Saturday morning and we are getting on the boats, the reality of our new interest in diving hits me hard. The boats pull away from shore, through the break water n we are off. It was fantastic to be out there. We got to the site of the Scylla and a couple of the experienced divers got in but soon came right back out as unfortunately the visibility was pretty poor. At this time my gut decided that it didn’t like to be out at sea just gently rocking, and soon I was fighting my breakfast down. After what seemed like hours, awwww, we headed back to sure. As soon as my foot hits land I’m starving and can eat a horse!! Tony, you’re a legend for your sickness tablet, not a problem after that. Poor Beth though had the fun of this the next day. I sympathize hun.

That afternoon we headed back out to a quiet spot, but again the visibility was poor so mission aborted and we returned back to base. At this point I’ll be honest, I was relieved, as a new diver its all so different and I was feeling pretty nervous about getting in. By the Saturday evening I was starting to feel more than ready to give it my all!

Sunday morning we are off again bright and breezy - this time on our way to Eddystone Lighthouse. Again a couple of the guys got in and didn’t come out for a reasonable time indicating that the visibility was much better. Then it’s my turn.

My only experience of open water is Dosthill Quarry in temperatures of 4°C. As we got our kit together and on and did our buddy checks I was ready. I got in the water when told, and down we went me and my two buddy’s Gwen and Keith. The temperature of the sea water was 8°C which was positively toasty in comparison. If I’m honest when I was on the surface n looking down I couldn’t seen much and wondered if I would see anything at all. But as we went down the shot like, as if by magic it cleared. This was absolutely brilliant compared to good ol’ quarry diving. The colours were bright, and it was so light down there at 20 meters. We saw a spider crab, which for an amateur such as me was very exciting. The colour of the water even, and all the life down there was great! I then understood why my instructors had made us endure the New Year temperatures, as this was totally worth it. As always the air runs low and play time is over and up we come. I have to say getting back into the boat has to be the least lady like thing in diving. No cameras allowed. After the dive, listening to the experienced divers reflect, they were saying things like ‘there wasn’t much to see’. This I can understand if you have dived for a while. I have come to the conclusion the diving is awesome! As someone with no experience, that dive couldn’t have been any better. My experiences are going to get better and better and I can’t wait to get stuck in.

As we came out others went in and after everyone had their fill we started to make our way back to shore. But poor Gwen and Keith, their boat went on strike and didn’t want to play anymore. Some of us managed to make it back quickly, but a good half of the group were out at sea for at least 2-3 hours getting back by the working boat towing Keith and Gwen’s. When they all got back they were all froze and ready for a hot shower. Well Done guys.

Thank you to both Gwen and Keith for taking me in for my first time. I loved it! Thank you also to everyone who took part. I’ve got the diving bug now. Bring on my next spider crab.

Becky Betteridge

The RNLI will also be coming along to sell some goodies - always a good cause to support.

Hope to see you there.  Please contact Hannah for further info.

Please contact her for more information.

All members welcome to come along and help, please.

For more information, please contact the trip organiser.

Plymouth,  Fri 26th - Sun 27th March. 

Open to all Levels.  Organiser - Keith

Portland (for Keith’s 50th Birthday!!)  Fri 23rd - Sun 25th April

Open to all Levels, organiser - Keith.

Dive Fest Cornwall - Fri 30th April - Mon 3rd May (May Day Bank Holiday)

BSAC!  Fun Weekend

Lynn Pennisula - Fri 7th May - Sun 9th May

1×30m dive, other 2 or 3 dives likely to be at OD level.  Organiser - Hannah

Weymouth - Sat 29th - Mon 31st May (Late May Bank Holiday)

DL and above. Dives are up to 50m.  Organiser - Sally

Scapa - Sat 26th June - Sat 3rd July

SD plus.  Organiser - Tony O’Connor

BBQ Weekend Location to be decided - Fri 16th July - Sun 18th July

All levels.  organiser - Hannah & Gwen

Egypt -  July / Aug 2010.  Organisers - Steve P & Alan

Ireland - Fri July 30th - Sun August 1st

All levels.  Organiser - Alan

Weymouth - Sat 14th - Sun 15th August

DL & above. Dives are up to 50m.  Organiser - Sally

West Wales (Dale) - Fri 27th - Mon 30th August (Bank Holiday weekend)

All levels?, may be SD +.  Organiser - Gwen

Location to be arranged - Fri 17th - Sun 19th September

All levels?, may be SD +.  Organisers - Keith & Gwen

Plymouth - Fri 1st - Sun 3rd October

All Levels.  Organiser - Keith

Hamatta (South Egypt).  Nov / Dec 2010.  

Organisers - Andy & John

Jan 2011. Mexico.

Organiser Mark Jordan 

Please contact Keith for further information

Fantastic news for the club, we have received a grant from Sport England to buy much needed pool equipment for training purposes.

BY ALAN FLEMING…

Having just joined the club in April 09, this was my first club trip with Sutton, having just crossed over from being a ‘Padi’ qualified diver to begin my training with this Bsac club. I had been diving for ten years, but always ventured abroad to dive with other Padi divers in warm waters..

I had known several of the Sutton Bsac club for some years and at last made the cross over and my son Jack (15yrs) had joined too.

This was my 5th time visiting Sharm to dive but the first time with a well established Bsac club such as Suttoncoldfield. I was with a group of very experienced divers organised by Steve including members such as Keith (Diving Officer) and Gwen, Tony, Andy, Bill, and Hannah.

Steve had organised our trip to include diving with the ‘Marina Divers’ situated at White Knight Bay, by the Corcorde El Salem Hotel. ‘Frank Mergil’ the owner of the Dive company, had decided that he would venture on a week’s diving with us to keep his hand in and freshen up his skills. Frank has owned the company for 12 years after he retired from being a helicopter pilot in the American Air Force and he hailed from New York but was well settled in Sharm with a well established diving business. The locals told us that there isn’t anywhere around Sinai dive sites that Frank did not know. He is a very well respected Diver, and is well liked by the local Egyptians. We were lucky to have such a knowledgeable diver guiding us and giving his vast experiences to us.

We had the exclusive use of one of several large spacious dive boats owned by Marina Divers, and we were to have at least one night sleeping on board on a safari to HMS Thistlegorm. The Five man crew included a ‘padi’ dive master guide, Mohammed Tarek from Cairo.

Having settled in and beginning to acclimatise to water temperature 27-28 degrees, and daily temperatures of 35+, the diving began.

We had around 15 dives throughout the week mostly reef dives including two night dives, three wreck dives, drift, wall, with shore  and cave diving. Most divers used Nitrox daily and the equipment was well maintained. Most of us only took Mask, fins, regs, and computers, and a shortie 3mm wetsuit.

Most of the dives were around 30 metres maximum allowed by group briefings but there was opportunity for members to wallow along around 40 metres +. Visibility was always excellent 30-40 metres +

The drift dives were quite sedate and we experienced one dive with a very mild ‘washing machine’ effect.

We dived at the following popular sites; White Knight, Gordons reef in Tiran straights, Shark reef, Yolander reef, Ras Zatar, Ras Um Cid, the WW11 wreck HMS Dunraven, Stingray station, Suez-sinai, HMS Thistlegorm,Jacksons reef, Woodhouse reef, with night dives at Ras Mohammed park and White Knight. (The organiser Steve was given a fright on the night dive at White knight when an Octopus grabbed and slithered up his arm ! )

All the dives were very enjoyable with no drama’s, very well briefed, easy diving with most dives ranging to the hour + timings. Safety stops were fantastic hanging around 5 metres looking at brilliant corals and an abundance of sea life. The range of fish and life was very diverse including, sea horse, octopus, moray, turtles, shoals of trevallies, jacks, tuna, bass and very large Napoleon wrasse and grouper. Divers Andy and Bill took lots of fantastic photographs.

All in all a very well organised club trip with excellent guides and boats, to one of the top 5 dive destinations in the world.

Suttoncoldfield club will be on their travels again soon and hope to venture back to the red sea.

Safe Diving…Alan