LAZY G DIVER - ST. ABBS DIVE CHARTER

Hi All,

Please read below my exploits on the Lazy G Diver from last years August bank holiday splash in weekend.

Since then skipper Alistair Crowe has retired after many years of great service, to thousands of divers.

Thankfully for those divers the Lazy G has been taken over by new diver/skipper Paul O'Callaghan. I was out with Paul this August bank holiday and had a great time on the Lazy G, which has undergone some improvements. Paul has-

1. Sanded down the hull to the bare wood and repainted.
2. The deck has been raised and the back step removed for extra floor area and easier exit and entry.
3. The engine cover has been extended by 2 feet for more seating and storage.
4. A seating area has been built at the back with under seat storage.5. The cabin bulkhead has been moved forward so there is additional floor area, a covered area for shelter and also a toilet has been installed.
6. A seat has been added to the port side which is under shelter.

This above work has certainly improved the boat and as you can see from my review shelter and an on board toilet were all i missed on the boat. Paul has done well and taken care of this and the raised deck makes the boat easy to get in and out of.

Paul is an advanced BSAC diver and assistant club instructor. He has been diving regularly for the last 12 years at St. Abbs.

Paul holds a commercially endorsed power boat license for the boat.All in all i had a blast and found Paul a great skipper and a good laugh on my trip, being a diver himself he dropped us on a new site which was a nice change from the usual spots. I even managed to find an Angler Fish.

Superb.

First published in DIVE Magazine Jan 2008 prices and contact numbers at the bottom of the article are current
Lazy G Diver
By Mike Clark
Visitors to St Abbs like an easy time, so here's a skipper who'll take off your fins while he's still manoeuvring the boat.
Skipper: Alistair Crowe This dive boat wins attention straight away with its name 'Lazy G Diver' - a play on the famed Lady Godiva. I was on board with skipper Alistair Crowe for the St Abbs and Eyemouth photographic splash-in event, and took the opportunity to run a critical eye over the boat. If you are wondering why you recognise the surname Crowe, Alistair's family lives here and his son Paul runs a dive boat previously covered in this column. First appearances are positive, as the Lazy G is clean and tidy. The bright yellow paint on her hull is certainly easy on the eye - a splash of colour in a year that has been too dull. On board, the deck space is good, for what appears to be a small boat at first glance. There was ample space, even with a full party of 12 divers on board. There is a large engine hatch directly behind the wheelhouse which can seat three divers comfortably, and four divers can fit in the seating area at the stern of the boat. For the remaining five divers on a full trip, it's just a case of kitting-up when you arrive at the site, but only if you don't want to wear your kit for the short run around St Abb's Head to the dive sites. As with most of the day boats at St Abbs, there is no head on board, but this is generally not a problem as the trips take a maximum of two hours. In the wheelhouse, Alistair has GPS, radar and two VHF radio sets, so there is everything necessary for a safe day's diving. I also liked the dual throttle controls that Alistair has outside the wheelhouse beside the ladder. This lets him manoeuvre the boat precisely while picking up divers. The ladder itself is a standard model extended by a couple of rungs so that it's easy to get on to. Once Alistair takes your fins off, it's an easy climb into the boat. Alistair has been a skipper for most of his life, initially as a trawlerman. Twenty years ago, he made the move to take divers around St Abb's Head, and he has been doing so ever since. He has lived at St Abbs harbour all his life, serving as a member of the local lifeboat crew from a young age and now as the lifeboat operations manager. There are very few people who know the area as well as he does. Also, he is a diver who has first-hand knowledge of all the sites that he can put you on, and he can easily match a site to a group's skill and experience level. Alistair also told me of his dives on the principal wreck in the area, the Glanmire. It's a beautiful dive, but 20 years ago the telegraph was still in place and set at full astern, which adds insight into the last moments of that vessel. Diving on board the Lazy G was relaxed and very enjoyable. Even though I was there during one of the busiest weekends of the year for the skippers, Alistair was happy to take time out to let his customers see the Risso's dolphin and minke whales that were feeding on a vast school of herring here. The sites I dived were excellent. Post-dive hot coffee and tea is on offer, along with a generous supply of biscuits. Another string to Alistair's bow is the little harbourside café that he opened at the beginning of the season, which is a convenient and pleasant place to eat. I can testify to the tastiness of the hot rolls and other baked treats. It's always busy and word is spreading, so divers have another place to eat at St Abbs to recharge the batteries after a hard day's diving.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT WE LIKED Good seating and a highly experienced skipper who has perfected his pick-up technique with the use of dual controls.

WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE Not much shelter from the elements, and no toilet. Boat: 10m open boatMoored: St Abb's Head, Berwickshire

Engine: 120 Perkins

Cruising speed: 8 knots (range: 20 miles)

Heads: None

Optimum passengers: 12

Charter rate: £12.50 per person per
dive

Contact call Paul on: 018907 71525 or 07780980179