We had the Search and Recovery course at Wern Fawr which was organised by National Instructor Alan Harper Smith. Great fun was had by all. I believe there is just the practical part to do now (Really poor visibility is ideal!!).
The farewell party for Ian, Liz, went extremely well. The main guests did best of all. Alan came up with a full Welsh breakfast for those who survived the night.
Carol’s sports diver training was another step closer to finishing after the decompression open water dive. Just one more dive to do; the sports diver assessment.
A training session. The forecast was terrible; wind and rain, so it was back to the inviting Vivian Quarry. You know that little quarry grows on you. No boat, no current, fresh water, no plankton, no sea sickness, no sun burn, good visibility and home in time for tea. Enough of that. Ian L took Gwyn J, Dylan H, for their Club Diver OW 3 and Hugh E took David M, Paul F for their Sports Diver Rescue 2. DO Rawlinson, still looking very pale around the gills, came along on his bicycle, with his dog, to give support.
We changed in a slight drizzle surrounded by inquisitive young Irish tourists who had just bussed in for the afternoon. Ian’s group went in first and we followed a bit later. The AAS in the 6m platform was magic, The exploring for 20-30 minutes really gave a rather less adventurous definition of the word ‘Explore’ but then it was Vivian. Then came the assisted ascent from 10-6m from a small rock slab. Apart form the problem of not falling off the slab all went very well, and it wasn’t long before we were back in the car park, happy in the thought that another training session had been completed.
An excellent day was had. The weather was perfect; sunshine and just a slight breeze from the East. Gwyn with Dylan’s help organised the dive. We launched from the Harbour Master’s slip in Pwllheli and made our way over to the reef. It did take a bit of time to find. We were hoping to see the dark outline of the reef on the surface but as we found out later the plankton made this impossible. We finally found it in the position marked as Butlins on Hugh’s GPS. Ian and Dylan, Carol and David dived in the first wave. Hugh and Gwyn in the second.
Even though the visibility was poor due to the plankton a lot of life was seen as follows: one lobster, two very large spider crabs, one greater pipefish, several snake pipefish, cod and several dogfish,
We arrived back shortly after 3 p.m. The hydraulics which lift the engine which gave us a problem before setting off finally gave up the ghost and will need attention before the next dive.
Five years ago from the wilderness of the Land of the Peaks came two divers. They joined our Club and we took them in; for is it not written ?? They were without child but were both Dive Leaders. This was good because we really needed Dive Leaders. It came to pass that there was much laying of hands, heavy breathing and taking the p**s; the older members had the p**s taken from them much more often than the younger ones; this ritual was called the dive medical.
Liz and eventually Ian! became Club Instructors and in doing this brought into the Club the underwater instructor rescuer and victim signals which will be with us long after they leave. Ian has held the position of Training Officer a post that he undertook with great efficiency. At the last AGM he was elected Club Chairman.
They return to the Land of the Peaks this time with their two Welsh born children Emma and Jamie. (Very fertile stuff is Welsh water). We wish them well and offer a standing invitation to come and dive with us any time.
Driving rain, snow on the mountains and a lazy wind. Yes we were back in Vivian Quarry, Llanberis. Actually it wasn’t quite as bad as all that. By the time we got there (Hugh, David and Carol) it was 2 p.m. and the worst of the weather and the divers had gone. Sports Diver Rescue Two was what was in store for Carol, with David observing.
Two Alternative Air Source exercises, while static. A quick explore (yes explore is what it says) followed by couple of assisted ascents from 10 m to 6 m. All successful. It was a joy to be in the fresh water again. A change and a debriefing with a cup of coffee and it was off home.
The first sea dive of the season was to Half Tide Rocks which are off the St Tudwals Islands. The trip out was fine and there was opportunity to give David and Paul a bit of time on the helm.
Then Liz took over. Now maybe we should have realised, when Liz turned up in her Mazda sports car, that giving her the helm wasn’t such a sensible thing to do, but we didn’t and it wasn’t. We were treated to the aquatic version of a white knuckle ride with us poor crew hanging on for dear life as the RIB twisted and turned at high speed. It was with very noticeable relief that we pulled up alongside St Tudwals West for a spot of lunch and a lot of R & R.
For the rest of the afternoon see the photographs and the comments below.
The group Paul, David, Neil, Liz, Neil, Malcolm and Hugh (photographer) Mike (just there for the photograph). Ready for off. Harbour Master’s Slip, Pwllheli.
Lunchtime disembarking on St Tudwals West. Still a little shaky after the white knuckle ride.
Buddy Paul on his first boat dive next to the boiler at Half Tide Rocks.
A safe crab. No likelihood of ending up in the pot.
Dive completed. St Tudwals Islands in the background.
Ready for home. Getting a bit rough. See the Half Tide Rocks warning buoy in the background.
Paul and David complete their Club diver assessment at Vivian Quarry. The temperature was a cosy 7 deg C.
A proud moment for Paul and David. DO Neil and Chairman Ian on the right.
DO Neil is taking the photograph. Hugh is remembering how good the quarry was compared to the sea.
The training group at that well known quarry.
Neil instructing Paul and David on doing the controlled buoyant lift in Vivian quarry on the 6 metre platform.
David on the 6 metre platform in Vivian.
