Diving Officer’s Report : Mike Down
It’s been another year of bad weather, but we did 900 dives!, down on last year at 1010, but still good. There were 40 outings, including Cyprus, the Red Sea, Cuba, Mallorca and Thailand, not forgetting Plymouth, Portland, West Wales, Cornwall and the Sound of Mull. There have been lots of one or two day visits to coastal or inland sites and these include Chesil, Brixham, Thurlstone, Swanage, Dartmouth, Cromhall, Cheostow, Vobster, and last but not least, Henleaze Lake!
We also dived the wall on Skomer, the boiler of the Mohegan, the Maine and the Persier. One of our newer members commented “I had no idea that UK diving could be so good – better than the Red Sea!”.
Awards for most dives this year go to Mary, Duncan & Mike with a joint 67 dives – well done all!
Tuesday 29th December, 2009 : Vobster quay – Fun (Tim, Chris H, Duncan, Neil)
Sunday 29th November, 2009 : Cromhall – Fun (Tim, Kat, Sam, Stewart, Cyril)
Friday 20th November – Friday 27th November, 2009 : South Red Sea ! – Fun (Bob, Laurence, Mary, Mike W, Sheila W, Steve H)
- Abu Dabab II
- Shaab Marsa Alam
- Small Gota, St.Johns
- Habili Ghotar, St.Johns
- Umm Arouk, St.Johns
- Big Gota, St. Idus
- Umm Kharam
- Shaab Sataya (Fury Shoals)
- Shaab Maksour
- Abu Galawa Kebir
- Gota Sheleniat
- Dahara Wadi Germal
- Elphinstone
- Marsa Shouna
- Umm Rus
Sunday 8th November – Friday 13th November, 2009 : Biyadoo, Maldives – Fun (Geof, Michael, Mike D) Charter with Dive Ocean
- Villivaru Giri
- Guraidhoo corner
- Napolean Reef
- Kandooma corner
- Hogura Hura
- Olhuveli Out
- Lhosufushi Kuda Kandu
- Kandooma Thilla
Saturday 31st October, 2009 : Cromhall – Halloween Dip (Sue R, Duncan, Bob, Chris H, Christos)
Sunday 25th October, 2009 : Brixham Breakwater – Fun (Tim, John)
Sunday 25th October, 2009 : Cromhall – Fun (Simon, Jo)
Saturday 24th October, 2009 : Brixham Shore – Fun (Duncan, Bob, John, Sue R, Tim)
Tuesday 20th – Saturday 24th October, 2009 : Cyprus – Fun (Jo, Simon)
- Cyclops
- Zenobia – wreck
- Green Bay
- Chapel
- Caves
Saturday 17th October, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Sue R…)
- Persier – wreck
- Poulmic – wreck
- Kyarra – wreck
- Swanage – Pier
- A couple of excellent dives on the Louis Shied with loads of fish species, lobster and an over inquisitive conger. The viz was 8-10 metres and both boilers could be seen clearly from some distance with dozens of big wrasse cruising all around
Wednesday 23rd – Wednesday 30th September, 2009 : Red Sea South – Fun Liveaboard (Geoff, Duncan, Neil)
- Elphinstone, Abu Dabab
- Daedalus – wreck
- Dangerous reef
- St. Johns
- Fury Shoal
Sunday 18th September, 2009 : Plymouth – Cee King hardboat diving (Mike, Sue R., Chris H.) http://www.divingplymouth.com/
Sunday 6th – Friday 11th September, 2009 : Mull – Hardboat – Fun (Duncan, Mike D, John, Jon, Laurence, Mary, Mike V, Neil, Sue R, Tim) – see report elsewhere
- Lochaline Hotel Beach
- Shuna – wreck
- Thesis – wreck
- Hispania – wreck
- Rondo – wreck
- Calve Island – wall
- Ardmore Point – wall
- Tapti – wreck
Monday 31st August, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Tim, David)
Saturday 29th – Monday 31st August, 2009 : Cornwall (Portkerris) – Fun (Geoff, Chris H, Cyril, Jo, Laurence, Mary, Mike D, Mike W, Neil, Rob, Sheila W, Stewart, Sue R) – see report elsewhere
- Volnay – wreck
- Mohegan – wreck
- Manacles
- Drawna rock
Sunday 23rd August, 2009 : NDAC, Chepstow – Training, Depth progression (Mike D, Geoff, Sue E, Sue R)
- http://www.marine-conservation.org.uk/southeastgroupmb.html
- http://www.seasearchdevon.co.uk/ this will take you to the Plymouth based section run by Sally Sharrock who is featured on the BSAC go diving DVD.
- http://www.seasearch.co.uk/index.htm this is the main Seasearch website
- Maine – The sea was still quite heavy and a long trip from Dartmouth to the Maine near Salcombe left many people feeling queezy but it was really worth it the viz was excellent, 7-8 metres, and the fish and crustacean were large and prolific.
- Start Point reefs; nearly as good with crabs lobsters and fish including big plaice.
Sunday 26th July, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Tim, Jo)
Thursday 9th July, 2009 : NDAC, Chepstow – Training (Mike D, John, Ami, Sue R)
Sunday 5th July, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Tim, Ami, Sue, Chris H. Duncan)
- Louis Shield: With a moderate swell getting in and out was not easy.When we finally got down viz was poor and there was a strong bottom surge so eventually we gave up.
Saturday 27th – Sunday 28th June, 2009 : Brixham Breakwater – Training/Fun (Duncan, Tim, Sue R., Ami, Dean, Lucy, John, Chris H, Christos, David, Steve H, Neil, Bob, Adrian, Mike D, Terry, Alan, Mary, Laurence)
- Orestone
- Beach
- Shoalstone Point
Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th June, 2009 : Porthkerris – Fun (Jo, Simon)
Sunday 14th June, 2009 : Brixham – Fun – Hardboat: Firebrand II (Mike D, Geoff, John, Laurence, Mary, Stewart, Sue E, Sue R)
- Bretagne – wreck
- Galicia – wreck
Sunday 7th June, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Mike D, Stewart, Amy, John, David, Cyril, Mary, Laurence, Christos)
Friday 22nd – Monday 25th May, 2009 : West Wales – Fun (Mike D, John, Jo, Christos, David, Neil, Sue R, Tim) – see separate report
- Skomer
- Stack Rocks
- Martins Haven
Saturday 16th May, 2009 : Vobster quay – Fun (Cyril, Stewart)
Sunday 10th May, 2009 : Cromhall – Fun (Sue R., Christos, David, Richard, Nicole, Tim)
Saturday 2nd – Monday 4th May, 2009 : Portland – Fun (Duncan, Mike D, Geoff, Christos, David, John, Laurence, Mary, Rob, Sue E, Sue R) – see separate report
- Breakwater – outside
- Grove Point (ish)
- Landing Craft – wreck
- Unknown Dredger – wreck
Friday 10th to Monday 13th April, 2009 : Plymouth – Fun (Duncan, Tim, Cyril, Geoff, Jo, John, Laurence, Mary, Mike D, Mike W, Rob, Sheila W, Stewart) – see separate report
- Scylla – wreck
- Mewstone
- Fort
- James Eagan Layne – wreck
Sunday 5th April, 2009 : NDAC, Chepstow – Fun (Mike D, Sue R, Sue E)
- 5 dives, 3 divers. 27.8 max depth & 33 mins max time.
Sunday 29th March, 2009 : Brixham (John, Mike D, Sue R, Rob, Duncan, Bob G., David, Richard, Mike W, Sheila W)
Sunday 22nd March, 2009 : Henleaze Lake – Fun? (Duncan, Mike D, Geoff, Rob, Sue R) – see separate report
Friday 20th March, 2009 : Chesil Cove – Fun (Tim, Sue R)
Tuesday 10th – Sunday 15th March, 2009 : Sharm el Sheikh – Fun (Laurence, Mary, Mike W, Sheila W)
- Fiddle Garden, Sharm El Sheikh
- Jackson Reef
- Anenomie City
- Shark Reef
- Dunraven, Beacon Rock
- Far Garden
- Ras Nasraney
- Gordon Reef
- Yolanda, Ras Mohamad
- Temple
Saturday 28th February, 2009 : Cromhall – Fun (Cyril, Stewart)
Sunday 22nd February, 2009 : NDAC, Chepstow – Fun dive (Mike D…)
Monday 9th February – Wednesday 18th February, 2009 : Krabi, Thailand – Fun (Tim, Jo, Simon)
- Koh Si
- Koh Talou
- King Cruiser
- Anenome Reef
- Green Bay
- Koh Ha
- Koh Maya Uri
- Koh Doc Hi
- Shark Reef
- Maya Nui
- Aio Nui
- Hin Daeng
- Hin Muoang
- Hin Bida
- Phi Phi Ley Wall
Saturday 31st January, 2009: Cromhall – Dive & BBQ (Mike D, Tim, Mike W, Sheila W)
- 7 divers, water temperature range from 3 to 5 degrees but in any case it was a bit on the cold side.
Thursday 29th – Saturday 31st January, 2009 : Mallorca – Fun (Laurence, Mary)
- Malgrats
- El Toro
- Cala Monjo
Sunday 25th January, 2009 : Cromhall – Fun (Laurence, Mary)
Saturday 3rd January, 2009 : Cromhall – Training (Duncan, David, Sue R)
