Summer 2010 wreck appreciation Andy Payne

Our practical wreck appreciation We attached a tape measure to the weekend was on the appropriately top of the rudder and ran it down the named ‘unknown wreck’ at 18m. We spine. I could not attach the tape at had already completed three weeks the bottom as the rudder’s base was of the Skill Development Course in buried in the mud, so I lay the reel at the classroom with Jeff Reed and the bottom. We then measured the Nick Jewson. Luckily for me the first distance across at right angles every dive was just to get acquainted with 50cm. Unfortunately, there was a Above: preparing the dive slates the wreck. It was my first dive of the baited lobster pot just off the rudder Backdrop: orientation on ‘unknown wreck’ season, so I was glad. and two ropes attached lay perfectly in our way. But this was not going to be to the visual safety of the prop. The course is named ‘Wreck a problem as we were ready for it from I regained my composure, the silt Appreciation’ and as it says on the our previous orientation on dive one. cleared and I completed the task tin, I was already appreciating wrecks and this time the silt stayed put. I was more. We had learned about boat admiring the sea life never in any danger as, unknown to building and powering techniques About half way down the rudder a me, there were two leading lights of UK to enable us to date and hopefully, spider crab appeared as he jumped and an archaeologist eventually, identify wrecks. We were from my shoulder back onto his terra with 175 hours of diving clocked so far joined by Jane Maddocks from South firma. Apparently I had dislodged this year watching over me! Hampshire University – a real diving him from the wreck, my fins being so character and highly experienced high, though straight faces were hard back to the drawing board underwater archaeologist. to keep back on the boat. No harm As we waited for cylinder refills at done. Proceeding down and under the Smudge’s filling station, we sat on the getting the measure of things rope, I could feel it on the back of my sun deck above, completing our scale For the second dive, each group was unit and was confident that drawings under Jane’s tutelage. Jane given a separate task to complete on I could get it off me. is a very busy lady and probably could the wreck which we had located on Measuring on, as I reached the have done without us that weekend, the first dive. Ian Young and I had to bottom while only using my hands, the but by the end of the day I think that measure the rudder. The assumption silt came up in such a cloud I could she was glad she had found time for was that, with this information plus that not see anything. I froze but it did not us and had a good time. She was of the tasks performed by other pairs, clear, vertigo came and I felt on the impressed with our performance and we would have enough information to lip of the incident pit. It was not worth team work. search building plans on the road to it and I was out of there – I extracted wreck identification. myself from the ropes and got back continues on page 15

www.bracknellscuba.org.uk deep thoughts John Ralston moving on changes ahoy ...towards Advanced Diver

The summer is in full swing, the dive season is underway and people seem to Pete Custerson be enjoying diving! Enthusiastic reviews like Andy Hodgson’s article on page 6 and a well attended club weekend are The weekend of 8 – 9 May was and the river Dart has Dartmoor on it what our club is all about. scheduled for Advanced Diver dumping yet more mud...what did we The new club website will be live by practical assessments. The date think the viz/seabed would be like? the time you read this – it shows the had been on the club dive calendar Hence we elected for Salcombe! club in a really good light. Most of our since last year because we needed Mark’s house on a Wednesday new members come from the web – to undertake two dives from an evening at 8pm became a regular see pages 10 – 11 for more details. unknown site. rendez-vous in order to complete The club owes a huge debt to Gill Vine’s our chartwork, and friend, Tony Short, who has put in a An ‘unknown site’ is defined as ‘an location selection. lot of time on this project, even more unknown dive site, from an unknown remarkable when you consider Tony is port, on an unknown boat’. In addition, unforeseen problems not a member of the club! Tony is also the assessment criteria called for The weekend approached, final instrumental in bringing the design of the dives to take place under the documentation had been produced our club T shirt to life every year. supervision of an Advanced Instructor and handed in to Jeff and then we After 16 years I have decided to hang – enter Jeff Reed and Nick Jewson! hit a snag. Released volcanic ash up my fins and take a break from diving. grounded air traffic leaving Martin I don’t have the time to dive, and with prior planning and preparation stranded abroad, so Phil Reader another addition to the family due The process of preparation for the stepped in to fill his place. in October, this situation is unlikely weekend started towards the end of Problem two struck me on the to change in the near future! So my 2009. Dave Hughes, Martin Forde, morning of our first dive day when rebreather has gone to a new home. Mark Purchase and I realised that I went to my car to set up my gear. I have decided to stand down from Weymouth would not cut it as an I could hear a hissing noise...my the committee as a result. I don’t think unknown area, so we looked towards manifold had decided to spring a I could serve the club as a non-diver Dartmouth and Salcombe. leak. No gas and no chance of a fill! and do the position justice. So the After a subtle hint from Jeff that the Lucky for me, Dave ‘I have a spare committee are seeking a replacement. symbol on the chart stands for mud, everything’ had a spare twinset that If you are interested in becoming Publicity Officer until November’s AGM (and hopefully beyond), then please register your interest with Nic Hallett.

Looking back, I have had a really good time as a member of BSAC434, from the early days of the Plymouth weekends, through to trips to Scapa, Oban, Ireland and Egypt. It has been fun.

I am not leaving the club altogether and will continue to be a social member. I hope that in 12 years time I will be watching as my daughter, Emma, takes her first dip into scuba with BSAC434.

Ciao! Plotting the course on Salcombe area sea chart

2 The group celebrate the end of a great weekend with post-dive beers all round had been borrowed from Tim Slow. role reversal later, so all came good in the end. Ten minutes later, I had strapped the The diving was very good. Great This just left our evening meal which replacement twinset to my rig, and viz and the ‘Maine’ is a great wreck. I had booked at the Victoria Inn... we were ready to go. After debriefing a couple of the divers, fantastic food and good company. it was Dave’s turn to Dive Manage and taking charge I became his assistant. Meanwhile back to the boat I had elected to Dive Manage first Jeff and Nick were ‘taking every The next day it was Mark’s turn with Dave as my assistant and we opportunity to teach’, as is the to take the DM role with Phil as his all gathered at the pontoon by the mantra for all good instructors. assistant. The ‘Persier’ was the wreck Harbour Master’s office. There was Personal favourites were to ask us to that had been earmarked for the relief as the turned up, teach everyone about the emergency dive. Nick and Jeff provided further and also looked pretty decent. deco bottle and asking questions like: ‘education opportunities’ including: I began my duties by allocating “what do you think the sea state is “let’s find the wreck with the use of seating to the divers. Jeff Reed had now?” and “would you let people dive transits, where are we now and some form of ‘green death’ that in these conditions?” The list goes on. what cove is this?” excluded him from diving. So we Dave had to change the plan for The dive on the wreck was spoilt by resulted in a group of three divers... the second dive as it seemed like the a large amount of plankton, but was not ideal. weather conditions were getting worse. still very enjoyable. Finally Phil’s turn Getting people together for the Nevertheless, we ended up with a nice arrived and a nice drift was had by the proved to be a nightmare, little drift dive with fantastic viz. people who decided to go in, as by but eventually after forty five minutes, Back to port and on to our gas fills. now the wind had turned arctic. I delivered my SEEDS brief. Little did There is only one place in Salcombe It was a great weekend and a new I know that I had the skipper behind and as I entered the shop, I saw a man ‘bird approved’ port, boat and skipper my back putting his hand up when I with a host of compressor bits shaking had been found. We are already asked if anyone did not know what a his head. Somewhat worrying for all, looking to book again in 2011. ‘lazy shot’ was. but thankfully the problem was fixed Let me know if you are interested.

Which SMB to use this time? ‘Bendy’ checks his kit Dave completes kit up

www.bracknell-scuba.org.ukwww.bracknellscuba.org.uk 3 4 to me to happened it buddy as the day before so I got my kit my got I so before day the as buddy same the with diving was I thought, I so little. a running still was the whilst time a at four in going be would we and changed had plan the now So shot. our use could they if asked and arrived boat dive another then but there, boat only the were We up. kit to started we as running still tide the and time of plenty with site the reached We Weymouth. of out VanOpstal’ ‘Alex the diving was I things. little with starts It diving. UK of years active eight after complacency to down came miss near this and thing great a is hindsight but better known have should I Our kitting up time had halved. Luckily,halved. had time up kitting Our the risk of a DCI hit! DCI a of risk the with surface the hit than line more lot a lost happily have would I replaced. cheaply and easily – line only It’s snagging. risked and line much as twice needed that but line, the cutting without bottom the from belayed have could I calm. stay happens, unexpected something When done. have could I little been have would there bottom, the leaving before missing my spotted not had I If ascent. before checks do to Continue bottom. the reaching on including place in is everything that check and attention pay line, shot a down pull to need you If rush. don’t and – checks self and buddy the Do learnt! lessons

think everything clicked and he put up put he and clicked everything think I point this At up. thumbs the giving buddy my at looked and wreck the on off tied I DSMB. the up send would he agreed had we as further buddy my confused which reel, a out got I chance reel a in. kicked deco before stop a hold to try to wanted I – go to time was it close, somewhere was line shot the whilst and time bottom planned gone. was pencil the that find to only notepad underwater my out got I Then communicate. to hard it finding was I understand. didn’t buddy my but gone, was it show to pockets weight internal my to pointed I OK. was it said and looked buddy My gone. was it show something? got haven’t you someone tell you do how but attention, buddy’s my got I missing. was 5kg, carry I which on belt, My belt! Weight place. in belt weight check, regs check, gas inflater/dump, jacket my locating checks: my through go to started I shot, the to returned and configuration. kit new my to down it .put my I with issues having was I and right not was something But chased. we that lobsters of number a saw we and fine appeared it wreck the On fingers. my through run line shot the let I and fin to easier became it 10m around at Then down. ourselves pulling flags like looked we running, still tide the with shot, the On line shot the down dive. to ready was and jacket my in air had I confirmed on, We were now at the end of our of end the at now were We to tried and waist my to pointed I dive our of end the neared we As Dave Hughes Dave line from my reel. my from line the cut I surfacing, On me. from away 3m only stay to the in harder finning now buddy,was my he at over looking but relaxed was I stop. safety a just do, to deco no with down myself holding was I everything. dumped had I 6m by and empty to close was I 9m reached we as But went. we as suit and jacket my in gas dumped current. light a into me of front in feet ten off backed and DSMB his stop the holding of calculation Dave’s of 26.5m (see diagram above). diagram (see 26.5m of depth a showed computer my wreck the left we when and 55.6m was line recovered The stop. our on held had buddy my that wreck the from angle the calculate and it measure could I that so line the recovered I vessel. the of middle the to leading side port the over draped line my find to surprised was I bottom, the On again. ‘Alex’ the diving was I weekend following The line? the about what so lighter.kilo a about only was I so gas bar,of 170 2.5kg with leaving surfaced I Luckily 2.34kg. is bar 70 and bar 230 between twins my in gas the of weight the of calculations the completing and missed. was it line the down ourselves pulling and running tide the with but surface, the off get not would you as spotted been have would this Normally belt. weight my without in jumped had I result a As check. buddy full a completed water,not the had I in get and up kit to rush the With happened? had what so Ascent wasn’t an issue and I and issue an wasn’t Ascent I may have been a kilo overweight kilo a been have may I

26.5 metres 61 ° 48.9 metres

NEMO 33: in Bruges (and Brussels) Yasmin Siloy

That trip to Belguim was confusing. Rusilowcz were waiting for us at the First of all we are going to NEMO 33 tunnel barrier. – a giant in Brussels From Calais we whizzed past Bruges to do some diving. But NEMO 33 is (Brugge or whatever it is called) to in for dive two with no bubbles and a in Brussels not Bruges, but then we Brussels and round the ring road to virtually empty pool. A lovely dive and were staying in Bruges not Brussels. NEMO 33. The beauty of this trip was plenty of time to visit the caves at 9m Got that? that the sun was shining and that where you can take your reg out and no kit was needed, only a mask and sit chatting while your computer tells Both are in Belgium in the North computer. The rules say no cameras, you that you are at 9m but if you lift Flemish area, that bit is straight no personal regs and no suits but your arm up out of the water you have forward but even the names change these appeared to be broken by some broken the surface! – one minute it is Bruges (English), of the other parties in the pool and we next Brugge (Dutch) then Bruxelles managed to get some pictures. back on the road again (French), Brussels (English) and After the diving, we leave Brussels and Brussel (Dutch). into the pool head to Bruges which is half the way NEMO 33 itself is also somewhat The diving is brilliant. Firstly, you go back. We stayed in a nice hotel in the confusing – apparently the 33 bit refers upstairs to a changing room (which centre. There was a garage nearby to the water not the depth. is a bit odd as the water surface is to park Tim Slow’s old banger (oops, The adverts say it is 33m deep and above the bar area) and then you have I mean his classic Aston Martin), so 33 degrees centigrade but the hole to do some snorkelling after the safety even Tim was happy. Bruges is lovely, goes down to 35m. It is basically a brief. This is a cleverly designed way aptly named ‘the Venice of the North’, giant swimming pool, the first shelf at of getting the last people out of the with its mass of cobbles and canals. 2m or so and then it drops to 5m and pool while you warm up and kit up We went out for a meal – choosing 10m with a tunnel through to an open with their kit (no weights needed the ‘meal of the day’ bargain special surfaced ‘tube’ down to 35m. The unless you are Ian Young) and in but ending up with not so much of a pool is fed by clear spring water and you go. The water is clear and warm bargain when the wine was added. I is naturally heated to that magic 33 and the kit the minimum. believe there were many beers drunk degrees centigrade. Ocean Divers can You can go down to about 10m to by the old folk. hold the ladder at 20m and others can see the waiting DWAGS (divers’ wives go down to the bottom that is kept a and girlfriends) and DIMS (divers’ day of rest bit dark to remind you that it is 35m. mums) through some square windows Sunday brought a nice stroll in the lower level bar/restaurant taking around Bruges with plenty of time up at sparrows fart photos of us at the 10m stage. for chocolate shopping and Tim We start off incredibly early and whiz On the first dive, the ‘hole’ was very didn’t manage to drag me to the down to the channel tunnel in the early busy and it was like experiencing a Dali Museum so that was an hours of Saturday. Lord Lindsay (Mike) giant free flow with a mass of bubbles improvement on last year’s trip. and party – Lady Lindsay (Carol) with almost forcing us up. Not a pleasant All in all, NEMO 33 is a good trip Roger and Siobhann Lewis phoned experience and nearly all of us were – two nice dives in clear warm water us to say they were already in France hanging on to the ladder. in Brussels and a fantastic city break before we even reached the tunnel. weekend in Bruges... Got that? It’s They left even earlier than planned taking a break Brussels and Bruges or well, maybe and must have got up before they After a nice sit down in the sun, and Brugge and Bruxelles... dependant on went to bed, but Ian Young and Zosia a very good Thai meal, it was back who you are talking to.

www.bracknellscuba.org.uk 5 there were three on a bench... Andy Hodgson

The dive list for 2010 was released one week to go, nearly there identifiable. Then my first legal while I was progressing through Disaster strikes! Five days before the edible crab was in the bag. Yippee. the (DL) course. Taking dive my dog, Zeus, decided to make While ascending, my buddy Martin a punt, I put my name down for unapproved alterations to the left arm had a computer meltdown. We two weekends reserved for DL and of my . A desperate call for reverted to our pre-dive plan and above. The first being scheduled for help went out on the club message came up when my computer and the June on Divetime out of Weymouth. board. Lots of responses, offers and planned deco had cleared. On the suggestions, all greatly appreciated. surface his Aladin was fried and his I had passed my Advanced , A quick trip to ‘O Three’ in Portland VR3 was about to go in the bin. No Accelerated Deco, Dive Leader and and the redemption of the Hodgson second dive for Martin. just recently the Buoyancy and Trim bullion reserve resulted in a nice new workshop so, apart from brain drain, suit. I’m still going. advanced planning I was trained and ready to go. Sunning ourselves on the fly bridge The week before our eagerly awaited Friday during lunch, we were discussing trip an email went out ‘the boat is not England are playing Algeria in the Sunday’s dives. The senior members fully booked’. Did we want to change world cup footie at 7.30pm – you can suggested the ‘Iolanthe’ as it was new the plan and open it up to Sports make your own mind up about that to most of the divers and one of the Divers or pay the difference split statement – so I decided to hit the road few in the 35-45m range. I piped up between ten? No question, ten hoping for a clear run. An hour and a and pointed out that as the weather please. A further email: ‘ten it is!’ half from junction 3 of the M3 to the and sea state were so good, why not quayside...not bad for a Friday in June. do the best wreck in the South, the All loaded by 8pm and ready for the ‘Salsette’. I’d heard so much about it 8am bridge. and there aren’t many opportunities to do it so why not now? The assembled 7.30am on Saturday wise men agreed. The ‘Salsette’ it is. We board the boat, now there are The second dive was a small landing just eight divers – two can’t make it. craft at around 20m. Now we were A briefing from the Dive Manager and down to six divers, (Bird pulled out we are off, all set for new experiences. as well as Martin). Good job really, as Travelling in the luxury of free space, Pete and I circled the craft twice in ten we arrived at a mystery site that had minutes then drifted off. We should seen negligible attendance for the last have stayed: Bendy and Dave bagged 20 years or so. Sworn to secrecy by some great food. A great days diving the skipper, Paul, we would be diving a rounded off with a lovely meal at very large vessel at about 38m. Enzo’s Italian restaurant. So it was down the shot – viz was good – I passed the magic 35m and Sunday we were on the deck. A very good After picking up the cylinders, we were wreck with loads to see. The anchor back on board by 8am the next day. is still at the bow, the huge boiler is off The tide was low so we could leave the wreck, massive winches, all easily when we wanted without waiting for

Andy back on board with his flat fish catch

6 have your say

Dave Hughes

Thanks to the members who completed the club questionnaire, allowing us to plan more accurately Bendy (left) and Martin (right) with their crab catch...and Dave with his crutch caught? for next year. the bridge to be raised. Tish didn’t feel Apparently the smile on my face well and quite rightly pulled out along could have challenged that of the Warm-up dives: over 84% of with Raj. Cheshire cat. They said I looked the responses said they wanted We were now a boat of six divers, narked but I still had the same grin a warm up dive before May so yes just six! I had the small outside when I got home. What a wreck, I can’t we have increased the number bench to myself (this can fit three with wait for the next chance to dive her. of dives planned. a squeeze). Dave and Bendy inside, Club weekend: 50% said they would (normally four), and Pete, Bird and The final dive like this to be relocated. The most Martin had the big bench to spread out A drift over ‘Crab City’ and now I popular choice was Plymouth, so we on. Woahey, we were off. know where its name came from... are planning to hold it there on the Arriving at the dive site, the sun was there are crabs everywhere, just 11 – 13 June with the option of 2 or shining and the sea state was little walking along the sea bed. We 3 days. Plymouth offers the range of more than a ripple. All we could see bagged a couple and carried on. diving that members have requested was our own shot marker buoy, not Then I spotted a plaice. I’d been told with a variety of dive sites and depths. another boat in sight. So six divers had to go behind them and tickle their Accommodation options include the ‘Salsette’ to themselves. I’m told tummy so, with Martin in front and camping, B&B’s, self catering cottages that never happens. Mr Gulpy open, I did as instructed. It and hotels. worked – straight in the bag. A couple on to the wreck of minutes later...the same again. We Club trips: the club has a trip to Mull Down the shot and I hit the sea bed surfaced soon after as we were given and we are planning a family holiday in at 45.3m, pulled the shot clear of the a strict 35 minutes total dive time due late August, possibly in Cornwall. wreck and went scolly bashing. Martin to fishing boats in the area. Club dives: 74% said they were happy thought I had lost it – we were on the Back to Weymouth for the 4pm with club dives, although some did note best wreck in the South and I was bridge and the long drive home. that they would also like new sites. looking at the sea bed. All rounded off with a lovely Father’s Next year we are increasing the We circled round the stern and Day roast prepared by my wonderfully number of locations where the club headed up the side towards the tolerant wife. books diving. These include: handrail. There are so many port Weymouth, Pembroke, Salcombe, holes, many still intact. Where one three cheers for Weymouth Exmouth, Littlehampton and porthole used to exist we found a I’ve had over sixty dives from Plymouth. Sites for one day dives good sized crab which went straight Weymouth and this weekend topped are also being investigated. in the bag. them all. I ticked so many new boxes Looking through another into the I’ve lost count. Who says it’s boring The results of this survey were used cavernous interior you can imagine going to Weymouth so often? Certainly to help put together the 2011 dive some serious teckie opportunities, not me. schedule which is now published not for me though. Twenty five minutes A big thank you goes out to all on the club notice board and also bottom time and we had to return to those who organise these weekends via Yahoo! A full breakdown of the the surface. No computer misfires, wherever they may be. And to all those statistics is available in the news switch to 80% at the 9m first stop instructors who have enabled me to section of the new club website: and we were out of the water extend my range of diving opening up bracknellscuba.org.uk/ as planned. more dive sites for me to enjoy. news/51/2010-07-14/have-your-say

www.bracknell-scuba.org.ukwww.bracknellscuba.org.uk 7 club weekend

Scimitar scavengers Andy Hodgson

I was booked on Scimitar out of Again great viz. Alan Ashbury, the Castletown for all three days with most experienced diver on the boat, Smudge the well known and liked lost his dive machete overboard skipper. The forecast was showing while kitting up...oops he said. Martin 20mph southerlies for Sunday, and Hamilton took his camera but forgot

Divers gather on Cutlass Monday was looking choppy too. the battery so no pics...of course that was wife Alison’s fault. Food grab at The plan for Saturday had changed Grove Point, nice. due to the wind direction, so what was a leisurely 10am ropes off became a out to the 7am start and out to the ‘Aolian Sky’. Monday was a long haul to the ‘Kyarra’, nearly two hours cruise. There sky diving were only three dive boats on the A mother of a ship, the viz was great... wreck, so empty by normal standards. we could see! Followed by a drift at Lots of little goodies retrieved

John Dory on the ‘Alex’ Warbarrow Touts. Roger Lewis had and the best dive I’ve had on this forgotten his but ‘Scuba wreck. Martin and I bagged a couple Man’ had a spare. Hurrah. Oh, and of lobbies but after ridicule and talking of ‘Scuba Man’, did he ever suggestions of ‘juvenile crustacean discover who covered his backside in abduction’ they were set free. Gill Vine jollop? I’m not telling...but she assures bagged an old ‘Lea & Perrins’ bottle me it was an accident! then promptly lost the goodie bag. Thanks to the chappies on Divetime on to the Alex who not only recovered but cleaned Sunday started off sunny and calm, so it up nicely and stuffed it full of wine

A surprisingly colourful Bally Bay a quick dash to the ‘Alex van Opstal’. gums – yummy! We finished off inside Portland harbour and had a competition to find the most interesting object. Gill and Ian Wooster won having collected more bottles than ‘Oddbins’.

cheers everyone Excellent diving, great food and entertaining company. Thanks to Sue Payne for organising the meal and well done to all those who put in so much effort to make it all work. It may have been an early start but the ‘Scimitar Scavengers’ were all set for ropes off

8 the Cutlass challenge Nic Hallett

Hot on the heels of Wimbledon round 2 the 4 litre straight six of a vintage and World Cup football came the With scallops at the front of everyone’s Aston Martin DB6. club weekend with expressive mind Felicity Townsend’s call for managers jumping up and down an unexpected away game on ‘The set and match on the sidelines whilst the players Cannonball Run’ met with amused Unexpectedly good weather, great jockeyed for position. Cutlass, with scepticism. But, with a roar from the wrecks and clear vis plus a great Pete and Sam at the helm, failed to crowd, Gerraint Morris emerged with meal well organised by Sue Payne at miss a single site, breakdown or foul three dozen locals neatly bagged, Moby Dick’s (check out that chocolate a shot-line so it was up to the divers usually a winning tally, only to be pudding!) was a fitting farewell to to fill the copy. outdone by the now correctly Weymouth for now – roll on 2011 and weighted Steve L. However, the the next club weekend in Plymouth. round 1 final medal went to Zosia Rusilowicz Competition for shortest dive was with a magnificent showing. stiff: Tim Slow’s one minute at three metres was cheered on as a clear round 3 winner until Mr Lawson came back Playing for the wooden spoon comes with a cracking 20 seconds at one the least suitable dive car brought on metre! A fine performance helped the weekend. Usually Mike Hamilton’s by the unintentional jettisoning of his Z3, two-seater convertible can be integrated weights – well done Steve, guaranteed to walk away with this a record that I am sure will stand for prize but Tim returned after his round some time! one defeat and found success with the secret of Divetime Ruth Beattie Bendy returns from the ‘icecream run’

Each day brought us good dives pink fan coral and a John Dory. Skipper Paul is quite famous for with excellent visibility – can this Second dive was on a surprisingly his soups, and this weekend he was really be UK diving? Even the colourful Balaclava Bay. experimenting – orange and mint weather was reasonable. It made tastes a lot better than it sounds! the 7.30am meet bearable. soup, fish and icecream On the final day we had a long steam in conclusion can you keep a secret? out along the beautiful Dorset coastline A great weekend of UK diving, with We went to skipper Paul Pike’s secret to the ‘Kyarra’, which deserves its good company and fine weather. What wreck, the ‘Hartburn’...well not so premiere wreck status. Pity the slack more can we ask for? Many thanks to secret since there was another boat window was all too short. our Dive Manager, Raj Bhatnager. already there! Following this we anchored up Although the wreck is fairly broken in Lulworth cove. Icecreams were there was plenty to see with lobsters suggested and Bendy could not resist and congers tucked away under the the challenge. He collected money and plates. Plus the boilers were well set off at speed. Would it be cruel to exposed for Raj and Tish. Next a suggest it was a much slower return? pleasant drift over the ‘Black Hawk’. The final dive was the fish counter The next day it had blown up a bit at Tesco, sorry I mean Lulworth Banks, but we dived the ‘Alex von Opstal’. which yielded an amazing number Again, loads to see including a large of scallops. Not a whopper: Andy’s ‘tiger prawn’

www.bracknell-scuba.org.ukwww.bracknellscuba.org.uk 9 going live! new club website launches Gill Vine

At last, after months of hard work, Each column contains quick links guide to potential members, club our new website has been launched. to areas deemed to be of particular trainees or anyone new to diving. I designed the last site about eight interest to the visitor. For ease of years ago, not long after I joined the navigation, a link to the next course we training club and I was only too well aware are running in each diver category is Here, you will find information on that it was starting to look jaded. included. All this information can also try dives and our core be accessed using the category links courses: Ocean Diver, Sports Diver, The new site is database driven with at the top of the page. Dive Leader and Advanced Diver. It a user-friendly ‘back end’ meaning The fourth column contains the latest also lists some of our most popular that a small team of club members news and diary events with clickable Skill Development Courses (SDCs) will be able to make updates once links to view the whole club dive and and important crossover information some simple training has taken place. social calendar. Underneath is a video for other agency trained divers. Each It aims to provide a great source of clip from a club dive or event which course page gives a brief synopsis information for existing members as will be changed periodically. of the course content and associated well as acting as a marketing tool to costs. Many pages also include useful attract new members to our club. about us downloads, photos from courses we The Yahoo! site will still exist for our This area will be of main interest to have run and/or kit lists as appropriate. email messaging forum and document potential new members: information cabinet. It can be reached by a simple about BSAC, where we meet, club membership click from the ‘members area’ button facilities and places we dive. Existing The different categories of on the home page. Club members will members will find the committee page membership and benefits of joining still need to enter their Yahoo! user useful, to find out who is in post or our club are included here. Interested name and password to gain access. how to stand for committee. new members are guided through the joining process and both club simple navigation diver types membership and medical forms The home page has been designed A great source of information to are available to download. to make it very easy for visitors to potential new members so please pass find their way around. There are three the word around if you know of anyone club diary columns to choose from: new to who might be interested in joining us! All our diving and social events are diving, already qualified and technical. The equipment page provides a useful available in handy calendar format

10 got a dive video to share?

If so, there are two ways you can get it online: Either: put it on a disk and give it to the Publicity Officer, who will upload it to the club Youtube account which is linked from our website. Or: if you have your own Youtube account, upload it to your own space and add a tag ‘BSAC434’, then the link from our website will find it.

as well as a list of upcoming events. phone, or use a The events can be filtered down by personalised clicking simple links to show different home page such categories of dives, social events and as iGoogle. different types of training courses that are or will be running. By popular media request, the diary is also available in An interesting iCAL format enabling you to view our section with links club events in your preferred calendar to club photos The home page of the new club website application or website. and video as well as an archive of club news downloadable PDF mouthpiece members with Flikkr accounts will be As the name suggests, this section newsletters. There is also a section of able to share their diving photos. will contain news articles. This will practical dive aids to download such enable us to publish stories as they as the ‘Dive Manager’s ’ the URL has changed! happen without having to wait for the and ‘Gas Calculation Aid’. It’s early Please make a note that the club next mouthpiece publication and help days and may look a bit empty at web address has changed from keep our print costs down. Please the moment, but we will be adding to bracknell-scuba.org.uk to: let the club Publicity Officer have any it! Do let me have anything that you bracknellscuba.org.uk material you have and we will get your think might be useful to fellow club Essentially we have removed the article published online. members and I can add it to the site. hyphen from the new web address. There is an RSS feed allowing you to read our published news at your going forward thanks to tomodomo own convenience. Using an RSS This is an evolving website which will John Ralston and I would also like reader of your choice, updated news be regularly added to and updated. to extend a huge thank you to my articles appear in just the same way We are in the process of constructing friend and colleague, Tony Short from as a new email would appear in your a FAQ section so do let us know if Tomodomo, www.tomodomo.net. Tony inbox. You can view RSS feeds from you have any ideas of Q&A’s which has donated his time and expertise to within your browser, use a dedicated could be useful for this section. We will building the database and designing RSS reader on your computer/ also be setting up a Flikkr links so that the page templates for our new site.

www.bracknell-scuba.org.ukwww.bracknellscuba.org.uk 11 in search of the Tim Slow tells us about his first experience on a big stuff Red Sea

After nearly five years on the same of which nine were full and only one fragmented group. Dependent on the project at work, I found myself with place not taken. site they would get the RIB out to drop some free time (resting/unemployed/ My second observation was that, us off or pick us up. binned) in May which slipped other than myself and one city couple effortlessly into June and with a who were also virgins, the rest were reefs, caves and walls potentially free weekend (if I missed seasoned liveaboard junkies – some The St Johns itinery is all reefs, caves a Raleigh Chopper meet that I was with hundreds of dives logged and (that are really swim throughs) and wall definately not allowed to go to “as many a liveaboad for comparison. The dives in the lower half of the Red Sea that is just silly”), I found myself idly run to St Johns in the south of the Red down almost as far as Sudan. After checking the holiday options. Sea was one which many of the guests a second dive near Marsa Alam on had done before on other the first day, the boat steamed south Coming across a week on a liveaboard but mainly with Tony Blackhurst. Yet overnight, stopping at Big Habilli Ali (a with Scuba Travel (Tony Blackhurst) again I was the baby of another group wall dive) for two morning dives. that exactly fitted my little gap for a with the exception of two guys doing a A hammerhead went past in the reasonable £895, I was tempted but PADI Nitrox course. deep. I saw the body which identified resisted, thinking that I might need it, so I should claim a sighting but the cash if I got used to the lazy life dive prison or big brother? the head was foggy so I put it down through the endless summer. A few Unusually after a night at Port Ghalib as a likely/probable. I also had clear days later, it was further reduced to (normally it is straight out), we set sightings of black tip and white tip £695 and I couldn’t resist! off calling at Marsa Shouna for the sharks and a pod of dolphins were Before I knew it I was off on the try out dive. I quickly became aware audiable but just shadows on the Thompson flight with a mix of trippers that a liveaboard is a combination of surface across the blue. and divers. On the plane, on my own, diving prison and ‘Big Brother’. You A good start and my spotter’s chart talking to the sun seekers next to me, I are plonked on a boat with a load of already had a few ticks. A second told them I wasn’t sure what to expect strangers (all English in my case) and dive proved less eventful but the from a liveaboard and wasn’t sure I fed three fairly substantial meals a day resident Napoleon Wrasse below the had packed all the right gear/clothes. of chicken and fish with pasta and/or boat was massive and friendly on the rice. You are controlled by bells telling stop. It was a common observations of liveaboards you to wake up, go to a dive briefing occurance to be greeted by it at the After being ferried to the boat in Port or to be fed. The rest of the time you end of many of the dives. Ghalib, I noted my first observation are left to lie about on the ‘Big Brother’ – like all Egyptian boats you remove boat either sleeping, reading or talking. getting to know you your shoes on the way in and retrieve The bell would go at six and up we Third dive of day two was at Dangerous them on the way home so that pair trekked for a briefing (after pausing on (also called Nursery Reef). The of deck shoes I had brought was just the way past the dive deck to analyse former description due to the numerous excess luggage! the gas in our cylinders). Next we fairly tight ‘tank banger’ swim throughs We settled in to the boat, The were back down to the dive deck to and the latter due to the masses of Contessa Mia, overnight in the port kit up in our allocated spot and jump infant fish which often don’t resemble that is nearest to Marsa Alam (a great in. The crew help you into your suit their parents, making identification port but still looking as half finished if you need it (I did with a tight 5mm) impossible, to me at least. as it did when I came nearly two years and put your fins on if you need it (not The night dive was at the same ago). The boat was a nice member of me on that one), then in you go with reef (without the swim throughs) and the Sea Serpent fleet with ten cabins a guide or just with your buddy and a I received a fair amount of stick for the

12 Chinese LED torch being akin to that just how lucky we had been. The Lodge (Emperor Divers). This was a of a Second World War searchlight. boat chugged on up to Elphinstone nice relaxing end to the trip and then Further reef and wall dives followed, overnight for the penultimate day it was back to Marsa Alam for a flight the general view being that the dive of three dives. Two of these were back to Gatwick and reality. sites were good but not exceptional uneventful wall dives at a pretty site by my more experienced boat mates. but the third gave hammerheads in to do or not to do? The old adage applied that if you look the deep and blue at 30m. Moving on Would I recommend a liveaboard? around, there will be one queen bee, to Abu Dahab II/III in the afternoon for ‘Yes’ – it is a strange mixture of eat, alpha male or general obnoxious idiot the night dive – most dive logs now sleep, dive, sit about with strange trying to impose their presence and included some tart comments about people, which might not suit all but for cheese the rest off...and if you can’t ‘Tim’s floodlight underwater beacon.’ me it was fine. see one then it is probably you! Would I recommend going alone? Luckily, we had a queen bee and sometimes it pays to get lost Well there is a chance you could get my buddy and room mate for the Final day and generally ‘Tim and Kim’ roomed with the city banker of 5000 week and I appeared to gel well. We had not been apart above or below the dives who wants to tell you about described ourselves as ‘Kim and Tim’ water, nor lost when venturing around all of them or the guy that keeps from the start and worryingly, most alone. We had usually avoided a trip you awake half the night reading his thought we had booked on the trip as back to the boat by RIB by finding PADI textbook, but I think most are a couple. our way back and swimming into the seasoned liveaboard guys and gals current if needed on occasion. and it would be fine. I had the retired in search of the ‘big stuff’ But on the first dive of the last day, ex-chef from Essex that I buddied all The reason most book the southern a standard reef dive at Abu Dahab week with no problems. trip is for the chance of seeing ‘big II/III, we missed the mooring line and Is St John’s a good one? Well, my stuff’. After our initial sightings it was managed to find an uncharted swim ‘look and learn beginner’s guide to big panning out well. Most dives were through the reef. We found ourselves stuff’ tick sheet has a few more marks moderately deep wall dives or shallow a tad lost on the far side of the reef in but I equally enjoyed the caves, reefs reefs and swim throughs around St a little cove. Then announced by the and wall dives. Apparently the seas John’s caves. All were stunning. clicks, a pod of dolphins appeared and can get rougher than the North and the On the fourth day, inbetween the came and played with us at 8m before winds can blow at certain times of the pre-breakfast dive and the morning shooting off – leaving Kim fumbling for year, but June was fine. dive, we had the chance to his camera only to get their shadows The boat does sometimes travel at with dolphins in a lagoon. It was a as they departed. We were very happy night, so if you don’t like engine noise magical experience as a huge pod of bunnies swimming over the reef back or are a light sleeper, book a bow at least forty spinner dolphins played to the boat. cabin. Blissfully for me, there is no around us for nearly an hour. The final dive was at Marsa Shouna phone reception for four days. Close enough to touch, we were in the sea grass hunting for rays (more surrounded by mother and baby shadows and glimpses) and turtles (a and the highlight? dolphins. The trick, it appears, is not to big fellow half asleep on the bottom). That was easy! Not one, I thought, chase but to let them come to you and We found our way back to the boat to go soppy on dolphins, it was a bit then if patient you are on your own this time. special to go snorkelling and then with a mass of dolphins. Back to the boat, all nineteen dives diving with them. It even had the old After this experience, the boat was completed and into Marsa Alam for hands saying it might never happen more relaxed with people realising a night stop over in a hotel – Marina again and took some beating!

www.bracknellscuba.org.uk 13 skills development and presentations in the last six months

Sports Mixed Gas course

dive briefing

Buoyancy drills

Oxygen Administration at NDAC refresher course

Presentation Bendy with new dive kit for Wreck Appreciation course

Chartwork & Navigation course Classroom exercises Automated(AED) External training Defibrillator

More practicals at NDAC

Advanced Decompression Procedures practical at NDAC

Sketching the wreck – Wreck Appreciation course

14 wreck appreciation continued from front cover

Sports Mixed Gas course

dive briefing

Modern side scan Model: ‘not actual size!’

another day, another wreck Sunday started grey but brightened up and even the brief spell of rain could not dampen the camaraderie and banter on the boat. The working pairs were assigned and each pair would also have an observer. Dive three was the ‘Alex van Opstal’ and I was to dive with Frances Jewson. We had already learned and were heeding Jane’s warnings that time passed three times quicker when completing these tasks. Better not embarrass myself in front of the Dive Officer...I put forward a conservative plan! I laid a line down the deck centre, regularly tying off as taught back Bendy with new dive kit for in our workshop session back in Bracknell. Something grabbed my leg Wreck Appreciation course and no prizes for guessing who!

mapping the dredger Dive four and we were instructed to map the rail on the ‘Sand Dredger’ and recover the main line after the other teams had finished their tasks. Finally, we were all to practice a tethered SMB release before ascending and surfacing. By now I had re-learnt the benefits of the barrel roll so this time the offender was rumbled. While coming in for the strike, he did the underwater equivalent of a cartoon character striding off, hands Taking the wheel – clasped behind back whilst whistling innocently – which is a very hard Chartwork & Navigation practical skill to perfect, especially when you look like ‘Darth Vader’ with a big yellow rucksack!

So if, like me, you have the three year itch and are wondering what more you can do with UK diving, you too could consider taking this course and start to recognise wrecks as more than big metal larders where the food lives! Thanks as always to Nick, Jeff and Jane for instructing this course Plans for the and to our Projects Officer, Dave Hughes, for organising. remainder of 2010 Below: Alex van Opstal

More practicals at NDAC n Sports mixed gas n Buoyancy workshops n administration n MCS marine ID course n Free diving course (no tanks) n Presentation on drysuit technology n Presentation on wrecks n Presentation from a police diver

[email protected] 15

The white hand strikes at Weymouth

Relaxing before the big match

Mike, Yasmin and Tim inside NEMO’s ice grotto bowled over Ian Young

We arrived at the Atrium for an It went slightly better after the lights diary evening at the Bowlplex and a had been dimmed, though it was meal at Bella Italia. Which one of hard enough with the lights on! I tried us was going to be a ‘bowling changing to a heavier ball but it didn’t dates frame demon’ and who was going to get a lot better. But others seemed be a ‘lane dunce’? to have got into the groove and put down some really good scores. I think JULY/AUGUST After changing out of our own shoes maybe I should have put in some Saturday 31 July – Friday 6 August for something a clown would have practice beforehand. Pembroke family camp felt proud to have on his feet, we After two games we gave our clown Activities include weekend diving, advanced to our allotted lanes. shoes back and descended on Bella midweek shore dives, kayaking, There was a brief fight with the score Italia for a well earned meal. The meal snorkelling, RIB rides, Jetski keyboard – some of the keys were not was delicious – I can recommend experience and BBQs on the beach. responding so some of the names on the ‘Penne Marco Polo’ (duck with Contact Gill Vine for more details. the scoreboard were a trifle strange. pasta) followed by ‘The Godfather’ [email protected] It soon became apparent that I was (a cornucopia of ice cream) washed the ‘lane dunce’ as I managed not to down by a glass of Pinot Grigio or OCTOBER hit a single pin with any of my first six a Peroni beer. When in an Italian Friday 8 October balls. Perhaps I should have put up the restaurant, drink the local fare! Beer and skittles side fences that the kids use? I must congratulate some of the Jack O’ Newbury, Binfield ‘lane demons’ their prowess, as presentations were made to Frazer, NOVEMBER Steve and Siobhan for their scores. Saturday 6 November A good night was had by all and our Halloween & Fancy Dress party thanks to our Social Secretary, Sue Bracknell, TBC Payne, for kindly organising the event.

JANUARY MANY THANKS to everyone who Saturday 29 January has contributed to this edition of mouthpiece. New content is always Ice Diver’s Ball appreciated – please send to: Coppid Beech Hotel, Bracknell [email protected]

Karen Hughes taking aim

16 GCT01014/FP/0710