There’s no better way to start off the dive season than to organise a multi-club boat trip: a great chance to blow the winter cobwebs away and give the club rib’s a run for their money. East Cheshire Sub Aqua Club’s trustee Paul Tyers started the ball rolling by contacting Chester SAC lead by
D.O Dave Parry, Hartford SAC, lead by D.O Darren Astles and Congleton SAC lead by D.O Kelvin Johnson, inviting them on an epic journey “up the Menai”
The Order of the Day!
Like all good plans, the order of the day relied on efficiency, cooperation and a slick launch of seven boats. Will there be jostling for first launch?, will there be enough room? Will everyone turn up on time to help with the launch? Will everyone turn up????? Well, as anticipated by all, the launch from Dinas Boat Yard was text book. Each club waited patiently for their spot and all pitched in, leading to a perfect line up of seven boats in the water waiting to say cheese at the camera man.
With phase one accomplished in a timely and slick manner, it was clear to hear from the revving of the engines that everyone was keen to go. Each boat was packed with divers, non divers, children and Granddads all waiting to have a go at driving the boats and as we made our way up the Menai it was clear to see everyone enjoying the boat handling and some for the very first time. Being blessed with good weather conditions meant each boat took their time allowing everyone to take the helm whilst enjoying the beautiful scenes the Menai has to offer.
Lunch!
Now, no Menai trip would be complete without a tasty take out of fish and chips wouldn’t you agree? To contribute to the smooth running of the epic journey, our trip organiser Paul Tyers phoned Mat Hogan at Café Neptune, Beaumaris and pre ordered 45 fish and chips for around 12.30pm. He also had the foresight to mention that there will be an extremely large group of hungry divers turning up on mass, be prepared!!! How they managed to cook exceptional fish and chips for that amount of people in such a short time is mind blowing, however they did it and as you can see the beach at Beaumaris was littered with our Menai Boat Trip group, tucking in hungrily to the best fish and chips around.
Pudding!
After the first pit stop the hoard clambered back on board their boats and embarked on the second leg of the journey. Chris Holden took his boat Calgo 2 and crew for some boat handling and scanning training. Congleton’s Cheeky Monkey visited Puffin Island along with East Cheshire’s Delta and the other boats pottered about the Menai giving everyone a chance to rev the engines. The plan was to meet at Parisellas Ice Cream Van in Caernarfon for pudding.
As each boat moored up along side each other, club members carefully disembarked and joined the queue for ice cream. From all the happy faces it was clear to see that the day was being enjoyed by everyone and despite the coolish weather everyone tucked into ice cream and chatted on the dock. One by one we slowly said goodbye to the ice cream van and started on the last leg of our journey back to Dinas Boat Yard. Boats were recovered hands were shaken and hugs given as we all said good bye to what was undoubtedly a successful, united, friendly, enjoyable “epic journey up the Menai”
Thank you to:-
Café Neptune, Beaumaris – 01248 812990
Parisellas Ice Cream, Caernarfon – 01492 592448
Dinas Boat Yard, Menai – 01248 671642