Lough Derg Sub Aqua Club

Summer is here and what better way to begin the summers diving activities than to attend the annual South West Regional Weekend. A large crowd of divers from all over the South West congregated in Cahersiveen over the weekend for a feast of diving and fun. All the familiar faces were there and a few new ones. 

Boats from Cork, Aughinish, University of Limerick, Inbhear Sceine Kerry, and our own from Lough Derg all moored in the Cahersiveen Marina. According to the registration team fifty five divers presented logbooks and paid their dues.

I didn’t make it till late enough on Saturday night arriving in time to fill a bottle and have dinner in QCs. There was a choice of compressors available thanks to the Killarney Water Rescue, Aughinish and Inbhear Scceine Kerry. It seems the conditions were excellent and fantastic visibility was reported by all who dived on Saturday. The forecast for Sunday was for the wind to blow up, the weather forecasters were correct and sure enough we the sea surface was littered with white horses. All the boats headed for the north on Valentia – Basalt Cliffs. My buddy, Declan O’Grady and I managed a nice 32 meters in excellent underwater conditions and good ground. I took my camera and was rewarded with a couple of nice shots of a Cuckoo Wrasse in full colour.

The idea of the weekend is to meet new people we had Stewart Andrews, left (on the right about to finish the sausage rolls, (I suspect not)  and ‘buddy’ Yvonne aboard FloJo. An interesting character, Stewart is an active instructor within Dalkey Scubadivers and CFT. He is well known for his deep diving activities having completed dives on wrecks such as  

- RMS Amazon (-117m) 

- HMHS Britannic (-116m)

- TSS Translyvania (-131m)

- HMS Curacoa (-125m)

-HMS Carinthia (-115m)

-SS Flavia (-105m)

-HMS Audacious (-64m).

 Stewart is known for his, focus and meticulous attention to planning and preparation for these dives which may have run times of up to 6 hours and which can occur 40+ miles offshore in the unpredictable waters of the north Atlantic. 

Over the years doing these demanding dives he has come to observe a set of principles when applied result in optimal and efficient decompression with risk of DCI minimised and offering the best opportunities for a diver remaining healthy.
Even better this advice can be applied to ANY dive including those that stay within so-called No Decompression Limits.
Thanks must go to all the lads in Inbhear Sceine Kerry for all the organisation of this event.

Thanks most also go to Denis O’Loughlin and Mary for towing our boat from Kilkee and back again – fair play.

Seasearch Ireland in conjunction with the Galway Atlantaquaria the National Aquarium of Ireland, Galway Dive Club and Lough Derg SAC are holding a Seasearch Observer course in Galway , the course tutor will be Charmaine Beer from Seasearch NI. The course will be run over 2 days with the first day, Sunday (22nd July) consisting of lectures in the Atlantaquarium Salthill followed by 2 Seasearch dives on Monday (23rd July), this will allow participants an opportunity to practice newly leasrned id skills. If people cannot attend the Monday dives alternative arrangements can be made to get their two dives signed off. To get signed off as a Seasearch Observer you must have 4 Seasearch dives, 2 of which must be signed off by Seasearch Tutor.

Tony O'Callaghan in Galway Dive Club is my contact and is organising the course with Charmine Beer.

Places are limited and are filling at present, you must be Club Diver grade and dived up to take part in the coarse. Cost of the coarse is not finalised yet, but will be in the region of €30 to €40. You can book your place on this coarse by contacting me and paying a €20 non refundable deposit.

More info on Seasearch can be found on www.seasearch.co.uk.

Regards

Tom Shaw