Last weekend we ventured out on the first club trip of the year…not quite brave enough for the UK waters yet we hopped on the Eurostar to Brussels to visit NEMO, the amazing 33C indoor diving pool! Some of our group of 10 had been on last year’s winter trip, but for those of us who were new to the NEMO experience it was a real novelty being able to dive to 35m so far from any lakes or coastline.
We did two pool dives, one in the morning and one after lunch (which was quite a spectacle itself – hats off to the fantastic Thai chef!).
The NEMO veterans were pleased to find some new toys to play with – particularly popular was the smart car which had been sunk to about 10 metres….until we all realised it was on camera with a screen projecting our fun and games onto the wall outside….
We were sad to leave NEMO, but soon cheered ourselves up with some tasty Belgian cuisine (and good sampling of the local Kwak beer, of course!)
The next day some of us (not naming any names) carried on with the beer sampling theme, while the rest took in some of the city’s sights and wandered around museums before heading home.
A good time was had by all – here’s to another NEMO trip some time next winter!!
One of the 30 winners will be further selected to win the Jonathan Crusher award, and this will be announced at the London International Dive Show on 31st March – we all think Cédric would be a very deserving winner, especially those of us that knew Jonathan. Fingers crossed…
Tuesday 17th January marked our first try dive night of the year at London No.1! Six try-divers turned up at Seymour at 7.30pm ready and raring to go.
No less enthusiastic were our existing members, with plenty of helping hands on site to prepare kit and assist the instructors. Everyone was briefed and busy having fun in the pool by 8.30pm!
For most of our try-divers it was their first experience under water and the feedback was really positive, with a real buzz in the air when we all convened for drinks afterwards in our local pub, the Harcourt Arms!
“This was the first time I’d been in a swimming pool since I was a kid, it was great!” commented one of the participants.
Another was already a strong advocate of the club “I’m going to bring my boyfriend and my sister’s husband along to the next event!”
The momentum from Tuesday night has already got the members thinking about the next try-dive night, so if you are reading this and are interested in experiencing what it’s like to scuba dive then please do get in touch through the form on the website!
I was really looking forward to my first experience of Scuba diving in the sea and my trip to Portland did not let me down. Arriving at the bed and breakfast late Friday night there was just enough time for a nightcap and to meet some of the others in the group.
After an early breakfast we all assembled at the spanking new Portland Marina where the Olympics 2012 sailing events are being hosted. There were nine of us on the trip, 3 girls and six blokes and the diving experience ranged from divers with hundreds of dives in their log to two Sports Diver trainees and finally me, a trainee Ocean Diver.
I was amazed at the massive size of the Club’s RIB and the way there was plenty of room for all our kit and our goody bags. The power of the two out board engines meant we were soon out of Portland Harbour and round to our first dive site. Cedric, our dive manager for the trip had chosen a wreck called “The Dredger as our first dive”.
Once I had taken on enough weight and got under water I managed to follow my instructor on my first offshore dive. Though not yet familiar with marine life, I did see a group of pollock, a spotted wrasse and plenty of fan worms and something I was informed afterwards was a nudibranch.
After stopping for an air fill and then lunch at the Aqua Hotel Café we set off at break neck speed for the Lullworth Banks, about a mile out from the coast. I was very impressed with the scallops and meaty crabs that our experienced divers brought up from the seabed and would clearly provide a delicious meal later on. I did my second training dive in the late afternoon sunshine before we set off back home for a welcome shower.
“The Boat That Rocks” is the new place in town as far as Portland is concerned and I can imagine that during Olympic sailing week the restaurant will be packed out. All nine of us sat down to a well-deserved evening meal with excellent food and service.
Sunday’s weather was rougher, but that did not stop me from successfully completing my last dive of my Ocean Diver Course… I have done it! My weekend in Portland was unforgettable.
A good proportion of our branch enjoyed a fantastic week’s diving last month up in the Highlands of Scotland; we hired the services of Creag Ard Charters out of Camusnagaul (near Dundonnell) on Little Loch Broom. Here are some personal recollections from a couple of our less experienced members:
The Summer Isles were a really great introduction to the joys of UK diving, dispelling all the stereotypes of poor visibility and endless kelp! Beautiful, clear (if not slightly chilly) waters with so much to see.
I was particularly impressed with my first ever wreck dive “The Fairweather” which was covered with beautiful anenomes and teeming with fish life. The inside of the wreck was pretty well intact which made it really interesting to explore.
Life on the surface was also good fun thanks to Richard, our skipper – spotting paupoises, whales and seals along our way and stopping to fish for mackerel, cooked and enjoyed fresh on the boat for lunch!
I joined the club’s Scottish trip in August 2011 at the very last minute. After a day of travelling we arrived at Dundonnell and a week of dives started the next day.
The scenery was amazing as you might expect from the Highlands. For the most part, the weather was typically Scottish too, but we had a few sunnier days with calm water. The dives were very good; the most special for me were the Fairweather V and a hunt for langoustines.
The trip was particularly remarkable for me as I finished my Sports Diver training there, but what made it really special were the people, especially my dive buddies. As I only joined the trip a few days before departure, sorting out logistics was not easy but everyone wanted to help, and both me and my equipment made it safely.
It was also a rewarding experience to dive with various members of the club who were all aware of my limited experience and were really supportive. Finally I must mention fishing between dives (great fun!), the delicious dinners and the laughs we shared! Overall it was a fantastic week!
BBC2’s Britain’s Secret Seas is a stunning new series (due to be broadcast from 8th May at 8pm*) that uncovers the dramatic, inspiring and at times surprising marine environment that surrounds the British Isles.
Over four weeks presenter and BSAC scuba diver Paul Rose, marine biologist Tooni Mahto and archaeologist Frank Pope reveal that the seas around Britain are as every bit as colourful and extraordinary as the oceans around the world.
From seals, dolphins and basking sharks to reefs, wrecks, fascinating history and curious night-time predators – our small island is home to a vast array of underwater treasures just waiting to be discovered.
Britain’s Secret Seas will broadcast on BBC2 at 8pm from Sunday, 8th May*
The following review was written by one of our branch members:
I went scuba diving in mid November to Gran Canaria. The weather was cooling down but that meant 26 degrees when the sun was out (which was most of the 3 days I spent there), and the water temperature was 21 degrees. The Canary Islands have good weather all year round and there are many dive sites to choose from.
I used BSAC’s website to gain information on dive centres and then compared them. They all charge around 30 euros per dive (that includes cylinder and weight belt) and 10 euros for full equipment hire. I picked the one that was closest to my accommodation – Davy Jones Diving. They were really good at quickly replying to my emails with lots of details, and they were really nice people as well so I can wholeheartedly recommend them.
I did 4 dives over a weekend during which I saw an angel shark, stingrays, octopuses, morays, lots of trumpet fish, barracudas, damselfish, tuna, arrow crab, bream and many others whose name I don’t know! The underwater landscape was varied and interesting too.
I must say that entering and exiting the water was a bit tricky (sharp rocks and waves) but nothing unmanageable. Going to the Canary Islands after season has the advantage that tickets are cheap. I paid £65 for Ryanair return tickets; accommodation is cheaper too than in mid season and it’s a good escape from the dark and cold!
Welcome to the new website of the first and founding branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club in the heart of the capital, aptly named “London No. 1″. Please feel free to explore the site for information about our club, what we get up to, when and where we meet and go diving, and if you’re new to diving, how to take your first steps into the underwater world!
quite brave enough for the UK waters yet we hopped on the Eurostar to Brussels to visit NEMO, the amazing 33C indoor diving pool! Some of our group of 10 had been on last year’s winter trip, but for those of us who were new to the NEMO experience it was a real novelty being able to dive to 35m so far from any lakes or coastline.
with – particularly popular was the smart car which had been sunk to about 10 metres….until we all realised it was on camera with a screen projecting our fun and games onto the wall outside….
sights and wandered around museums before heading home.
I was amazed at the massive size of the Club’s RIB and the way there was plenty of room for all our kit and our goody bags. The power of the two out board engines meant we were soon out of Portland Harbour and round to our first dive site. Cedric, our dive manager for the trip had chosen a wreck called “The Dredger as our first dive”.
“The Boat That Rocks” is the new place in town as far as Portland is concerned and I can imagine that during Olympic sailing week the restaurant will be packed out. All nine of us sat down to a well-deserved evening meal with excellent food and service.
The Summer Isles were a really great introduction to the joys of UK diving, dispelling all the stereotypes of poor visibility and endless kelp! Beautiful, clear (if not slightly chilly) waters with so much to see.