Chase Sub Aqua

2008
Calendar

29/06/08
2008 Trips
Chink, Mick Andy and Ian tried out a new inland puddle on Sunday

Cromhall diving centre, off J14 of the M5. £10 entrance fee, plenty parking
About 95 miles from J13 M6, takes about 90 minutes (traffic willing)
The centre has two points of water entry, a platform at one end, and a sloping beach at the other, the maximum depth is about 17m with 15m the norm. The surface water temperature was about 18oC, with 12oC below 10m, there is currently a bit of an algae bloom in the cold bottom water reduing viz slightly, but 10m viz above this. A nice set up overall and worth the extra mileage down there Cromhall site map

05/02/08
2008 Trips
Following the meeting on February 4th 2008, the 2008 main itineray looks like:-

Mevagissey - Caravans for Fri 18th, Sat 19th & Sun 20th April
approx. £195 for 8 berth caravan for the three nights, split between occupants.


Bagwell Farm - Tenting from Friday 1st Aug to Fri 8th Aug
£12 per night standard tent, £14.50 per night incl.electric hook up
Prices are per tent.
Looking to book boat dives for Monday and Wednesday Approx £35 per day each
Names to Bode by February 21st.

27/06/07
Weymouth Trip - Aug
Just booked the "Tango" out of Weymouth for the Monday of the Weymouth trip
Tango boat site
Two dives on the day, any suggestions or wishlist's for the dives? Will have the Dive Dorset reference book at the club next Tuesday

23/04/07
Cornwall - Mevagissey
First club weekend of the year, woosing it out in caravans instead of manly tents! Unseasonaly hot Friday and Saturday, with a return to the more traditional damp Sunday. Water temperature 12oC, with a night dive off Mevagissey Harbour. Traditional night dive round harbour south wall not possible due to high number of mackeral hungry anglers using extremely sharp pointy bits in the water. Surface swim across harbour entrance and dive along the north wall instead, out into reefs and gullies.
Back to the Fountain Inn, Mevagissey, for Friday's curry night.
Saturday's dive was at Portmellon. Made "interesting" by diving in between boats being lobbed into the water next to the slip way by a large crane. Parking in the pub carpark is £1 per day to patrons only, so speak nicely to the landlord (thanks to Phil for that one). Shore dive out to the left of the bay, going out to reefs and gullies round the headland. Numbers of Ballan wrasse and Pollack. Fun and games getting back out, due to the swell across the slip way. Phil now has a prodigal torch, to match my prodigal fin!
At night, off to the Ship Inn in Pentewan village, many thanks to the staff and chef, for agreeing to feed such a large party so late on, (many thanks to Al & Kaz for the asking).

26/01/07
Ocean Bay - Sharm El Sheikh
Just been out for a week at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Naama Bay. Weather fine, if a bit windy, especially out on the boats. Temperatures 22 to 28oC daytime, 13oC at night. Shorts & Tshirt during the day, Jeans and fleece at nights - perfect.
Water temperature 22oC, diving with a 5mm wetsuit got a bit chilly, especially on second dives. 7mm semi-dry next time (or woose out and dry suit it like the guides!!). Insect life(almost)non existant, not one mossie bite for Mazza!(First holiday on record without the mingin'leg)
Ocean Bay is a nice central loacation, next to the old taxi rank in Naama, just across from the Hard Rock Cafe. Rooms were basic but clean, staff were helpful. Diving was in house with Explorer divers, well organised & friendly outfit. Majority of guests were other Brits, which made for a good laugh. Hooper-My office, Bev & Mannie, you know who you are :-)

31/05/06
Weymouth : -
Trip on to Weymouth set for June 16, 17 & 18. Planning to go down Friday night, setting up camp then shore diving Saturday & Sunday, returning Sunday night.
Campsite
East Fleet - Tel 01305 785768
Fleet Lane
Chickerell
Weymouth
Dorset
DT3 4DW www.eastfleet.co.uk
Booking on a "book your own" basis, booking form available on website or see Ian
note- to be offsite on day of departure by 10 am


Sharm, May 2006 -
Wayne, Dan and Mark back from their week in Sharm, photos on the gallery

01/05/06
Pembrokeshire : -
Pembroke trip a success, everybody home with a big grin after diving with a large grey seal on Sunday. Seal was all around us, tugging on fins when we were going up the DSMB.
First dive of the weekend was on a Tenby coastal wreck. You'd have to ask Paul H & Mark about that one as after missing the shotline, I was too knackered to divr by the time I got back to it!!
Second dive was the Dakotian wreck in Milford Sound. Viz wasn't that great, but depth only 10m. Managed to get tangled in my DSMB line on ascent, altogether not one of my better diving days.

Up bright and early again on the Sunday and off out to Skomer. We were dropped in just off Rye rocks at the mouth of North Haven, for a drift dive along towards Jack sound. That's where Sammy the seal came in. At one point we were face to face and I got to tickle it under the chin! (and still had all my fingers). Second dive was back in Milford Sound again, this time the Behar wreck. Nice dive on what is the well broken wreck of a cable laying ship sunk during the latter stages of WWII.

Rib hire worked out at £270.00 per day, so expensive with only 4 divers aboard. Need more divers next time.

15/04/06
Easter Saturday dive at Trefor Pier, North Wales.
Dived the Pier on a sunny day with very calm seas. Visibility was upt to 6m(ish). Others had dived it on Friday with viz at 2m!. Nice easy dive, finning out along the pier wall round to the pier proper. We were diving at high tide, so dropped down to 4m at the start of the pier legs. Underneath the pier the maximum depth was 7m, with plenty of life - crabs , star fish and anenomes. (oh! and some dead dogfish). Bottom is open sand outside the pier legs. Second dive an hour and a half later gave 4.5 m max depth. On both dives, there was a fair current through the pier, mostly notable on returning towards the shore wall, harder work the closer you get to the wall. A good training/first sea dive Travelling time 2 1/2 hrs M6,M56,A55,A487,A499 or 3hrs M54,A5,A55 (Bangor)A487, A499.

Trip to Pembroke:April 29th, 30th & May 1st

3 days diving Saturday, Sunday & Monday, out of Neyland Marina with Pembroke dive charters (at £40 per day including fills) for 6 people. Last time out the diving was amazing with trips to the Smalls (22 miles off shore) and several newly discovered wrecks. Their rib is big comfortable and very fast.
A 25% deposit from those who are going payable to
Paul Holmes, 10 Canterbury Drive Perton WV6 7XA

Some good accommodation is Neyland Court Hotel 01646 600922 They have 2 double rooms for £35 pppn for the first night then 30 pppn for subsequent nights and a single room 30 and 25 pppn for first and subsequent nights.
This place is within walking distance of the marina.
Alternatively, there is local camping at Sandy Haven Camping Park
Herbrandston Nr Milford Haven, SA73 3ST
01646 698844 email: alan@sandyhavencampingpark.co.uk

30/01/06
First dives of the year on Sunday at the Delph, water temperature positiveley tropical at 3oC

19/10/05
Club dives at Stoney Cove on Sunday, November 27th

17/10/05
A busy period through September & October with Training dives in progress at Dosthill. Iain, Gary , Paul, Sally & Verena into open water dives, Steve & Mike through snorkeller tests.

11/7/05
Training dives in progress through July at Dosthill with Mark & Paul doing their open water diver assessments and dives.

The weekend trip to Pembrokeshire proved a success. The West Wales Diving Centre bunk accommodation was clean, tidy and beats camping for similar cost with the bonus of breakfast in the price. The "light diver" breakfast is thoroughly recommended. All staff at the centre were friendly and helpful, full marks for customer relations. Diving proved eventful, first was North Wall on Skomer Island off of rib "Grace", 20m with 2-3m visibility, made diving as a group unfeasable so descended in buddy pairs, surfacing for various reasons after 30 mins, DSMB's all over the place!!(OK three off) With vis low, other dives were shore dives in Martins Haven and St Brides Bay. Left hand side of Martins Haven excellent for sea life(mind the ferry though) St Brides bay better for viz, with rougher sandy bottom but less sea life.
Thoroughly enjoyable weekend, area less busy than Cornwall, Devon areas on a bank holiday weekend. Weather non-bank holiday like - blazing sunshine. In the words of Herr Schwarzenneger "We'll be back!!"

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