The frog on the bog news

September 2017

Fellow Bubblers,

What’s been happening? This should be titled the ‘Dorset Edition’ as we did more dives there than off Sussex! Don’t miss the new FOTB competition page where fabulous prizes like a , Red Sea trip and a pair of RK3 fins can’t be won.

New Dive Leaders!

Congratulations to Mark Swan and Kirsten Dwyer on completing their qualification!

15th August 2017

Three go to Swanage!

Early start, parked on the pier by 7.45 – first car to arrive! Low water slack on the Kyarra – bow and debris field – 5m viz Surface interval dip under the pier – 5m viz, lots of life!

We were scheduled to the Betsy Anna in the afternoon but the weather was deteriorating so the skipper suggested a second dive on the Kyarra, only 5 divers so not crowded 7m viz – great dive! Before heading home had the customary Swanage’s finest fish and chips (and fish cake and mushy pea fritter!)

24th August 2017

Back in Swanage! First UK sea dives for Mark and Owen plus Andrew Bradford after a 10 year surface interval! Dive 1 – Under the pier for and kit checks. Dive 2 - Valentine tanks – bit crowded with both divers and marine life! Dive 3 – Old Harry Drift – 1.5kt running – great

fun! 7-8m viz on each of the dives. 1

2nd September 2017

With many of the members diving in foreign parts or working, 4 stalwarts (Andrew, Jenny, Tim & Paul) braved the tempest and set sail for the Shirala. Expectations were running high and we were not disappointed! Very calm, 7-8m viz, loads of ambient light, bloody marine life everywhere, couldn’t see the wreck for the fish! Tim and Paul visited the stern and saw the steering quadrant and rudder very clearly. Tim being a pensioner was keen to procure some ‘fruit des mer’ to supplement his meagre diet but the resident crustacean population were not willing to offer up a victim. A crab was eventually taken to the surface but it begged for mercy and was duly released back into the care of Neptune. If diving was like that every time we went out from Littlehampton we would be fighting for spaces on the boat!

Portland - Club trip 24th-28th July 2017

For those good folk who don’t know these parts the local motto is ‘Portland – Keep it Weird!’

You would expect fine weather on the Dorset Riviera in July but the gods were not smiling, we did try to offer Portland a new village idiot from among our elite to appease them but to no avail.

Mark Swan arranged the trip on Skin Deeper with accommodation in the ‘deluxe bunk house’

Monday 24th July Lulworth Banks Drift & Black Hawk Tuesday 25th M2 & Gertrude/James Fennel drift Wednesday 26th Bombardon/Landing Craft & Countess of Erme (harbour) Weather! Thursday 27th Alex Van Opstal & Cragside Friday 28th Diving Cancelled! Weather!

Breakfast and packed lunch were provided by the bunk house, evening meal was either from the chip shop next door or in the Cove Inn.

Visibility was in the 3-5m range so not what we had hoped for but it’s always great to get a good bunch of BUDC bubblers together!

It wasn’t all diving, we had a cultural evening on Thursday at the Cove as it was Folk night. The resident musicians being mainly six fingered (limited gene pool) were very adept with their banjos and accordions although they appeared to know only one tune. Paul made a sterling effort to integrate with the locals and through the medium of Mongolian throat singing to give them some new songs.

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The Walrus Investigates! The Watergate Scandal

Our Illustrious and munificent DO Jules likes to keep well hydrated as a precaution against DCI or perhaps after an over-indulgence of fluid in the Cove Public House. He arrived at the bunk house with a six bottle pack of mineral water but within a few hours they had vanished! A resupply run was necessary so he made the long upward trek (without or Sherpas) to the Co- op where a further six were procured, yet again these vanished. This continued throughout the trip although empties were found randomly including one which was spotted being thrown in the sea from the boat after some divers were observed pouring bottled water over one another in some weird Portland like baptism ritual.

His error was perhaps to leave them on the breakfast trolley along with his collection of breakfast cereals so some club members assumed they had been provided by the fragrant Margaret – the custodian and cook at the Bunkhouse.

Jules was incandescent with rage at this terrible theft and waste of H20 so has asked me to set up an investigation to identify the possible larcenist(s) As club attendance has been rather poor of late rather than set up an identity parade on a Monday evening a ‘virtual’ one has been created. Below you will see a scurvy bunch of suspects although some innocents have been included in the interests of fairness.

Simon ‘King Fu Panda’ Byatt Charlie ‘Knicker Thief’ Taylor

Andrew ‘Dodgy Fivers’ Hubbard Paul ‘Fish Breath’ Clunas

Steve ‘Shark Bait’ Burgess Jacqui ‘Wheelman’ Mudie

Mark ‘Bottle Thief’ Swan Jules ‘The Chisel’ Avis

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If you saw any of the above purloining the Perrier (other brands are available), please come forward or if you perpetrated the crime and wish to confess, severe punishment will be avoided such as being busted to PADI Open water (the disgrace…!)

Let’s go Diving!

Here are the Littlehampton tide predictions for the next two months

09-Sep Saturday 0629 1925 6.60 HW Very Springy 10-Sep Sunday 0630 1923 6.39 HW Very Springy 16-Sep Saturday 0640 1908 3.99 LW 1130-1500 1215-1415 B or C 17-Sep Sunday 0642 1906 4.46 LW 1300-1545 1315-1515 B or C 23-Sep Saturday 0652 1851 6.16 HW 1115-1300 Springy 24-Sep Sunday 0654 1849 5.68 HW 1200-1330 Springy 30-Sep Saturday 0704 1834 2.52 LW 1000-1400 1100-1400 B or C 01-Oct Sunday 0706 1832 2.40 LW 1100-1500 1215-1500 B or C 07-Oct Saturday 0715 1818 7.00 HW Very Springy 08-Oct Sunday 0718 1815 7.08 HW Very Springy 14-Oct Saturday 0729 1801 3.55 LW 1000-1330 1030-1330 B or C 15-Oct Sunday 0731 1759 3.76 LW 1100-1445 1215-1430 B or C 21-Oct Saturday 0742 1746 6.03 HW 1000-1200 1130-1245 C or E 22-Oct Sunday 0746 1744 5.91 HW 1030-1245 1200-1300 C or E 28-Oct Saturday 0755 1731 2.9 HW 0900-1200 B 29-Oct Sunday 0657 1629 2.7 HW 0900-1200 B

Featured Wreck – MV Shirala (courtesy of Divernet)

The BUDC old favourite! We probably have this wreck in our logbooks more times than any other out of Littlehampton. On last dive low water (neap)slack was observed to be about one and half hours after the time specified in the curves.

5306-ton British liner, built 1901. 410ft x 50ft. 387hp triple-expansion engines. Cargo: 213 passengers, 5000 tons general, 180 tons ammunition for Army, 1700 tons mail, including diamonds, London for Bombay. Position: 50 40.92N; 00 35.17W. Depth: 24m. Sunk: 2 July, 1918 by torpedo in port side from UB-57 (Oberleutnant Johann Lohs). Five crew killed. Diving: Maximum depth in front of boiler. Sand fills open holds. Bow and stern 7m proud. Much damage from explosives, crane and grab used in commercial salvage. Items found recently include binoculars, telescopes, wine, shell-cases, French perfume, brass clocks, medical equipment, elephant tusks and lorry spares, but diamonds and ships bell still allegedly in wreckage! (or Tim’s shed?)

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Traveller’s Tales A number of our members have been fortunate to go diving at the Earth’s extremities this year; Philippines, Galapagos and Aruba! – would be great to get a report on their experiences for our website. Eagerly awaiting the return of our very own shark wranglers Steve and Jordan, they have been sending daily pictures of their encounters.

Charlie, Derek and Jenny JC are in Mexico! In the judging by this picture.

What’s on the horizon? 25th September 2017 – Wreck and Drift with Brighton Diver Not one, but two club trips to the Red Sea next year! 16-22nd March 2018 – Best of Wrecks with Blue 0 Two – 7 members booked 22-29th August 2018 – Simply the Best with Tony Backhurst – 7 members booked Club Events These are run by members, for members and your attendance at these events is always appreciated especially if we have external speakers.  11th October 2018 - 50m Dry Dive at the LDC, St John’s Wood, London – 6 members going Please note the timings for the monthly Tuesday events will be 8pm for an 8.30 pm start 5

Non-Club Events  Dive 2017 – Birmingham – 21st-22nd October  BSAC Diving Conference – Birmingham - 21st October  Nautical Archaeology Society – Various courses – http://www.nauticalarchaeologysociety.org  Marine Conservation Society – Beach Clean 15th-18th September  Seasearch – Various courses – http://www.seasearch.org.uk

Wet Humour

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Competition Page

Caption Competition!

Please send me your captions – best one wins the pants!

Spot the water bottle! Fabulous Prize!

Closest cross wins a wonderful gift for all the family to share and enjoy!

See below for details

bottle of water (1.5litre)

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