17th July 2012
by Richard Booth
Perhaps it was the extended bank holiday weekend that had encouraged many of the Capenwray regulars to seek sites further afield, but whatever the reason our arrival at Jackdaw Quarry was greeted by a half empty car park and easy parking relatively close to the water.
First dive focussed on the northern edge of the quarry with a brief excursion out to the plane wreck followed by a trek out to the Podsnap and the Murphy wrecks, before heading back along the edge of the quarry past the Cessna plane and the African Queen wreck.
Once back n the shallows we spent the safety stop playing with the trout trying to get some decent photos.
After a leisurely lunch break in the café it was back to the waters edge, although this time we headed south along the cliff edge before plunging over the submarine cliff and across the weedy bottom out to the wreck of the Wessex helicopter site. On earlier excursions in the year this area had proved productive for sightings of some of the resident sturgeon population, although sadly not on this occasion. After exploring around the helicopter wreck we headed back towards the slipway. Rising back up the submarine cliff we were unexpectedly greeted by a startled sturgeon fish that bolted past us and over the edge, refusing to stay around and have its picture taken.
Instead we once again had to make do with practicing with the trout that hang around the entry point.
Still a good day out at the start of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend.