Trip Report - Click here for images

The final club weekend away of ‘07 took place over the October Bank Holiday in Downings, Co. Donegal.  Over twenty divers headed north for a weekends diving with the Mevagh Dive  Centre - our towers having been given time off for good behaviour.  Those without property interests in the north west stayed at the Coastguard Cottages which have been re-vamped since our last visit with newly built holiday homes and a tennis court.  The recently evicted rabbits have started a campaign to be re-housed and are planning to run a protest candidate in the next general election. 

The weather over the weekend wasn’t all it might have been and conditions mitigated against diving some of the spectacular dive sites around Bray and Horn Heads in Sheephaven Bay.  Nonetheless we managed to get out diving on all three days.  On Saturday we abandoned plans to dive from Downings Pier and headed for the Boat Yard and the sheltered confines of Mulroy Bay.  An enjoyable morning dive was followed by a drift dive in the afternoon but not before the now obligatory lunch in McNutts.  On Saturday evening we popped down to The Olde Glen Bar and were lucky enough to bag a table for eleven.  The large influx of Northsiders to this haven of tranquility did not go unnoticed - An Garda Siochana had mounted a checkpoint and were waiting for us as we departed Glen.  Driving licenses were checked and we were questioned regarding our movements.  In hindsight, my mentioning the Morris Tribunal was probably a mistake.

On Sunday we ventured out into Sheephaven Bay staying just short of Horn Head for the morning dive.  Unfortunately large numbers of divers were laid low by a mysterious but virulent illness which rendered them unable to dive in the afternoon thus missing a spectacular reef dive.  If its any consolation, those who actually went diving managed to miss it as well.  We popped into the The Harbour Bar for a few post-dive drinks and some Premiership footie before dropping down to The North Start in Carrigart for dinner. 

We returned to Mulroy Bay on Monday morning for our final dive of the weekend before heading to McNutts for lunch and hitting the road home. 

November 5th, 2007 

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