By Isobel Czarnecki & Aimee Mowat
There’s something magical about Plymouth in early July. This year Clidive’s trip did not disappoint – despite the wind, despite the lost shot, despite the occasional ungainly entry to the boat. We came away full of stories, laughs and marine life memories.
Where we stayed
We kicked off the trip in style with a superb Airbnb right in the heart of Plymouth .
The convenience was a dream, and the place was so spacious too. It was such a treat to have a large communal area to share memories of dive trips past and discuss plans for trips future.
Launching differently
Instead of the usual departure from Mountbatten, we launched from Queen Anne’s Battery. This was very convenient for us to reach from the central accommodation, especially with the fantastic Clidive Blue water taxi.
Ivan particularly enjoyed this part of the trip, with his favourite choice of morning beverage.
Friday: Travelling, train friends and JEL round 1.
The group were coming from many varied locations on as many different modes of transport. Steve and Jaka kindly drove the van down, while Aimee, Rosalie & Isobel took the train, where they were fortunate enough to meet some merry locals.
For the lucky ones that arrived early enough (Qing, Steve, Ian and Ivan), a warm-up night dive on the James Eagan Lane (JEL) was on the cards!
Ivan put in a solid sprint from the station to make it, but his effort was not rewarded by the JEL which rudely claimed his torch. Thankfully the vis was good and the seas calm at that point!
Saturday: JEL, Cawsand Bay & the Lost Shot Saga
Saturday dawned windy and our first dive was on the JEL. However, having Joli and Jake as our expert boat handlers meant we were actually the only ones in Plymouth to reach the dive site that day.
We descended through the treacherous waves to explore what the JEL had to offer. While it offered us some interesting marine life, it claimed our shot due to a leaky lifting bag. It also claimed Aimee’s dignity, after a challenging re-entry to Blue. Very greedy weekend for the JEL!
Next, we headed to Cawsand Bay, where the water calmed a little.
Unfortunately, due to a situation with the tank fills, not everyone was able to do the second dive. We had lots of back-up kit on the trip thanks to Steve, and Qing was also equipped with extra tanks.
This saved the dive for Ivan and Isobel and they were rewarded with a 10-minute cuttlefish spectacle.
Aimee stayed on board to soak up Jaka and Joli’s boat-handling expertise, and ended the day being dubbed our Log Book Princess.
Dinner that night was one of the highlights: Joli outdid herself. Mushroom miso dish and a vegan chocolate mousse that surprised everyone – rich, silky, decadent … and entirely plant‑based.
Sunday: Redemption, octopus show & buttered bread mastery
Sunday morning began gently, with a wholesome yoga session for Joli and Rosalie.
Joli once again knocked it out the park in the kitchen with a delicious hot breakfast for everyone.
En route to the first site, there were some very relaxed “divas” lounging at the back of the boat. Meanwhile, others were holding on for dear life when the seas got choppy.
We returned to JEL for third and final dive — you know what they say: third times the charm! This time we reclaimed the shot. This was a true team effort, with a special shout out to Ivan, Steve and Qing for the retrieval. More importantly, Aimee reclaimed her dignity, which was also a team effort. Keep an eye out for Ivan’s torch though!
On the dive, we completed the mission of the trip: to determine whether there truly was an Octopus Invasion in Plymouth. And indeed, we saw an octopus. Not just any octopus, but one giving us the full show. Everyone stopped in the water just to watch! If only one of us had had an underwater camera …
Lunch on Sunday was educational in more ways than one: Joli introduced a new way to butter bread that only the “Harley‑Davidson Queen” could’ve invented.
Our final dive was inside the breakwater. Although shallow, it was sheltered and calm, and allowed us to complete some training. Special thank yous to our superb instructors for this, especially Ian who gave so much guidance in the water all weekend.
Due to an abrasive neck seal, Rosalie welcomed both the title of Logbook Duchess, and also some questions from her colleagues the following day …
Reflections
As always, a Clidive trip is more than sum of the dives. Despite the winds, despite lost (and recovered) shots, despite empty tanks at times, this weekend was rich in new friendship, teaching moments and underwater spectacles. We were lucky to have a great mix of experienced Clidivers on the trip with us which complemented the new faces (new in terms of both Clidive and UK diving!).
A big thanks to Isobel for organising the trip. Plymouth showed us its moods: wild, calm, dramatic, serene. And we fell for all of them.
Until the next tide, then.
— The Clidive Crew
We are an LGBTQIA+ friendly club 
