Weekend boat dives are usually on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays however, diving may be moved to the Saturday if weather or tides are better. A decision will be made midweek by the Dive Manager and communicated to members.
Each dive has a Dive Manager, who may or may not be the Dive Organiser, and who is responsible to the Diving Officer for the safety and running of the dive. Their word is final. The name and telephone number of the Dive Organiser is on the Dive Programme.
If you wish to come on a weekend dive you can check it out with the Dive Manager or Organizer during the previous Wednesday Club night. For Sunday and/or Bank Holiday Monday diving please contact the Dive Organiser on the preceding Saturday evening between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to be advised of the intended dive site(s) and the time and place to meet up. Whenever the diving is moved forward to the Saturday you will need to phone in on the Friday evening at the same time.
Spaces may be limited so book early.
Members who are unable to commit to a full days diving may be able to join in for a single dive in the morning or afternoon. This will depend on the Dive Plan but should be manageable except when the dives sites are further away. Even then, pickups and dropoffs from a remote beach, such as Aberdaron, may be sometimes be possible. Phone the Dive Organizer at the usual time to find out. There may be a reduced contribution to the cost of the fuel used, although the boat levy will be payable in full, as will any contribution to the towing cost and launching fee.
Because of the importance of catching the tide, it may not be possible to wait for divers arriving late. Please arrive on or before the time given.
Some dives are limited to experienced Sports Divers or even Dive Leaders, (see comments section of the Dive Programme). However for trainee Ocean Divers and Sports divers who would like a dive it is still worth checking with the Dive Organiser as the dive plan will usually include alternative dive sites.
Check your equipment and that you have it all, before setting off from home, especially your breathing gas cylinder fills.
After a day’s boat diving you maybe expected to help with the recovery of the boat and on some occasions with the washing and maintenance of the equipment and boat back at Pendre.
The cost of your boat dive will depend on the fuel used, towing required, launch fees (if any) and a boat levy of £5. Money will usually be collected by the Dive Organizer at the end of the days diving. The costs are the same for a part or a full day.
If you need to hire gear from the Club, contact the Equipment Officer in good time to arrange its collection and return – hire fees apply
Club dives are also held on Wednesday evenings, for which there is a separate dive programme, but for which there is only a Dive Manager. These are usually shore dives around Llyn or in the Menai Straits, but may be boat dives during the longer evenings of mid-summer. Contact the nominated Dive Manager between 6.30pm and 7.30 pm on the preceding Monday or Tuesday evening.
For new divers:
Boat diving: Your scuba gear should be assembled before being loaded into the boat. Items like fins, mask, torches, surface marker buoy and reel, ankle weights can be placed in a ‘goody bag’ (large net bag) and stowed at the front of the boat, along with your weights. The order in which it is planned for divers to enter the water for their dive will effect where their scuba equipment is stowed on the boat. The Dive Manager/Organizer team will have organised this.
You will need sufficient food and drink to keep you going for the whole day.
It is useful, most would say essential, to have some sort of system for keeping your car boot dry for when your wet kit is put back in the car after the diving.
