Baygitano, Lyme Regis

An early start at Lyme Regis as it was Regatta Day and expected to get very busy. There was time for a quick look round, I hadn't been to the Cobb before, then to get ready for the first wave. Some sun through the clouds on the distant hills of Golden Cap and beyond created a very atmospheric scene, but otherwise it was grey and gloomy.

The trip out to the 'Baggy' into the wind was very wet and bumpy; and some of us felt quite off-colour. Lashed by sprey and pitched about trying to kit up I was welcomed back to British diving. This was all part of the fun. The poor visibility even (it was 3 metres and not the 30 metres of my last dive) were not the reason for a less than perfect dive. The reason for a less than perfect dive was my attempt to do without ankle weights.

I was stupid enough to believe the crap I'd read somewhere that once a diver has good trim, ankle weights can be discarded; so I thought I'd try. Recently I had been enjoying improving buoyancy and positioning (as well as air consumption) sometimes hanging upside down to take a picture. Today I hadn't brought ankle weights with me, and though I could have borrowed some, I declined. I was a bit slow getting down the shot-line, but on the wreck everything was fine. Later in the dive however, and finning into the current across the wreck, my feet became especially floaty and I inverted several times. The exertion, frustration, and increasing air consumption, were all extremely disconcerting. My buddy was fantastic; very cool and reassuring, she proceeded to sort out the blob. I was settled down with the aid of an extremely convenient piece of wreck, I dumped all the air I could and made myself comfortable. The ascent was controlled and steady. Everything was all right and lessons learnt. The boots on my drysuit are very thick neoprene and ankle weight IS essential. Lessons: (1) don't ditch the ankle weights, (2) be more efficient sorting out a problem like this, (3) remember what a great buddy is.

Looking forward to a nice chilled out dive there one day, the Baggy is an interesting open wreck with lots of fish. There were lots of bib, bass, and cuckoo wrasse. Boilers with lots of holes and had clusters of sea-fans etc. Others saw conger. The second wave headed out about midday and enjoyed sunshine and smoother ride, though visibility on the wreck had diminished.