News
Sangat Island - Philippines - November 2011
Sangat Island is alongside the North boundary of Coron Bay and is one of 90 islands that make up the Calamian Islands in the Calawan Province, between the Sulu and South China Sea.
6 club members made up our party, Malcolm, Carol, Graham, Sue, Keith and Tony. Tony Backhurst from Scuba Travel accompanied us on the trip.
Following a long journey via Doha, Manila, Coron, Wednesday 23rd saw us boarding the boat for the final stage to Sangat.
The island is best described as paradise, 10 cottages nestled in palm trees and edged by a white sand beachfront and coral reef.
|
|
|
Boat diving was from The Trident, a 10M modern GRP version of the traditional craft used in the Islands, no ladders to struggle up but a staircase straight into the sea!.
Our dive guide for the 8 days was Maloy, an experienced diver who knew all these wrecks inside out.
Our diving was centered around the Japanese WW2 wrecks, sunk at anchor on 24th September 1944 after an airborne attack from the carrier USS Lexington |
|
|
Sangat Island - Dive Sites
|
Lusong and Sangat Gun Boats
Both 19M dives up against the reef, plenty of marine life
|
Olympia Maru
160M cargo ship, good deep (29M) penetration dive
|
|
Morazan
140M cargo ship, laying on its side, good deep swim
through the prop tunnel
|
Irako
200M refrigeration ship, deep penetration dive (38M)
into the engine room
|
|
Kugko Maru
180M cargo ship, 30M dive, bulldozer in hold
|
Akitsushima
A navy sea plane tender in 32M, gun on stern as well as
crane derricks
|
|
Okikawa Maru
A navy auxiliary vessel with a broken bow,
excellent dive in 26M
|
Nanshin Maru
A 45M civilian tanker laying against the reef, plenty of
marine life on this wreck at Black Island
|
SBSAC Whirlwind - October 2011
The countdown started weeks before, reminded me of the last few weeks before the end of term. Anticipation was at an all time high.
At last the day arrived, plans were laid to meet up at the Airport to observe the rituals, you know, full English (mind you some went a bit poncy, and had smoked salmon and eggs), duty free shopping and testing the aftershave bottles.
As usual someone in Euro land was on strike, this time the Greek Air Traffic Controllers so amidst loud moans we accepted the delay with a shrug.
Prior to boarding we all had a good stretch before we spent the next five and half hours with our knees under our chin; (if you have travelled to Egypt cattle class you will know what I mean).
Bing Bong, our flight was called, and then we saw them, there are at least two on every flight; 25 stone at least; we were all thinking,” no not next to me please,”
Jo was the unlucky one, she had both!
After several bottles of Monarchs finest Red, something was served, not sure what but they called it lunch!
Five and half hours later and with Rigor Mortis setting in we landed to the usual Middle East autocracy we had our passports stamped; then a man checked that the man who stamped them did, then another man checked that the man who checked the passports checked the man who man checked the man who checked, well you get the gist, we were there.
I cannot begin to describe my first sight of the boat, beautiful, felt like Roman Abromovitch going onto his yacht.
Four decks, on suite rooms, bar, Jacuzzi, all inclusive 5 star liveaboard, that’s the way to go diving.
Did not realise that Keith bought his mate Zippy along, (see pictures on the website), a little worried about this as the relationship was a bit strange to say the least, took him everywhere, diving, dinner, and yes to bed as well. Spent most of the dives taking pictures of him in compromising positions.
The Diving was superb, wrecks, wrecks, and more wrecks. Simon our Chairman, had a great idea that the person who made the worst boo boo of the day would wear a hat emblazoned with the word,” Monkey” and carry a stuffed one on the next days dive.
Many tried to hide their indiscretions, but eyes were everywhere, as an example, one member put on the wrong wetsuit, another their boots on the wrong feet, but the best of all was our “ Elfie”. Has anyone I wonder, following a nightdive climbed or attempted to climb the boat ladder upside down and the wrong way round! Looked like Spiderman hanging off a building.
Then disaster, I started a cold, two days off diving, then two days( and the following week) of everyone moaning at me, because they caught it as well.
I cannot finish this account without introducing you to a member of the crew, “Mr Magoob. Think a combination of Robin Williams and Jim Carey and that’s him, Mad as a Hatter but great fun.
If you want a fantastic weeks diving, great boat and fantastic staff and crew, book now, we have, roll on October 2012
|
|
SBSAC Dorset Trip - Friday 19 August - Sunday 21 August 2011
DAY 1
I must say that this trip was organised as only someone with a clipboard could organise. Simon was in his element sorting things out down to the last detail (well done Si).
I turned up at 12.15 on Friday and Simon was already putting the tent up. We finished erecting it and unloaded his car. We then went to Swanage to dive the pier. Although the visibility wasn’t great (Thursdays drainage) the dive was not bad lots to see, crabs, lobsters, shrimp etc.
When we got back Jen and Jo had just finished erecting their tent and were unloading their car (there were moans about how it takes three to put up their tent, yeah right). A little later the others arrived and after sorting out tents and stuff (you should see the tent Richard and Jo shoehorned themselves into, cosy!!) we cracked open the bottles, had tea from the glorified burger van and listened to Malcolm’s tales of past diving trips, assisted by Carol of course, every now and then others were allowed to interject a little anecdote and when we were all laughed out we went to bed.
DAY 2
Woke up in the morning to Si looking a bit worse for wear. Malcolm was already grilling the bacon and there was tea on the go, what more can you ask for. Soon we were on our way to Studland to see the sea horses in all their splendour. We met Neil in the car park only to be told to kit up and walk down hill for about half a mile. There were ten of us on this dive and we were down there for a good 90 minutes. Between us we counted no sea horses! in fact there wasn’t a great deal of anything down there, our thanks to the Seahorse Trust for trying though. After that it was the traipse back up the hill kit and all.
After a well earned rest and some very nice fish and chips in Swanage it was off to the Old Harry Drift dive, this was a 15mtr fast drift over gravel beds looking for plaice, rays, dogfish and smooth hounds. Jen and I saw loads in the first 15 minutes then nothing until the end but for me the speed as we flew across the gravel was great. Malcolm learned that you cannot pick up smooth hounds like you do dogfish, how is the bite mark Malcolm? Then it was back to the campsite (I had to come home that night and back in the morning) apparently it was a quiet night, early to bed and not too much to drink as it was the Aeolian Sky in the morning.
DAY 3
We met up on Swanage pier, got changed and were all on board the boat by 8am. Spike (the boat) was only 8 weeks old and was luuuvley, there was about a dozen divers but loads of room to move about (someone needs to win the lottery and get one of these). On arrival at the Aeolian Sky we were given a briefing including how big the ship was, 16,000 tons sitting in 32 mtrs of water when we went down I couldn’t believe the sheer scale of this ship, it was huge and the visibility was great, a good 10 mtrs. We managed to get around a small section of the accommodation deck and as there were four boats of divers waiting for slack when we came down we were surprised to see only one other buddy pair down there, this is a dive that needs a revisit. All dives cancelled!
Then it was off to the Black Hawk. This is a ship that was blown up to lay cables through the centre and is spread out in all directions sitting in 20 mtrs of water. There was loads of wreckage to see, some chambers, winches, other lumps of steel and a small amount of marine life, another dive to be revisited. Then it was back to the surface by DSMB and long long stop thanks to Simon’s computer!
Whilst we were on the boat, Jo and Jo went for a couple of dives under Swanage Pier and had an encounter with a very friendly tompot.
The packing away of the tents and sorting out of the cars was a bit subdued, my feeling was that the long weekend wasn’t long enough, although everyone looked totally knackered,
I would like to thank everyone for sorting and transporting my gear so that I could take my bike making it easier to get to my brothers 50th birthday party and to Si in particular for sorting and organising it for the rest of us to enjoy.
Report: Keith Burley
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bottom Scrubbing
The 18th and 19th June, 2011, another wet and very windy weekend.
All dives cancelled!
It was decided that it would be an excellent time for some bottom scrubbing.
Early Saturday morning, after a Penny Lane Cafe breakfast, Selsey Diver was taken round to the almost nonexistant ramp at East Beach. She was up and out in the blink of an eye as it was all hands on deck.
|
|
|
|
Dive Leader Training
A number of us are undergoing Dive Leader training. This has generally involved eating, oh and some lectures. Tony has been extremely helpful giving up his time to progress our learning.
Willy has been teaching us about charts and tides. Not many people could get Richard to pretend to be a tree (see right). Richard, however, is insistent that he was a transit mark and not just a tree.
At this point we would also like to thank Brad for his efforts. Some of us believe he was just keen to get out of Tony's cupboard!
|
|
RNLI Sponsored Walk April 2011
On 1st May 2011, Selsey Bill Sub Aqua Club took part in the Selsey RNLI lifeboat Walk. Yet another blowy day.
We started out early, about 8 o'clock. The walk was about 10miles and took us along the coast and around some of the beautiful countryside that surounds Selsey, including the Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve.
There was pleanty of joviality particularly following the demostration, by our Chairman and Diving Office, of how to best limber up.
Following the walk, medication was provided at the Lifeboat Inn.
Selsey Bill Sub Aqua Club raised £255 for the Selsey Lifeboat.
|
|
|
|
Selsey Lifeboat Station - 08 April 2011
|
Five of us dived on the 6pm slack.
The viz was 3-5 metres and the water was a not too bad 11 degrees.
Frisky nudibranchs were in abundance, eggs everywhere. Plenty of scorpionfish, pipefish and wrasse. The dahlia anemones appeared huge.
Carol was modelling her new drysuit - a lovely shade of amethyst.
|
|
|
Far Mulberry
Boat Handling Course
Mixon 4th May 2009
Teapot 2nd May 2009
Cornwall Holiday Easter 2009
Teapot 4th April 2009
Stoney Cove 20th March 2009
Stoney Cove 20th February 2009
|
Up to Stoney Cove Today.
5 divers dived at Vobster, with a water temperature of only 5°C.
Wreck penetration training ready for the diving season (The Stanegarth).
We just love it!
Here we go!
|
Vobster 31st January 2009
|
2009 is here and it's time to get wet again!
With the poor weather conditions, diving off our coastline is out, so it's an inland site - Vobster Quay.
Four divers and a hardy shore marshall braved the elements and dived at Vobster, with a water temperature of just 6° C, our star of the day must be Jen, who dived in a wet suit!
Yes it was cold but well worth the trip!
|
|
