James Eagan Layne

Boathandled with Derek on 1st wave. Dived with Derek on 2nd Wave. Sunny and calm; then windier/cloudier a bit choppier in the afternoon. 19m max. 30min. 7°C (ice-cream head). Vis 5.5m. Derek took pictures and I had a good look round and a rummage: engine, tanks, masts, winches etc,.. lots to see plus ironmongery, and other hardware e.g the Gustin-Bacon 'gruvagrip' 4" pipe-clamp inserts. Back up to 8m and top of the wreck. Very nice dive.

HMS Scylla / James Eagan Layne

Two very good shake-down dives. Went with Geoff and JC people on Discovery Diver's Red Alert (Bovisand). Just one RIB on the Scylla when we arrived. Vis 3-4m. Water cold and glad of an extra jumper. Had 26m (40min) on the Scylla and then 19m (50min) on JEL. A bit of current on the Scylla, and got out of it along the port side. Had a look in the holes. Most interesting and nicest part of the Scylla this dive was the stern.

JEL seemed much more open in places than I remember; though plenty of hull plate and deck beams still standing, and the bow intact. Had a good look round swimming through the wreck. Crates of small rings (wheel rims?), poles/pipes, girders and ironmongery, large bucket things; and found a few of the spoked iron wheels - very scenic with lots of hydroids.

Flat calm and cloudless on way out. Wind got up later, clouded over, and was quite lumpy coming back especially around Penlee point.