X-Dream - Weymouth, Dorset
X-Dream, skippered by Paul Pike, is a typical south coast dive boat. It is a 38′ Evolution, with a diver lift to the rear, and benches each side. the benches are a cut above the rest, with a rear gap to stop unbooted twins sliding - but do be aware that if you dive an inverted rig a little block of wood may be needed to stop your valve cage catching.
Paul is a very quite, reserved, but extremely competent and helpful skipper. He also serves the best soups in Britain - perfect for the cold, windy SI’s. I would thoroughly recommend the mulligatawny.
The Evolutions do rock a bit, but they seem to make up for it with speed and X-Dream is no exception. A fast, if bumpy ride out to site is better than wallowing out for ages, for those of us with a dispotion to the mal-de-mer.
Loading is a bit of a pain - you need to park on the road by the Old Harbour, dump your kit and then move the car to the car park by the council offices. then transport your gear down the ramp and onto the pontoon on which X-Dream is berthed. It can take a bit of juggling to unlaod at the end of a weekend as 6 cars try ot get one of the few loading spots. It does mean that X-Dream is secure behind the locked harbour gates at night, however. Paul can also drop you right by Old Harbour Divers for a gas fill, if he needs fuel from the pontoon there. If he does stop off, be ready to get your cylinders off prpnto as he can only pause long enough to fill up. Buy an ice-cream from the dive shop whilst you are there too - they are great.
you’ve obvioulsy got a thing about boats at the moment:) useful info but when are we going to see another of your lovely wildlife pics?