Details

Category: Trip Reports

WHAT YOU MISSED!!

 

 

1Big Blue                                                                      2 Roots Reef site

This was my second exploration into the Red Sea via Roots Red Sea (Pharoah Diving), arranged via our Diving Officer, Martin Davies and Ali Mayor and it sure did not disappoint! A fabulous combination of ‘Live a board’ on Big Blue (BB) and Shore Diving on the House Reef at Roots.

There were ten of us from SSAC on the Dive Safari on BB with 8 of us shore diving at Roots for a day before and then three days after prior to our 24hours break before flying.

The Dive Safari started and ended in Hurghada and we travelled North and included the Straits of Tiran, Ras Muhammad (see below for further detail).

Hans and Nico from the Netherlands were the only other divers on BB, and so the boat was exceptionally roomy. Most had their own cabin and the dive deck was spacious. Nico was there to make a promotional video and so SSAC became bit players in the film! Everyone onboard jelled well even down to the staff, who once they had got to know us, became mischievous and we found ourselves extremely relaxed and pleasant week onboard.

So, if you are thinking about it, but not sure what it all entails, then below will hopefully give you a feel of what a safari is about – we were extremely lucky and had an exception to the rule of four consecutive days with four dives each day (3 dives during the day with a night dive at 2000), most unusual, most enjoyable but very tiring too!

Whilst onboard your life is run ‘by the bell’ – literally! Up around 0600 to complete final dive kit checks (nitrox etc.), then up to the outside lounge area for tea/coffee and a few biscuits/bread sticks and greet your fellow divers if you are so inclined or need to wake up a bit more. First Bell sounds 0630, that’s your call to conduct your gas check (if not already done) and then to make your way into the briefing room for the Dive Brief by Mustafa the Dive Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

3 Dive deck on BB

Once briefed, get ready and kit up and either step off the back of BB or board one of their two RHIB’s by 0700 and ably assisted by the staff, even down to getting you into your suit. Dive complete then either back to BB or one of the RHIB’s, quick rinse via the aft diving deck showers, de-kit again with assistance from the staff and get your cylinder ready for a refill, then it’s a race to get to the wet room for a much needed wee! Suits and cozy’s hung up to dry and then back in to dry clothes and complete the relevant dive logs (BB and SSAC), Second Bell sounds and in for breakfast. After breakfast, Mustafa notifies us when the next brief is due and then everyone chills, write up dives, sort photo’s, sunbathe or whatever you wish to do.

BB may now move to another dive site, or she stays put. Then Third Bell sounds once the cylinders have been filled and we are near to the time of our next dive brief, then the whole sequence starts again – Bell, Brief, Dive, Bell, Eat, Bell, Brief, Dive, Bell, Eat, Bell, Brief, Dive, Bell, Eat and so on until the day is complete. When night diving a light snack is served i.e., hot pastries, pizza etc., and yes you guessed it, announced by the ‘Bell’ and then on completion of the night dive you eat around 2130ish. Day complete, have a beer or what ever spirits you have brought with you, chill for a spell or head off to bed for the next early start!

Our weather was reasonable, it is the wind really that governs the diving as it effects whether the boats can safely moor up on the reefs etc.

Having completed 20 dives in 6 days (for those that part took in them all, your choice) we returned to Hurghada. Some of group stayed with their original buddies, but as we had a newbie to Egypt and recently qualified Sports Diver, a few of us changed buddies so she could not only gain experience from other divers, but to also progress from 30m deep to 40m deep, which she achieved eagerly and confidently and clocked up many ‘firsts’ in the process. It was a great pleasure for some of us to take her for these firsts.

Much of the diving was led by Mustafa, but on occasion we were left to our own devises, these dives were much more relaxed and enabled us to dawdle and explore this magical world.

Safari completed, we embarked a minibus and headed back down to Roots dropping off one of our group to their hotel enroute. Refreshing cold fruit juice consumed we headed to our rooms.

Next morning, the eight of us staying at Roots wander across to the dive center and check our kit (it is moved via numbered crates from BB to Roots, so you don’t have to keep lugging it around with you) and then due to strong winds the house reef is unsafe to dive so the staff arrange for us to minibus North up the coast for two dives. Next day the wind has abated, and we can wander across to the House Reef and dive when we want and as many times as we feel – so easy and again assisted by the staff but not quite so attentive as those on BB!

The House Reef has three areas to dive, North side, South side with a nice wall and the Sea Grass beds – in all we managed 10 dives in 3.5 days, one of which was a night dive – fantastic!

Overall, a really great 10 days of diving, great company with lots of banter and knowledge and so much life to see, I clocked up 29 dives out of the 30 offered and got a lot more wildlife ticked off in my guidebook. In case your interest is piqued, I have listed each dive below and given an idea of what we experienced on each dive:

 

 

 

 

 

4 Kitted ready to go.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Roots Red Sea compound

DAY 01: Dive 1 SHORE DIVE – GASUS SORAYA (North Reef) Too windy for House Reef

Kitted up on beach after 40min bus ride – check dive.

Disappointing dive due to a lot of plastic in the water, highlights - plenty of Moray,

Turtle, Spotted Ray and Starfish.

Dive 2 (South Reef)

Surface swam for 30m to avoid the murk, highlights – Dory Snapper, Yellowfin Goatfish,

Scorpion, Wrasse, Goby and Dascylius.

 

 

 

 

 

6 Kitting up on beach for first check dive.

 

 

 

 

 

PM Moved onboard BB at Hurghada

 

 

 

DAY 02: Dive 1 SHAABRUHR UMM GAMAR

Check dive and DSMB proved by each diver.

Reef dive inc. small wreck and cave at 6m entered off BB. Lots of life and mating going

on, Damsels cleaning nest areas, - highlights - Moray, Blue Angel Fish.

 

 

 

 

 

7 Arabian or Blue Angelfish - Ed Rollins

Dive 2 ISOLA DI SHAOWAN-ABU NUHAS REEF

Wreck of GIANNIS D a cargo carrier 100m long, stern 27m and bow 22m and in 2 pieces.

Entered from RHIB’s with negative buoyancy explored stern the bow. Highlights –

Scorpion Fish, Various Wrasse, Orangespine Unicorn Fish.

 

 

 

8 Giannis D wreck

 

 

 

 

9 Shortnose Unicornfish - Ed Rollins

 

OVERNIGHT Sailed to the STRAIGHTS OF TIRAN.

 

DAY 03: Dive 1 JACKSON REEF

Entered off BB – highlights – Glass Fish, Red Sea Fusiliers, Scalefin Anthias, Lion

fish.

Dive 2 WOODHOUSE REEF

Entered off RHIB and drifted North - highlights – Turtle, Anemone, Trigger fish.

Dive 3 GORDON REEF

Entered off BB picked up via RHIB – Unknown Wreck (Thor Guardian?) 31m Stern up on

reef. Highlights –Long nosed Hawkfish, Clams, Wrasse, Squirrel, Arabian Surgeon fish.

 

 

 

 

10 Arabian Surgeonfish - Ed Rollins

 

Dive 4 GORDON REEF - Night Dive

Entered off BB – highlights – Corals, Lion, Black Spotted Sole, Puffer, Forsters Hawkfish,

Bannerfish.

 

 

 

 

Figure 11 Unknown wreck Thor Guardian?

 

DAY 04: Dive 1 GORDON REEF & THOMAS REEF

Entered off RHIB swam from one reef to the next – highlight Turtles, Masked Puffer,

Blue Trigger, Lizard, Butterfly fish and excellent corals.

Dive 2 MV MILLION HOPE 180m long

Entered off RHIB onto Caterpillar Crane on seabed then swam up on to the wreck and

swam inside. Highlights – Stone fish, Crocodile fish, Rabbit fish.

 

 

 

 

12 Crocodile Fish - Ed Rollins

 

Dive 3 RAS MUHAMMED, SHARK & YOLANDER REEF

Entered off RHIB – highlights – fantastic coral gardens, Golden Pilot Jack, Trigger,

Unicorn, Trevally, Puffer, Moral Eel, Parrot and Wrasse fish.

Dive 4 SHA’AB ALI – THISTLEGORM WRECK – Night Dive

Entered off BB, current running and used mooring lines to find stern section and then

moved forward before ascending mooring line and guideline back to BB. Busy dive with

other groups. Highlights – Scorpion fish.

 

13 Loggerhead Turtle - Ed Rollins

 

 

DAY 05: Dive 1 SHA’AB ALI – THISTLEGORM WRECK

Entered off BB – highlights – touring the holds and inside passageways, all the

Equipment in the holds.

Dive 2 SHA’AB ALI – THISTLEGORM WRECK

Entered off BB – highlights – touring the outside of the wreck from stern to bow, anti-

aircraft guns, train tenders, Crocodile Fish, lots of shoaling fish.

Dive 3 KINGSTONE – CARINA WRECK

Entered off RHIB – started at stern and moved toward the bow section then off over the

Reef and back around to the wreck – very flattened and widely dispersed. Highlights –

Emperor Angel, Red Backed Butterfly, Damsels fish.

 

 

 

14 Carina wreck

 

Dive 4 SMALL GUBAL ISLAND – THE BARGE WRECK – Night Dive

Entered off BB – used mooring line as guide – another busy dive sight but plenty to

see and fair amount of current – highlights – 3 types of Lionfish, feeding corals and

Moray Eels.

 

 

 

 

15 Clearfin Lionfish - Ed Rollins

 

DAY 06: Dive 1 SMALL GUBAL ISLAND – Reef and Wreck

Entered off BB – swam NE towards headland and then back and onto The Barge

wreck – highlights – Octopus, Dusky Rabbit, Damsels, Anemone, Coronet, Anthias etc.

 

 

 

 

 

16 Anemone Fish - Ed Rollins

 

Dive 2 UMM GAMMAR – Reef and Cave

Entered off RHIB exited BB – Highlights – Stonefish, Arabian Boxfish.

Dive 3 SMALL GIFTON ISLAND – Reef

Entered off BB – highlights – Pinnacles, Moray Eels, Crocodile, Tang, Schooling

Bannerfish, Nudibranch.

 

17 Giant Moray Eel - Ed Rollins

Dive 4 SMALL GIFTON ISLAND – Night dive – Reef

Entered off BB – highlights – huge amount of Moray Eels some free swimming,

Slipper Lobster, Fan worms, Fuzzy Filefish, Urchins, Feather Starfish.

 

 

 

 

 

18 Coming up from night dive.

 

DAY 07: Dive 1 SMALL GIFTON ISLAND – POLICE STATION

Entered off RHIB exited BB – highlights – Lots of Moray Eels, Nudibranch, Yellow

Boxfish, Shoals Blue Striped Grunt, Common Big Eye and Napoleon Wrasse.

 

 

 

 

 

19 Pyjama Nudibranch - Ed Rollins

 

Dive 2 HURGHADA, EL MINIJA WRECK

Entered off RHIB – followed mooring line to the sweeper and then moved across

to the wreck of a fishing boat before going back to the minesweeper. Highlights –

Gilded Pipefish.

 

 

 

 

 

20 Dive boats moored up. 21 Mustafa and BB staff

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 Table Coral - Ed Rollins

 

DAY 08: Dive 1 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (North) – Shore dive

Strong current on the way in – highlights – absolutely loads, Vermiculate Wrasse,

Squid.

Dive 2 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (South) – Shore dive

Highlights – Scorpion, Stone, Red Sea Rabbit fish, Marlinspike Auger, Fan Worms,

Walkman.

 

 

 

23 Stonefish - Ed Rollins

 

DAY 09: Dive 1 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (South & North) – Shore dive

Highlights – Madonna statue, Cow fish, Humbug Dascyllas, Flounder.

Dive 2 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (South) – Shore dive

Highlights – Spiny Balloon fish, Walkman.

 

 

 

24 Walkman displaying - Ed Rollins

 

Dive 3 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (North & South) – Night Shore Dive

Highlights – Hermit Crabs, Spotted Ray, Soft Coral Squat Lobster, Scorpion, Stone,

Baby Hooded Cuttlefish, Anemone Hermit Crab, Spanish Dancer, Shrimp, Toxic Leather

Sea Urchin.

 

 

 

 

 

25 Spanish Dancer - Ed Rollins

 

 

 

 

26 Anemone Hermit Crab (night dive).

 

 

DAY 10: Dive 1 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (North & South) – Shore Dive

Highlights – Scorpion, Stone, Peppered Moral Eel, Moray Eel, Harlequin Filefish, Yellow

Saddle Goatfish.

Dive 2 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (Seagrass & South) – Shore Dive

Highlights – Double Ended Pipefish, Gobies, Octopus working his way back across the

Sea grass bed to his lair in the reef, Razor fish.

 

 

 

 

 

27 Everyone’s favorite Octopus.

 

 

Dive 3 ROOTS HOUSE REEF (Seagrass, North & South) – Shore Dive

Highlights – Sea Moths, Gobies and Magnus Shrimp Gobies, White tailed Squirrel, White

Edged Soldier, Anemone fish, Blue Spotted Shield Slug.

 

 

 

 

 

28 Magnus Shrimp goby.

 

 

 

 

 

29 Blue Spotted Ray - Ed Rollins

 

 

 

 

 

30 Anthias and other fish, typical reef scene - Ed Rollins

 

 

 

 

 

31 Regal Angelfish - Ed Rollins

 

32 Anemone Fish - Ed Rollins

 

 

Overall, I found diving as a group of four worked really well with more eyes to spot and a larger area can be covered, especially when two of the four snapping away with cameras.

 

Without Ali Mayor’s expertise and sharp eyes, I would never have found the elusive Sea Moths, so I am extremely grateful for her to take me over to where she had last seen them and then pointing them out – brilliant dive. And the group overall showed excellent teamwork and took time out from their dive to point something interesting out to the rest and some cracking photos were taken.

 

 

 

 

 

33 Taken on our last dive at Roots.

 

COMMENTS FROM THE GROUP

 

Sian “My favorite part of the trip was getting to push my experience underwater and ticking off a

35m and 40m dive, feeling confidence with my progression.”

“Favourite memory was seeing the Turtles.”

 

Iain “Surviving cycle ride with Jim!! Octopus across the sand and being able to spot things. My

highlight was Thistlegorm and the Polar Bear” ask one of our group, they’ll explain.

 

Edward “Most memorable was the Moray Eels on the night dive hurtling down towards me.”

 

Jim “My highlight was Thor Guardian, unknown wreck, and the fantastic wrecks and taking Sian

down to her 40m dive.”

 

Doug “My highlight, has to be the Octopus.”

 

John “Apart from all the misdemeanors, has to be the Octopus on the House Reef.”

 

Ali I love the house reef at Roots – Lots of marine life, like meeting up with old friends and making

some new. The best way to relax in my humble opinion.

 

Martin “Highlight has to be mystery wreck Carina, which maybe is not the Carina?”

 

 

 

IDEA OF THE COSTS

 

BOAT SAFARI £840

BOAT FEES £176 (Marine Park Fees,nitrox) $200

TIPS Crew £40 / $50

TIP Guide £16 / $20

 

ROOTS ACCOM £423 (4 nights’ accommodation soft all-inclusive INC Deco chamber (optional donation), Night Dive, 15lt cylinder hire for use on BB

 

TOTAL £1495 = £149 Per day for 11 nights (30 dives)

 

Additionally – Air Fare which was £413 inc. 23kg hold bag and a small Cabin Bag.

 

EQUIPMENT GUIDE

 

5mm Wetsuit, 3mm hood and boots/booties (no gloves as they are frowned upon, as it encourages divers to touch!)

Rash suit (if desired)

Mask, Fins and Snorkel

Regulators/Demand Valve

Computer &/or watch

BCD/Wing

DSMB & Reel (is a must as each diver must prove they can deploy one)

Weight Belt (empty, traditional weight belts are available but pouch belts, if you have one, are much more versatile)

Torch + spare and batteries (if you can) don’t forget your charger!

Dive log (with adequate spare pages!)

Spares – we worked as a team, and each took different spares.

 

Clothes – little required really as you spend a lot of time in your swimmers (2/3 pairs are best so you can put dry on each time you dive). Lightweight tops and shorts for the daytime and something a bit warmer for the cooler evening is recommended. BB do provide Robes and towels. I took some lightweight jogging bottoms, long sleeved shirt and a fleece. Don’t forget the sunhat and sunscreen etc. I included a water bottle and rehydration tablets (you normally get a free water bottle on BB which is yours to keep, but they all the same so having your own assists with identification, as well as during travel. A few pills and potions are always recommended for those ‘just in case’ moments, though BB had a well-stocked first aide area.

 

Hand luggage – Paperwork, regulators/DV, Torches with batteries boxed separately and Dive Computer. If you take a camera, then it and its attached equipment is best carried in hand luggage.

 

 

 

 

 

34 Typical underwater scene - Ed Rollins

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this small view into the Red Sea and look forward to seeing you there.

 

Inga Webster

Boat Officer

SSAC

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Category: Trip Reports

In October 2017, 6 Club members went to the Southern Red Sea aboard the liveaboard Princess Diana on a trip organised by the folk from Roots Camp.  For some, it was their first trip to the Red Sea or on a liveaboard, and while the weather was not always perfect, we all had a great time with some excellent diving in the less visited parts of the Red Sea.  Steve Balckburn has compiled an informal diary of the trip, which can be seen here:  

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Category: Trip Reports

In February 2015, 16 members of the Club and some friends jetted off to Mexico to sample the delights of Cozumel and the Yucatan.  A comprehensive diary will appear in the Dive Trip section of the website in due course, but meanwhile here is an account of the trip written by Ali Bessel.  

Mexico - February 2015 – Ali Bessell

A trip was organised by Dawn Barnard, primarily to dive the Cenotes, but to include a few days diving on the famous Cozumel reefs. I have wanted to dive the cenotes for years, which prompted me to do an Introduction to Cave Diving with Martyn Farr quite a few years ago, just to check out how I felt about overhead environments and how it would feel if all the lights went out and it was a long way back to surface air. Thought a trip to Wales would be cheaper than getting to Mexico and finding out there that it might not go too well. So what I confirmed, is that dark and overhead is fine, but ‘silt out’ is definitely something I really am not happy about, despite that in effect, it’s the same as ‘dark’ in the great scheme of what you do about it. But diving in mine shafts in Wales was accomplished so I had no qualms about the Ceynotes.

We arrived in a lovely hotel in Cozumel, 16 or so people. All the standard stuff, bed, food, pool, beach etc, normal so far, and a pier from which the shuttle boats could pick us up in the morning to get to the dive sites. Dawn, our illustrious overworked leader, is a master of smooth manipulation, with a smiley sweet demeanour, that hides some serious fangs. You will buy those raffle tickets, attend that social event, and blindly support some charity you have no interest in, the money gliding from your wallet/purse to that collection jug/ticket purchase. We had not been in the hotel for one hour and these skills were called on, when a room for two of our party was not available. Despite the confirmation booking email, no room. However, the sweet fang hiding smile, those dulcet tones, could not get the desired result, and no room materialised. Well everyone has an off day! Turns out they regularly overbook, sometimes to the tune of 80 people,  and then just shuttle people about the island to the other hotels. And no-one throws a tantrum? ‘Oh well…this is Mexico’, a phrase I heard regularly. So the homeless pair, Phil and Trine, were split, and an extra bed was put up in two others pairs rooms, and the problem was sorted. Easily enough space and no-one really cared. Soon too distracted by iguanas, wild pigs, terrapins, crocodiles, and rich bird life, all in the hotel grounds, to really care about the sagas of beds and bathroom rotas. A few cocktails later…what room?

Breakfast, buffet, I had chillies; I’m going to regret that! Pier, small boats arrived, nitrox had been ordered, all of the nitrox ordered did not turn up, and some fills were under 200 bar. Wheel out our illustrious leader! Polite, sweet talking fang bearer wades in again on everyone’s behalf, with some team back up of course. All chilled but point made, promises that it will be rectified in the morning and the day begins. All the dives turn out to be gentle to not so gentle drift dives over lovely sponge rich reefs, with corals, small ascidians and apparently some fish, or ‘clutter’ as I call them. Actually even I looked at some of these fish…..but why when there are all these sponges?

Lunch on each day was spent at another small pier that just ended at the jungle edge. Fruit and cake were provided and we all wandered about on the 50 yards of wooden pier, along with the other 6 boat loads of people. You did not really notice the other boats at the dive sites, but here they all were during the surface interval.

One dive involved an over-interested large green/yellow moray eel, which I was happily videoing with my newly acquired Go-Pro, until it appeared to head straight for me from the seabed. From 2m away, evasive action involved using those famous force fins, jetting forward over it so I was no longer in its line. However, I turn around to see Dawn, illustrious leader and buddy for most of the trip, become the new focus for the eel, from which she back-finned away like crazy. I had a difficult choice. Do I turn my Go-Pro on the event, and catch for posterity and scientific research, the grizzly end of my friend in the jaws of the green/yellow denizen of the underhangs, or do I charge back to her rescue, so that we at least get to day two of our holiday without a visit to a morgue/hospital/police cell? As it turned out, we both headed down to a tunnel through the rock where the others had gone, lost each other looking for the entrance, found each other, headed off through the entrance with me leading, where I was apparently moving too slowly, which eventually drove Dawn mad, and I got stomped over as she hot-footed out of the tunnel. Well there was this nice sponge you see…so I got distracted. Got to admit, it did occur to me that if we weren’t happy about meeting a moray eel, why the hell had we chosen a series of swim-throughs and overhangs as our refuge? However, Dawn promptly got on Facebook and told the world I had abandoned her in a moment of need. Shockingly inaccurate!

The dives on the next few days, continued to be full of lovely reefs, sponges, corals, fish, barracuda, large parrot fish etc. We entertained ourselves one night by going to the main town of Cozumel for the carnival, apparently very famous. Now don’t get me wrong, I like a party and I wiggled and toe-tapped happily to the drumming and dancing. But really, no part of me actually ‘gets it’. The synchronised dancers who actually danced, really danced, that bit I get. The nasty plastic covered floats with lights and sequin covered, feather plume wearing, disconcertingly smiley men and women, mainly women, just wiggling about is totally lost on me. What are they all doing? And why are they doing it? There was an awful lot of bright pink and yellow polyester wigs, face masks and fluorescent candy floss. We were in front of loads of locals, also in sequins, along with their sequin covered dogs! It’s not Mexico, I feel the same about British carnivals. But I do fancy doing a Brazilian Mardi Gras…that is on the bucket list!

We all transferred to a fantastic boutique hotel on the mainland in Playa del Carmen. Cozy, beautiful décor, nice small pools set in lush greenery, (not that I ever got in, they were freezing), and a Jacuzzi, which I did get in, along with a few glasses of Sangria, brought to us by the guys from the small restaurant next door. And great…..the hotel borders a lovely open plaza with a nice building at one end, a raised green area at the other. Ahhh…..open plaza, of course, 6 or 7 nights out of the 9, an ‘event’ was held. A carnival outside the window on four nights, complete with stage performers in the square with the obligatory sequin covered wigglers, followed by military celebrations in the morning with drummers, flag waving, some religious worship another day, busy busy busy. But you got used to it and I would definitely go back there.

The cenote diving then began. Dave Purvis has written an account of the cave dives so I won’t bother adding more. Suffice to say, fantastic!! Claire and Lanny from Tulum Underworld did a fantastic job, smooth operation, relaxed, informative, and above all, CAKE! Personally, surfacing in the bat caves half way through the dives was very special, very passionate about bats, not sure why?

Interspersed with our Cenote diving, we took a day to dive with Discovery Divers, out of Playa, who took us to the ‘Green Wall’ and another drift dive. Both lovely reef dives but Cozumel reefs were noticeably better. Interesting day, lovely couple Cheryl and Geoff, Cheryl never to be forgotten, from the southern states of America, Texas maybe, complete with lots of whooping and hollering, and if she could have run around the boat and high-five’d us at every opportunity I’m sure she would have. Adored one of our party, Guida, whom she wanted to take home with her because she was soooooooo cute! She also seemed amazed to find out that we all had DSMB’s and could all administer O2 if needed. ‘Love you guys’ etc etc. Briefing given, in your pairs, follow on, stay as a group, all come up at the end of the drift together. Interesting. No. Get in, drift, scatter, my buddy (Cheryl), above me, in fact did not really see her the whole dive. One pair 30-40m behind me, another 30-40m in front of me, joined one pair for the ascent. Lovely dive though. A few days later, as the bull shark dive was organised by the same couple, with the same briefing, and I already wary of the bull sharks, I decided that the potential scatter-diving approach to a bull shark dive, was not for me!

Enjoyed a walk around Playa one night, round the built up bar/restaurant/souvenir filled streets. Day 1 in Playa you think, WOW, all this silver, and I must have one of those decorated skulls covered in stones, mosaics, gaudy colours, and maybe a wooden face mask! My house will not be the same without one! Day 3 in Playa, who the hell is buying all these skulls, masks, the silver now looks tacky, going slightly mad around street after street of STUFF! And I have not seen anyone wearing a white, embroidered puff sleeved hippy/ethnic top since 1975! WHO IS BUYING THIS STUFF! One stall holder apparently shouted at Warren ‘come and have a look at my crap, same crap as everywhere else, just cheaper!’ Now I might have bought something off that guy, for amusement value at least.

Achieved another wish list goal, having my feet eaten in one of those foot fish spa’s. Myself and Trine were the only two who wanted to do it. Was told ‘you can get aids from that’. Really? So I can die on this holiday from cave diving, bull sharks, and now aids spreading fish. Spoilt for choice. So now I’m on an aids catching night out! Interestingly the fish spa host said, ‘if you start bleeding, don’t take your feet out, leave them in there’. Why? So the fish get the first decent meal they have had in days? So you don’t kill all the fish by dragging them out of the water as they attach themselves to you in a feeding frenzy? No bleeding, and we really enjoyed it. We think we got an extra 5 mins because Phil distracted the spa guy by running around the souvenir shop it was set in, and playing the didgeree-doo for the passers-by. Most experiences with Phil tend to lean towards the surreal after a short period of time. Mean streak though. Kept sloping off to McDonalds for his double-whatever burger, as it was the only place in town he could find with whole chillies to eat. Brought a few back, happily chewing one, offered them to me, expected a manageable jalapeño. THE PAIN. I could have punched him. However I couldn’t see him through the tears.

Our last dive was a ‘turtle dive’ out of Akumal, just down the coast. Well worth the trip as a complete contrast to Cozumel, Playa and the Ceynotes. Beautiful golden beaches, nice open fronted bar on the beach, and bizarrely, absolutely mobbed by hordes of people in flotation jackets and snorkels, going off in groups of ten or more, each with a guide, to be taken around an area just offshore to see turtles and rays. Not us, we are going off in a tiny boat, past the breaking waves to where the real action is!

One, small, not so activity oriented turtle! Lovely reefs though. The shore diving members of our party were besieged by turtles ... fighting them off! Everyone went home the next day. Dawn, her husband Warren and I stayed on for an extra week to enjoy a tour about. So, first goal, straight back to Akumal, abandoned heat-loathing, non-diving water-hater Warren on the beach, shouting SEE YA, as we ran back into the sea, no guide or bright jacket, to find our own turtles. Few meters off the beach, huge turtle covered with remoras. Turtles, rays in abundance, all unbothered by our presence, despite the hordes of people there. Lovely couple of hours.

 

The rest of the week was interesting. Warren and Dawn went in one direction for their exploration, me in the other. Few historic Mayan sites, flamingos at Rio Lagartos, and a small old colonial town called Valladolid. Hidden charms, very VERY hidden! But after 3 days into my use of Valladolid as a base, the charm seeped in. It may be linked to the discovery of a lovely restaurant by an old monastery, which served the most amazing chocolate cocktails. Next to my table, the unrivalled attraction of a small cenote opening, from which small bats flew continually. Fantastic.

Mexican magic - Part 1 Cozumel Classics from David Purvis on Vimeo.

Mexican magic - Part 2 Perfect Playa pleasures from David Purvis on Vimeo.

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The Normandy 70 Wreck Week took place between 13-21 September 2014.  Normandy 70 was an expedition by Southsea Sub-Aqua Club to dive and record wrecks associated with the maritime phase of WW2 Allied invasion of Normandy otherwise known as Operation NEPTUNE.  This expedition was inspired by a BSAC Southern Region initiative (NEPTUNE 70) which seeks to encourage branches to investigate and dive wrecks associated with Operation Neptune in British waters. 

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March 2013: SSAC's first club trip of the year to Cornwall was a huge success.

Staying in nearby Flushing Cove and venturing out with our dive RHIB 'Alan Blake', the cold but calm waters of the Manacles reef provided excellent diving with visibility typically around 6-8m. The Manacles reef is renowned for its wrecks and marine life and provided some first-class diving despite being early in the season. The jewel anemones were particularly beautiful. 

The holiday was also time to celebrate our Diving Officer Martin's significant birthday with a cake and a fish and chip supper for ten.

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Straddling the English/Scottish border, the waters between Seahouses in Northumberland and the Scottish town of North Berwick are one of the finest diving areas in the UK and one we've wanted to visit for many years.

From the Farne Islands' seals and underwater cliffs in the south to the wrecks of steam-driven submarines off the Isle of May in the north, not forgetting Eyemouth's famous deep wrecks and the scenic masterpieces of St Abbs Head in between, the area's volcanic past has combined with the maritime casualties of war and weather to create an amazing variety of dive sites. In short, this is truly a "coast for all divers".

In early September 2012 a group of divers loosely connected with Southsea SAC spent a week based in the pretty port of Eyemouth experiencing it all for themselves.

Diving the Farnes to the Firth of Forth - scenic dives - SS President & Cathedral Rock from David Purvis on Vimeo.

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Hope Cove has been a favourite destination of SSAC for a number of years. The base is Shippen House, a 10-bed holiday home with excellent facilities overlooking the beach at Hope Cove in South Devon. It is also an opportunity to exercise the club rib away from its home base.

Friday – The journey from Portsmouth is about 4 – 5 hours. The boat arrives mid-afternoon and everyone settles into Shippen House ready for diving the next day. It’s a nice warm and sunny day. Doug rigs up a router to give house wide wi-fi access and we have our own internet café for the week.

Saturday – Diving the Maine. It’s dark and murky due to the rainwater run-off from the land. The two rib trips to the wreck were disappointing. James, Louis and Nick do a shore dive from Outer Hope beach to check equipment and buoyancy. This was a lovely sunny weekend and a wonderful sandy beach to enjoy when not diving or coxing the boat. Martin sets up his portable compressor to provide air. We also have a J cylinder of O2 to blend Nitrox mixes.

Sunday – Today we dived the Persier. Calm seas, sunshine and blue skies provide more promising conditions. There was good visibility on the wreck. Two trips were made to the wreck in Bigbury Bay. We also completed two drift dives in kelp close into the cliffs along Bolt Tail during the late afternoon and early evening.

Monday – Blown out and a lazy day.

Tuesday – Blown out again. Walk along Bolt Tail to Soar Mill Cove and Port Light hotel on Bolberry Down. We stop on the way back at the Port Light hotel for lunch. This was a former Golf course pavilion opened in 1907 and later used by the RAF in WWII as an airfield.

Wednesday – Dived the Persier in the morning and a sandy bottom in the vicinity of the Jebba wreck in the afternoon. Visibility on Persier was great, but the sandy bottom drift was nothing to write home about.

Thursday – Up early for a dive on the Maine. We sneak in another dive on the Maine before the weather worsens. This time the visibility is excellent and we have a most enjoyable dive. Later we haul out the boat and bring it back to the house for a good wash down.

Friday – Up early to clean the house and pack. We are away by 0930 and it is over for another year.

 

Some images from the Photo Gallery for the trip

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At last, 9 October arrived and it was time to depart on our long-awaited liveaboard trip in the Maldives. Dawn Barnard had put together an enticing expedition and 18 SSAC members, friends and spouses were off for a week on the liveaboard Orion cruising the Malé and Ari atolls, followed (for the majority of the party) by 3 days winding down on Bandos Island.

DAY 1: We arrived in the Maldives at midday on Monday 10 Oct 2011 after a reasonably comfortable 10-hour flight. It was then a short boat ride from the airport at Male to the MV Orion and a friendly welcome from the crew. We then had the rest of the afternoon to settle into our luxurious and very comfortable cabins.

DAY 2: Leaving Male early the next morning we arrived at Vihamanaa for a check dive at 0730. This was followed by our first exciting dive at Lankan Manta Point, where we see real Mantas, but not many; only 4. Still, it was a good start to the holiday and the promise of things to come. Banana reef was a bit of a letdown and not very inspiring with no Mantas, little marine life and poor coral.

DAY 3: Overnight to South Ari Atoll. The early morning dive was on a pinnacle known locally as a Thila. The place was teaming; with divers. There were many exotic species mainly from Italy, classified as thong exotica, and Japan, no buoyancy control ho and fin kick coral hi. Large shoals of Blue Striped Snapper and other fish joined the throng. Another Thila followed. After lunch, the boat suddenly turned about and raced towards a Whale Shark that has been sighted nearby. Mad panic as everyone prepared to enter the water at once to snorkel with the Whale Shark. Sadly, two other boats had the same idea and the Whale Shark finds itself surrounded by 60 guests all splashing around like very large baitfish. Un-phased by the commotion the Whale Shark stayed with us for 45 minutes giving many swimmers the opportunity to return to the Dhoni (dive boat) and don scuba equipment before diving with the Whale Shark again. We think this was a 6.5m female known as Ayesha because there is a small nick in her upper caudal (tail) fin.  This was a thrilling experience for all of the tourists. It is not every day that you meet something three times your height and as placid as a teddy bear. Now back to the diving.

Download the rest of the trip report by Tom Templeton.

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