A Day out on the dive boat Obsession 11 (& how she came to Boat Stories rescue thrice)

Obsession 11 after dropping divers on Lundy

Last September, I was on board, (the original plan) to film Beccy McDonald, wildlife warden on Lundy, surveying the Atlantic grey seals which haul out on the island’s rocky shoreline and breed in the caves. Lundy's new rib was out of action in Appledore, when Andrew offered us the chance to film from Obsession 11 -saving the day. Andrew and the other charter boats often offer Beccy a lift, giving her a chance to survey or dive. “The divers love having her aboard” he told me, “she is so knowledgeable about the wildlife and the marine reserve and we will help the island when we can.” I was fascinated by this generous, symbiotic relationship. It’s the way much of the boat community works in North Devon, helping each other out where they can – and I would have included it in my film story. But as some as you will know, disaster hit boat stories and before we did any filming of Beccy or the seals, we lost our principal camera over the cliff – where it smashed to pieces on the granite.

Our camera after its encounter with Lundy's granite

While the divers drifted, I chatted to Andrew and his son, first mate Ben and noted they were keeping a close eye on the divers’ whereabouts – following the bubbles! Andrew, whose winter day job is accountancy, is from an old sea faring family. His great grandfather came over from Wales with the coastal sailing barges, delivering coal to Lee Bay. His father worked on the gravel barges in the estuary and as a child in the early 70s, he remembers riding in the bucket that unloaded goods on to the quay – a free fairground ride if you like. Eighteen year old Ben, is trying to continue the tradition, making his living as a skipper. It’s much harder for youngsters today, but Ben is making a go of it, dividing his time between assisting his Dad, volunteering on the lifeboat and setting up his own charter business with Silver Spirit. She is the only boat in Ilfracombe with both a commercial fishing license and a passenger license. Ben takes people out teaching them how to become lobster potters for one day. As a reward they get to keep and cook their lobster.   

A family day out as lobster potters on the Silver Spirit

Obsession 11 is perfectly equipped as a dive boat. She even has a platform which the diver can clamber on to underwater and then get winched up and step on to deck, water cascading off, like a space man emerging from a time capsule. Andrew Bengey, her skipper, had her designed to his specifications, building on from Obsession 1, with a bit more room and comfort and hot chocolate and coffee on tap. The latter is essential for divers who must wait between dives while the nitrogen inside them dissipates or wildlife film crews, who by the nature of their job – do a lot of sitting around.

Beccy McDonald, Lundy Island Warden

curious Lundy seal

We’d booked our passage home on the Lundy ferry, MS Oldenburg, leaving two days later, so Simon Vacher (the cameraman) and I were essentially stranded on the island. This would have been a bonus, if we weren’t worrying about the lack of camera and the boat stories budget!! Andrew came to my rescue a second time, offering me the chance to join his party of divers for the day and swim with the seals. It was a rare day “off” for Boat Stories. I was fascinated, watching the divers equip themselves to enter an alien world and then after a pep talk from Andrew, disappear into the depths. Their first dive was a ‘drift’ dive – literally drifting with the current down the east side of the island, over the marine conservation zone. “Stay on the pea gravel, release your surface marker buoy when you’ve had enough and we’ll find you.”

Andrew at the helm of Obsession 11

Diver heading into Lundy Marine Conservation Zone

Talking about lobsters, the orange lollipop-like marker buoys are popping up and we take the boat to pick up the divers. There are tales of rare crawfish (spiny lobsters) giant cock crabs and lobsters ‘bigger than two metres with claws as big as fists.’ I wonder whether divers are a bit like fishermen – prone to exaggeration. It sounded a bit like ‘the land that time forgot’ and in a way it is for Lundy’s marine conservation zone was the first official marine reserve and no take zone (no fishing zone) in the country. Fish and shellfish have been protected there for nearly thirty years so it is conceivable that Lundy’s lobsters are bigger than everyone else’s…

As other divers popped up, dripping but hopefully not fizzing like champagne corks, they compared photographs of pink sea fans, snakelock anemones, cup corals, stag horn and chimney sponges. Their underwater camera equipment was making me drool! But it was their stories of the playful seals which made me seriously jealous: one diver lying in the kelp, while a young seal seemed to be trying to mimic his actions, another seal swimming through their legs and nibbling their fins, a third blowing bubbles mirroring the divers and two more who appeared to be kissing. Chris Pearl, who had been diving for thirty years said, “it was on my bucket list, one of those things you dream about. It was far better than I imagined. We were just sitting on a rocky ledge and a seal came up to us and rubbed itself against us, just like a cat rubbing itself around you. It was an absolute privilege to be there in their world with them coming up to you – you don’t touch them - you let them investigate you.  That’s me done now. I don’t need to dive again; I’ve had my dream holiday.”

Milcombe house on Lundy where the divers stayed

“It’s been like staying on a Greek Island for a week,” his wife added, “we’ve had such glorious weather.”

pink sea fan by Carole Mapstone

Lundy seal taken by diver Carole Mapstone the gloves belong to husband Tim

They were a mixed aged group, from a Surrey based dive-club, some had come back into diving after retirement and others old and young, were newly qualified. They were staying at Milcombe, the large white house which nestles in the folds of the hillside, just above Lundy’s harbour. “We’re really impressed with the accommodation” one gentleman told me, “our only complaint is that we have to hike up to the Marisco Tavern for supper.”

The divers had to sit it out before they could go underwater again so this was my chance to swim with the seals. “Are you going to free dive?” one asked, noticing that unlike them, my only piece of kit was a mask and pair of fins. Sadly no! I was going to snorkel with the seals. I know from past experience, that the seals have much more fun with divers who can enter their element. I spent the next half an hour entertaining the waiting divers as they chorused “it’s behind you” and I came up in a flurry of bubbles and ungainly yellow fins, startling the seals who stared back at me with that soulful, dog-like glance. Snorkelling with seals may not be as amazing as diving with seals, but as you can see from my article ‘swimming with seals’ (under boat trips) it's still a mind blowing experience.

'that soulful, dog-like stare'

I clambered aboard and we headed out to one of the wrecks. There are over30 dive sites around the island, so Andrew consults with the holidaymakers and the weather forecast before making plans. That afternoon they chose the Robert, a small coaster which capsized in 1975. Andrew and Ben, experienced divers themselves, did the original recce for many of the dives and tied a diving buoy with a shot line fixed to the wreck, so all the divers had to do is follow the line down –about 20 metres to the ship.  She is still intact, so it is possible to fin through her hold and (with a torch) meet her various, new occupants –including conger eels. I was glad to hear that our crew were experienced divers – because it seemed as though they were dropping off divers with a fast current running in the middle of nowhere into the Bristol Channel which has one of the fastest highest, tidal races in the world. “That’s not current,” Andrew corrected me, “that’s just surface wind!” 

Ben Bengey with divers, Carole & Tim Mapstone

photo taken in Lundy marine conservation zone by Jonny Aird

Lundy Island by Jonny Aird

The divers soon reappeared, ready to head home. By now it was low tide and the jetty was several metres above the boat. “If you’re up for climbing the ladder” Andrew told the holiday makers, I can drop you now.” Despite the stiff wind Andrew and Ben held the boat steady against the quay. “It’s my lifeboat training,” he explained “and years of experience in these waters, which means I can drop off passengers while other boats have to sit off in the rough.” Two years ago the “Don’t tell the bride,” bridegroom had come to Lundy with a group of friends & his fiancée on a couple of speed boats to check out the wedding venue! On the way back, one of them lost their engine and all their electronics. They sent out a mayday, but having drifted helplessly, gave out the wrong position. Obsession 11 was one of the nearest boats and with dusk falling went to search for them. They reached them ahead of the lifeboat and later handed them over. Interestingly the blurb for the film due to be shown 10 March, states ‘whisk his water phobic bride-to-be Rosie off to a remote island wedding. Not just any island, its windswept Lundy Island off the coast of Devon, where Rosie once nearly drowned and had to be rescued.” Andrew is relief coxswain for the Ilfracombe lifeboat and Ben is in training to join the team - so the bride & her fiancée were in safe hands!  Watch the Lundy 'Don't Tell the Bride" for a cameo appearance from Andrew & Obsession 11.

Obsession setting off from Ilfracombe harbour

razorbills by Rick Morris

The day we lost our camera over the cliff, I managed to track down a spare camera in Dorset and Andrew got on the radio to see which local boats were crossing to Lundy the following morning. The wind was preventing any charter boats coming out, but he tried to organise a relay system, from fishing boat to potting boat to dive boat to us. In the end we heard there was a potential problem with the camera and it wouldn’t get to us until nearly dusk, so we decided to postpone and I got my day on the dive boat. Luckily for us, Beccy and the island has offered us a second chance this Spring and as Simon, the cameraman, keeps reminding me, we are hugely privileged to be returning to Lundy– this time as the seabirds are arriving back to breed.

In one final act of generosity, Andrew offered us a lift back to the mainland, so we could get the insurance claim on the camera going...  Meanwhile I fully recommend a trip out on Obsession 11. You can dive or swim with seals, dive the wrecks, organise a stag or hen party, fish or scatter your loved ones ashes. Or have a go at lobster potting aboard Silver Spirit. Out at sea, off the beautiful North Devon coast with Lundy Island as your destination – what’s not to like?
You can book Obsession 11 or Silver Spirit on 01271 866325 or 07971 462024. Check out other North Devon charters & boat trips on our boat trips page.