Dive Leader training, Stoney Cove - 19th May 2014

Another early start, with 6 of us taking a day off work to get to Stoney Cove for its 8.30am opening. The club hadn’t been to this dive site for a while, largely due to nearer lakes (Holborough, Buckland and Divers Cove) offering adequate conditions for Ocean Diver and Sports Diver training. For Dive Leader lessons DO1, DO2, DO3, DO4, DO6 and DO7, however, we needed depth, hence the trip up to Leicestershire. Instructors were Brett, Kim and Steve, students were Grant, Victor and Chris. Entry to Stoney Cove now costs £18 per non-member diver for the day. The place was thankfully fairly quiet, it being a Monday morning.

The sun beat down on us as we kitted up in the car park, so it was a relief to get in the water (8 to 12 degrees C) at 9.41am. Controlled buoyant lifts, mask clearance, DV retrieval etc were completed before divers went into buddy pairs for a bimble, visiting the Stanegarth, the Nautilus and the pumphouse. The first dive lasted 45 minutes, and reached depths of over 20 metres. The second, 59 minute dive at 12.41pm reached similar depths, covered dive leading, CBL (again), air share ascents, mid-water DSMB deployment, and a shot lift. Much hilarity ensued as students later attempted solo lifts of casualties out of the water, up the concrete ramp. Brett assured us that this exercise was indeed part of the Dive Leader syllabus, and had not been added in for his own amusement.

 

Exercises done, bimbling around Stoney Cove was quite enjoyable. Brett got some good pictures of the resident pike and perch, helped by the good visibility and direct sunlight pouring into the water. We left the site at around 3.30pm after lunch and signing of qualification records in Nemos.

Swanage - 18th May 2014

An early start for 2 of us, and despite arriving at 7.20am (20 mins after the gates opened), Frank and Victor were able to secure a good space on Swanage pier, which cost us £13.50 (1 vehicle plus 2 divers). Sally and Clive had come down to Swanage the night before. After a second breakfast, 3 of us boarded Spike, along with a solo diver and Clive who wasn’t diving and who helped out and completed log sheets. Other divers booked onto that boat didn’t show, so we had plenty of space.

First dive of the day was the wreck of the Fleur de Lys, not far out of Swanage. Victor deployed his DSMB, which turned out to be not properly secured to his reel. Oops. Luckily the skipper retrieved the runaway sausage on the surface. Frank then deployed successfully, and we continued with a short drift dive, seeing a thornback ray and clocking up 44 minutes underwater. Visibility wasn’t great, but it was an easy dive at a maximum depth of 13 metres. Water temperature was 13 degrees C.

After fish and chips (or – for one of us – moulded-mushy-peas-deep-fried-on-a-stick and chips), and double checking to see if Kaffee und Kuchen was open (it wasn’t, dammit), Frank and Victor did a quick 21 minute dive under the pier. This was the most interesting dive of the day in terms of actually seeing stuff – we came across a pipefish, a cuckoo wrasse and other fish, and the sun illuminated the shallow waters (we reached heady depths of 3.4 metres).

For the Old Harry drift dive in the afternoon we had the boat (Spike, again) to ourselves. Not much to see on this dive – Victor saw 1 fish, nothing else. 35 minute dive, 13.8 metres depth.

Despite the poor visibility, this was a good day trip with fine weather (sunny and warm, with relatively flat seas). Swanage offers easy diving and a minimum-hassle means of getting some early-season sea dives done.

Bermondsey BSAC committee meeting - 13th May 2014

In attendance: Pat, Brett, Ken, Teresa, Ross, Victor

2014 and 2015 dive list

• Falmouth trip over recent Easter bank holiday was a success and the club didn’t have to cover the 2 unfilled spaces.
• Noted that 2 early trips this year (Brighton and Shoreham) proved difficult to fill, but in the end did not go ahead due to the weather.
• Agreed to book fewer day dives in early (pre-Easter) 2015. Club (or its members) can nominate weekends for trips to a specified location, but not make a club booking – instead, individuals would make their own bookings for that trip near to the trip date.
• This process needn’t have too much structure – it would begin with an individual suggesting a date, checking if a boat is taking individual/buddy pair bookings, and then proposing the day dive to the rest of the club.
• Club can facilitate this process by updating the dive list more quickly and circulating it more often. Club website can be updated with links and contact details for the dive boats we often use. Emails from members wishing to propose a day dive can be circulated by the Secretary.
• Club trips will be booked in the Easter to September period.
• The next few club dives in 2014 are well subscribed, but dives later in summer are not yet. Agreed to tout these to the club, with a reminder that unfilled spaces cost the club money.
• 2 trips (Eastbourne and Weymouth) clash with the Mexico trip. There may be people who intend to join these 2 trips but haven’t got round to putting their names down yet, so both trips will be touted again.
• The Brighton trip in August will be touted until the end of June.
• Noted that minimum diver qualifications and depth limits will prevent some members from signing up, while deeper dives may be attractive to others. Other clubs (e.g., Hellfins) have many Ocean Divers wanting to dive, and our trips for more experienced divers could be filled by divers from other clubs. Brett will speak with contacts in other clubs, but won’t tout dives until our own members have been given more opportunity to sign up.
• Wittering, Selsey, Portsmouth and Dover were suggested as day dives next year. Dive Leader trainees could organise trips to these destinations.
• Brighton, Shoreham and Eastbourne boats will be used again in 2015.
• Scubafest was not so good this year, but might be better next year should BSAC have more control. Agreed to reserve May 2^nd-4^th for a potential Scubafest trip in 2015.
• Agreed to organise club trips for Easter and late spring bank holiday weekend.
• A trip abroad was suggested for Easter – possibly the Red Sea or Gozo. Agreed to establish numbers by August, obtain quotes from Blue O2 etc, then tout to the club.
• Other ideas discussed: Pembrokeshire, week-long liveaboard to Dieppe, Scilly Isles, Weymouth, Falmouth, Ireland, Truk, Coron, Sardinia, Poole, Swanage (unrestricted numbers, so suitable for August when many may be away), Lewis, Oban and Mull. Ken to look into possibility of borrowing another club’s RIB for a Lewis trip.
• Previously-suggested trips to Shetland Isles, Crimea and Mozambique will not be happening in 2015.
• Falmouth already booked for 2015 August bank holiday weekend.
• Various provisional dates were added to the 2015 calendar. Victor and others to start making enquiries and bookings.

Club fees

• The club’s abated rate (£25 for 2 people at the same address) was discussed. BSAC offer a similar abated rate, as only 1 magazine needs to be sent to that address, however the club has no such reason for providing a discounted membership. To be discussed at the AGM, possibly with a motion to scrap or reduce the discount.

Dive costs

• Cost per day per diver to remain at £45 this year (even if cost is slightly less or more). To be reviewed at AGM.

Next year’s committee

• Club members who are interested in being on committee next year could be invited to shadow current committee members. A new publicity officer might be recruited this way.

Child and vulnerable adult protection

• BSAC’s new policy hasn’t been published yet.
• All instructors will need Disclosure and Barring Service checks once the new policy comes into force.
• Club already has instructors with DBS clearances, 2 more are in process.

Recruitment of new members

• Pat – in Chair’s bulletin – to encourage members to bring family and friends to the club.
• Tall Ships Regatta – Pat to look into possibility of having a stall. NB – clashes with Mexico trip.
• Dive list could be moved to a more prominent part of the club’s website.
• Google searches for “diving Surrey Quays” don’t bring the club up at the top of the list, however it was noted that companies pay search engines for higher billing.
• Recruitment sub-committee suggested, possibly to meet at 8pm one Wednesday. Pat to mention in Chair’s bulletin.
• Seven Islands still have the club’s noticeboard. Manager is still trying to find out what happened to it.
• Another call-out to be made for website content.

Risk assessment

• Seven Islands have asked for a risk assessment. Brett has prepared one for the New Cross branch, and will do another for us.

Club summer social

• Call-out to be included in Chair’s bulletin.

Pool use

• Chair’s bulletin to encourage use for swimming, practice, testing kit etc.
• Lifesaving course later on this year will involve pool use over several weeks.
• Brett to look into another pool Olympics.

Student project

• Students never got back to Ken. Assume this is not happening.

Club kit

• Club cylinders are in test. Kit doesn’t need servicing this season.
• Kevin has donated an aluminium cylinder to the club.
• 2 sets of regs have been missing since Christmas.

Club’s 60^th birthday

• Suggested we start thinking of ideas.
• Past members should be involved and invited. Dave remains in contact with some.

Falmouth - 18th-21st April 2014

by Colin

Daniel and I set off on what was a lovely sunny Thursday lunch time. Hopes were high! Setting off at this time made the chore of getting out of London a bit more bearable, still, we didn't arrive at our hotel until gone 9:30pm.

After two seasons in a semi-dry I'd decided it was time to make the jump to the mythical world of drysuits; or not so dry sometimes it seemed from seeing some others suffer leaky seals! It transpired both Daniel and I were using our newly acquired drysuits, in the open sea for the first time. For me this was a combination of both trepidation and excitement...

It was a great boat - with a lift  - and the skipper was very friendly and relaxed, but attentive enough to make sure everything happened as it should. If that wasn't enough, between dives we had a HOT food! This included curry and nan, bolognese, pasties and even a brunch over the four days. Also, as you'd expect he had good knowledge of the local dive sites. I'd definitely dive off this boat again.

Some of the more adventurous of us - down to Mary-Anne's gentle persuasion - even undertook a spot of dingy sailing after the second day's diving. Though I must confess to being more than a little disheartened with the prospect of adorning a wet suit and getting wet - especially after the joys of drysuit diving - however I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it appears the others did.

That very same evening, at the hotel where Brett and others were staying, we had a BBQ with the previous two day's caught scallops, crab and lobsters. Now that's what you call fresh BBQ sea food! The hoard which was significant, had resulted in an hour or so scalloping by Brett and his new apprentice Daniel. Thanks guys!

As for the drysuit, it was all that I expected and hoped for and made in-between dives a much more pleasant experience, especially as you're not banished to deck and are actually allowed in the cabin. A word of warning though to those wanting to move to one: make sure you're already comfortable diving, as it adds to the long list of things to remember and will require changing your weighting and possibly configuration as well as your whole buoyancy control, all of which could take while to get right.

It was a thoroughly pleasant way to spend the Easter weekend and I look forward to the next Falmouth trip for both the great food and diving.

Dave's Honorary Life Membership - 9th April 2014

After an admirable 41 years (to the month) with Bermondsey BSAC 42, and following his recent retirement from diving, the club awarded Dave Rankin honorary life membership at a special Wednesday night gathering at the Yellow House, Surrey Quays. Dave, the club's longest-serving member, was presented with the scroll by our Chair, Pat.

In those 41 years Dave has done a huge amount for the club, occupying almost every committee position (not all at the same time!), beginning with Equipment Officer in 1973, including Diving Officer in 1980-85, and most recently Chair until 2013. Always willing to give good advice to newer divers, Dave's been a regular, a real help, and a stalwart.

The award of honorary life membership warrants a little reminiscing over Dave's dive career. When Dave joined in the early 1970s, the club met regularly at Grange Road baths (where he did the A-test in December 1972) and members would go for pints afterwards at the Dockhead Stores pub on Tanner Street. Not counting a sneaky, unlogged dive at Chesil Beach a few weeks earlier, Dave's first loggable dive with the club was from the club inflatable, off Chesil Beach onto the wreck of the SS Gertrude and another wreck, in a home-made wetsuit on 25th May 1973. Dave's favourite dives are still "any I come back from", but over the years he's enjoyed diving HMS Hood, the SS James Eagan Layne, the SS Maine, Eddystone Lighthouse, Hands Deep, Hilsea Point and various wrecks out of Weymouth. His last major dive trip overseas was to Chuuk/Truk in the central Pacific. Although he stopped logging some years ago, Dave's done around 2,000 dives in those 4 decades, equivalent to several weeks underwater.

Congratulations, Dave, and thanks for everything you've done for the club.

Community and shakedown - Holborough Lakes, 22nd March 2014

Steve V, Nikolas, Brett, Chris, Victor, Jane and Joe gathered at Holborough Lakes on Saturday 22nd March for shakedown and Ocean Diver training dives. Kim was also present with 2 Sports Diver students from Brunel University. Ken and son also popped by to say hello. Joe impressed all with his Celia Johnson impersonation.

This trip highlighted the importance of shakedown dives and kit testing. Many minor kit issues were successfully resolved that day, and - before anyone even got in the water - we discovered a burst zip lube bottle, realised a set of regs had been left at home, and experienced drysuit zip failure. All these were much easier to deal with (and were much less disappointing) in the car park of Holborough Lakes than they would have been on the Brighton boat the following day, had that trip gone ahead.

Kim's busted zip meant he couldn't dive that day, leaving his students without an instructor. So stepped forward Chris, gallantly helping out in the hour of need. Such is the BSAC way, it seems - clubs co-operate, instructors assist as and when they are needed and can do so, and there's an understanding that getting more and more divers through their training is beneficial to all of us. Pats on the back to Chris for helping out.

Holborough Lakes training dive - 22nd March 2014

by Steve V

If I had to sum up the lake dive in one word, that word would be "insane". Reaching the lake early in the morning I was optimistic as the weather wasn't so bad, the water looked pretty calm and I had a bowl of oats for breakfast. What could possibly go wrong? Fast forward a few hours, I'm geared up and about to enter the water. I looked like a giant condom inside a wetsuit with much added weight to help me sink. This meant my maneuverability was reduced to that of a pregnant woman making me feel like a penguin. 

All penguin'd up I enter the water. Slipping on my fins, not so bad. So far so good. I'm then told to do a backwards roll entry. I plunge into the freezing water, I clench my teeth and suck it up. The only word running through my head was "Shit" and "Cold". Ten minutes in, I warm up very little, the wetsuit wan't very snug but I complete the exercises. Leaving the lake was a relief, I warm up as quickly as possible with a not so shabby cup of tea. I turn to the lake, people in Speedos are about to jump. People are crazy.

Overall, 10/10. Would dive again. I may be crazy.