Where is the time going, another month has gone and the longest day is fast approaching, Did you know that on Monday last week it was exactly six months to Christmas, a sobering thought what.
This month has seen a return to a site that we used for the first time in the early part of the year, due to the Foot and Mouth crisis, and a return to an old favourite that we have not used for sometime. On one day we also saw multi-dive trips taking place with a visit to Chessil Cove being attempted by a few intrepid members at the same time as the Portland Harbour Weekend, sadly they found the visibility as good as Pea Green Soup and their day was cut very short. I reported on the Portland Harbour trip in my last report, so I will only say that it has generated interest within the membership about towing the club boats. Toward the latter part of the month saw us going back to Karrageen campsite, as our Riverside, normal campsite at this time of year, was unable to accommodate us. This is a site that is in a good position to use Inner Hope Cove and the surrounding area for diving, our only problem was that we must have been the only area in that vicinity that was shrouded in mist for the entire time we were there. Thankfully this did not stop us from diving, and I would like to thank Shaun Morris for towing the boat to this venue. HE spent all Friday evening and most of Saturday fitting a new tow bar to his car then towed the boat down to the site, arriving in the late hours of Saturday. This allowed some Dive Leader Drills to be completed on the Sunday and an interesting dive for some of the others to be done. Sadly Monday was a disaster with the weather changing, bringing a stop to diving activities. This month has seen 70 dives being carried out, bringing the total for the year to 400+.
Training
The Sports Diver knowledge review is due on June 6th and I hope the results from this will be as good those that were achieved within Club Diver review. At present we are still waiting for the Dive Leader lectures to be completed. So if anyone is desperate for them please let me know. Some of the membership has been attending various Skill Development Courses and these have included various DL & AD lectures, which have been signed up by the course instructor. As soon as is reasonably possible we will attempt to complete the relevant course for you.
Please note that we now have the capacity within the club to teach the entire mandatory SDC’s required for Advanced Divers. Sadly there are still some of the optional SDC’s that are outside our capability
No skill levels have been completed this month.
General
As reported last month, the club (that’s all of us) has placed an order for a new boat, a 4.8-meter RIB from RibCraft of Yeovil. One of the requirements to complete the purchase of this boat will be the raising of the additional monies that will be needed to furnish the RIB with the extra equipment that is deemed necessary. One thing that we must do is selling one of our current boats to allow us to proceed. Which one will have to be decided in the coming months and to this end we will be organising working parties at the boat shed to do any work on the boats that is required to make them sellable items. THIS MUST BE DONE before the final payment is due in September, so it was sad that out of the total membership, and allowing for those who informed Carol / Tim that they could not attend, only a handful of people attended. Some of the jobs being done required heavy lifting and this should not be left to a small band of people. If we do not get these jobs done, we cannot sell one of the boats. NO SALE – NO RIB could be the final scenario if we do not get our act together. Let hope everything gets better and things go according to plan and we are using the new RIB later in the season.
Various people have devised ways of raising funds,
- Tim Clouter is auctioning his much-prized Apple & Cinnamon flavour Fisherman’s Friends; these are not yet on sale in the British Isles.
- A £1 prize guessing game on how much the Avon and Dunlop boats each weigh when ready for the road.
- Treasure Hunt around Bristol City centre being planned.
- Are there any more ideas on how to raise funds? Come on you must have some.
Lecture Program for 2001
Club Diver – Lecture program completed. Open Water Drills progressing
Sports Diver – Lecture program completed. Open Water Dives being carried out.
Dive Leader – Lectures near completion. Review to be announced.
New program if required.
Advanced Diver – Mandatory SDC’s as and when required.
Optional SDC’s to be discussed
See our Web Site for relevant information on dates for lecture programs
Dates for your diary
16th – 18th June 2001 – Lyme Regis (Staying at Shrubby camp site as normal)
14th – 17th July.2000 – Hallsands (New Camp Site Venue Planned)
3rd – 5th August 2001 – North Wales
3rd – 6th August 2001 – Bristol Harbour Regatta
August B/Hol 2001 – Club Annual trip away (Possible venue is Kennack Sands)
September 2001 – Porthkerris Cornwall
NOTE: – There may be additional expeditions being planned that are not listed here.
See our Web Site for relevant information on these diving expedition dates
Happenings
Our new Entertainment Officers are trying to organise another cuisine night in the Bristol area. They are looking for a different nationality from the one’s already visited. Any thought to either Julie or Mary please. Other then this very little is happening. One of our members has left for a short holiday to the Far East and will be keeping in touch via Hot Mail. There should be quite a few as she is of for six months. Good luck goes to Jo Partington on her travels, watch out for those creepy crawlies things that you tend to find in these countries, also watch out for all the insects as well.
DO’s thought for the month
IT MAY SEEM SMALL TO YOU, IT MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT
But every little will help.
Harry Ryalls
BAS-AC
