded and the tales of the dive were relayed excitedly from buddy pair to buddy pair and boat to boat.  All had gone to plan, no issues, no hitches or problems.  Even the fickle Northeast weather had held true.  A good dive was had by all, Dave the DO breathed a sigh of relief. Leaving the shot in place we headed back to Beadnell, three boats abreast, their white wakes trailing behind.  

The 2nd dive for those who wanted it was the Yewglen.  An interesting but well broken up wreck in shallow water off Beadnell point.  

Soon we were recovering the boats and planning for the next days diving. The evening saw us refilling cylinders, blending nitrox and fuelling boats in readiness for the Sundays diving.  

That night the wind howled and buffeted the caravan we could hear the seas breaking on the shore.  From the shore the inshore swells and waves looked diveable.  The forecast looked like it would get no worse; we discussed the seas and in agreement decided we would go.  We headed out once again aiming for the Nidelvin.  Once round Beadnell point we changed our minds, the swells had increased the waves were coming from the Northeast, even getting to the wreck would be uncomfortable.  A little radio traffic had us going for our alternative plan - the Somali, lying only a mile out of Beadnell she was in reach.  On the way we met two more boats from our club who had tried to dive the Gaelic, again they had been forced back and the Somali was also their alternative site.  All of us were experienced Somali divers and were comfortable with the decision.  Again the wreck was shot and pairs of divers descended to the wreck using the shot for a reference.  At 27m the surface swells were negligible and a healthy 7m vis made the dive worthwhile.  Surface conditions were uncomfortable with heavy swells turning some of the earlier smiles into sickly grimaces.  After the last pair was up we quickly headed back to shore, no one volunteering for a 2nd dive.  

The following day conditions had improved slightly, the wind had eased a little and the sun was shining.  Some of our crew had opted out leaving only enough divers for two boats.  As we turned North round the point the swells increased, they were manageable but uncomfortable.  We held station on the Somali, it was decided to shot the wreck as usual but we all would use a DSMB on ascent (we normally use the shot line).  In the conditions we felt that it was the better option.  

We were last in from our boat and felt much more comfortable in the water.  As we descended small moon jellyfish were everywhere, in my mind I likened them to parachutes dropping to the wreck.  The rewards of the uncomfortable surface conditions were 10m viz. on a wreck lit by the sun from above. Large shoals of fish hung around the engine blocks whilst lobsters were ambling about in the open.  Cod, Pollack, and bib seemed to be everywhere, reluctantly parting as you swam through them.  Nitrox gave us a long bottom time and time to explore the wreck from the stern gun to the debris field (the bow of this wreck is missing and fabled to hold the safe and gold!).  We deployed the DSMB from the boiler area and watched as it sped the surface.  Our dive over we slowly ascended drifting over the huge debris field with the current.  Again we chose the option of only one dive, the inshore swells making local sites out of bounds. 

Analysing the weekends diving we all agreed the first dive had gone to plan.  The weather, the only thing you can not plan for had prevented us continuing with the original plan but had not curtailed the diving totally.  The shot was left in situ and recovered the following week.  The diving had not gone to the original plan but having other plans and options available to us gave us the opportunity to dive elsewhere.  On the other dives we were rewarded with good vis, good fish life and a good wreck.  All in all a weekend salvaged from what could have been a disaster.  Maybe the vagaries of the British weather will hold out next time. 

My thanks to all who took part in the planning, organising and diving of the advanced diving weekend.