On Monday 4 July 2005, I set my alarm for the unearthly hour of 3.27 a.m. Graeme "Spotty" Hastings, Chris Baker and I were shortly en route from Folkestone, Kent to Swanage in Dorset for another “Boys Day Out”.

We arrived in Swanage just after 7.00 a.m. with all shops and cafes closed. We had a tentative look at the sea conditions and although we had to contend with occasional heavy downpours and no early breakfast we considered ourselves very fortunate. The clarity of the water, 12 to 15 metres, was amazing. After the poor visibility in Kent this seemed really spectacular. We waited until 8.00 a.m. for a Wimpy Bar to open so that we could start the day properly...that is with a cooked breakfast! Then it was time for our first dive: Swanage Pier.

Located in Swanage Bay, thousands of divers have done snorkel tests and their first open water dives under Swanage Pier. Fish highlights were tompot blennies, gobies, mullet, pollock, wrasse and numerous spider crabs. After a suitable break and dodging the showers we prepared for our second dive. Extending out from the shoreline in the area beneath the Grand Hotel in Swanage Bay is a series of rocky reefs or ledges, the two largest of which are known as the Tanville Ledges. The main reefs of Tanville Ledges were covered in kelp on their higher surfaces and fish highlights were gobies, common skate, mullet, pollock, wrasse, common lobster and numerous spider crabs.
 
Afterwards we stopped for a meal before heading home to Folkestone. Having had two pints of beer Spotty was incapable of driving home and fell victim to a “Boys Day Out" prank. Chris & I both pretended to be unwell and under the circumstances the three of us agreed that it would be safer if we stayed overnight in Swanage. Chris and I then pretended to telephone our wives to break the news while guillible Spotty telephoned his girlfriend, Dee, only to be told off. Chris and I could hardly conceal our laughter. Poor Spotty. He really does deserve better friends. And of course he had to telephone Dee again to say that he would be coming home that night after all.