Sarah Smith recalls a Kayak-powered dive at Abercastle beach, searching for an elusive wreck
COMPETITION
Prop shaft in the gloom
Sarah Smith recalls a Kayak-powered dive at Abercastle beach, searching for an elusive wreck
Briefing: We love our holidays at Abercastle Campsite, a stone’ s throw from the wreck of SS Leysian, sunk with no loss of life in 1917. Recently qualifying as Ocean Divers and now training as Sports Divers, my partner Greg and I were determined to make the Leysian our first ever wreck dive, and to use our kayaking experience as well as our new dive skills to make this happen.
The Dive: We planned our dive rigorously, from maps and tide tables to local tips [ for example:“ there’ s a notch in the cliff from salvage operations”]. Gas requirements were key – Greg snorts air like a pig in a trough. Our shore cover, Annie, was to alert the authorities if we had not returned by 2.30pm.
Late morning at almost low tide, I floated
Contemplating Abercastle beach
36 our inflatable kayak in the shallows at Abercastle beach, while Greg loaded up our dive kit. No problems paddling, we beached the boat at the remote rocky inlet towards Ynys Deullyn. Buddy checks completed, we set off on our backs for the first surface swim. It was pleasant looking up at the clouds, gently rocked by the swell, finning steadily along. Surprisingly quickly we reached the spot- we hoped!
Thumbs down, and the delicious destress of submerging took over as I made the most of the view from my prescription mask; visibility around 4m seaweed-clad rocks, a few fish, small jellyfish. The most massive crab I’ ve ever seen scuttled across the sand – it appeared to be carrying a huge stone on its shell. But no wreck!
Turning, Greg beckoned to me and woohoo! It was such a relief to see after all that planning. Pale-coloured metal plates resting on the silt, leading to long stretches of impressive steel ribs with more crabs lurking below. An apparently endless prop shaft appeared in the gloom. We reached an immense set of winches still with fossilised rope wrapped crudely around,
perhaps showing the desperation of the crew in the Leysian’ s last moments afloat.
As I’ d reached 70 bar, we made our ascent. Back on the surface, hampered by the incoming tide, our return swim turned out to be quite a slog, taking 30 minutes instead of 10! By the time we could contact shore cover Annie it was 2.10pm- and no signal was the stern reply! We loaded the boat in double quick time and headed off, this time with help from the tide. Greg alerted Annie we were safe with less than a minute to spare!
Debrief: Vivid memories, excitement, thought-provoking history, eye-catching marine life and useful scuba lessons learned, all thanks to SS Leysian.