Kerrygo/Keryado Dive 4th of July from Buccaneer

The forecast was for strong winds on Sunday but Buccaneer Skipper Chris West thought that we may still be able to get out and dive before the wind picked up too much. Texts early Sunday morning confirmed that we wre going diving and the go ahead to meet at Shoreham was sent out. The plan was to dive a wreck Kerrygo but there is nothing listed on this, the nearest match was HMS Keryado but the marks for this are listed a lot further East.

TWSAC member Rob King dived the listed marks earlier in the week and believed that it was not an armed trawler like the Keryado but maybe the George Sutton. So with this info we looked forward to seeing if it was a Trawler and indeed the Kerryado.

Boat loaded, MD members Phil, Simon and myself were joined by Tony from Rother Diving Club on for the trip out with Skipper Chris and crew Dave and Roger. With only four of us diving there was stacks of room and the sea, although a little choppy, was still along way off of being uncomfortable for the hours journey out to the site. Skipper Chris decided that the conditions were looking so good that he would go in first and tie-off the shot which left a very envious Roger out of action with an ear infection in charge up top.

With the shot in and Chris down, Tony and I were soon rolling over the side and heading down to the wreck which sits in between 34m and 38m. The Keryado is listed in as being an Admiralty requesitioned trawler built in 1920 and sunk by a mine on March 6th 1941, originally a French minesweeper (ironic that) she was taken over by the Navy in 1940.

We landed on the very impressive bow that stretches up about 4-5m from the bottom at 38m, it was covered in deamans fingers, which would provide a great photo opportunity on a good day. The vis was around 6-8m with plenty of light. We worked our way from the bow when Tony spotted a big edible crab and with thoughts of that's ' supper sorted' then scooped it out from under the hull, but on closer inspection she was full of berry so she was saved from a hot steamy demise by her future offspring. On the way we passed Phil waiting for Simon at the bottom of the shot, quick exchange of 'OK' signals, things were fine and Simon was just coming into view.

Dive Sussex lists the wreck as being well broken-up but the hull looked pretty intact to me. We worked our way to the stern over hatch covers, winches and what looked like a gun mounting although there was no sign of the gun. At the stern the sand had built up to just below the hull with the rudder and prop just poking out of the top at around 34m. We swam back towards midships where Tony released the SMB whilst fighting a lanyard with a life of its own.

With 7 minutes of deco time we were kept amused by a jelly fish and a little fish darting in and out of its tentacles looking for cover. Once back on the surface the sea had started to get a little choppy but not bad enough to make boarding Buccaneer a little more interesting. During the trip back the wind increased and the sea got progressively choppier, we were glad there was only the one dive, although a certain hardcore group did get out on the club rib in the afternoon, RESPECT, guys. Another great day out with Chris West's Buccaneer and crew of Roger and Dave. When's the next one Chris? It just gets better. Thanks Chaps.

Video to follow

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