Diving
Dives
I've dived with Geoff Hide 29 times:
| Dive number | Date | Site | Location | Area | Country | Wreck | Freshwater | Depth (m) | Bottom time (min) | Total time (min) | Divers | Quality | Summary | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7
|
21 Apr 1980 | St Abbs Head | South side of the Firth of Forth | Forth | Scotland | 10 | 25 | 25 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide |  |
Boat dive. Wind 3-5 and strong swell. Went down with Geoff. Vis low; 4-5 feet. Lots of kelp and sea urchins but not much else. Saw puffins. | Steel 60, own dv, ABLJ 6 | ||
| 35
|
11 Apr 1981 | Rondo | Eileanan Glasa, Sound of Mull | Mull | Scotland |  |
20 | 20 | 20 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide |  |
Dived with Geoff (who now has a dry suit). Wreck is buoyed. Down buoy line to rudder and followed keel to superstructure. Dark, but not cold. Vis 5m. | ABLJ 2, steel 69 | |
| 39
|
15 Apr 1981 | Rondo | Eileanan Glasa, Sound of Mull | Mull | Scotland | |
17 | 20 | 20 | Iain Hosking, Eric Franz, Geoff Hide |  |
Against all the odds, we were up at 6am for this one, and in the water about 9. No current, vis 7m. Saw superstructure, and details of hull. Very pretty sea-life. | Steel 60, ABLJ 2 | |
| 41
|
16 Apr 1981 | Hispania | Sound of Mull | Mull | Scotland | |
18 | 20 | 20 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Murray Grant | |
Started dive with Eric but he couldn't clear his ears so joined Geoff and Murray. Strong current on line as we inadvertently dived at full flood. Wreck sheltered owing to tilt. Swam through holds, bridge (and rooms behind) and stern. Too windy for bows. Great fun. | Steel 69, ABLJ 2 | |
| 42
|
16 Apr 1981 | Rondo | Eileanan Glasa, Sound of Mull | Mull | Scotland | |
22 | 25 | 25 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Evening dive so water quite cold. Swam through prop shaft housing and between keel and rock. Looked for nudibranchs but found only their eggs. Amazing local slack - lasted 2 hours! | Steel 60, ABLJ 2 | |
| 53
|
19 May 1981 | Balmeanach Bay | The Braes | Skye | Scotland | 3 | 25 | 25 | Iain Hosking, Doc Mitchell, Eric Franz, Geoff Hide | |
Night dive to see phosphorescence. We did. It's like bright sparks whenever you make any sudden movement, and is due to plankton and jellyfish. | Al 56, ABLJ 2 | ||
| 94
|
14 Apr 1982 | Meldon | Loch Buie | Mull | Scotland | |
14 | 47 | 47 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Susan Playfair | |
Threesome with Geoff and Susan. Down at rudder and along starboard side (huge props). Got separated immediately and swam round independently. Swam down prop shaft housing, inside stern and around boilers. Found Susan wrestling with a crab and looked for Geoff, who had surfaced by this time. Leak in groin of dry suit (ugh!). | own | |
| 119
|
5 Aug 1982 | UB116 | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
30 | 20 | 20 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Perfect conditions - like 'Ludlow' without kelp. Wreck very blasted. Found periscope, compressed air cylinders, left boot and assorted brass and copper pipes and fittings. Fish life prolific. Light and airy. Vis 12-15m. | own, twin 60s, +12lbs | |
| 120
|
5 Aug 1982 | F2 & barge | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
16 | 51 | 52 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Destroyer lies on port side, bridge & bows intact. Six inch gun in bow turret, AA gun below bridge. Barge is on an even keel nearby. Misty evening dive but good vis: 10-12m. Explored destroyer, followed line to barge, picking up some scallops on the way, swam around inside the barge and then returned to the destroyer. Long, leisurely dive. No stops. | own, twin 60s, +12lbs | |
| 132
|
15 Jun 1983 | Seacliffs | North Berwick | Forth | Scotland | 8 | 25 | 25 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Evening dive, before vet's barbecue. Vis 6m. Lobster, edible crabs, swimming crabs, spider crabs and fish. Dry! | own | ||
| 138
|
5 Jul 1983 | Karlsruhe | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
24 | 38 | 50 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Grace Franz, Rosanne Padua |  |
First part of dive with Geoff. Checked knots holding battle bridge door open then Geoff clambered inside, found the telegraph was loose and heaved it out. Tied it to shotline and surfaced. Second half of dive, somewhat later [48 minutes], taking Rosanne and Grace down. Grace cut the ropes holding the door open, and it shut with a resounding boom! | Twin 60s, + 6lbs weight | |
| 143
|
7 Jul 1983 | Dresden | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
30 | 14 | 16 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Rosanne Padua | |
Most conservative interpretation of US Navy tables gave 15 minutes at 30m after a 4.5 hour surface interval. Quick stern to stern of wreck with Rosanne and Geoff. Saw torpedo ready tubes. No stops. | Twin 60s, +6lbs | |
| 144
|
8 Jul 1983 | Brummer | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
34 | 25 | 40 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Dedicated but unsuccessful search for the lamp room, Geoff and I were in every hole possible, and deep inside the ship we found a coil of rope. Stern more broken up than last year - one turret covered by a piece of plating. | Twin 60s, +6lbs (ie about 34lbs) | |
| 145
|
8 Jul 1983 | König | Scapa Flow | Orkney | Scotland | |
38 | 17 | 30 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Chief impression still of immense size. Line went down to bilge keel forward of stern on starboard side. We swam forwards in and out of the hull. Nothing recognisable except a lifting bag floating above a steel shackle. No difficulty finding the line. | Twin 60s, +6lbs | |
| 146
|
17 Jul 1983 | Dunbar | South side of the Firth of Forth | Forth | Scotland | 15 | 60 | 60 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Malcolm Gauld | |
Opposite end of the diving spectrum from Orkney. Three times round Johnson's Hole. Vis quite good, maybe 30 feet. Pretty sea squirt colonies and lots of crustaceans. Good fun actually. | own | ||
| 150
|
7 Aug 1983 | Belnahua | Oban | Scotland | 50 | 7 | 10 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Launched from Cuan Ferry in a thick fog and island-hopped out to Belnahua. Flat calm but formidable tide race. Echo-sounded to find interesting site, then adjourned to shore to work out slack. Back at 4,30 pm in blazing sunshine. Down shotline onto hull-shaped rock formation and drifted slowly with current. Vis 60-80 feet at least. Afterwards looked for 'Benghazi' and did a lightning tour of the Garvellachs and Easdale. The 5 star rating is really for the whole day rather than just the dive. | own | |||
| 153
|
28 Aug 1983 | Wallachia | The Gantocks | Clyde | Scotland | |
18 | 30 | 32 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Jenny Clough | |
Dived with Jenny and Geoff. Found wreck from transits in 'Scottish Diver' and echosounder. 35m to bottom at HW - 30m to deck. Round bows first, then aft past bridge (with wheel) to stern (also with wheel) via hold full of carboys containing stannous acid (a tin solution). Very dark and murky. No current. | own | |
| 156
|
2 Oct 1983 | Kintyre | Wemyss Bay | Clyde | Scotland | |
38 | 12 | 25 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Conditions marginal for this one. Current 1.5 knots on the surface, wind force 5, sea state 5. Geoff and I followed the sewage pipe out from the shore for about 200 yards without it dipping any deeper than 10m. At last it plunged into the depths, and stopped at 30m. We turned right and swam through the murk (vis 10-12 ft and dark) till we bashed into the ship. Swam down to bridge and back up to bows. Ship intact but wooden deck rotted. Hellish snorkel back. [Rates 5 stars for being memorable and for the sense of achievement we felt.] | own | |
| 178
|
6 May 1984 | Helena Faulbaums | Belnahua | Oban | Scotland | |
55 | 15 | 45 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Down grapple line to bows, swam aft to bridge section via holds, mast and winches. Explored bridge, back along deck at 50m, down to seabed at 55m and came up. Total ascent time 30 minutes. Warm, sunny day, no current, good vis. Not noticeably narked. | own, except Rollo's twin 55s. 4lbs less weight. Decompressed using 82 cu ft cylinder on line, and Snark. | |
| 189
|
18 Jun 1984 | Dunbar | South side of the Firth of Forth | Forth | Scotland | 15 | 40 | 40 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Jenny Clough, Keith Chidwick, Mike Weitzner | |
2nd class tests with Mike Weitzner, Geoff, Jenny and Keith Chidwick. Took boat outside harbour and did tests around rocks. Did assisted ascents, underwater navigation, low visibility search (for a fisherman's creel!) and tow (easy). Attempted rope search but current, floating line and light shot made it impossible to complete. | own | ||
| 244
|
18 Aug 1985 | Kintyre | Wemyss Bay | Clyde | Scotland | |
44 | 7 | 10 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide |  |
Actually only 'Very near the Kintyre'. Very overcast day with plenty of rain. Dived at 10 to 3, 40 minutes after HW Girvan. Surface layer very peaty to 5m - below this surprisingly clear. Pity there was no wreck - the grapple had pulled out. Surfaced to try again later. | own | |
| 245
|
18 Aug 1985 | Kintyre | Wemyss Bay | Clyde | Scotland | |
36 | 10 | 12 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Grappled again, found the wreck and others dived it. Geoff and I had time only to fold up the grapple and take it off the wreck before surfacing to do stops. Oh well. | own | |
| 251
|
13 Sep 1985 | Beagle | North of Great Cumbrae | Clyde | Scotland | |
34 | 16 | 20 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Conditions rougher than yesterday - 4-5 - but sunny and light on the wreck. Vis not so good: 2m. Noted masses of monofilament line and rope, and someone's grapple and chain. Spent some time around the bow section - masses of plumose anemones. Guided to the site by a dolphin. | own | |
| 252
|
13 Sep 1985 | Catalina | Great Cumbrae | Clyde | Scotland | |
24 | 12 | 15 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Calmer (but wetter) than this morning's dive. Anchored on telegraph cable transit at 18m and contoured at 23m. Missed it so came back at 20m and hit starboard wing. Tied SMB on and released it. Dark, but good vis. Masses of life - sea scorpions, a pipefish, sea pens and other exotica. Engine has disappeared. | own | |
| 253
|
14 Sep 1985 | Catalina | Great Cumbrae | Clyde | Scotland | |
25 | 27 | 30 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Dived after a visit to the aquarium. Dropped shot straight onto wreck using new transits. Tied one SMB line onto starboard wingtip and carried out circular search for cockpit. We can now state that it isn't in a semicircular area with a 26, radius from the wing. Found a motor and marked it for John and Ruth. Plenty of life on the bottom, including a gurnard, 6 inches long. First I've seen. Sea pens not phosphorescent. Wreck murky but swarming with fish. | own | |
| 275
|
28 Mar 1986 | Port Napier | Kyle of Lochalsh | Skye | Scotland | |
20 | 30 | 30 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Jenny Clough | |
Late start, so didn't get in the water until after 4pm, by which time the wreck had all but disappeared. Good dive, bit murky, especially through the mine tubes. Sporadic squalls. Didn't get back to Kyleakin until about 6pm, by which time Andy's car had all but disappeared. LW 3pm. Springs (equinoctial). | own + Ewan's twin 40s. Usual weight. | |
| 276
|
29 Mar 1986 | Chadwick | West coast of Skye | Skye | Scotland | |
21 | 33 | 33 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide, Sarah McCracken | |
Amazingly brilliant weather. Woke to blazing sunshine, and the Cuillins across the water. Out to the Chadwick in slightly rough conditions (sea state 5). Geoff joins the ranks of the Master Grapplers by casually dropping the grapple straight into the wreck after lining up a couple of boulders on the shore. No messing. We dived second (feeling queasy) and hit the bottom in tremendous visibility (especially when the sun came out!). Twice around the wreck, through the arched bit twice, down to the prop, round the boilers. Saw several attractive brass valves, bits of copper pipe, lumps of coal, millions of cup coral, scores of tiny nudibranchs (purple with white spots), red sunstars, crabs (one with an outrageous coat). Ace dive! Slack 11.30 GMT (12.30 EST), ebb tide. | own, + Ewan's twin 40s. | |
| 302
|
19 Sep 1986 | Wallachia | The Gantocks | Clyde | Scotland | |
34 | 16 | 19 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Very good dive, with minimal current and good visibility. Saw from funnel forward to bows. Bows are very tall and imposing, and draped in nets. Forward hold contains beer bottles and tins. 20 minutes from Largs. | Rowi suit, 20lbs, club 78 | |
| 303
|
19 Sep 1986 | Beagle | North of Great Cumbrae | Clyde | Scotland | |
32 | 13 | 15 | Iain Hosking, Geoff Hide | |
Practice for First Class. Grappling for the wreck made very tricky by the presence of two other buoys, both tied onto the wreck. Swam right round the wreck - saw anchor, emergency steering gear and conger. Masses of monofilament. | Rowi suit, 20lbs, club 78 |