This is the place where members can share news, ask questions, and make suggestions. In addition, news following the weekly social meeting will be posted here. Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to contribute.
You can also read interesting articles published by members here. Check out the latest article on how the spare propeller on the SS Maine was raised back in 1983 (article reproduced from DIVER magazine, courtesy of Terry Blackmore).
14 March 2024
At the Committee meeting last night the main item discussed was the purchase of a new boat. We have a few candidates and we reviewed their pros and cons. We hope to make a decision fairly soon so that we can get back to diving as soon as the weather improves. In the meantime, Simon would like to organise some shore dives locally which we will inform you about. The trip to Vobster Quay today was cancelled, but it is hoped to go there in a couple of weeks, possibly Wednesday 27 March. Let us know if you'd like to join.
TD1 preparation has been finished and the purchaser has paid us in full. We expect her to sail away during the next fair weather weekend, possibly this week. I've had a discussion with the Harbour Master about our berth and any possible changes due to a change in vessel, and he has been very helpful, so we don't expect any complications in that regard.
The compressor is getting some attention (the fan guard is back in place) and Granville will be removed 3 of the bank cylinders next week to go and get them tested. Terry Griffiths has kindly volunteered to help with their transportation. Granville's also tracking down someone to come and service it soon.
Planning for Splash-in on 29 June is progressing and Richard has contacted SCUBA magazine and BSoUP to initiate some publicity. I attended the council's watersports forum on Monday and they can also help with publicity. We are looking for more sponsors, so if you have any ideas and are willing to approach them, let me know and I can send you some information.
Pool training for the two new Ocean Diver trainees will recommence this Saturday (we had to postpone lesson last week). Nick will be main instructor this week, standing in for Simon. Any one interested in helping with training is welcome to join us.
The trip to Malta in September now has 6 divers (plus some partners) booked, and the Porthkerris trip in July has 7 divers. Spaces are still potentially available, so let Simon or Richard know if you are interested in joining.
And finally, since it's our 70th anniversary this year, we'd like to to celebrate the occasion with some kind of event or party. Please let us know if you have any ideas about a suitable format or location (especially if you'd like to organise something!).
6 March 2024
The boat viewing last Saturday resulted in a sale! So we can now announce that TD1 has been sold for what we consider to be a fair price, which allows us to move forward with the purchase of a new boat. We have 2 or 3 options currently, so we hope to get a replacement boat organised fairly quickly. In the meantime, a trip to Vobster Quay is planned for next Thursday 14 March. Let us know if you'd like to join. Apart from Vobster, we may be able to arrange some local diving from a chartered boat temporarily until the new boat arrives.
TD1 has been cleared of club diving gear and the purchaser is expected to sail her away during the next fair weather weekend. She's been a good boat for us and we are sorry to see her go, but we expect to move on to something even better. Thanks to Mike (and helpers) for arranging the sale and getting the boat ready. We still need some help with fund raising for the new boat, so if you are prepared to lend the club some money over the next year or two (however small), please let me know privately.
Pool training for the two new Ocean Diver trainees will recommence this Saturday. As usual, any help would be appreciated. Contact Simon for details.
There will be a Committee meeting next Wednesday (13 March) during the usual social meeting. All members are welcome to attend. The main items to consider are the options for acquiring the new boat and planning for Splash-in on 29 June. I attended the Go Diving Show at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park last weekend and left some fliers there. Teign Divers have agreed to sponsor some prizes again, but we are looking some more sponsorship, so let me know if you have any ideas on who we could approach.
28 February 2024
The boat did go out last Saturday, with a very full boat. We had 9 divers which was a bit crowded (we need a bigger boat!). The water temperature is still a rather chilly 10 deg, and the viz was only 1.5m out off the Orestone. But we did get a Sports Diver DSMB drill completed, and thanks to everyone's collaboration, we managed to get all dives completed and back in harbour by around 1pm. This was so that Simon and I could get over to the pool by 2pm, where we were starting an Ocean Diver course for 2 new members. We are pleased to welcome Julie Young and Rafikas Mamedovas as new, very enthusiastic Ocean Diver trainees.
This evening, we cancelled the planned Committee meeting (until 13 March), but we did present the Club Trophies for 2023. The awards are now shown on the website (in the Articles section), but the highlights are: the Maine Cup to Simon Jackson for contributions during the year, the Dominic Rowbottom knife to Mike Osler for support over several years, the Tuckerman Cup to Dave Perrett for most diver-dives in 2022, and the Wally Plate to Mike Osler (for the Red Sea wet suit incident, as eloquently retold by Jerry tonight).
The presentation last week on our Truk Lagoon trip was well received and we hope to repeat it soon for those who missed it. This time, I hope to be able to show some of the 360 deg videos in a VR headset.
Simon has sent out some updated information on the diving holiday to Malta, 11-19 September, which is now based at a hotel. There has been quite some interest already, so please get in touch with him if you have any questions. Richard has also sent out some information on the camping and diving weekend at Porthkerris in Cornwall, 5-7 July. If you would like to join us, you need to book your pitch and a place on the Celtic Kitten for Saturday directly with Porthkerris.
Splash-in will be on 29 June. I have had some fliers printed up that I shall be taking to the Go Diving Show at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park this weekend. We've started looking for prize sponsors for the competition, but if you have any ideas or contacts for more sponsors, please let me know. I can also let you have some fliers if that would be useful.
21 February 2024
The boat did go out last Saturday, but because the viz was so poor, diving was cancelled. The opportunity was taken to run some checks on the boat's performance under various conditions. The dive trip to Vobster last Thursday did take place, with 8 divers taking the plunge.
At tonight's social meeting, we had a presentation on Richard's and my trip to Truk Lagoon last October. There was a very good turnout and I hope that everyone found something of interest. We are hoping to arrange some more talks on Wednesday evenings, covering various topics such as underwater photography and local marine life.
Simon has now sent out some information on a planned diving holiday to Malta for club members in September. Please get in touch with him if you have any questions or to express your interest. Some more information will be sent out shortly on a weekend trip to Salcombe in May that Mike is planning.
The Ocean Diver course for 2 new members will start this Saturday. Some help with pool sessions (Saturday afternoons) would be appreciated, especially from Instructors and Assistant Instructors.
I'm still looking for some quotations to add to the BSAC presentation to attract new members, e.g. why you joined us, what you like about club diving, why BSAC suits you...that sort of thing.
14 February 2024
The boat did not go out last weekend since the viz was reported to be almost zero. However, there is a dive trip to Vobster tomorrow, Thursday 15 February.
Mike, Jerry and Terry went up to Scarborough last week to view a boat that is for sale there. After checking out the boat, they have recommended that it is not for us. However, we do have a couple of other options to look at over the next couple of months. There has been some interest in TD1, so we will see how that pans out.
The next Committee meeting has been postponed to 28 February, so next week (21 Feb), Richard and I are proposing to give a short presentation on our trip to Truk Lagoon last year. I know looking at someone else's holiday pics is extremely boring, so we have tried to make it interesting and entertaining (hopefully) with mostly videos.
Richard is trying to book a camping & diving weekend again at Porthkerris during July (or possibly June). More information will be sent out shortly, so contact him if you would like to join this trip (providing the weather is kind, it's always a great weekend). Note that Splash-in will be on 29 June. We are still planning to take our boat down to Salcombe on 17 - 18 May to dive the Maine and other sites. Contact Mike if you would like to join this trip.
Simon is planning a diving holiday to Malta for club members, potentially 11 - 18 September. This is a trip that could include non-diving partners, since there are lots of tourist and cultural things to do in Malta apart from diving. More information will be sent out shortly.
We are planning to start an Ocean Diver course on 24 February since we now have two candidates to join. Some help with pool sessions (probably Saturday afternoons) would be appreciated, especially from Instructors and Assistant Instructors.
I haven't received any quotations yet to add to the BSAC presentation to attract new members. I'm looking for the following: why you joined us, what you like about club diving, why BSAC suits you...that sort of thing.
A reminder that David John's funeral will be taking place on Tuesday 27 February. Contact Margaret for details.
7 February 2024
The boat did go out last Saturday and a good dive was had by those who found the wall off Cod Rock, which was described as spectacular. Those who did not find the wall had a less thrilling dive, but are determined to go back soon and verify its spectacularness. The water temperature is still about 10 deg and the viz was only about 2m. In other words, normal for the time of year.
We are still exploring our options for replacing TD1. Mike, Jerry and Terry are travelling up to Scarborough tomorrow to have a look at a boat that is for sale there. And a couple of other options are also being considered. No update yet on a potential purchaser for TD1.
We are planning to take the boat down to Salcombe on 17-18 May, where we plan to dive the Maine and other sites. There may be an option to stay the night at a rented house if enough people are interested. Please contact Mike if you would like to join this trip, whether for one or two days.
At next week's social meeting, we are planning to hold a committee meeting to discuss items such as progress on the boat sale, as well as preparations for Splash-in, etc. The meeting will proceed as usual, so please come along. We also plan to have a presentation soon on diving Truk Lagoon. Later this year, a club trip to Malta has been suggested, so let us know if that is something that you might be interested in.
No news yet on the planned Ocean Diver course, since we are waiting for one of the prospects to confirm.
We have received a presentation from BSAC to help promote the club that we can send to prospective members. Can Committee members please send me a photo to use in the presentation (or on our website). If you don't send me your choice of photo, you'll have to put up with whatever I could find in the archives... I also need some quotations to add to the presentation...why you joined us, what you like about club diving, why BSAC suits you...that sort of thing.
31 January 2024
The boat did go out last Sunday, but the sea was so rough that no dives took place. Those who were not suffering from seasickness enjoyed a fry-up. The prospective purchasers of TD1 didn't come last Saturday, but we are still arranging viewings. Meanwhile, we are looking into some interesting options for the replacement boat.
We now have two people wanting to do the Ocean Diver course, so we shall probably proceed. If you know anyone who would like to join the course, we have 2 places still available.
We have received a certificate from BSAC to mark our 70th anniversary year, so I'll be hanging a copy in the Compressor Room. We would like to organise some form of celebration of our anniversary (such as a dinner), so if you have any ideas, please let the committee know.
I attended a meeting of all the watersports clubs in Torbay yesterday, which was organised by the Council. The only outcome was that a planned joint promotional event for all clubs has been postponed from this May until March 2025 (most people preferred something at the start of the watersports season, and felt that this March was too soon). I shall also be attending the Torbay Harbour Liaison meeting next week. If anyone else is interested in attending any of these meetings, please let me know.
And finally, I've been contacted by Jay Chambers who has an old Buddy BCD to give away to a good home. If you are interested, I can give you his details.
24 January 2024
There was a dive last Friday, but the viz was reported to be poor. Although the weather appears to be easing up a little this weekend, the viz is expected to be bad again. In any case, TD1 will not available on Saturday since we have a couple of prospects coming to view her. Mike has now listed TD1 on FAFB.com and Facebook Marketplace, and there have been several expressions of interest already, with some viewings arranged. If we do manage to get a good offer, we shall start viewing some candidates for TD2. Mike has already purchased the diver lift that was advertised on FAFB and it is currently in the Compressor Room.
Interest in the Ocean Diver course has been disappointing, with only one positive response. I shall chase up the other prospects, but if we cannot get 2 more trainees, we'll have to postpone the course.
Jannike Smye has agreed to take over the Committee role of Secretary. I'd like to thank Kevin for his past work as Secretary, but other commitments have forced him to pass on the role. BSAC's Scuba Magazine is looking for branches to feature in their Club Focus feature and since this is our 70th anniversary year, we are aiming to contribute to this. Jannike will lead the effort, so let her know if you can help. Incidentally, there a 2 or 3 articles about the history of the club on our website if you'd like to know more.
17 January 2024
Diving was cancelled last weekend due to practically zero viz, but a working party on TD1 last Saturday made some good progress on getting the boat ready for sale. Thanks to all the people who turned up to help (and enjoy the inevitable fry-up). Mike has now listed TD1 on FAFB.com so let's see what happens. I have emailed all full members to see who is able to contribute to funding a new boat with some kind of loan. I have had a few replies already and I'm hoping for some more to come in. All replies will be confidential.
Mike has now purchased the diver lift that was advertised on FAFB. He and Paul are planning to go over to Gloucester shortly to collect it. All we need now is a boat to fit it to.
I have just contacted a number of prospective Ocean Diver trainees to join us for a course starting hopefully in a couple of weeks. So far, I've had one positive reply and hope to get at least two more soon so that we can proceed.
11 January 2024
At last night's meeting, we had a lot of discussion about our plans for replacing TD1. A vote was taken amongst those Committee members present to proceed with the decision that was taken last year to sell TD1 in preparation for the acquisition of a better boat. Although we have decided not to proceed with the purchase of Abyss in Plymouth (due to the mooring issues), there are other boats coming onto the market that are of interest. To enable this, we need to have the funds in hand to move quickly when the right boat becomes available. Therefore, as soon as possible, we plan to advertise TD1 on Find A Fishing Boat (FAFB) and FB Marketplace. There are some minor repairs and cosmetic improvements to be done in the short term (I've today ordered some exterior paint to match the existing colour). Volunteers will be needed to come and lend a hand with some of this work - contact Mike for details. I shall also be emailing all full members confidentially to ask if they would be willing to provide the club with an interest-free loan to be repaid monthly over an agreed period. Related to this, in order to maintain the financial viability of the club, the 2024 Dive Fees will revert to the pre-winter discount cost, i.e. £20 per day.
One of the requirements for the new boat is that it should have a diver lift. A couple of reconditioned lifts became available on FAFB recently for a very reasonable price (one of which has already sold), so we have asked Mike to pursue the purchase of this lift. Even if we subsequently buy a boat with a lift, we can always sell the purchased lift (since they don't come on the market very often).
Following the Try-Dive last month, we have a few prospects for an Ocean Diver course that we would like to start around the end of this month. A schedule of training sessions has been prepared and will shortly be sent to the prospects to find out if they will join the club. Simon will be looking for Instructors and Assistant Instructors to help with the course when it starts.
The New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour went ahead and had a good turnout of 13 divers (6 club members). Conditions were not great, with viz poorer than expected (looked good when they went in) and quite a bit of swell. I have seen a couple of excellent photos taken on the dive however, that were were posted on Instagram.
27 December 2023
Last Saturday, 4 of us went down to Plymouth to view Abyss, a diving charter boat that has come on the market. I've already circulated to all full members Richard's thoughts on the purchase and most of the Committee are in agreement that this is not the boat for us. Although it would be a good dive boat (good stability, plenty of deck space, twin-engined, diver lift, etc), because it is a catamaran with a 4.5m beam, we cannot find a berth for it in Torquay, or indeed in Torbay. We would have to give up our pontoon berth in Torquay and go to a swing mooring in Brixham, which is all that available at the moment. Therefore, it is felt that this would introduce a detrimental change to the way that we use our dive boat. The plan now is to look for a single-hulled dive boat <10m that we can afford, whilst preparing TD1 for sale. We have also spotted a diver lift for sale that we'd like to check out.
You may have spotted that our website is currently off-line. Apparently, the domain registration needs to be renewed, so we are looking into that.
The New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour has been approved and the Diving Permit signed off by the Harbour Master. Please come along, if not to dive, then to support those hardy souls who are getting wet. Diving starts at 10am and should finish by 1pm.
20 December 2023
Most of you will be aware that we have been looking to replace TD1 for a while now. Abyss, a diving charter boat based in Plymouth has come on the market, so we are having a look at it to see if this could be 'the one'. It's a purpose-built twin-engined catamaran with a diver lift on the back, in other words, exactly what we would wish for. The boat featured in some of the TV shows that Ross Kemp made a couple of years ago, and several members have dived off her as a charter boat. The skipper is an ex-member of our club. There are some issues to solve, such as how we afford her (!), and we would have to moor her on a swing mooring in Brixham rather than in Torquay. Despite this, we do feel it is worth going to have a look (possibly this weekend if there's no diving). Before any decision is made, we would call an EGM to agree on the way forward.
The New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour has been approved and the Diving Permit signed off by the Harbour Master. Please come along, if not to dive, then to support those hardy souls who are getting wet. Diving starts at 10am and should finish by 1pm.
Note that there will not be a social meeting next week since the rugby club will be closed on 27 December. So if I don't see you on a dive next week, have a good Christmas, and we'll see you on New Year's Day for a dive in the harbour!
13 December 2023
I have changed the seawater impeller on TD1 today, since the old one was well broken up, with half its vanes missing. We just need to prime the system with water and make sure that we have good flow (since those missing rubber vanes could potentially be causing a blockage in the heat exchanger). Mike has also renewed the mooring ropes which had been looking a bit worse for wear. I've also today renewed the Navionics software subscription on the iPad.
Simon and I ran a successful Try-Dive for 5 people last Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Richard and Olly who came to help set things up. Hopefully, we will have some recruits for an Ocean Diver training course as a result.
The Club's Christmas Dinner at the Devon Dumpling last Saturday was a success, and the raffle raised £166 for the club. Thanks to Jenny who put a lot of effort into making it all run smoothly.
Note that next Wednesday will be the last club social meeting for the year, since the rugby club will be closed on 27 December. If you don't make it next week, have a good Christmas, and hopefully we'll see you on New Year's Day for a dive in the harbour!
6 December 2023
TD1 went out last Saturday, but the viz was so poor (less than a metre) that diving was cancelled within minutes of the first diver entering the water.
We have 5 people coming for a pool Try-Dive next Sunday afternoon (10 December). We would like to have some help, either in the pool (instructors) or topside to help with kit. Let me or Simon know if you are available.
The Club's Christmas Dinner is this Saturday at the Devon Dumpling (33 people booked). Please bring along a prize for the raffle, which should be gift wrapped. And bring some cash to buy raffle tickets!
We plan to present the club's trophies at a forthcoming social evening (to be announced). Note that the rugby club will be closed on 27 December, so there will not be a social meeting between Christmas and New Year. The traditional New Year's Day harbour dive has now been approved by the Council and Harbour Master. This is open to members and invited guests.
30 November 2023
TD1 went out twice last weekend, with dives on both Saturday and Sunday. The water temperature has now dropped to 12 deg, and unfortunately the viz has not improved much. We'll try again this Saturday!
TD1 has moved to a new berth in Torquay Harbour (Y22), which we hope will make it easier to dock with a westerly wind. Terry reports that it is a bit harder to reverse off the mooring, but hopefully a new boat will solve this problem!
A reminder that we have a Try-Dive scheduled for Sunday 10 December. Please let me or Simon know if you are able to help.
Splash-in 2024 is now scheduled for 29 June. Peter Rowlands has once more agreed to be the judge and the RTYC has been booked for the evening awards dinner. Please make a note in your calendars and plan to attend.
I attended the Torbay Council's Watersports Clubs Forum on Monday, which had quite a good turnout. There is a plan for the clubs to work together to try to attract new members, with a possible event in April to demonstrate what we do. The last time this was planned, Covid intervened, so we'll see if the organisers can pull it together next year.
If you are attending the Club's Christmas Dinner on 9 December at the Devon Dumpling (we now have 33 people booked), please bring along a prize for the raffle. This should be gift wrapped so the winners don't know what they are selecting!
22 November 2023
We currently have a BSAC Sports Diver course running for Olly Ward and as part of this, we plan to hold a practical session on Basic Life Support Skills (rescue breaths and chest compressions) using the club's Resusci-Annes and training AED. Hopefully, we can do this on a Wednesday evening and involve as many members as possible, since this would be useful revision and practise for our active divers. I'll let you know in advance when this is scheduled.
Torquay Harbour has offered us a different mooring in the Town Dock. Although it's the same size as we currently have, it may be an easier berth to tie up to when the wind is blowing from the SW. Therefore, Mike will be going to assess this tomorrow and see if we should accept the offer.
We now have a Try-Dive scheduled for Sunday 10 December. If you are able to help, either in the pool (Instructors & Assistant Instructors) or just preparing dive kit, please let me know.
The Council will be hosting a Torbay Watersports Clubs Forum on Monday at 6pm at the Paignton Sailing Club. If anyone would like to volunteer to attend on behalf of the club, please let me know ASAP.
The BSAC Incident Report for 2022 is now available for download from the BSAC website. I attended a webinar presentation on this last night and this will also be available to view on the BSAC website soon. The report is always worth a look to see what can go wrong and how to avoid incidents where possible.
The Club Christmas Dinner on 9 December at the Devon Dumpling is now fully booked. We had planned to present the club trophies at the dinner, but for various reasons, we'll now be doing this during forthcoming Wednesday social meetings.
And finally, Tony Howard has a 7 litre steel cylinder (in test) for sale. Contact him directly if interested.
15 November 2023
Due to the poor weather forecast this weekend (Force 5-7 SW winds), no Dive List was taken at tonight's meeting. However, we do have 6 members heading to Vobster Quarry tomorrow for some dives, including some twinset and CCR experience dives.
Jerry has re-fixed the engine bay sound insulation panels on TD1. It would be nice if we could also repair the cushions in the cabin.
Olly Ward has managed to source a replacement valve for the compressor 300 bar side that we'll fit in due course. The 232 bar side should be fully functioning - if there are any problems, let us know. We are planning to test the bank cylinders soon.
We are planning to run a Try-Dive in the next few weeks with the aim of recruiting some trainees for a BSAC Ocean Diver course. We'll be looking for some volunteers to help with that soon.
The Christmas Dinner is on Saturday 9 December at the Devon Dumpling. If you've not yet sent your payment to Margaret or into the club account, please do so ASAP.
8 November 2023
A good turn out at tonight's social meeting. Thanks to all who turned up; I hope you enjoyed the presentation of photos and videos from some of our Red Sea trips. (Most of the photos can be found in the Galleries section of our website). We hope to do something similar on Truk Lagoon sometime. It's also been suggested that we have a quiz night - anyone volunteering to put that together?
Although we didn't get out to dive last week, some useful work was done on the boat. Thanks to Jerry in particular, the fuel filters got changed, and today he managed to finish the installation of an additional transparent fuel filter that will allow us to detect if there is any contamination of the fuel. The work plan for the boat has been updated and as soon as the weather permits, we plan to continue working on some of the cosmetic items on the list.
On Saturday, we also managed to replace the leaking valve on the compressor panel. There is still a leak on the 300 bar side (which is not generally used) and we are sourcing a replacement valve to fix that. A full service of the compressor is planned soon, including testing of the bank cylinders.
We hope to run a Try-Dive soon with the aim of recruiting some trainees for a BSAC Ocean Diver course. Contact us if you know anyone who may be interested in doing this.
2 November 2023
Last Saturday, TD1 did go out and managed to find some quiet water for diving. Unfortunately, the viz was extremely poor and the dives were cut short, although on the plus side, the water temperature was still a relatively warm 15 deg. Let's hope the weather will improve soon and we can get back in the water again.
Last night we held a Committee meeting to discuss various topics. A proposal to reduce dive fees during the winter months was discussed and approved in principle. The idea is to encourage people to continue diving, even though the dives may not be all that great. However, we must bear in mind that we are saving up to replace the boat and must continue to cover the cost of fuel and mooring fees. The work plan to bring TD1 up to a saleable condition is being updated, but the current wet weather will prevent any painting work, and realistically, it is unlikely we can get a lot done until the early Spring. The need for a new Training Officer was discussed and Simon agreed to take on the role, with Nick McV as Assistant TO. I'd like to organise a Try-dive soon, with the aim of running an Ocean Diver training course over the winter months. The compressor needs some maintenance and plans were made to address some of the current issues.
At next week's social meeting, I plan to show some slides and videos from our Red Sea trips in 2023, 2019, and 2004-2006. Please come along.
A reminder that the Xmas Dinner will be held at the Devon Dumpling in Torquay on Saturday 9 December. The menu was attached to last week's email. Please let Jenny know your menu choices by 22 Nov. We shall be presenting the Club Trophies at the dinner again, so if you have a trophy, please let us have it back in good time.
We haven't held a branch photo competition for a while (not since 2019), so we shall organise this again soon, probably early in the New Year.
26 October 2023
Richard and I are now back from Truk Lagoon after some gruelling flights and some challenging wreck dives. We'll put together some slides and videos to show (for those who are interested) at a later date. We have a lot of photos and videos to process! I now plan to show the presentation of some of our Red Sea trips at our social meeting on 8 Nov.
Next Wednesday, we are having a Committee meeting to discuss various topics such as: a proposal to reduce dive fees during the winter months; sort out a work plan for TD1 to make her more saleable; appointment of a Training Officer and plans for next Try-dive and training courses; trophies to be presented at the Xmas Dinner; compressor servicing and potential upgrade.
Our website came back online while I was away (thanks Nick for helping to fix this). Unfortunately, the website was restored from a backup in late August, so any additions made during Sept and Oct have been lost. Consequently, the article and photos from the Red Sea trip are missing and the web pages have to be redone. I should be able to get this done in the next few days.
Jenny has been very busy and has kindly organised the Xmas Dinner to be held at the Devon Dumpling in Torquay on Saturday 9 December. The price is £25.95 for 2 courses, or £29.95 for 3 courses. Payment to Margaret and menu choices to Jenny by 22 Nov please. The menu is attached. If you did not receive the invitation email from Jenny and would like to attend, please let us know by replying here.
4 October 2023
TD1's deck has been completely replaced thanks to some hard work by Mick Jackman over the last couple of days, with new paint applied by Terry. An excellent effort.
At the time of writing, our website is still offline, however we're taking steps to re-instate it. There was a server change by the website hosting service and some other issues relating to the domain registrar. Since we did not have an SSL (security) certificate, most browsers were blocking access to the site. We are working on consolidating the registrar and the hosting service, which should make the website more reliable in future.
2 October 2023
TD1 went out on the last two Saturdays, with a dive on Bream Rock the first week. This is a site that we rarely dive, but it warrants further exploration since one buddy team reported a steep wall with plenty of life including congers and a large octopus. Terry is still planning a trip to Salcombe to dive the Maine, but this will probably be late October or November.
I shall not be at the club meeting for the next few weeks (diving in Truk Lagoon), so Dive Managers will need to take the Dive Lists for each week. If you need to communicate with the club regarding a dive, I suggest using the WhatsApp group rather than this email address (which is not always monitored regularly). Please keep the dive logs for me to collate and place on record. Although I had intended to show some slides from our Red Sea trips this Wednesday, I am now planning to do this when I get back from my trip (with Covid cases on the rise, I'm self-isolating as much as possible in the days just before flying).
You may have noticed that our website has been down for a few days. This is due to a server change by the website hosting service and some other issues relating to the domain registrar. We are working on this and plan to consolidate the registrar and the hosting service which should make the website more reliable.
20 September 2023
Last week, TD1 went out on both Thursday and Saturday. The Thursday dive went off without a hitch and a good dive was had on Tucker rock. On Saturday, we set off for Brixham to dive Cod Rock, but unfortunately, the engine stalled just outside the harbour. Thanks to the sterling efforts of Jerry, we got the boat going again and so we switched to a safe dive on Morris Rogue (where incidentally, the viz was a good 4-5m). The good news is that we think we now understand why the boat has stalled a couple of times (dirty fuel lines), and so Terry has emptied the fuel tanks for them to be cleaned tomorrow. The new temperature gauge and sender fitted by Jerry are working well and show consistent engine temperatures with no overheating issues.
If the weather is OK this weekend, we hope to further test the boat with a local dive, but this means that the planned trip to Salcombe to dive the Maine this weekend has had to be cancelled.
I'm planning to hold a slide show of club photos from the Red Sea at our social meeting on 4 October. I have a selection of photos from the club trip last month, as well as some photos from previous trips (2019 and 2004-2006). If you have some photos (above or below the sea) that you can share, please get copies to me. Incidentally, Simon's report on this year's trip is now on our website in the Articles section. A selection of photos will also be available in the Galleries section soon.
This months' SCUBA magazine carries a brief report on Torbay Splash-in 2023 with some of the winning photographs.
BSAC SW Region has a couple of SDCs that may be of interest: Practical Rescue Management on 28 Oct, and First Aid for Divers on 11 Nov.
13 September 2023
Last week TD1 went out to the Bretagne on Thursday, but had an engine problem so diving was cancelled. Jerry, Granville and Dave worked on the boat on Saturday so that we were able to go out and dive locally on Sunday. Jerry and Mike were working again on the boat today and we plan to go out again tomorrow to dive locally and further test the boat. The good news is that the visibility is excellent (for Torbay) at the moment, with up to 8 metres on the Morris Rogue.
Providing the boat issues are fully solved, Terry is offering to take TD1 round to Salcombe to dive the Maine and Cattons on Saturday and Sunday 23-34 September. We need a full boat on both days to make this work, so let me or Terry know soon if you would like to join one or both days.
A leak from the Charge valve on the compressor has been reported. This has been investigated and needs the charging panel to be removed, which is scheduled for next week.
I'd like to arrange a slide show of photos from the Red Sea at one of our upcoming social meetings. While concentrating on the club trip last month, I'd like to include some photos from previous trips (2019 and earlier). If you have some photos (above or below the sea) that you can share, please get copies to me.
6 September 2023
Last weekend TD1 went out on the Sunday and I'm pleased to report that the good visibility has continued, with 4 to 5 metres seen off the Orestone.
Tonight we welcomed a new member, Olly Ward, who is a PADI Open Water diver. Recently qualified, he is keen to get some experience in Torbay waters and continue his training to BSAC Sports Diver. Welcome.
Torbay Council is planning another meeting of all the local watersports clubs to see how we can collaborate and get help from the council (an exhibition day at the Riviera Centre was discussed at the last meeting). The meeting is scheduled for Monday 9 Oct, probably at the Paignton Sailing Club. Although I would normally attend, I expect to be landing in Truk Lagoon on that date, so I'm looking for a volunteer to attend and represent the club. If you can help, let me know and I can send you the Agenda and Minutes of Last Meeting.
30 August 2023
Last week we had a busy schedule with TD1 going out on the Thursday, Saturday and Monday. Cod Rock on the other side of Brixham was dived again on Saturday and was reported to be an interesting dive with two octopus seen. The good news is that the visibility has improved considerably, with 5 or 6 metres seen off the Orestone and Thatcher on Monday. There's a short video on our Facebook page to show how good it was.
Terry is now planning to take TD1 round to Salcombe on the weekend of 7-8 October, when there are good slacks. Let us know if you would like to join the dives on either or both days.
Many of you will remember Peter Bennett who was a member for many years and is now a Social Member again. Unfortunately, Peter's wife Joyce died recently and her funeral service will be next Monday (4 Sept). There will be a wake at the rugby club on Monday at 3pm and Peter has invited any members who would like to attend.
23 August 2023
Although we had planned to take TD1 round to Salcombe next weekend, we needed to have a full boat for both days. Unfortunately, we couldn't get enough divers for the Sunday to justify the trip. We'll try again later.
Last weekend saw diving cancelled again due to the high winds, with the bay looking very choppy. The sailing yachts taking part in the Torbay Regatta however enjoyed a couple of great days!
The group from the Red Sea wreck trip are back, and I hope to get a report and some photos for the website soon.
16 August 2023
There was no diving again last weekend due to poor weather and lack of divers (Red Sea trip was underway). However, we did manage to get out in TD1 today, as the summer made a re-appearance, with sunny skies and calm seas. We dived off Cod Rock in Brixham (which we rarely dive) and found a very scenic site with plenty of marine life, including lobsters, a crayfish, and large ballan wrasse. When I say "scenic", it would have been better if we'd been able to see more than a couple of meters (the viz unfortunately has not improved much and was particularly snotty today). On the plus side, we did see some dolphins on the way back to Torquay, proving that you don't have to go to the Red Sea to see dolphins! (Although, perhaps you do if you want to dive with them).
Only a few people turned up at the social tonight which was down on Beacon Quay due to the rugby club being closed. As far as I know, next week we will be back in the rugby club as usual.
9 August 2023
There was no diving last weekend due to gale force winds. However, good progress was made with the maintenance work on TD1, with both the bilge hand pumps being repaired, and the bilges pumped out and cleaned with degreaser. The forward cabin windows have also been re-sealed. Thanks to Granville, Richard, Terry and Francis who all helped over several days.
The Red Sea wreck trip starts tomorrow, so most of our keen divers will be away for the next week. At least they will be getting some better viz for a change.
Defra is conducting consultations on 6 Fisheries Management Plans and have sent out 5 draft factsheets to D&S IFCA permit holders. These include some documents that are of interest to us, namely the King Scallop and Crab & Lobster FMPs. If you can access the factsheets, go to the consultation webpages and download the relevant FMP Annexes. These are very comprehensive documents that contain a wealth of interesting information about these fisheries. If you don't have access and are interested, let me know and I can forward the pdfs to you.
If you have an Apeks ATX second stage, be aware that there is a recall notice out for some units to replace the exhaust valves. Check the serial number and if it is lower than 2302xxxxx, you are advised to contact Apeks or your local dealer. (I had an ATX40 octopus from 2018 that was affected).
2 August 2023
We did manage to dive last Saturday, although we had to go around Hope's Nose to find calm water. A second dive on King Rock was quite rough. This coming Saturday is even worse with potential gale force winds forecast.
Maintenance work on TD1 has started with Granville working on the starboard hand bilge pump, and we plan to clean up the bilges tomorrow (weather permitting). Mick Jackman has volunteered to replace the decking where needed, although this will be in a few weeks. In the meantime, until the priority work has been completed, we shall only be taking TD1 out on local inshore dives, so the wrecks will have to wait a while!
We have been contacted by the Historic Environment Team at Devon County Council who are looking for photographs/video from some of the local wrecks for an international project called TIDE. Richard has found an old CD of images from the project to lift the spare propeller from the Maine, which he will forward to them. An article about this project is on our website and I have now added some of these photos to the Gallery section of website. If you would like a copy of all these photos, let me know and I can let you have a copy of the CD.
26 July 2023
Diving last weekend was again cancelled due to the poor weather, but as with the previous week, we did go out on the Thursday, when we tried some different sites over towards Brixham. Unfortunately, the viz was very poor at 1m or less. What has happened to the Summer? The long term weather forecast is not very promising either. At least the group heading out to the Red Sea in a couple of weeks will enjoy some sun and clear viz.
A group did meet on Saturday to survey what maintenance work is required on TD1 and a prioritised list of tasks has been prepared. We plan to meet up next week to draw up a schedule for fixing the most urgent jobs. No doubt, we shall be looking for more volunteers to help out in due course.
Further to the dive equipment donated to the club that I listed last week, there is also a Dive Rite Transpac and RecWing available. It is an older model but could probably be put to good use. All of this kit is now in the Compressor Room, so let us know if you are interested.
19 July 2023
Diving last weekend was cancelled due to the poor weather, but we did manage to go out on Thursday. Viz was still poor at about 2m max. I've seen reports that the viz has even been relatively poor over Plymouth way, so perhaps it's related to the reported high surface water temperatures? Below 10m however, the sea temperature is about 15 deg, which is normal for this time of year.
The powerboat prop & gearbox that we recovered last week has been handed back to the owner and he has made a donation to the club of £300 as a reward. Well done to all involved.
Some maintenance work is required on TD1 and we plan to make a prioritised list of tasks this weekend to action over the coming weeks. We shall be looking for volunteers to help out in due course.
We've had some dive equipment donated to the club, so let us know if you are interested in acquiring (for a small donation) any of the following items: Mares Wave fins (size Regular), Scubapro hood (small), ali backplate (no harness), and several DSMBs.
12 July 2023
Last Saturday, we dived in Hopes Cove (the only place where the sea state was ok due to the strong SW winds). Viz was still a bit murky at about 2m only. On the way back into harbour, we had another search for the powerboat prop & gearbox that someone had lost during a race a couple of weeks ago. We dropped a shot on the suspected site and Jerry & Dave did a circular search on a reel from the shot. To our surprise, they were successful after 10 or 15 mins and we were able to raise the lost gearbox on a rope with a lifting bag. The owner has been contacted and he is very happy to hear that it has been recovered.
Investigations into acquiring a new boat are continuing. It looks as if we may need to sell TD1 first and this will probably require that we do a little work to improve her appearance first.
5 July 2023
Last Saturday, we dived around Flat Rock and Thatcher. Water temperature is up to 14 degrees and the visibility is recovering slowly, with up to 3m in places. We have been asked if we can find and recover a powerboat prop & gearbox that was lost near Beacon Cove during a race a couple of weeks ago. A few passes with our side-scan sonar and a brief search of the seabed failed to reveal anything last Saturday, so we hope to have another go this weekend.
The latest issue of Underwater Photography Magazine carried a good write-up on Splash-in. You can download UwP from their website for free and it is highly recommended.
Adrian Powell has been our Training Officer for the last 4 years, but has now had to stand down due to personal commitments. I'd like to thank Adrian for all the hard work that he has put in, running Try-Dives and taking trainee Ocean Divers in for their pool sessions and open water qualifying dives. He will be hard to replace.
We have had a number of requests for Try-Dives recently and I would like to organise one soon. Please let me know if you can help in the pool, even if it is just to prepare the kit, etc. Instructors and Assistant Instructors will be especially welcome.
It has been suggested that we should be wearing lifejackets on TD1 (if not in a drysuit). I would encourage this to be standard practice, especially for the Cox, Boat Handler and any crew. We are looking at the possibility of ordering a few new lifejackets (hopefully at a discount) that will be available to purchase. Let me know your thoughts on this matter.
28 June 2023
Last weekend we were in Porthkerris for a camping/diving trip. Two of us got in a shore dive on the Friday afternoon and then on the Saturday, we had 6 divers going out on the Celtic Kitten for two dives to Carn Du and the Mohegan. Visibility varied from only about 4m on the shore dive to about 8m on the Manacles reef. A good time was had by all, so why not plan to join us next year?
Earlier today we had a dive out to Flat Rock and King Rock, but visibility was reported to still be poor at about 2m.
The Committee meeting at this week's social meeting was postponed, possibly until next week.
21 June 2023
Last Saturday we had 7 divers on a fairly full boat. Diving on Tucker was disappointing due to poor viz, but was much better on the Orestone, where the viz was 2 or 3 metres. There were lots of lobsters around, as well as a large catshark.
After next week's social meeting, a Committee meeting is scheduled. All members are welcome to attend.
This weekend sees a good crowd heading down to Porthkerris for a camping/diving trip. All being well (no punctures or equipment failures), it promises to be a very enjoyable weekend.
14 June 2023
There's now a good sized group heading down to Porthkerris a week on Friday. The weather forecast looks (mostly) good, so a good time should be had by all. Let Richard know ASAP if you'd like to join us.
London Branch BSAC (0001) are planning to spend this coming weekend diving in Torbay from their RIB, so we may meet them out on one of our rocks during the day. If it is feasible, we may be able to help them out with filling some of their cylinders on Saturday afternoon. Let me know if you could be available to help out with this.
Splash-in news has been appearing on social media and I've now prepared a report that appears as an article on our website https://torbay-bsac.co.uk/articles/65-splash-in-2023 . The same article is being sent to the relevant diving magazines for possible publication.
8 June 2023
Last week's Splash-in went well, with 16 competitors registered and a total of 49 photos submitted. Unfortunately, the Easterlies that we've been experiencing for weeks did not let up and we had to extend the geographic location to include sites outside of Torbay. Some competitors started at 10pm the night before and many went over to Thurlestone or Hope Cove, where the viz was reported to be up to 10m.
Many thanks to Mick Jackman and Margaret who put up and manned the booth on Beacon Quay for competitors to hand in their photos. We had 24 people booked in for the presentation dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club that evening. We're grateful again that Peter Rowlands from Underwater Photography Magazine could come over from Plymouth to judge the competition. As usual, the standard of entries was very high, and you can now view all the winning and highly commended photographs on our website.
31 May 2023
The boat went out last Thursday and a good dive was made on the Bretagne, with the new counter-balanced shotline working very well. However, when the boat went out again on Saturday, there was a very large swell and the viz has deteriorated to almost nothing. Three hopeful divers jumped in but aborted almost immediately. Despite this, the sun was shining and a pleasant breakfast was enjoyed on TD1.
Unfortunately, the Easterlies are forecast to continue into next week which means that we have had to modify Splash-in on Saturday. Tomorrow, I shall be contacted all the registered contestants to inform them that the geographic location requirements are being relaxed to include sites outside of Torbay (basically somewhere sheltered from the Easterly winds). Photos will still have to be handed in to our booth on Beacon Quay by 5pm. We currently have 15 contestants registered, with 24 people booked in for dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club. If anyone can help to man the booth on Beacon Quay for a while, please let me know.
24 May 2023
The boat did go out last Saturday and it was a very pleasant dive. The viz has definitely improved, with 4-5m off Thatcher and Flat Rock.
TD1 came up onto the slip last Thursday for cleaning and anti-fouling. We also managed to fix the sonar transducer more firmly in place and paint it with a special water-based anti-fouling treatment. Many thanks to all who helped, especially Terry and Kevin who got the boat onto the slip and back again on the mooring.
Splash-in is almost here. Please register on the website if you'd like to have a go (a loan camera may be available). If you would like to attend the evening presentation and dinner at the RTYC, please let me know by Friday since I have to give the yacht club the final meal numbers one week in advance. If you can help during the day by maintaining a club presence on Beacon Quay, please let me know.
Terry is looking at taking TD1 down to Salcombe on the weekend of 26-27 August so that we can dive the Maine and other sites off the coast there. Let us know if you are interested in joining either or both days.
And finally, thanks to Jan Blackler who donated £20 to the club from the sale of lost golf balls.
17 May 2023
There was no diving last weekend for various reasons, but we did manage to get out on the boat this morning. The viz has improved somewhat and we had up to 3m today. The water is also starting to warm up a little (12 deg today).
TD1 is coming up onto the slip tomorrow for cleaning and anti-fouling. If you can help, please join us. Work will start as soon as the tide starts to drop away from the hull (about 8am) and will continue until mid-afternoon.
Terry has been looking at a possible date for taking TD1 down to Salcombe, possibly late August. There is still time to join us on the Porthkerris weekend (19-25 June) and we have had a few more sign up for the charter boat on the Saturday. Dave's Red Sea trip in August has room for one more person - contact him ASAP if interested.
Splash-in is starting to see competitors register. The menu for the dinner will be a choice of steak or chicken pie (+ a veggie option) with sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Tonight we were pleased to welcome Terry Griffiths back as a member. He tells me that he has an Olympus camera in a Nauticam housing for sale having upgraded his system. If you would like to get into some serious underwater photography, this sounds like it could be the bargain of the decade. More details to follow.
10 May 2023
All diving last weekend was cancelled due to the weather. The viz however does seem to be much better now, although there are reports that the algal bloom is starting. The second Diver Cox Assessment practical took place yesterday. Thanks to Warwick Saunders for giving up his time over several weeks and to Simon for facilitating the assessments. We will soon have 5 more Diver Coxs qualified once we have formal acknowledgement from BSAC (and Jannike needs to finish her theory passage planning). During the second assessment, we were asked by a local fishing boat if we could free their prop from some rope, and luckily Simon was already kitted up for the diver deployment and retrieval drills. He gallantly agreed to help, which earned us a very generous donation from the fishing boat skipper (as well as a nice cod).
TD1 will come up onto the slip next week, Thursday 18 May, for cleaning and anti-fouling. Helpers needed. The new oxygen kit has gone onto the boat, along with a first aid kit and new flare pack. The second oxygen cylinder has now been tested and will be placed back on the boat this weekend.
I met with RTYC today and have given them an estimate for the number of meals needed for the Splash-in presentation dinner. The good news is that they are reasonably flexible on the numbers and we will be able to adjust the total at the end of May. Unfortunately, they have also increased their meal prices and although I managed to negotiate a discount, I have had to increase the price of the dinner from £15 to £16 per head. The web booking form has now been adjusted to reflect this. And we've already had 2 competitors registering (both newcomers to Torbay Splash-in).
3 May 2023
Last Saturday's dive was cancelled due to the weather, but we did manage to get out on Bank Holiday Monday, which had much better weather. The viz was a bit better than the in previous weeks, with 2 or (optimistically) 3m. The Diver Cox Assessment practical that took place last week went ahead as planned, but they had to endure some nasty weather. The second Diver Cox Assessment is planned to take place next Tuesday - there is room for one more person, so if you are able and prepared to take the assessment, let us know ASAP.
A Committee meeting was held tonight, primarily to discuss boat and equipment matters. We are now planning to bring TD1 up onto the slip on Thursday 18 May for cleaning and anti-fouling. If you are willing to help, please let us know. We have decided to purchase some new parts to upgrade our oxygen kit and these will go onto the boat this weekend, along with a newer first-aid kit. A new flare pack is also being purchased this week. Mike is also clarifying this week what testing is needed for the compressor bank cylinders in preparation for servicing the compressor. Kevin has now scheduled for Committee meetings to be held every month to help manage the needs of the club going forward, particularly in regards to the boat replacement and developing our instructor capability so that we can attract new members.
Splash-in 2023 is fast approaching and this week we have to book how many places we need at the RTYC presentation dinner. Several of the key people who used to man our booth on Beacon Quay will not be available this year, so I'm looking for volunteers to help out on the day. Please let me know if you can help. And if you would like to enter the competition, I have some cameras that I'm willing to lend out. Just let me know.
19 April 2023
Last Saturday we did manage to get out and dive, but the visibility was awful (the first diver pair aborted due to strong current and 1m viz). It was more like diving in green pea soup. With strong easterlies continuing all this week, it's not looking too hopeful for this weekend either. The Diver Cox Assessment practical that was due to take place tomorrow has had to be postponed again due to the weather.
The AGM was held tonight at the rugby club and I also presented the results of the TD1 questionnaire. I shall circulate those shortly and Kevin will send out the minutes of the AGM at some point. There was no change to the Club Officers, but some extra people added to the Committee. Proposals were passed to appoint an Assistant Equipment/Boat Officer and to appoint a separate Social Secretary. The new Committee will meet in a couple of weeks to formulate plans, focusing on needed equipment upgrades, compressor maintenance, and how we should go about selling TD1 to make way for new boat.
The diving & camping weekend to Porthkerris to dive the Manacles has now been booked for 23 - 25 June. There are spaces available on the Celtic Kitten charter boat on Saturday (we've got 3 spaces booked so far). Contact Richard if you would like to join this excellent trip.
Splash-in 2023 is on 3 June and we got a nice article advertising this in this month's SCUBA magazine. I hear that a couple of the previous frequent winners are not able to attend this year, so there will be more chance for the rest of us! Incidentally, if you're interested in getting more serious about underwater photography, I have a Nauticam housing for sale, along with a Sony A6000 camera - let me know!
12 April 2023
Most diving last weekend was cancelled due to the weather, although the boat did get out for a dive on Good Friday. The gale force winds today didn't look very inviting, although the sea looked fairly flat in the lee at Babbacombe. Hopefully, the weather will have improved by this weekend.
The AGM will be held next Wednesday 19 April at 8pm in the rugby club. Kevin will send out an agenda shortly. Since I wasn't able to get to the social meeting this evening, I plan to present the results of the TD1 questionnaire at next week's AGM.
Richard is organising a diving/camping weekend to Porthkerris to dive the Manacles. We've done this for the last couple of years or so, and it is always a great weekend. He is proposing the go down on Friday 23 June, returning on Sunday 24th. Apart from the well known shore dive there, he has enquired about spaces on the Celtic Cat/Kitten dive boats. A separate email with more details will be sent to all members shortly.
5 April 2023
Diving last weekend was cancelled due to the weather. Thankfully, the weather looks at lot more promising over the upcoming holiday weekend (apart from Monday).
Don't forget that the AGM will be held on 19 April at the rugby club. Kevin has prepared a draft Agenda which will be sent out shortly.
The BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment continued tonight with the Voyage Plans being reviewed. The practical assessment is now scheduled for 20 April.
The returned questionnaires about the future of TD1 have now been compiled and I plan to present the results at next week's social meeting.
The seller of the dive cylinders for sale (that I mentioned last week) has been in touch again to say that he also has a new regulator for sale (no information on what it is), but if you are potentially interested, contact us for details of the vendor.
29 March 2023
Last Saturday's dive was again cancelled due to the weather, but we did manage to get out on Sunday again when the weather was better and relatively calm (with some swell). Unfortunately, the visibility on Thatchers and Morris Rogue was very poor at a metre or less.
The AGM will be held on 19 April at the rugby club. Nominations for committee positions and motions to be voted on were due in today and tonight we received 4 more nominations. An Agenda will be sent out in due course.
The BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment due to be done tomorrow has been postponed until next month due to the bad weather. Preparation chart work continued tonight and the Voyage Plans will be reviewed in a week or two.
If you have still not filled in the questionnaire about the future of TD1 and would like to do so, let me know and I can send a blank form. I'll be compiling the answers shortly and will present these at the club in a couple of weeks.
I've heard of some dive cylinders for sale (but don't know what size they are). Seller is asking for £90 each (they are apparently in test). Contact us for details of vendor.
22 March 2023
Last Saturday's dive was cancelled due to the weather, but we did manage to get out on Sunday when the weather was lovely and the sea was flat calm. Visibility on King Rock was a reasonable 3m although the sea temperature was still only about 10 deg. We also managed to get in some boat practise for the upcoming Diver Coxswain Assessment.
A reminder that the AGM will be held on 19 April at the rugby club. Nominations for committee positions and motions to be voted on should be submitted by next Wednesday, 29 March. An Agenda will be sent out in due course.
Planning for the BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment on 30 March continued tonight and Voyage Plans will be reviewed with Warwick Saunders next Wednesday before the practical session the following Thursday.
I have now received more responses to the questionnaire about the future of TD1 and the type of diving we do. I'll be compiling the answers shortly and will present these at the club in a couple of weeks.
In an idle moment today, I decided to have a look at my dives in the bay over the last year and compiled the sea temperatures to see how they changed each month. I found that they fit a fairly consistent curve, as you can see from the graph here, which explains why our dives are still rather chilly!
15 March 2023
Last Saturday's dive was cancelled due to the inclement weather and very rough seas. It was even too miserable to have breakfast on TD1!
A reminder that the AGM will be held on Wed 19 April at the rugby club. Nominations for committee positions and motions to be voted on should be submitted by 29 March. An Agenda will be sent out in due course.
Planning for the first BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment on 30 March started tonight and there will be a follow up session next Wednesday. Warwick Saunders will be the Assessor and he was kind enough to come down to the club tonight to kick things off. We hope to follow up with a second assessment opportunity later in the year.
I attended the Torbay Harbour Liaison Meeting this week (a virtual meeting this time). The main item of interest for us was the plan for a kelp farm just south of King Rock. Installation was due to start this week and I asked for more information on how this will affect our activities.
8 March 2023
There was an impromptu committee meeting tonight, with some discussion about how the club is organised. We can now formally announce that the AGM will be held on Wed 19 April at the rugby club. All are welcome. Nominations for committee positions and motions to be voted on should be submitted by 29 March. If you are in a position to help manage the club, please come and have a chat about joining the committee - we welcome anyone who can contribute.
Dr Paul Naylor has very kindly agreed again to donate two copies of his excellent 'Great British Marine Animals' book as prizes for Splash-in. A number of other potential sponsors have now been contacted, so we hope that the number of sponsors will increase. I have had some coloured leaflets printed to advertise Splash-in and I left a number of them at the BSAC stand in the Go Diving Show in Stoneleigh last weekend. Hopefully, these will stimulate some more interest from potential competitors. If you know of a location that may be frequented by local divers or snorkellers (such as Teign Divers for example), let us know and we can leave some leaflets there.
The BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment planned for this month has now been organised with the first session taking place next Wednesday. We can only take 4 people on the first assessment, so if you have expressed an interest but have not yet been contacted with the details for March, you are on the reserve list and will be contacted again when the second assessment is organised, hopefully in the summer.
1 March 2023
The dive was cancelled last Saturday due to the blustery conditions. Those divers who had turned up at the harbour enjoyed a cooked breakfast on TD1 instead. (Please, no jokes about the 'Breakfast Club'). The weather prospects do look better this weekend, so the boat should get out of the harbour.
Oonas Divers (who arrange overseas dive trips) have once again agreed to sponsor a prize in Splash-in 2023. They also sponsored us in 2021, so it's good to see them come back as a sponsor. I have ordered some coloured leaflets to advertise Splash-in and plan to distribute as many as I can at the Go Diving Show in Stoneleigh Park this weekend.
Kirsty Andrews kindly posted her full SCUBA magazine article about her New Year's Day dive in Torquay harbour on our Facebook page, which has gathered quite a 'likes'.... All good publicity!
A BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment is planned for this month and I'll be emailing some details out shortly to those that expressed interest. We can't fit everyone into the first session, but if it goes well, we'll follow up with more sessions.
Granville has passed onto us a small Cressi Aquapro 5 BCD and some TUSA fins (small) that have been donated to the club. They look to be in excellent condition, so if you are interested let me know. I'll take some photos soon and post them on the club's For Sale website page.
22 February 2023
Last Saturday, the boat did go out despite some rather blustery conditions. It's a pity there was no Sunday dive because conditions were perfect with warm sunshine and an almost mirror-like sea state. Unfortunately, the forecasts for next week are not looking good with a return to easterly winds.
Nick McV has persuaded Phil Medcalf of Alphamarine Photography to sponsor the Beginners category prizes for Splash-in 2023. This includes a place for the 1st Prize winner on one of their online underwater photography courses.
If you've had a chance to read this month's SCUBA magazine, you may have noticed Kirsty Andrews' article about her New Year's Day dive in Torquay harbour, courtesy of "those lovely folk at Torbay BSAC".... it's nice to be appreciated from time to time!
15 February 2023
Last Saturday we had a (very) full boat and managed to get in a decent dive on the Bretagne (with OK visibility at around 3m). Most managed a second dive on King Rock, although the water temperature is still around 9 deg.
Oonas Divers have once more approached us with an offer to sponsor one of the prizes for Splash-in 2023. We hope to attract more sponsorship soon and get the message out on social media and in Scuba Magazine.
I still need a sturdy piece of wood 84 x 64 cm to place over the compressor water trough. Please let me know if you have something suitable.
9 February 2023
TD1 managed to get out again last Saturday and for a change, the visibility was very good (at least 4 or 5m). However, we are now in the period of the lowest annual sea temperatures.
The Committee meeting last night focused on the options for funding a new boat and on diversifying our diving programme to justify the expenditure. A provisional Dive Programme is already on our website and I shall be adding some planned reef dives to the programme (it's currently focusing on wrecks). It was felt that these steps were needed to widen our range of activities and to attract new members. However, in order to understand the wishes of the wider membership, I intend to send out a questionnaire to all members soon.
We have also started planning for the Splash-in competition on 3 June. The main difference this year is that the RTYC now requires us to book the numbers attending the evening meal a month before the event, so we will need to start selling tickets earlier. The main push now is to pull together any sponsors for the prizes so that we can get the publicity ready. Teign Dive Centre has already agreed to help with sponsorship again this year.
I have now drained most of the water from the tank in the Compressor Room, but still need a sturdy piece of wood 84 x 64 cm to place over the trough. Let me know if you can provide something suitable. Tony Howard has exchanged some photos and information about the compressor with an expert engineer, who will be able to service and, hopefully, upgrade the compressor at some point. We are considering being able to supply Nitrox and 300 Bar fills if suitable upgrades and safety improvements can be made.
1 February 2023
TD1 did manage to get out again last Saturday for some chilly dives (sea temperature is now 8 deg). However, the visibility was very poor (<1m) and although the sea state was fairly calm, the swell was enough to make our attempts at macro photography impossible.
At tonight's meeting I showed some excerpts from the BSAC Incident Report for discussion, with the key takeaway being the need for good communication, before and during the dive. The scheduled Committee meeting will now take place next Wednesday at 8:00pm. This is to discuss progress on funding a new boat (our grant application for funding has just been rejected), and to start planning for the Splash-in competition. There will be a social meeting as usual in the bar and all members are welcome to sit in on the meeting.
If you are interested in further training, the following SDCs are being organised by SW Region over the next few months: Boat Handling 25-26 Feb, Practical Rescue Management 11 March.
Reminder: there's a seagrass & ocean conservation event at Paignton Zoo this coming Saturday afternoon. Email for details if interested.
I plan to drain the water from the tank in the Compressor Room and need a piece of wood 84 x 64 cm to place over the trough. It needs to be thick enough (2-3 cm) to support cylinders resting on it while filling. If anyone has a piece of wood that they can donate, please let me know.
25 January 2023
Next week, we plan to hold a Committee meeting at 7:30pm to discuss progress on funding a new boat (a grant application for some additional funding has now been submitted) and to start planning for the Splash-in competition. There will be a social meeting as usual in the bar and all members are welcome to sit in on the meeting.
I still plan to present some excerpts from the BSAC Incident Report for discussion, but there were not enough members present at this week's social meeting, so I shall do this in a couple of weeks time. Last Saturday, Paul, Mike and I attended the BSAC Compressor Operation course organised by SW Region at Street BSAC and took away from that some ideas about how we might improve our own compressor operating procedures.
TD1 did manage to get out last Saturday for a run and a brief (chilly) dive. I've now replaced the USB sockets on the dash so that we can properly power up the iPad and AIS. A new large A-flag has also been put on the boat.
18 January 2023
The weather continues to put a damper on diving activities. Although the wind may be slacking off a bit, the visibility so far this week has been truly dismal. We'll keep trying...
I've now fixed the date for this year's Splash-in competition, which will be held on Saturday 3 June. This coincides with the Torbay Air Show, but this shouldn't affect our activities too much. Other dates were very busy during June, with the Royal Torbay Yacht Club already booked for most weekends. Peter Rowlands is available on the 3rd and has already agreed to be our judge again.
I'm hoping to present some excerpts from the BSAC Incident Report for discussion at next week's social meeting, providing we can get a quiet enough room. This week, we did an informal review of some navigation charts which generated some discussion. For those who are interested, we could look at running a BSAC Chartwork and Position Fixing course. This coming Saturday, Paul, Mike and I will be attending the BSAC Compressor Operation course organised by SW Region at Street BSAC in Somerset.
Hopefully, we can get TD1 out this weekend to give her a run. She did did take on some water during the recent heavy rains and Richard went to pump her out last week. I've purchased some replacement USB sockets so that we can properly power up the iPad and AIS in future, and I've also ordered a new large A-flag (which is becoming hard to find).
12 January 2023
No Dive Lists were taken at yesterday's social meeting due to the continuing bad weather. This weekend has Force 5, gusting 8, winds forecast, with heavy rain on Friday. Not only are we seeing heavy seas, but almost zero vis. Let's hope it will start to improve soon.
The rugby club is quite busy now on a Wednesday night and they've put a pool table in the room where we used to hold our meetings. I'm still hoping to present some excerpts from the BSAC Incident Report for discussion one night, providing we can get a quiet enough room. Next week, it is planned to review some navigation charts for those who are interested.
This leads us to the BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment that Simon has been arranging with Warwick Saunders to be held some time in March on TD1. So far, 6 or 7 people have expressed interest, so let me know if you would like to join in. Pre-requisites would be either the BSAC Boat Handling course or RYA Powerboat Level 2, plus a VHF course.
On Saturday (afternoon) 4 February, there will be a Seagrass and Ocean Conservation event at Paignton Zoo. Booking is required, so get in touch if you would like more details.
4 January 2023
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour took place, despite rather poor weather. We had six divers (3 members and 3 guests), plus a good number of well-wishers. The vis was very poor unfortunately, and I've only seen one photo from the dive make it onto Instagram.
From the start of this year, the dive fees have gone up to £20 per day, but this is the same whether you do one or two dives. The reason for the increase is to raise money for the replacement boat, which we continue to look for. There are two boats currently on findafishingboat.com that have dive lifts, but although they are just about within budget, they are both too long to fit on our current mooring (and new moorings are not available).
Let Dave Perrett if you are interested in joining his liveaboard trip to the Red Sea in August. He wants to book soon and has about 5 people interested so far.
28 December 2022
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour is ON. I visited the harbour office today and they have confirmed that the Harbour Master has signed the Diving Permit, so we are good to go! Diving is available to members and guests, and has to take place between 10:00 and 14:00 from Beacon Quay slipway. You must be logged in and out by the DM to comply with the permit conditions.
Dave Perrett is putting together a Red Sea trip for club members next year. The plan is to fly out from Gatwick to Hurghada and join the liveaboard Blue Pearl to visit the Northern wrecks for the week 10 - 17 August. The cost should be under £2000 per head, plus the usual extras and the cost of a shared bus to Gatwick. Let Dave know if you are interested and he can send more information. I believe he wants to book early in the New Year and has about 5 people interested so far.
21 December 2022
We only had a few members attending the social tonight due to a combination of other commitments and colds/flu. There will not be a meeting next week, so the next meeting will be in the New Year on 4 Jan. I have applied to the Council to hold the traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour, but I'm still waiting to get our Diving Permit approved by the Harbour Master.
A potential new member did come along tonight. Tony Howard has recently moved to the area and is a very experienced technical diver, cave diver, rebreather diver and instructor.
14 December 2022
We managed to get in a dive last Saturday when the sun was shining and the sea was like a mill pond, proving that winter diving can be very enjoyable. Visibility was ok, but the sea temperature has now plummeted to 10 - 11 degrees, which is less enjoyable (especially when your drysuit leaks).
The Christmas Dinner at Below Decks last Friday went very well. Many thanks to Jenny for organising it. The club trophies were awarded - check out all the photographs on our website Galleries page for 2022. The raffle raised £120 (thanks to all who contributed prizes) and the auction another £210 (again, thanks to those who contributed, especially the very generous bidders). It all goes towards making a new boat more of a reality.
The Christmas Hamper draw was done at this evening's meeting, with the lucky winners being Tony and Jerry. Thanks to all who contributed, we raised another £177. There will be one more social meeting this year (on the 21 Dec), with the next meeting being on 4 Jan. I have applied to the Council to hold the traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour, but I'm waiting to get our Diving Permit approved by the Harbour Master.
7 December 2022
The club Christmas Dinner at Below Decks is this Friday. As usual, there will be a raffle (and an auction) - so if you are attending, please bring along a raffle prize (GIFT WRAPPED) to the dinner. The club trophies will be awarded at the dinner.
The Christmas Hamper draw will be done at next week's social meeting (14 Dec), since we are not sure how many people will attend the meeting on the following week. There will be a meeting on the 21 Dec, but not on the 28th. We are planning to hold the traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour again, but still need to get our Diving Permit approved by the Harbour Master.
30 November 2022
The club Christmas Dinner at Below Decks will be a week on Friday (9 December). There are still places available, but please let Jenny know by next Wednesday if you'd like to join us. As usual, there will be a raffle - so if you are attending, please bring along a raffle prize (GIFT WRAPPED) to the dinner.
I attended the Tor Bay Harbour liaison meeting last week, where the main news was that the latest phase of the Town Dock renovations should be finished by next week (a month ahead of schedule). I spoke to the Harbour Master before the meeting about our mooring to clarify our options if we wanted to change TD1 for a bigger boat. Basically, we are limited to 10m (32ft) on the current mooring (TD1 is 27ft long). An offshore 105 could not be accommodated there, and there are no suitable moorings currently available. The two dive boats (with lifts) on findafishingboat.com are both too big to fit, so the search continues.
23 November 2022
Last Saturday we had calm seas for a change and managed a nice dive off Flat Rock with good vis of 4 - 5 m before the weather deteriorated in the afternoon. This weekend does not look as promising with very high winds tomorrow that seem to continue through the start of the weekend.
We still have a few places available for the club Christmas Dinner to be held at Below Decks on Friday evening 9 December. The menu is attached, so please contact Jenny ASAP to book.
I mentioned previously that the BSAC Incident Report for 2021 was available to download from their website. I have selected a few examples from the report that I hope to present at our social meeting so that we can discuss them and see if there are lessons for us to learn from. This may be next week, but I suspect that the TV availability (for the presentation) may depend on the World Cup activities that night!
16 November 2022
We are definitely into Autumn, and Winter is fast approaching. Last Saturday we managed to dive in Fishcombe Cove (sheltered from the strong southeasterlies), but the vis was only 1 - 2 m.
Granville has changed the filters for the compressor, but still needs to check the purifier on the compressor itself. After this has been done, an air sample will be taken for testing.
Reminder: we still have places available for the club Christmas Dinner to be held at Below Decks on Friday evening 9 December. Contact Jenny ASAP to book. We shall be presenting the club trophies at the dinner, so if you are currently holding one, please get it engraved and bring it along to the social meeting if possible.
Tomorrow (Thursday 17 Nov) evening at 7:30pm, Dr Paul Naylor will be giving a talk on the behaviour of marine animals at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, which promises to be very interesting and relevant for us as divers. This is the AGM of the Shores of South Devon organisation and is free for members of SoSD or the RYTC. Non-members will be charged £4 unless you join SoSD at the meeting and have membership to the end of 2023 (£10).
The next Torbay Harbour Liaison Meeting will take place in the Torquay Harbour office on Thursday 24 November at 10:00am. I usually attend, but if anyone is interested in joining the meeting, please let me know.
9 November 2022
The weather gods continue to hinder us with continuous southerly winds. Last Saturday we managed to get a dive in before the wind picked up, but as you can see from my short Facebook video, the return to harbour was a little bumpy! Let's hope the weather this weekend is a little kinder...
I have contacted BSoUP in regard to their suggestion to combine the dates of our respective Splash-in competitions. We have respectfully declined to progress with this suggestion and are proposing instead to promote more BSAC branches to hold their own Splash-in competitions on different dates, potentially expanding the competition calendar rather than shrinking it.
We have checked the compressor hours to check the necessity for an oil change (not yet required) and Granville has kindly agreed to go and renew the filters next week, which will be followed up with an air quality test.
If you currently hold one of the club trophies, please bring it to the social meeting over the next few weeks. You should try to get the trophy engraved with your name first (Torre Trophies in East Street are currently working on 2 of our trophies).
2 November 2022
For those brave souls who braved the rain this evening, I did take a Dive List, but the chances of a dive over the coming weekend are slim, since the weather gods continue to show their displeasure! The forecast is for the strong southerlies to continue, with Force 5 to 7 winds on both Saturday and Sunday. Last Saturday we had a similar forecast and although we convened at the harbour, the forecast was accurate and so TD1 did not venture out of the harbour. We did manage to cook breakfast on board, however, and Jerry managed to finish up the pipework for Mike's automatic bow bilge pump. With all the rain this week, it's going to come in useful.
The BSAC Incident Report for 2021 is now available online for download. I'd encourage all of you to download it and read through the various reports to reflect on whether you could find yourself in a similar situation. The incident that I reported appears as No. 21/147 (although I don't know why they ignored the report that I submitted and relied on the Coastguard/RNLI reports).
We'll be handing out the club trophies again this year at the Christmas dinner, so if you currently hold one of the trophies, please try to bring it to the social meeting over the next few weeks.
26 October 2022
The weather recently has not been very cooperative, and when the winds have dropped, the vis has been terrible. This week continues with strong Southerlies, so it's not looking too hopeful for this weekend.
BSAC SW Region are running a Compressor Operation course on 21 January. It's not clear where exactly this will be held, but I have booked on it and perhaps some of you may be interested also.
Don't forget to book your place at the club Christmas dinner on 9 December. We'll be handing out the club trophies again this year at the dinner.
19 October 2022
On Tuesday this week, Jenny and I attended a 'focus group discussion' at Paignton Zoo, organised by the Wild Planet Trust, to gather information from interested local bodies on how to progress seagrass protection. These are the people who sponsored the anchorage buoys at Fishcombe Cove and carry out the seagrass surveys in the bay. Most of the discussion was on how to educate the public, especially boat users, on the value of seagrass, and also on how to better protect the seagrass meadows (e.g. possible buoys at Beacon Cove). Interactions such as this are important for us to establish ourselves as valuable, contributing members of the local community.
The leaking A-clamp whip on the compressor has now been replaced with a new whip and shut-off valve. A gauge with bleed-off valve has been added, which means that it is now operational again.
Tonight, I signed off another new Ocean Diver - congratulations to Jack Dixon.
Reminder: the Christmas dinner will be on Friday 9 December at Below Decks. Jenny is now taking bookings and needs to know your menu choices. Jenny is also organising the Christmas hamper again, so please bring some cash to the next few social meetings for a chance to win.
12 October 2022
The Committee meeting this evening was mostly about the potential for upgrading TD1 and how we can finance this. It was agreed that it should be doable and therefore we need to be ready to act quickly if the right boat becomes available. In preparation for this, we have agreed to increase the fees for local dives to £20 per day (regardless of whether you dive once or twice) - this comes into effect on 1 January 2023. Additional funding options are also being investigated.
The new life raft has been mounted on the cabin roof of TD1. Thanks to Mike who has done a great job in building a mounting bracket for it. The leaking A-clamp whip on the compressor has now been replaced with a new whip and shut-off valve. However, the cylinder clamp is still leaking, so at the moment we are unable to fill A-clamp cylinders. This should be fixed soon.
The Christmas dinner on Friday 9 December at Below Decks is confirmed and Jenny is taking bookings. The cost is £30 per head for a 3-course meal and a menu is attached for you to make your selection. Remember, Jenny is organising the Christmas hamper again this year, so please bring some cash to the next few social meetings to compete for a chance to win.
5 October 2022
The Committee meeting this evening was cancelled (inquorate) and has been postponed until next Wednesday. There was some discussion this evening about the potential for upgrading TD1 and how we can finance this. Some fund-raising options were discussed and will be looked into. We also discussed how we could get more Cox's qualified to take the boat out, and we will be looking into organising some training and BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessments in the coming months.
Jenny has confirmed that the Christmas dinner will take place on Friday 9 December at Below Decks. The cost is £30 per head for a 3-course meal. We plan to present the Club Trophies at the dinner again this year. Jenny and Nick have also started organising the Christmas hamper again, so please bring some cash to the next few social meetings to compete for a chance to win.
28 September 2022
Next Wednesday there will be a Committee meeting during the social meeting. Members are welcome to attend and observe. Main topic of discussion is planned to be the potential for upgrading TD1 and how we can finance this.
The replacement life raft for TD1 has been collected and Mike has fixed the cradle for it onto two battens, fibre-glassed to the roof of TD1. A new hose for the compressor A-clamp whip has been purchased but it may need an additional part to be fitted. And finally, on equipment, a charger for the iPad has been placed in the Compressor Room so that it can charge up between dives.
After due consideration, we are not in favour of formally linking our Torbay Splash-in competition to BSoUP's national competition (BIUPC), since the potential disadvantages seem to out-weigh the advantages. We shall be to looking into options to help more BSAC branches run their own Splash-in competitions (on different dates, rather than one coordinated date).
21 September 2022
Last Saturday we had another full boat and most people managed two dives on a very pleasant sunny day with calm seas. The vis was OK with 3 - 4 metres and plenty of sea-life about, including lots of juvenile conger eels, lobsters, and a couple of octopus. Check out our Facebook page for a short video of one of them.
The replacement life raft for TD1 is being collected this weekend and the work to mount it on the cabin roof will commence soon. A new hose for the compressor A-clamp whip has been purchased and should be fitted this weekend.
Last night, I attended BSoUP's monthly online meeting at which they presented the winners of their national Splash-in competition (BIUPC). The overall winner was Kirsty Andrews (who often enters our own Splash-in competition). We are still looking into options to see if we should match our Splash-in date with theirs next year, but so far, it's not clear whether the advantages out-weigh the disadvantages.
I see that M&S have just announced their Christmas shopping selection (don't they know it's only September?), but not to be outdone, Jenny has provisionally booked the club's Christmas dinner for Friday 9 December at Below Decks. Details to follow.
14 September 2022
We are still managing to fill the boat and last Saturday, we ran both morning and afternoon dives. Remember that "Ropes off" is when TD1 leaves the harbour, so please leave plenty of time to park, etc. (afternoon parking is still difficult due to busy car parks).
Mike Osler has now qualified as a BSAC Dive Leader after completing his rescue management drill on the boat last weekend.
The oxygen first stage from TD1 has been condemned as uneconomical to repair, but we have replaced this with the first stage from the RIB oxygen kit, which has been fitted with a new CGA 870 seal to bring it back into service. The life raft from TD1 was sent for servicing but was found to require too much work to repair economically, and so that is also now being replaced with a refurbished unit. And on the compressor, the A-clamp whip hose has been found to have a small leak, so that too is now being replaced. It never ends...!
There was some discussion tonight about a potential collaboration with BSoUP on Splash-in, our annual underwater photographic competition that continues to grow and attract attention (they contacted us). We agreed to look into options and gather more information to investigate the potential. However, even if nothing comes of this, it is a testament to the continuing success of Torbay Splash-in.
We also had some discussion tonight about a replacement for TD1, since if a suitable boat does become available, we need to be ready to act quickly to secure it. A review of our finances to assess affordability is ongoing and will be reviewed at the next Committee meeting on 5 October. Richard has ascertained from the Harbour Master that our current mooring is suitable for a boat up to 10m in length (and this would not involve any additional charges).
Winter is coming (!) and we are starting to think about our Christmas dinner (and Trophy Presentation). Jenny has offered to see if Below Decks is available to host the dinner on the second Friday in December.
7 Sept 2022
It seems that Autumn has arrived on schedule with a marked deterioration in the weather. Last Saturday, the boat managed to get out in the morning for a cheeky dive before the wind picked up, but Sunday was very rough with strong Southerlies. The same pattern looks like repeating itself this weekend, with Sunday looking to be blown out. We have a very full boat on Saturday, and there may be an option to run both morning and afternoon dives, but that depends on a Cox being available for the second dive, and enough divers willing to switch from morning to afternoon. We shall decide this via WhatsApp on Friday, but at the moment, the default is that we shall take a full boat out in the morning only. Only one cylinder per person on the boat please.
31 August 2022
I hope you noticed that Splash-in got a good write-up in this month's Scuba Magazine. Apart from having all the winners' photos reproduced in the ScubaHub section, Kirsty Andrews' column also described her 2000th dive, which she was pleased to note occurred during Torbay Splash-in..."What a memorable occasion for a memorable dive", calling Splash-in "a highlight of the calendar for Devon divers".
Last weekend we got some good diving done, with dives on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday saw a very full boat, and two of our trainees, Martin Richardson and Saad Elmazouri, both completed their Ocean Diver certifications. Congratulations to both. We also ran a Try-Dive on the Sunday afternoon with five people attending. Thanks to Granville and Martin who came along to help out.
Mike has taken the life-raft on TD1 to be serviced, but unfortunately it has been found to have a lot of water damage that is uneconomical to repair. The decision has therefore been taken to purchase a refurbished life-raft to replace it. The new sonar transducer is working well and we have learnt that we can use a water-based anti-fouling paint to protect it, so we will try to do that as soon as possible.
Tonight we also had a committee meeting which met mainly to discuss the practicalities of replacing TD1 when the opportunity arises. We are also looking into taking the boat down to Plymouth for a few weeks next year to extend the dives that we are able to do.
24 August 2022
It looks like we have a busy diving schedule over the Bank Holiday weekend. It's good to see that Sunday dives are back on the programme. We are also running a Try-Dive on the Sunday afternoon which is fully booked.
Last Saturday we managed to fit the new sonar transducer on the slipway (well done Jerry), and I'm happy to report that the sonar is fully working again. And thanks to Mick who repaired all the bilge pumps and other bits & pieces last Tuesday.
This evening we welcomed another new member, Nick Russell who is a PADI Rescue Diver.
17 August 2022
We are provisionally planning to run a Try-Dive on Sunday 28 August. This is currently fully booked and we may need some help in setting up.
I am placing some printed copies of the BSAC Incident Slate on TD1, which is also attached to this email. It would be useful if you could have a look at the slate to familiarise yourself with it (good preparation in case you are asked by the DM to record keep during any incident).
The oxygen equipment first stage has been sent off for servicing and I've ordered some CGA 870 seals to fit the backup kit. In the meantime, I'll supply oxygen on TD1 from my rebreather kit. We think we can fit the new sonar transducer from the slipway, so we'll be trying to do that next weekend if possible.
10 August 2022
We ran a Try-Dive last Sunday and generated some interest in Ocean Diver training, but no commitment yet.
Last Saturday, we tested the oxygen equipment on the boat and found a fault with the regulator. Although O2 administration was possible, we are getting the regulator checked out. In the meantime, the oxygen kit from the RIB has been placed on TD1 as a backup. The new sonar transducer has also arrived and we are just waiting for a chance to fit it.
3 August 2022
We still hope to run a Try-Dive this Sunday afternoon (7 August), although response so far has been poor. If you know someone who would like to have a go, let me or Adrian know ASAP. And if you can help, either in the pool or poolside, that would be much appreciated.
A new sonar transducer has been ordered for TD1, which should arrive in a few days. Hopefully, we can fit this without the boat coming up on the slipway?
Tonight, we welcomed another new member. Simon Jackson is an experienced BSAC diver who is looking to get back into UK diving after a few years abroad. We look forward to introducing him to the joys of drysuit diving and charred sausages.
27 July 2022
We shall be running a Try-Dive on Sunday afternoon 7 August. If you know someone who would like to have a go, let me or Adrian know. And if you can help, either in the pool or poolside, that would be much appreciated.
The main sonar transducer on TD1 has stopped working again (luckily we kept the old sonar in-place), so if we cannot get it working again on the next couple of dives, we shall be ordering a replacement which will need to be fitted on the slipway.
20 July 2022
I hope you are enjoying the fine weather, although the high temperatures look to be abating. Unfortunately, last weekend's dive had to be cancelled due to Cox availability. We did manage to get out in the boat today, but the weather was much poorer than last week and the vis had reduced to 2m or less. Good to see Cathy, Margaret and Sian back on the boat however.
Tonight, we welcomed new member Peter Evans who is a BSAC Dive Leader, AOWI, and CCR diver.
The latest edition of the BSoUP magazine 'In Focus' has just been published and contained a 10 page spread on Splash-in, including all the prize winning photographs, together with comments from the judge and winners.
13 July 2022
Last weekend, the trip to Porthkerris proceeded with a beach dive on the Friday, followed by 2 dives from the charter boat on Saturday. There were a few mishaps (!), but overall it was a very enjoyable trip with some very chilled out evenings on the clifftop camp site. This looks like becoming an annual event, so hopefully more people will be joining us next year.
6 July 2022
The good news re: TD1 is that the repairs to the echo sounder transducer seem to have worked and we now see a signal from all 3 sensors. Thanks to Kevin for sorting that out (saved £180 for a new transducer).
My article on Splash-in has been published in the latest issue of UwP magazine (we got a 4-page spread, as well as some complementary words in the Editorial). BSoUP has also indicated that the article will appear in the next issue of 'In Focus'. All good publicity for the club.
Last weekend, Richard and I went to Vobster Quay to do a Poseidon rebreather try-dive, courtesy of Colin Rotheram. Margaret's photo of us with with the club banner has been posted to various social media outlets. More publicity!
29 June 2022
TD1 came up on the slipway on Monday to have the bottom cleaned and the sonar transponder bracket replaced. Thanks to Terry and Kevin for collecting the boat at 6am and putting her back in the evening. Also thanks to all those who turned up to scrape the hull and apply anti-fouling paint, as well as Margaret who thoroughly cleaned the cabin (as well as the Compressor Room).
A report on Splash-in is now on our website under 'Articles' and a copy of this has been sent to the sponsors and all prize winners. A shortened version will be sent out shortly to SCUBA magazine, UwP magazine and BSoUP.
This weekend, a couple of us are off to Vobster to do a rebreather try-dive and the Porthkerris trip will be on the following weekend. If you'd like to join us in Porthkerris, there is still time to do so - email here for more details.
22 June 2022
Splash-in took place last Saturday and was another successful event for the club. The weather this year was much better and 18 photographers entered the competition, submitting a total of 69 photographs. The evening presentation dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club went well (apart from some computer-projector glitches), with 33 members and guests attending. Peter Rowlands, editor of Underwater Photography magazine, judged the competition again and gave some interesting insights into why he selected the winners. As usual, the standard of photos was very high and Peter asked if he could select more photos as 'Highly Commended', apart from the first and second prizes. Although our talented guests won most of the awards, club honour was upheld by a 'Highly Commended' for Richard Blair and a Second Prize for Tim Allen in the Beginners category. A report on the competition will appear as an article on our website in due course, but you can view all the winning and highly commended photos now on our website in the Galleries area http://www.torbay-bsac.co.uk/gallery/splash-in-gallery
TD1 will be coming up on the slipway next Monday (27 June) to have the bottom cleaned and the sonar transponder bracket replaced. Terry and Kevin will be collecting the boat at 6am to catch high tide and we will need volunteers from 10:30 onwards to scrape the hull and help apply anti-fouling paint. Let us know if you can help or just turn up prepared to get a bit mucky!
One thing that I discovered this week was that the Navionics software we use for navigation on TD1's iPad has a Relief Shading option. When this is turned on, we can get a detailed map of the sea floor that reveals a lot of features not normally seen with just the usual contours. Check out our Dive Torbay webpage http://www.torbay-bsac.co.uk/dive-torbay. Wrecks show up quite clearly too...
15 June 2022
The main news this week is Splash-in, which will be held this Saturday. So far, we have 17 photographers registered. The evening presentation dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club is also well booked up, with about 35 members and guests attending. If you would like to attend the presentation without having dinner, that is also possible, but let us know so that you can be admitted to the bar.
A reminder that the boat will be coming up on to the slipway on 27 June to have the bottom cleaned and the sonar transponder bracket replaced. The rear decking has been repaired by Terry and Kevin, and Margaret has collected a replacement automatic fire extinguisher for the engine bay. The AIS receiver donated by Mike is now in our possession, having been reprogrammed with our MMSI number, and is now ready to be installed on the boat. We have been testing out Diver Recall methods and work continues to find the best solution.
I attended a Torbay Watersports Forum meeting this week with Rob Parsons, the Torbay Harbour Master and chaired by Catherine Williams from Torbay Council. This is an initiative to encourage cooperation between the various water-based sports clubs in the area and to see how the Council can help in promoting water based activities for local people. One of the initiatives is to hold an exhibition at the RIC where local clubs, organisations and businesses could show what they do in the area to attract new members. The pool would be available for people to try out canoes, paddleboards, etc and for us to run try-dives.
9 June 2022
Planning for Splash-in on 18 June is now well advanced and we have a good number of photographers registered. If you would like to have a go, but don't have a suitable camera, we may be able to lend you a compact camera and underwater housing for the day. Email us. The evening presentation dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club can now be booked for £15 per head. Email here to book or come along to the next social meeting - we need to give the caterer final dinner numbers by Thursday morning. The meal this year will be a choice of steak and ale pie or chicken and mushroom pie (plus a vegetarian option). It's worth attending the dinner even if you are not a photographer, since the quality of the pictures shown is generally very high and it's an entertaining evening.
The Committee met yesterday evening to finalise Splash-in plans and also to discuss the recent inspection of TD1. The boat will be coming up on to the slipway on 27 June to have the bottom cleaned and the sonar transponder bracket replaced. A new starter motor has now been fitted and the rear deck is being checked out today by Terry and Kevin. The automatic fire extinguisher in the engine bay is also being removed so that a replacement can be fitted. New smoke flares have been ordered and a replacement tool kit is being supplied. The AIS receiver is now ready and awaiting collection from Teignmouth. And finally, we will be testing out Diver Recall methods on the next few dives.
1 June 2022
Last week's dive had much improved visibility, so we are hoping to start some of the training dives soon. The water temperature is slowly improving, but perhaps still not wetsuit comfortable.
We are starting to see more competitors registering for Splash-in on 18 June, with some photographers coming from outside the local area. Although there have been some reports that a certain browser gives a potential phishing warning, most browsers do not have this problem and our web host company couldn't replicate the problem. If anyone would like to register but would prefer us to do the online booking, they can just email us and we can do that for them. The evening presentation dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club can also be booked for £15 per head. It's worth attending even if you are not a photographer, since the quality of the pictures shown is generally very high and it's an entertaining evening.
Don't forget the rebreather Try-Dive at Vobster Quay on 2 July, and the Porthkerris weekend 8 - 10 July. Email us for more information on any of these.
TD1 has been booked to come up on the slipway to have the bottom cleaned and anti-fouled on Monday 27 June, as well as fitting a replacement sonar transponder bracket. Volunteers will be needed to wield paint brushes! Today, Terry and Kevin carried out a safety inspection of the boat - their recommendations will be discussed at the Committee meeting next week. A new starter motor is being fitted by Jerry and Dave this Friday, and spare batteries have been supplied by Mike.
Three 10 litre cylinders (A-clamp) have been donated to the club. These will be available for trainees to use, or may be available to purchase. I believe they will need to be tested before use.
25 May 2022
Last week's dive went ahead, but was compromised by extremely poor water visibility (no longer brown, but green - like diving in lentil soup). There are reports that the algal bloom is starting to clear up, however, so we're hoping for the best.
The Committee meeting last night mostly discussed planning for Splash-in, which is now just a few weeks away. I understand that turnout should be good this year with some excellent photographers planning to enter. We'd encourage all members to have go however, since we'd like to see more entries in the Beginners Category. Last year's winner had very little underwater photography experience and got his shot while snorkelling off the beach. This year, the Beginners Category first prize includes a voucher from O'Three for 50% discount off a drysuit. You can enter the competition via our website. We're also starting taking bookings for the evening dinner at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.
Last night we were joined by members of Worthing BSAC who are spending a week in Teignmouth, diving from their RIB. They seemed to be interested in diving wrecks exclusively, so spent some time pouring over a chart with Terry, who's dived just about every wreck locally.
Apart from Splash-in on 18 June, some more dates to note are: a rebreather Try-Dive at Vobster Quay on 2 July, and the Porthkerris weekend 8 - 10 July. The most likely dates for a Salcombe trip seems to be early or late August. Email us for more information on any of these.
TD1 needs to come up on the slipway to have the bottom cleaned and anti-fouled, as well as fitting a replacement sonar transponder bracket. There are no slots available next week, so we will try to do this on the next Spring tide in June. Volunteers will be needed to wield paint brushes!
18 May 2022
The dives last week were cancelled due to the extremely bad water visibility. On Thursday, two pairs did try to dive, but aborted as soon as they hit bottom. The algal bloom is in and the recent rain will not have helped. It seems unlikely that this will have improved much for the coming weekend, but hopefully, it shouldn't last too long.
There will be a Committee meeting on Wednesday 25 May before the usual social meeting. All members are welcome to attend as observers. Planning for Splash-in will be one of the main items under discussion, since this is only a few weeks away. We are now starting to see competitors register for the competition.
11 May 2022
The dive on the Aeolian Sky last Saturday went well with 4 members diving off the Skin Deep charter out of Portland. A short video of the dive is now on the club's Facebook page.
A rebreather Try-Dive is provisionally being planned to take place at Vobster Quay on 2 July. There may be places available, so email us if you are interested in joining this.
TD1 still needs to come up on the slipway for bottom cleaning and to fit the new sonar transponder bracket. We hope to do this around the end of the month when the tides are suitable (and depending on slip availability).
4 May 2022
Torbay Splash-in 2022 will be on 18 June. We are very pleased that Teign Diving has now agreed to sponsor prizes for the Compact Camera and Popular Vote categories. This means that all of the categories now include a sponsored first prize as well as the cash awards. The Wide-angle and Macro category first prizes will include a copy of Paul Naylor's excellent book, 'Great British Marine Animals' (new edition).
Congratulations to Dave Perrett who passed the Sports Diver Nitrox Workshop on Tuesday.
Don't forget that the Porthkerris weekend is booked from 8 - 10 July, with 1 or 2 dives from Celtic Kitten on the Saturday. If you would like to join this camping trip, contact Richard for details.
27 April 2022
The AGM was held tonight at the Marldon Church House Inn. A new committee was elected with Richard Blair taking over as Chairman from Nick, Kevin Jeremiah taking over from Jenny as Secretary, and Mike Osler replacing Terry as Equipment Officer. The minutes of the meeting will be sent to all members in due course.
Also tonight, Jack Dixon passed his Ocean Diver theory test, so should be able to start open water training dives as soon as conditions are suitable (vis still quite poor at the moment, and it's still only about 11 deg C).
I shall be holding a Nitrox Workshop up to Sports Dive level in the following week, so let me know if you'd like to attend.
A dive on the Aeolian Sky from Skin Deep in Portland is booked for 7 May - there may still be places available. The Porthkerris weekend will be from 8 - 10 July, with 1 or 2 dives from Celtic Kitten booked on the Saturday. Again, if you would like to join this camping trip, contact us for details ASAP.
Splash-in will be on 18 June. Booking to enter the competition is now open via our website. SCUBA magazine this month carried an article publicising the event (featuring Dan Bolt's winning wide angle photo from last year).
20 April 2022
The social meeting was cancelled last night because the rugby club was unable to open due to staff illness. We hope to be back there in 2 weeks time.
The venue for the Torbay BSAC Annual General Meeting has changed from that originally advertised due to the uncertainty over whether or not the Rugby Club will be available next week. Therefore please note that the AGM will be held at 8pm in the upstairs room of Marldon Church House Inn, Village Rd, Marldon, Paignton TQ3 1SL. We will gather for a beer from about 7.30pm. I expect the meeting to be over by 8.45pm, afterwards we can have a general social and discussion.
13 April 2022
Our Try-Dive last Sunday had 3 participants, of whom 2 are interested in becoming Ocean Diver trainees. Thanks to Adrian and Richard who came to help.
If you are interested in joining the weekend trip to Porthkerris on 8-10 July, please let us know soon. We'd like to book spaces on the Celtic Kitten dive boat for the Saturday morning (with shore diving the rest of the time). Camping can be booked later, but the boat spaces will fill up quickly. Check out the Porthkerris website for more details.
Also, let us know if you'd like to join us on a dive to the Aeolian Sky wreck on SkinDeep out of Portland on 7 May.
Don't forget, the AGM will be held on Wednesday 27 April at 8pm at the rugby club.
6 April 2022
We were back in the rugby club this evening, with a good turnout for the social meeting. Although we had to cancel last week's talk from the Sunderland Maritime Heritage, they have promised to send a DVD of the talk, so we may be able to see that at a later date. We are planning to organise some more talks at future meetings.
We shall be holding a Try-Dive next Sunday and have space for two more participants, so if you know someone who'd like to participate, please get in touch ASAP. And congratulations to Martin Richardson who passed his Ocean Diver theory test this evening.
Richard is organising another weekend trip to Porthkerris on 8-10 July. Last year's trip was greatly enjoyed by everyone who went. The plan would be to go down on Friday and do a shore dive, followed by a BBQ for those camping onsite, with a charter boat dive on the Saturday morning, followed by another shore dive, before returning either on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. Check out the Porthkerris website for more details and then call them directly to book.
If you'd like to do the Ocean Diver or Sports Diver Nitrox Workshop, please let me know soon, since I'd like to finalise the date.
30 March 2022
This week's social meeting was held on Zoom only, since quite a few people were unable to attend in person. This is partly because of the recent surge in Covid cases and because some people have been isolating due Covid exposure. I also had to cancel the talk from Nick Simpson of Sunderland Maritime Heritage, who had planned to give a presentation on their HMS VENERABLE model. He has promised to send me a DVD with the talk on it, so we can watch that at a later date.
I plan to hold a Try-Dive on Sunday 10 April. Please ask around if anyone would like to join in, since we currently have 3 spaces available.
So far, I've got just one person interested in doing the BSAC Nitrox Workshop. Please let me know if you are interested so that I can arrange for manuals to be printed, etc.
Bad weather is still having an impact on diving activities, although we did manage to get a quick dive in last Saturday by staying very close inshore (the offshore swell was pretty bad). Our first dive on the Bretagne has been rescheduled for the 9 April when we have a good Neap slack. Let's hope the weather will cooperate.
23 March 2022
At next week's social meeting, we are planning to have a talk from Nick Simpson of Sunderland Maritime Heritage, who will be giving a presentation on their model of HMS VENERABLE. So please make an effort to attend the meeting next week...
We had to cancel the Try-Dive last Sunday, since we didn't have enough participants. I plan to try again with a Try-Dive scheduled for Sunday 10 April. Hopefully, we can get more participation this time and get enough people to start another Ocean Diver course (we currently have 2 people interested). The on-going Ocean Diver trainees have now completed their theory lessons and will be taking their theory test next Wednesday.
I am planning to hold a BSAC Nitrox Workshop in the near future, so if you got certified before Nitrox became a standard part of the courses, you can catch up and use Nitrox on branch dives. This will be in two parts to cover both Ocean Divers (or PADI OW/AOW Divers), and Sports Divers (or PADI Rescue Divers) and above. Please let me know if you are interested so that I can arrange for manuals to be printed, etc.
Bad weather (and zero vis) is still having an impact on diving activities, so our scheduled dive on the Bretagne this week is looking doubtful. If necessary, we will reschedule for the next good Neaps.
Remember, the AGM will take place on 27 April and Splash-in is scheduled for 18 June. Richard has been in contact with the editor of SCUBA magazine and he has promised to give Splash-in some publicity again.
16 March 2022
We are intending to run a Try-Dive next Sunday (20 March) and still have spaces left, so let me know if you are aware of anyone who'd like to have a go. Volunteers to help would also be appreciated.
We have been asked if we could assist the local Scouts with a snorkelling course. This could be a good way to bring younger people into the sport and ensure our future, so if you are interested in helping out in some way, or have any suggestions on how we could progress this, please let us know. Jannike is willing to act as the focal point for this, so have a chat with her.
Bad weather is still having an impact on diving activities, and our scheduled dive on the Bretagne last week had to be cancelled. Hopefully, we can resume the Dive Programme next week and finally get out to the Bretagne on the next Neaps. Our Ocean Diver trainees will be finishing their theory lessons next week, so will be looking to start open water lessons as soon as the weather permits.
9 March 2022
Although there has been very little diving over the past month due to the weather, we did manage to get out last Saturday. Visibility wasn't great but we had a good 2m on Morris Rogue, and an enjoyable dive with lots of life about.
A reminder that the AGM will be held on 27 April. If you would like to submit a resolution or stand for Committee, contact Jenny soon.
Ocean Diver theory lessons are continuing each Wednesday evening, with just two to go. I'm planning to hold a Try-Dive on the afternoon of Sunday 20 March, so let me know if you are aware of anyone who'd like to have a go. Volunteers to help would also be appreciated.
The club's car park space in Beacon Quay is now costing us over £500 a year, so for the Cox's and others who use this facility, Margaret has suggested we have a think about whether there might be a cheaper alternative. Bring your thoughts along to next Wednesday's social and we can discuss.
2 March 2022
There has been very little diving over the past month due to the weather, with storms queuing up to give us a bashing. We'll keep trying however, so hopefully we'll be able to get wet again soon (and not from rainfall).
Jenny has announced that the AGM will be held (in person, not on Zoom for a change) on 27 April. If you would like to submit a resolution or stand for Committee, contact Jenny soon. We are also pleased to announce that Peter Rowlands has confirmed that he is available to judge Splash-in again this year.
Ocean Diver theory lessons are now halfway completed. We aim to be ready for first sea dives as soon as the weather permits. I'm planning on holding another Try-Dive in a couple of weeks, so let me know if you are aware of anyone who'd like to have a go.
The list of equipment being sold by Dave Rees has been updated with some regulators and the new list is available. Contact him directly if interested in buying something.
23 February 2022
Richard is trying to arrange a Poseidon rebreather try-dive at Vobster with Colin Rotherham (Margaret's son) who is an instructor for these units. There could be a second dive on your own OC kit. The cost is expected to be about £10, plus extra for a second dive, shared petrol and lunch, etc. Let Richard know if you are interested in joining the trip.
Dave Rees is a BSAC Dive Leader based in Exmouth who has had to give up diving due to spinal surgery. His kit is all for sale at very reasonable prices, so if you are looking to build up a set of diving gear, this would be worth looking into. A list of the items with suggested prices is available. Contact us if interested in buying something.
16 February 2022
Jenny has again secured sponsorship from O'Three for the Splash-in competition. They have agreed to sponsor the Beginners Category, including a voucher for 50% off selected drysuits.
On 30 March, Nick Simpson from Sunderland Maritime Heritage has offered to come to the social meeting to give a presentation on their work. They are building a 1/10th scale model of HMS Venerable and have items in their visitor centre donated by one of our members. This should be an interesting talk, so make a note in your diaries.
9 February 2022
Ocean Diver theory lessons started this evening and hopefully will continue over the next 5 weeks.
John Halstead has passed on to us 2 pairs of fins which are available free to a good home. They are budget model strap fins, size M/L, but are brand new. Email here if you'd like to try on a pair.
Jenny is currently pursuing potential sponsors for the Splash-in competition. We are grateful to Dr Paul Naylor who has offered to donate a couple of copies of his excellent book 'Great British Marine Animals' as prizes.
A provisional Diving Programme can now be found on our website that lists some of the deeper wrecks that we hope to dive later in the season. You can access the programme from the Menu.
The Aeolian Sky charter trip on Skin Deep out of Portland on 7 May now has 4 Torbay 0008 divers on board. Email for details if you'd like to join us.
2 February 2022
Next Wednesday evening, I hope to start the Ocean Diver theory lessons at 7pm (providing the rugby club is open - it was only available at 7:45 tonight).
Many thanks to Dave Perrett who took a load of cylinders over to Tony Hillgrove in Totnes for testing last week and went to collect them this week.
26 January 2022
On Saturday 7 May, Richard and I are booked to dive the Aeolian Sky (+ another dive) on Skin Deep, the charter boat operating out of Portland Harbour in Dorset. If you would like to join us, it would be good to see some more Torquay divers on the boat. You can book via their website [https://skindeepdiving.co.uk/] or call them on 01305-457343. The Aeolian Sky is an impressive modern wreck lying in just over 30m.
Next Wednesday evening, it has been suggested that we have a discussion on using GoPro cameras for underwater video or photo taking. If you have one of these cameras and would like to take part in the discussion, bring it along and share your knowledge, or see if there are some tips you could pick up.
19 January 2022
I hope to be able to publish a proposed Dive Programme for 2022 on the website and Facebook page in the next few days. The plan is to include some of the wrecks and other sites that we don't usually dive. On Saturday 7 May, Richard and I are booked to dive the Aeolian Sky (+ another dive) on Skin Deep, the charter boat operating out of Portland Harbour in Dorset. If you would like to join us, it would be good to see some more Torquay divers on the boat. You can book via their website [https://skindeepdiving.co.uk/] or call them on 01305-457343. The Aeolian Sky is an impressive modern wreck lying in just over 30m.
We'd like to arrange some talks from various experts to include in our Wednesday evening social evenings. Suggested topics include local wrecks, marine biology, and photography. If there's anything in particular that you would like to see covered, or you know of someone who could come and give a presentation, please let us know.
The BSAC Incident Report for 2020 is now available to download [https://www.bsac.com/safety/diving-incidents/annual-diving-incident-report/]. They have also just released a webinar presentation of the report on YouTube. I attended the live webinar and it's not essential viewing. However, I do recommend that you download the report and read through some of the incidents. It's good to be reminded on what can go wrong sometimes.
13 January 2022
We have a confirmed date for Splash-in 2022, which will be earlier this year to try to get better diving conditions - 18 June. The evening dinner and presentation will again be at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.
A Dive Programme for 2022 to include some of the wrecks and other sites that we don't usually dive is being drawn up and will be published on the website soon.
Ken Quelch has some cylinders and a medium/large BCD for sale. The BCD works and is only £10. The cylinders are a 15 litre, a 12 litre & a 3 litre pony (with straps). At £25 each, they are all out of test (expired Oct 2021), but if any of them fail their test, Ken will refund the £25. Email here if interested.
Granville has noticed that the Blue o two website has some really good prices on diving holidays at the moment, and wondered if anyone was interested besides him?
On TD1, Mike Osler has generously donated a Nomad AIS transmitter/receiver to the club. We have got this to work with the Navionics charts on the boat's iPad and now need to test how it works with the Nautilus diver units. It will need to go back to the supplier, however, to reset the MMSI to that of TD1. Incidentally, BSAC have just released a webinar presentation from HM Coastguard that talks about how to best communicate with the Coastguard from boats, and includes references to AIS, DSC/VHF, EPIRBs, PLBs, etc. Worth a look and available on BSAC's YouTube channel and website.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend, email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
5 January 2022
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour went ahead, but poor weather and conditions attracted only 5 divers, with several pulling out at the last moment.
We are currently planning a Dive Programme for 2022 to include some of the wrecks and other sites that we don't usually dive. We will also be scheduling some of the Wednesday meetings as workshops to look at issues such as dive planning, deco procedures, etc.
On TD1, we need to replace the echo sounder transponder bracket which probably means bringing her up on the slip when we get the opportunity. In the next week or two, we shall be looking at installing an AIS receiver and testing how this works with the recently acquired Nautilus diver units.
The new issue of the BSoUP magazine 'In Focus' includes a 10 page article on last year's Splash-in competition which featured all of the winning photographs, together with the comments from the judge and several competitors. The 2022 Splash-in is planned to take place in June.
29 December 2021
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour is going ahead (providing there are no last minute Covid restrictions). The event has been registered with Torbay Council and the relevant documents have been handed to the Harbour Master, who has now signed the Diving Permit to authorise the dive. Simon Pinder, the harbour Acting Head of Service, has issued a Notice to Mariners regarding the event.
Diving can start at 10:00 and must be finished by 14:00. Only members and guests are allowed to dive, and all dives must be logged with the Dive Manager on-site.
This is usually a fun event, although the weather forecast doesn't look great (there were white caps INSIDE the harbour on Tuesday)!
See you there...
22 December 2021
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour should be going ahead (new Covid restrictions permitting). The event has been registered with Torbay Council and the relevant documents have been handed to the Harbour Master, so I expect to get final permission to proceed soon. However, Simon Pinder, the harbour Acting Head of Service, has already issued a Notice to Mariners regarding the event. Only members and guests are allowed to dive, and all dives must be logged with the Dive Manager on-site.
There will be no social meeting next Wednesday - we will meet again on Wednesday 5 January.
15 December 2021
At this week's social, after a few technical hiccups, we watched a video from the RNLI diver sea survival workshop, followed by a discussion on safety aids. We have now purchased 2 Nautilus Lifeline AIS transmitters (1 for each diver-pair in the water) that, if activated, will allow the boat to find divers on the surface. We are still reviewing our options for an AIS receiver for TD1.
The traditional New Year's Day dive in Torquay Harbour is currently being organised. The event has been registered with Torbay Council and we just need to file some documents with the Harbour Master to get permission to proceed.
Next Wednesday will be our last social meeting before Christmas.
8 December 2021
On last Saturday's dive, we narrowly avoided a lost diver incident involving the RNLI when one pair drifted about a mile from their entry point and for about 45 minutes, their SMB could not be seen from the boat. We have reviewed what happened and I will be submitting an incident report to BSAC to maximise learnings. To reduce the risk of this happening again, some of our procedures are being modified and at next week's social, I shall be re-showing a video from the RNLI diver sea survival workshop, followed by a discussion on safety aids. In addition, the committee has decided to invest in an AIS system for the boat, along with 2 AIS transmitters (1 for each diver-pair in the water) that will allow the boat to track divers on the surface. This is a significant upgrade in our safety capability and brings us right up to date with the latest available technology. The purchase of this system has already been helped by generous donations from some members.
The club Xmas dinner at Below Decks last Friday was very successful. The raffle raised £80 for club funds and an auction for a drinks hamper (generously donated by Jerry) raised double that. Thanks to all who donated, especially Mike and Ann, and also Jenny for organising the dinner. The Club Trophies for 2019-20 were also awarded at the dinner. A list of trophies with past winners is now published on our website.
Ocean Diver theory lessons have been postponed until January.
1 December 2021
Tonight we welcomed a new member, Craig Lambton, who is currently a BSAC Ocean Diver.
If you'd like to order a club shirt or hoodie, etc, please email Jerry (or here) with your request soon. He needs 5 or 6 more people to order if we want to have the SS Maine print on the back of the garments.
If you are coming to the club Xmas dinner at Below Decks this Friday, please remember to bring a gift-wrapped prize for the raffle. There are currently 2 places available, but call Jenny (or email here) quickly if you'd like to join us. We shall be awarding the Club Trophies for 2020 at the dinner. With Covid cases on the rise, the Health Secretary is recommending that you get a lateral flow test before attending Xmas parties. (They are available free from many pharmacies, but you have to book one online first).
Ocean Diver theory lessons are now planned to be done via Zoom (possibly evenings of weekend 11-12 Dec).
24 November 2021
The weather so far this Autumn has been kind to us, with calm seas and reasonable vis. The water temperature is now about 14deg, so it is starting to cool down. TD1 has gone out each Saturday with a good complement of divers and we will continue to go out as long as the weather permits. So why not join us? (Of course, having said that, this coming weekend will see a change to more wintery conditions with strong, cold northerly winds and big seas. Let's hope that's a temporary blip!).
If you'd like to order a club shirt, please email Jerry (or here) with your request by next week. He needs 5 or 6 more people to order if we want to have the SS Maine print on the back of the garments. (If the order is for less than 12, he will still go ahead, but we probably can't get the Maine print done).
Ocean Diver theory lessons are now planned to be done via Zoom when people are available. Just waiting to align everyone's schedules.
If you are coming to the club Xmas dinner a week on Friday, please remember to bring a gift-wrapped prize for the raffle. Also, with Covid cases on the rise, perhaps it would be a good idea for people to get a lateral flow test before the event? (They are available free from most pharmacies, I believe). Just a thought.
17 November 2021
Ocean Diver theory lessons will start at the rugby club next Wednesday at 7pm and continue for the next few weeks.
Plans are afoot to come up with a more varied dive programme next year to include some of the more distant sites including wrecks in somewhat deeper, and hopefully, clearer waters. These will mostly be planned for Neap slacks and once most people have been given the opportunity to get dived-up during the early season.
Don't forget that if you'd like to order a club shirt, you need to email Jerry with your request in the next week or so.
10 November 2021
If you are attending the club Xmas dinner at Below Decks on Friday 3 December, it would be much appreciated if you could bring along a gift-wrapped item to contribute as a raffle prize.
Don't forget that if you'd like to order a club shirt, you need to email Jerry with your request in the next week or so. You can check what is available on the printers' website (http://www.our-catalogue.com/MIMP/).
3 November 2021
Terry Blackmore has been a long-standing, very active member of the club for many, many years and a couple of weeks ago reached a milestone birthday. In recognition of his outstanding contribution over the years, the Committee this evening awarded him an Honorary Life Membership. Terry was even a member of the team that salvaged the spare propeller from the SS Maine in the Eighties - you can read the article from January 1984 DIVER magazine in the Articles pages of our website (http://www.torbay-bsac.co.uk/articles/55-how-we-raised-the-maine-objective).
The club Xmas dinner will be held at Below Decks on Beacon Quay on Friday 3 December at 7:30pm. The 2-course Xmas menu is £24-50 and the 3-course £29-50 - check the Below Decks website for the menu (https://www.belowdecks.co.uk/#christmas-section). Please contact Jenny to book - she needs full payment to be made before 25 November (by cash or bank transfer to club account). There will be the usual raffle at the dinner, so if you are attending, it would be much appreciated if you could bring along a gift-wrapped item to contribute as a raffle prize.
The Try Dive planned for last Sunday had to be cancelled again since we only had one confirmed participant. If you know someone who would like to have a go, please let me know and we can try to reschedule.
27 October 2021
A reminder that the club subscription increases in November to £18 per month if you pay by standing order, so please arrange with your bank to make the change. If you pay annually (now £210), it would be appreciated if you could work out the difference for the remainder of your subscription and pay that into the club's account. Remember, it's all in a good cause (a new boat)!
Based on the most people available, Jenny has now booked the club Xmas dinner for Friday 3 December at 7:30pm. The venue will be Below Decks on Beacon Quay (as in previous years). The 2-course Xmas menu is £24-50 and the 3-course is £29-50 (check their website for the menu). Jenny needs at least a £10 deposit in the next couple of weeks to book a place.
A Try Dive is planned for this Sunday (31st), but so far we only have one confirmed taker. If you know someone who would like to participate, please let me know ASAP, otherwise I will have to cancel again.
20 October 2021
Jenny is planning to hold a club Xmas dinner, probably on a Friday or Saturday in December. The date and venue are yet to be confirmed, but there has been quite a lot of interest so far. If we go to Below Decks (as in previous years), the 2-course Xmas menu is £24-50 and the 3-course is £29-50.
The Try Dive last Sunday had to be cancelled due to not enough response. We are planning to try again on Sunday 31 October. If you know someone who would like to participate, please let us know ASAP. Helpers for all pool sessions warmly welcomed - let Adrian know if you can help.
If you are interested in acquiring a club polo shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie, etc, Jerry is thinking of putting in another order. These are good quality garments and very popular with members (they also help to advertise the club around town). Let Jerry know what you would like, or email here for more details.
13 October 2021
The Ocean Diver pool lessons continue on Friday afternoon in the Dawlish Leisure Centre. We also planning to hold a Try Dive on Sunday, but need at least 2 more people to make it viable. If you know someone who would like to participate, please let us know ASAP. Helpers for all pool sessions warmly welcomed - let Adrian know if you can help.
John Halstead has a SEAC drysuit for sale. It is in like-new condition, size L (5' 11", 40-42" chest). Only £395. Email here or talk to John.
The following report comes from the Torbay Coastguard Rescue Team and highlights the need to use good, visible SMBs and to get DSMBs up sooner rather than later to avoid this type of incident. Also, good coordination with the Cox regarding the dive plan and possible contingencies is needed.
Callout 186 (07/10/2021)
The team were tasked by Maritime and Coastguard Agency to a report of two overdue divers near the Ore Stone rock. Upon taking location at high ground to start searching the water both RNLI Torbay ALB and ILB were also launched to assist with the search. The initial report was that two divers had not surfaced 20 minutes after their dive should have finished. It was a case that when both divers realised how strong the current was underwater, they surfaced. However, upon surfacing they were already too far away from the dive boat, who they were unable to get the attention of the dive boat. The ILB spotted the two divers just over a mile away from their agreed surface point. The divers used Dive flags to mark their position which aided them being spotted. They were returned to Brixham Harbour by the ILB and all teams stood down.
Publicity from Splash-in 2021 continues to come in: Devon Life magazine this month had a 2-page spread featuring Karen Ho's winning shot from Shoalstone Pool in the Compact Camera category.
6 October 2021
The Ocean Diver pool lessons resume tomorrow afternoon in the Dawlish Leisure Centre, with a follow up session a week on Friday. We also have 3 or 4 people currently interested in a Try Dive soon. Helpers for all pool sessions warmly welcomed - let Adrian know if you can help.
Margaret has suggested that, rather than taking Dive Logs and dive fees off site, Marshals could leave the logs and money in the locked mailbox by the sink in the Compressor Room.
Seaweed farming seems to be getting popular...the site proposed for Tor Bay that I mentioned a few weeks ago has been revised to a smaller area further out from the shore (see map below). We have also been asked for comment on a proposed sugar kelp farm in Babbacombe Bay (actually off Maidencombe). If you would like to know more about either scheme, email us for details. Our main interest is whether such schemes could help to clean up the water in the bay and whether they could be potential dive sites.
On 28 October at 7:30pm, there will be a talk at Teignmouth Heritage Centre by Georgie Bull of Plymouth University on the diversity and significance of seagrass. If you are interested, there are more details on our Facebook page or on www.shoresofsouthdevon.org.uk.
29 September 2021
Since the deep pool at Sea & Sea in Paignton is no longer available for us to use, Adrian has arranged two Ocean Diver pool training sessions at Dawlish Leisure Centre. The first will be on Thursday 7 Oct (2 hours) and the second on Friday 15 Oct (1 hour). Both sessions start at 1:30pm. We need help from Instructors and Assistant Instructors, or anyone who has some time available to handle kit, act as Lifeguard, etc. Please let Adrian know if you can help.
I've also been contacted by people looking to do a Try Dive, but need a couple more people to make it feasible. If you know someone who would like to try, please let us know.
I'm missing Dive Logs from 12 & 14 August and 4 Sept. If you have these, can you please bring them along to the next social meeting.
22 September 2021
The side-scan sonar on TD1 does seem to be working now, but we need to fix the transducer bracket as soon as the tides allow us to get the boat up on the slipway.
We need to start the Ocean Diver theory lessons soon. One idea is to do a lesson at the rugby club before each Wednesday evening social meeting starts. Feedback on your availability welcome. Unfortunately, the deep pool at Sea & Sea in Paignton is no longer available for us to use, so Adrian is currently trying to find an alternative pool.
15 September 2021
We had an excellent dive behind Flat Rock last Saturday with decent visibility and lots to see, including several congers and more lobsters than I've ever seen on a single dive. We also saw some small jewel anemones, with a baby cuttlefish (?) swimming above them. Unfortunately, no one had a decent camera on them to document this. Incidentally, there's now a short video on our Facebook page from the Mohegan dive that some of us did in July.
The echo sounder on TD1 is mostly working, but we think the transducer needs some attention (the side-scan didn't seem to work). A new bracket has been purchased and needs to be fitted when possible.
Another reminder about all the diving cylinders stored in the Compressor Room. If you have cylinders there that are not in regular use, please collect them and take them home. Any cylinders that are unidentified and out of test will be disposed of (it's possible that some of these belong to people who are no longer members).
The Splash-in competition had a write-up in the new issue of SCUBA magazine (which also carries an interesting article from Terry Griffiths on photo kit). And I have been asked to send in a couple of the winning photos to the Torbay Weekly newspaper.
8 September 2021
The Committee met this evening to discuss finding a replacement for TD1 and how to finance this. If we are serious about upgrading our dive boat, we need to raise our monthly revenues to pay for it. At the moment, we are barely covering our expenses and yet we are quite a bit cheaper than alternative options for local diving. A few years ago, the membership fees were significantly reduced to attract more members, but this hasn't actually worked. It is now felt that the key to attracting more members is to provide better diving facilities, including a more comfortable hardboat (i.e. it has a lift) and which has a greater range (i.e. speed) to reach a wider variety of dive sites.
Consequently, the Committee has decided to increase the branch membership fee to £18 per month (or £210 per year), effective from 1 November. We have also decided to increase the dive fees to £10 for the first dive (second dives will continue to be £5 for now). Dive tokens remain at £5 each. This comes into effect immediately. As we see a bit more revenue come in, the options for acquiring a new boat should become clearer, and we can put a realistic plan in place to deliver this.
There are currently too many diving cylinders being stored in the Compressor Room. If you have cylinders there that are not in regular use, please collect them and take them home. And any cylinders that are out of test should be emptied and removed ASAP.
The Splash-in competition had a write-up in Underwater Photographer this month and I have been asked to send in a couple of the winning photos to Devon Life magazine.
1 September 2021
Committee members had an informal discussion at last night's social meeting about finding a replacement for TD1. This was prompted by the availability of a recently refurbished, 28' hardboat that has a lift and can do 15 - 20 knots. Although the price is attractive, there are several big drawbacks, so it looks like this boat is not for us. However, if we are serious about upgrading our dive boat, we need to think about how we would finance such a purchase. Even if we rely on offers of interest-free loans from some members, we still need to raise our revenue in order to pay back any such loans. A full Committee meeting will be held next Wednesday to review the options.
Brad Allard has joined as another Ocean Diver trainee.
You can now read about the Splash-in competition on our website. Copies of the report have also been sent to a number of diving magazines and local media.
25 August 2021
Ocean Diver pool training started for 4 new trainees last Sunday. We welcome to the club Sera Karamshuk.
A report (with pictures) on the Splash-in competition will be available on our website soon (I'm just waiting for some of the winners to comment on their photos). An early copy has already been sent to SCUBA magazine after they requested it yesterday.
18 August 2021
The rugby club bar was open tonight, so things seem to be returning to normal.
Splash-in 2021 took place on Saturday and was very successful. We had a booth set up on Beacon Quay for the whole day, which attracted quite a bit of interest (especially the two mannikins showing the evolution of diving equipment over 50 years). 16 competitors submitted a total of 65 photographs, which considering the poor vis conditions, was a good result. As usual, some of the entries were extremely good - you can see the winning photos on our website (http://www.torbay-bsac.co.uk/gallery/splash-in-gallery). Congratulations to Terry Griffiths who won first prize in the close-up category. The evening dinner and presentation at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club was attended by over 30 people and Peter Rowlands (editor of Underwater Photography magazine) did a splendid job as judge. Thanks to all those who helped out with the booth and the evening event.
We welcomed another new member tonight: Mark Waldron has experience as a military qualified diver and intends to join our Diver Leader course.
Ocean Diver pool training sessions for 3 (possibly 4) trainees will start this Sunday 22 August.
We have been asked to comment on (and potentially endorse) a proposal to build a seaweed farm in Torbay (close to the scallop farm area). Have a look at the attached brochure and feed comments back to us. Apparently, the farm could be a potential new dive site, especially if it will act as a fish nursery.
11 August 2021
The rugby club bar was closed tonight, but I've been told that it will be open again next week.
Torbay Splash-in 2021 will be taking place this Saturday. So far, 14 competitors have entered and we may get a few more last minute entries. The evening dinner and presentation at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club has about 30 people booked to attend, so it should be a good evening. And, unlike the last two years, the weather in Torbay looks reasonable for diving.
Ocean Diver pool training sessions will be starting on Sunday 22 August.
The proposal to build 5 tourist accommodation huts (and a kiosk) in Beacon Cove was approved at the planning hearing on 9 August, despite many objections being lodged. There has been some local media coverage, highlighting the unpopularity of the project with local residents.
4 August 2021
The rugby club bar was open tonight, so hopefully, service will now resume as normal.
We welcome Joshua Hobson to the club as an Ocean Diver trainee. We have already signed up two more Ocean Diver trainees and have expressions of interest from at least three more. Adrian will be starting the course as soon as we get the pool booked for some training sessions.
Last weekend's trip to Porthkerris was a great success with 7 members camping on the edge of the beach. A beach dive on the Friday was followed up by two dives from the Celtic Kitten charter on the Manacles classic wreck dives, the Mohegan and the Volnay. Many thanks to Richard for organising this, to Dave (and Sally) for providing Friday night dinner, and everyone else who provided fry-ups, drinks, and good company.
TD1 has a new starter motor (thanks to Granville for fitting that). As part of the boat start-up procedure, Coxs should first check the water level in the bilge and if it is too high, pump out the bilge water first before starting the engine (it may be that the flywheel has been spraying bilge water over the starter motor, leading to its premature demise). The old starter motor is being repaired as a spare (and we should get a diagnosis for why it failed). The replacement bracket for the echo sounder transponder has also arrived.
The Splash-in evening event at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club on 14 August is only a week and a half away. Contact Jenny to book tickets. We need to confirm numbers with the caterer no later than next Tuesday.
The Compressor Room was in a very sorry state - please try to keep it tidy and clean after a dive. Many thanks to Margaret who went in and did a major clean-up.
The proposal to build 5 tourist accommodation huts (and a kiosk) in Beacon Cove has resurfaced with a planning hearing on 9 August. To avert the threat to the adjacent seagrass meadows, the proposals have been tweaked so that waste water will now go into the mains sewer rather than treated on site and then into the sea. However, local residents are questioning the appropriateness of overnight accommodation in the cove. To find out more, visit the Council planning website at https://www.torbay.gov.uk (Application P/2019/1023).
28 July 2021
The rugby club bar is still closed due to the staff isolating because of Covid. In the meantime, we'll continue to meet there, but be prepared to bring your own refreshment.
We ran a Try Dive last Sunday with two participants. Thanks to Adrian and Cathy who took them in. We have already signed up two Ocean Diver trainees and will be starting a course as soon as we have one or two more. We welcome Martin Richardson and Jack Dixon to the club.
TD1 has a new starter motor that will be fitted in the next few days. A replacement bracket for the echo sounder transponder has been ordered.
The Splash-in evening event at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club on 14 August is now confirmed. The proposed menu is similar to last year, lasagne (with veggie option) plus a dessert. Tickets are now on sale at the social meeting or contact Jenny.
21 July 2021
The social meeting took place as usual this week in the grounds of the rugby club. Unfortunately, the bar is still closed due to the staff isolating because of Covid. The clubhouse manager has promised to let me know as soon as they are able to reopen, but in the meantime, we'll continue as we are (perhaps be prepared to bring your own refreshment).
This Sunday (25th) we are planning to run another Try-Dive. Contact Adrian for more information.
Splash-in is on 14 August, just 3 weeks away. If you would like to book tickets for the evening dinner and prize presentation, please let Jenny know. Tickets are now on sale.
For the Splash-in day kiosk on the quay, I'm planning to display some old and new diving equipment, featuring some old dive gear from the 70's that has been donated, saved and scavenged. What I'm missing at the moment is an old oval mask (or maybe one of those fancy 3-paned jobs), plus an old straight snorkel. Some old neoprene bootees would also help. So if you have some antique diving junk lying around and would be willing to donate these items, I can put them to good use.
14 July 2021
Last Sunday we ran a Try-Dive for 5 people, several of whom expressed an interest in joining an Ocean Diver training course. Thanks to Adrian for organising this and to Kevin and Matt for helping out. Several people who had signed up cancelled (something to do with a tennis match), so we will be running another Try-Dive on Sunday 25 July.
We gained another new member tonight. Welcome to Dave Scrutton, who is a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and plans to join our ongoing Sports Diver training.
TD1 has been getting some attention. Jerry is looking into fitting a replacement starter motor and probably new batteries. Many thanks to Ann Andrews who made a very generous donation towards the costs. We also need to replace the sonar transponder bracket and possibly acquire a new transponder.
Don't forget that Splash-in is scheduled for 14 August, just one month away. We have had some competitors book in already and publicity so far has been good, with sponsorship from OonasDivers and O'Three.
7 July 2021
Two Try-Dive sessions are being held this Sunday (11 July) at 3pm and 4pm. Contact Adrian to see if spaces are still available or if you are able to help.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend, email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
30 June 2021
Dive Leader training in the Sea & Sea pool was conducted today. Adrian may be available for further training drills on the following dates: 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20 & 25 July. Contact him directly (or email here) to arrange for training dives.
Two Try-Dive sessions are now scheduled for Sunday 11 July at 3pm and 4pm. If you know of people who would like to join, contact Adrian to see if spaces are still available.
Another new member joined tonight. Welcome to Ann Andrews who is an experienced PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
Earlier today I collected some lead weights that have been donated to the club from an ex-diver in Broadsands, as well as a couple of weight belts (from Pete Densham). If you need some lead, email us here and we can sort you out.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend, email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
23 June 2021
Dive Leader training in the Sea & Sea pool is still planned for 30 June. Contact Adrian for details.
A Try-Dive is tentatively scheduled for Saturday 10 July. If you know of people who would like to join, please email here.
Good news on Splash-in: Jenny has secured support again this year from O'Three who will sponsor the Compact Camera category. As well as paying the prize money, they have sent a voucher for a 50% discount on a new drysuit for the lucky winner in this category.
16 June 2021
Try dives/Training
If any of you know of anyone interested in learning to dive, please get in touch with Adrian who can arrange a Try-Dive or including them in Ocean Diver pool training. Dive Leader training in the Sea & Sea pool is currently planned for 30 June. Contact Adrian for details.
Splash in
SCUBA Magazine this month carried a reminder about Torbay Splash-in in August.
9 June 2021
Splash in
Our main sponsor from last year is not able to support us this year but might be persuaded to do so next year. Oonas are sponsoring the event.
Try dives
We are trying to rustle up interest from would-be trainees. if any of you know of anyone interested to learn to dive please ask them to get in touch with Adrian who can arrange pool dives if there is sufficient interest from prospective trainees.
2 June 2021
We are now having our social meetings at the rugby club again. Tonight, we welcomed two new members - Chris Jordan and Zoe Sterland are both BSAC Dive Leaders and Open Water Instructors. .
We have potential dates for doing some of the Dive Leader drills in the Sea & Sea pool. These are Tues 22 June (morning and/or afternoon), Fri 25 June (afternoon only), Wed 30 June (morning and/or afternoon), and Thurs 1 July (afternoon only). Please let Adrian know which dates you can do.
The Bubbles pool is also now available to us, so I would like to organise some Try-Dives over the next couple of months, with the aim of recruiting some Ocean Diver trainees. Let me know if you have some potential candidates.
Richard's trip to Porthkerris in Cornwall is going ahead on the last weekend in July. The aim is to drive down Friday, do a shore dive, camp overnight and do a boat dive on the Saturday. If you are interested in joining us, contact Richard ASAP for more details because the boat is booking up quickly.
26 May 2021
We were finally able to resume our social meetings in person tonight, with a good turnout at the rugby club. We welcomed one new member - Jannike Smye is a BSAC Sports Diver (almost a Dive Leader) and has just become an Assistant Instructor.
Although the number of people able to meet outdoors has increased to 30, we would still like to limit the number on the boat to six for now to maintain social distancing as much as possible. We will review this regularly and modify as soon as we can.
Richard is organising a trip to Porthkerris in Cornwall on the last weekend in July. The aim is to drive down Friday, do a shore dive, camp overnight and possibly do a boat dive on the Saturday. If you are interested in joining, contact Richard ASAP for more details. The diving there is excellent, especially if we can get out on the Manacles to do the Mohegan or Vase Rock.
19 May 2021
We were still on Zoom this week, but I've been told by the rugby club that we can start meeting there again next week. I'll confirm early next week by email.
Good news on Splash-in 2021 - Jenny has secured sponsorship from Oonas Divers to cover the prizes for the Beginner category. Let's hope we can get some additional sponsors involved. And just this morning, someone has registered online as a competitor.
If you've been to Beacon Cove recently, you will have noticed that our poster on the underwater life has been removed. This is just temporary so that the Council can paint the wall there (a much needed improvement).
12 May 2021
Hopefully, this will have been our last social meeting on Zoom. After 17 May, meetings of groups of 6 people are allowed to meet indoors again and I'm told that the rugby club will be open, using the same precautions of tables of 6 that were in place last summer. I'll confirm with their clubhouse manager before next week's meeting invitation.
TD1 - the port hand bilge pump has now been repaired by Terry and the hand rail by Granville. No update on the compressor yet.
I have had a reply from the Harbour Master about accessing Beacon Cove for night dives. Basically, you have to be in before 9pm when the gate locks (summer time). There is a button to exit the gate when locked. I have added this information to our website.
5 May 2021
TD1 came up on the slipway last Friday and the anti-fouling paint was applied. With the new prop and clean hull, the speed has increased by about a knot, and the manoeuvrability is said to have improved somewhat.
The AGM took place last Thursday. There were no motions and the current Committee was re-elected. Minutes and the officers' reports will be available in due course.
There have been enquiries about accessing Beacon Cove for night dives (now that the gate is locked at night). This was discussed when the gate was being proposed, but a decision on how access could be granted was never taken. I have contacted the Harbour Master to ascertain what the procedure should be, but I'm still waiting for a reply.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend (we are still on Zoom unfortunately), email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List. After 17 May, hopefully we will be able to hold our social meetings at the rugby club again.
28 April 2021
This Friday, TD1 will come up on the slipway again and a work party has been arranged to apply the anti-fouling paint.
The AGM will take place tomorrow (Thursday 29 April). Please try to join to ensure that we get a quorum. A Zoom invitation has been sent out to all full members. If you've not received this, or would like to join, please email here ASAP.
Splash-in 2021 is now scheduled for 14 August, with the evening event being held at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club. We are pleased to announce that Peter Rowlands has again agreed to judge the competition. Our website is now live for competitors to sign up and we have announced the date on both Facebook and Instagram.
21 April 2021
The next TD1 work party has been rescheduled to Friday 30 April when the anti-fouling and top coat paint will be applied.
The AGM will still take place on Thursday 29 April. Please try to join. A Zoom invitation will be sent out early next week.
Splash-in 2021 is in the early planning stage and we believe we have secured our usual judge. The date has not yet been finalised, since it depends on the availability of the RTYC for the evening event. I have a meeting with them tomorrow and hopefully we can get this finalised.
14 April 2021
TD1 came up on the slip today for the hull to be pressure washed and scraped, and to fit the new prop and anodes. A second TD1 work party is scheduled for 28 April when the anti-fouling and top coat paint will be applied. Reminder: the AGM will now take place on Thursday 29 April. I believe I now have all the Dive Logs from last year, but if you do still have one, please get it to me ASAP so that the 2020 data is correct for the AGM.
A new A-flag has been acquired to replace the old tatty one (to match the splendour of the newly painted boat!).
We are now starting to plan for Splash-in 2021. Depending on availability of a venue for the evening event, we are looking at Saturday 17 July as a suitable date (HW around midday and fairly neapish tides). As soon as we can confirm the date, the information will go back up on the website.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend (we are still on Zoom unfortunately), email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
7 April 2021
Good news! The old compressor has been sold and was collected from the Compressor Room on Tuesday by the buyer (a paintball company from Lincoln). Many thanks to Jenny and Nick who negotiated the deal and to Terry who sorted out the collection. We are looking at an adjustment to the settings on the new compressor so that it can reach working pressures more quickly.
Although diving from TD1 has recommenced, high winds and poor vis caused dives over the Easter weekend to be cancelled. The time was used instead to continue the refurbishment of TD1. The rear deck space and floor have now been repainted, along with some cosmetic upgrades in the cabin. TD1 will come up on the slip next Wednesday for pressure washing, upper hull primer painting, and fitting the new prop and anodes. A second TD1 work party is scheduled for 28 April when the anti-fouling and top coat paint will be applied. The AGM will now take place on Thursday 29 April.
The oxygen cylinder has now been tested and a new valve fitted. Thanks to Richard and Paul who arranged the transport to Tony.
After the concerns raised by the proposed development at Beacon Cove, awareness of the Torbay seagrass beds has increased considerably. I have been copied into ongoing correspondence with the operator of the big new high-speed RIB that will be taking tourists out into the bay soon. Thankfully, one of the Directors (and the Cox) has responded very positively to reassure people that he is very well qualified, and they plan to be a responsible operator in the bay environment. They have modified their route slightly to stay away from the mapped seagrass beds, and intend to educate their customers about the marine environment in the bay. I shall be contacting him to acquaint him with our diving activities and show him TD1 so that he knows to look out for SMBs around us.
Reminder: to get on a Dive List for the following week, you either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend (we are still on Zoom unfortunately), email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
31 March 2021
Diving from TD1 has recommenced, now that restrictions have been lifted for outdoor exercise, although we are still limited to 6 people on board with appropriate social distancing. I have started taking Dive Lists again for the following diving week. You either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend (we are still on Zoom unfortunately), email here as soon as possible to get on the Dive List.
Work on refurbishing TD1 continues, with painting of the white rear deck areas to be done after the weekend. The hand bilge pumps are also being repaired. TD1 will come up on the slip on 14 April for pressure washing, upper hull painting, and fitting the new prop and anodes. A second TD1 work party is scheduled for 28 April when the anti-fouling will be applied. Scott is donating a fire blanket to go in the cabin in case we should have an unfortunate mishap with the gas cookers (unlikely though that is!).
The oxygen cylinder needs to go for testing and Richard has kindly volunteered to take that down to Tony on Monday. He may be able to take a limited number of other cylinders for testing if needed. If you need something tested or serviced, contact him directly to see if this is possible. While the oxygen cylinder is off the boat, other arrangements will be made to ensure that emergency oxygen is available.
I have been contacted by Kev Ford, the BSAC SW Regional Coach, to see what help the branch might need. I shall respond shortly, since we would like to get access to more instructors. We need to arrange some rescue drills to complete the Sports Diver and Dive Leader courses in progress, and we could all do with some refresher sessions on rescue skills, O2 administration, etc. Also, if anyone would like to support the BSAC regional team, they are looking for volunteers, so let me know.
Efforts to sell the old compressor continue and we have received an offer that we hope to close on very soon. Thanks to Jenny and Nick for their efforts with this.
24 March 2021
Diving from TD1 is planned to recommence after 29 March when restrictions start to lift. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for early next week is not looking too hopeful, with strong southerly winds. We shall start taking Dive Lists again for the following week, starting on Wednesday. You either need to attend the weekly meeting on Wednesday evening, or if you cannot attend (we are still on Zoom unfortunately), email here as soon as possible on Wednesday evening to get on the Dive List. Due to current Coronavirus restrictions, we are still limited to a maximum of six on board.
Work on refurbishing TD1 continues with painting of the doors and cabin floor completed. Volunteers are still needed to help with cleaning up and painting the deck areas. The hand bilge pumps are also being repaired. TD1 will come up on the slip on 14 April for pressure washing, upper hull painting, and fitting the new prop and anodes. A second TD1 work party is scheduled for 28 April when the anti-fouling will be applied.
17 March 2021
Work on TD1 continues with some painting being done in the cabin and on the doors. Volunteers are still needed to help with cleaning up and painting the deck areas. A 3D-printed holder for the iPad has now been made to fit on the dash. The new prop is expected to arrive on 9 April, so it should be ready to fit when the boat comes up on the slip on 14 April.
A second TD1 work party is scheduled for 28 April when the anti-fouling will be applied. This means that the AGM will be postponed to 29 April.
We still expect diving from TD1 to recommence on 29 March when restrictions start to lift. With 2 people allowed to meet for exercise now, some people are starting to go shore diving again. Please be careful as diving starts up again, take things easy and reduce risks to the absolute minimum. It's been a while since anyone dived, so we need to make sure that we are fit physically and mentally, and that kit is serviced and prepared. Apart from the the risk to one's self, it's an especially bad time to need the emergency services, due to the continued risk of Coronavirus transmission. You may have seen the sad news this week of a diver lost off Brixham Breakwater, whose body was found after an extensive search by the Coastguard and RNLI.
BSAC is encouraging everyone to assess the risks and take a careful, phased approach to restarting diving. I'd encourage you to look at the material on their website: https://www.bsac.com/advice-and-support/preparation-for-a-return-to-diving/preparation-for-a-return-to-diving-instructor-resources/. If enough people are interested, I'm happy to arrange a run through and a discussion of the presentation on Zoom. Let me know.
10 March 2021
Work on sprucing up TD1 has started and Margaret has already cleaned up the cabin. Work will resume next week when the weather improves. Due to the restrictions, only 2 people can meet, so let Terry know if you can help. The replacement anodes have arrived and the new prop is on order.
I attended the Torquay, Brixham & Paignton Harbour Liaison Forum Zoom meeting on Tuesday. One of the items raised was the proposal to partly pedestrianise Victoria Parade, which caused some concern since it could make vehicle access to Beacon Quay quite difficult at certain times of day. This proposal is hidden away in a recent Council consultation document on cycling and walking within the bay, and objections/comments are supposed to be lodged by this Sunday 14 March. The Forum intends to raise objections, since Torquay is a working harbour and these proposals do not seem to have taken that into consideration. Have a look yourselves and submit a comment if you think it might help.
3 March 2021
We continue to meet each Wednesday evening on Zoom. Join us if you can. This week's discussion was mostly about TD1 maintenance.
In preparation for getting back to diving, we are working on sprucing up TD1 and performing necessary maintenance (including anti-fouling). On 14 April (close to a Spring tide), TD1 will come up on the slip and a working party (max 6 people due to Covid-19 restrictions) will clean the hull, do some painting, and replace the anodes. Then around the 28 April (next Spring tide), the boat will come up on the slip again for the prop to be replaced and the anti-fouling paint to be applied. In the meantime, 2 people are allowed to meet outdoors after 8 March, so volunteers are required to help Terry clean and paint the cabin and deck areas. Let Terry know if you can help.
We have heard that the developers have withdrawn the current application to build overnight chalets in Beacon Cove due to concerns raised by conservation experts and many local divers about the potential impact on the adjacent seagrass beds. This may come back at some stage, so we shall continue to monitor developments and support ongoing improvements to the cove.
The Torquay, Brixham & Paignton Harbour Liaison Forum will meet (on Zoom) next Tuesday 9 March at 10:30am. Let me know if you would like to join the meeting to represent the club, or if you have any concerns to raise.
24 February 2021
We continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday and this is likely to continue for some time yet as the restrictions are slowly lifted.
There is some hope for getting back to diving soon, however. All being well, we will be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to six from 29 March. Like last summer, that should allow us to have 6 divers on TD1. BSAC has not yet endorsed this, only saying that this will allow shore diving to recommence, but we will seek clarification on this. Maintenance work (including anti-fouling) on TD1 is currently scheduled to take place in April - this timing is dictated by the delivery date for the new prop that has now been ordered.
There was some interest expressed in the BSAC Compressor Operation course. This can be run in-branch and there doesn't seem to be any cost involved. Nick will download the instructional material and we'll be in touch to arrange a date to start.
The proposed controversial development of 5 overnight chalets at Beacon Cove has attracted a lot of attention from local divers concerned about the potential impact on the adjacent seagrass beds that are a protected habitat within the Torbay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Nick and Jenny attended a Zoom meeting on Monday to hear from the developers' architects. The posting on our Facebook page to draw attention to the development plans was seen by over 7000 people, with 11 shares (an impressive illustration of social media impact).
And if you haven't looked at our webpages recently, quite a lot of material has been added, including some archive photos and more information to aid local dive planning. For example, on the 'Useful Local Information' page, there are links to some local webcams that can be useful in assessing the weather and sea state in the bay. One of the best webcams (only recently reinstated) is situated at the Daddyhole Plain NCI tower, since this rotates to various positions around the bay.
17 February 2021
Still no Dive Lists of course, but we continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday. And this week the usual social meeting was preceded by a Committee meeting.
The main item for discussion at the Committee meeting was the state of the Club's finances. Although we are doing no diving (and hence not getting dive fees), the overheads such as harbour fees and compressor room rent, etc still have to be paid. As a result, we are barely breaking even and are not building any reserve to pay for repairs (such as the new prop for TD1). However, thanks to several members who have donated money to the 'Prop Fund', we are able to cover this latest expense.
Nevertheless, it is inevitable that we shall have to raise membership fees at some point (but not until diving has recommenced and we are able to actually use our facilities). In 2015, our annual membership fee was £250 and it was reduced at that time to try to attract more members. It is now the Committee's opinion that we need to raise fees again to ensure the sound running of the Club. The proposal is that the fee will increase to £200 annually (or £18 per month by Direct Debit). However, we will keep dives fees the same at £5 per dive. Any feedback from members is welcome.
We also discussed the requirement by BSAC that anyone operating the compressor has completed a Compressor Operation course. Although several members have done this along with the Nitrox Blender course, several new members have not done the formal training yet. The half-day course consists of 4 theory sessions and a practical session. Although we cannot do the practical session just yet due to lockdown, we should be able to do the theory lessons on Zoom, and Nick will look into running this soon. Let me know if you are interested.
The social meeting enjoyed a quick local marine life identification quiz, but also spent some time discussing the proposed development of 5 overnight chalets at Beacon Cove. This does not seem to be a particularly suitable development, especially given the adjacent seagrass beds that are a protected habitat within the Torbay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). The plan calls for discharge into the sea from a 'Bio Bubble Waste Water Treatment Plant', and it is not clear what safeguards will be in place to guarantee that no harmful discharges can ever take place into this sensitive habitat. If you would like to learn more about the plans and potentially get involved, you can access the plans and the objections lodged so far by logging onto the Torbay Council planning website:-
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/newpublicaccess/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=PYDJG3QIGEC00&activeTab=summary
10 February 2021
Obviously no Dive Lists this week, but we continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday.
The main item for discussion this week was the need for a new prop on TD1, since the current one is bent and rather thin, and needs to be replaced the next time the boat comes out of the water for maintenance. The optimum size for the prop has been investigated and, since a bigger one would give only a minor increase in performance (at much higher cost), a prop similar to the current one (but with some optimisation) has been recommended to the Committee. This will be ordered ASAP so that the vital maintenance work can be scheduled before diving recommences.
The new prop is another dent in the club's finances, which are already paying for the new compressor (and with no dive fees coming in at present). So if you would like to volunteer some cash for a 'Prop Fund' (several people have already contributed), please feel free to pay some dosh into the club's bank account (or talk to Margaret).
On Tuesday evening I logged into a BSAC nationwide Webinar for Diving Officers to catch up on any news from HQ. There was some discussion about the need for diving medicals for anyone who had contacted Covid-19 - although this is the current requirement, this may need to be modified due to the numbers potentially involved and the difficulty in getting hold of medical referees at this time. The need for a medical may be tied back to the severity of the infection, but as a minimum, the advice is that no diving should be undertaken for at least 3 months. BSAC will be issuing further advice on this in the near future. There was also a lot of discussion around training, with a lot of the theory training now online, with more modules being added all the time.
3 February 2021
Again, no Dive Lists this week, but we continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday (12 this evening).
There was some discussion about when we should take TD1 out of the water for some maintenance, including anti-fouling and fitting a new prop. Late March seems to be the earliest we may be able to do it, due to Covid-19 restrictions, and a suitable date will be booked when feasible.
The club's AGM is now scheduled to be held on 28 April. Hopefully, restrictions will have been lifted by then so we can meet in person, but if not, we'll be on Zoom (like last year)! Jenny will send out the relevant information in time for that to happen.
Torbay Splash-in 2021 is still planned to take place. After checking on the Neap tides and HW times on Saturdays, a possible date would be 3 July. The 31 July would also be a good date, but it coincides with a Bank Holiday weekend (as does 28 August). The 4 Sept may also be suitable if we have to postpone for any reason, but we risk poor weather again if we delay too late into the year. Any thoughts, let me know...
I've been contacted by the editor of BSoUP's magazine 'In Focus' who is planning to include a write-up of Splash-in 2020 in their next print version. Christopher Ward, who donated a watch as the Popular Vote prize last year, also included a mention of the competition in their company magazine. Let's hope that this year's competition will be as successful as last year.
27 January 2021
Again, no Dive Lists this week, but we continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday.
The old compressor has been getting some views on Facebook Marketplace. It's also been posted on our Facebook page and, since another branch may be our best bet for a sale, we'll put it on the regional and national Facebook pages too (if allowed).
We do plan to continue the Splash-in competition this year and hopefully the Covid-19 restrictions will lift in time for this to be another successful event. When this will be is still unknown, but it may be prudent to plan for an event later in the year (as we did in 2020). After checking on the Neap tides and HW times on Saturdays, a possible date might be 28 August. Any thoughts? Let me know...
20 January 2021
Obviously, there were no Dive Lists taken this week, but we do continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday (12 people this week).
The old compressor has been advertised on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. There has been some interest expressed, but I shall also be contacting BSAC to see if there is some way of informing other branches of what we have for sale (the current online version of SCUBA magazine is certainly not fulfilling this need).
We do plan to continue the Splash-in competition this year and hopefully the Covid-19 restrictions will lift in time for this to be another successful event. Planning is crucial to make this event a success and we are looking for a Project Manager to take over the running of the competition. Let us know if you are interested in taking on this role.
While we are not diving, BSAC has been increasing the amount of online content to keep you interested in diving. I've listed the main items of interest below. You can copy the URL address into your browser. You will have to login to the BSAC website, but if you are having problems logging in, please let me know and I'll try to sort things out with them directly.
BSAC Webinars and Videos
Catch up on past special interest webinars
Specialise your skills with eLearning
Advance your scuba training with eLearning
Programme of webinars
Diving skills to hone at home - videos
UK wreck guides - videos
(This has a video presentation on the Maine, but it's not very comprehensive and I've added a comment to direct people to the information on our website). Perhaps we could contribute some videos to this list from our own knowledge of wrecks (e.g. the Bretagne?).
13 January 2021
Obviously, there were no Dive Lists taken this week, but we do continue to meet on Zoom each Wednesday (9 people this week).
Due to the national lockdown we are unable to organise any branch diving at present. There was some discussion about whether shore diving in a buddy pair is allowed. Although you are permitted to meet with one other person to exercise locally once per day, you are not allowed to leave home for recreational purposes. So the question would be whether bystanders (and potentially the police) regard diving as exercise or recreation. I suspect most people will think the latter (especially if you're carrying a camera!).
BSAC has confirmed this interpretation of the rules, and is currently advising that you stay at home and do not dive. Given the increasing infection rates (even in Torbay recently) and the alarmingly high number of daily deaths, I believe this advice is sensible. The prudent thing would be to err on the side of caution instead of pushing the boundaries of the rules. The latest BSAC advice was shown.
6 January 2021
Obviously, with the national lockdown in place, there were no Dive Lists taken this week.
News Update
The traditional New Years Day Harbour Dive did go ahead this year, with 13 divers turning up to brave the cool but relatively clear water of the harbour. Only 3 were branch members with the rest being mostly local underwater photographers. If you check Instagram, there were some lovely photos taken on the day. In accordance with our permit to dive, the dive was properly marshalled and social distancing appropriately maintained.
Since then of course, we have gone into national lockdown again and so we are unable to organise any branch diving. Although you can meet with one other person to exercise locally once per day, you are not allowed to leave home for recreational purposes. Whether shore diving in buddy pairs is permitted depends on how diving is regarded by the authorities. I am hoping to get some guidance on this from BSAC. Remember that during the first lockdown, no diving was taking place (and the Covid situation at the moment seems to be even worse than it was back then).
In the meantime, we continue to meet up socially on Zoom. Join us next week if you can...
30 December 2020
No social meeting on Zoom this week. We'll resume again next week (I think we'll be limited to Zoom meetings for some time to come).
The traditional New Years Day Harbour Dive has been approved by the Harbour Master and will therefore go ahead (provided we don't get locked down tomorrow). Diving can take place between 10:00 and 14:00 (high tide is 07:32, so earlier would be better). This is a branch dive and divers must be logged in and out of the water (this is a condition of our approval to dive). Since an update on the Tiers is imminent, I'll issue an update if we are forced to cancel or change anything. It is important for our reputation that we are seen to observe the current Covid-19 precautions during the event.
Here's hoping you had as merry a Christmas as possible in the circumstances...and that next year will be better!
23 December 2020
The traditional New Years Day Harbour Dive will go ahead this year, providing we are not locked down in the meantime. I have submitted the Council event form, the Risk Analysis, Proof of Insurance and signed an indemnity waiver. Consequently, the Harbour Master has given his approval and will issue a Notice to Mariners prior to the event (mainly to advise the cruise ship tenders that there will be divers in the harbour). It is important for our reputation that we are seen to observe Covid-19 precautions during the event. I will update you next week with timings, etc.
The compressor is working ok at the moment. Let Terry know if you need to be shown how to use it. The door code has been changed since it was installed.
There may be a dive mid-next week if the weather lets up enough. Let us know by email here if interested.
16 December 2020
There was one dive from TD1 last week (Saturday), but the visibility was fairly poor.
I did attend the Harbour Liaison Meeting this morning (held on Zoom). Most of the discussion was around the budget for next year which will see some small increases. Unsurprisingly, the harbour has seen a significant drop in revenues this year due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions.
The traditional New Years Day Harbour Dive should go ahead this year (2021). I have submitted the request form to the Council and I just need to submit the Risk Analysis and Proof of Insurance to the Harbour Master to get approval. All of this is in hand and I have added Covid-19 precautions to the Risk Analysis, so hopefully we should get this signed off soon.
9 December 2020
There were two dives from TD1 last week (Thursday and Saturday), but the Sunday dive didn't proceed due to the zero vis kicked up by the storm waves on Saturday afternoon.
The old compressor is now up for sale on Gumtree (and may be on Facebook Marketplace soon as well).
There will be a Harbour Liaison Meeting on Wednesday morning next week (held on Zoom). Let me know if you are interested in attending.
2 December 2020
Since lockdown ended today, we are able to start diving from TD1 again (limited to 6 on board). However, since Devon is in Tier 2, we are unable to resume meeting socially at the rugby club and so we are still meeting up on Zoom.
Not much other news this week. We are still working on a prop replacement for the boat. Reminder: contact Terry if you need to be shown how to use the compressor. The door lock code has been changed to restrict access by the uninitiated. Contact Terry for the new code.
25 November 2020
Social
Still on Zoom this week. Next week, after lockdown ends on 2 December, we may be able to resume meeting at the rugby club in tables of 6, but this depends on whether Torbay will be placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2. It is expected that this will be announced by the Government tomorrow.
Diving
Apart from some buddy pairs going shore diving, no club diving has been done due to lockdown. We expect that after the lockdown ends next week, we will be able to resume diving from TD1 (limited to 6 on-board).
Compressor
Contact Terry if you need to be shown how to use the compressor. The door lock code has been changed to restrict access by the uninitiated. Contact Terry for the new code. The replacement cooler for the old compressor has been fitted and it has been started up. After a bit more troubleshooting, we should be able to shoot a video of it working so that it can be advertised for sale.
TD1
There has been some progress in selecting a new prop, but there is still some work to do. The water temperature gauge has been fixed (wiring fault). An oil change still needs to be done and the bilge pump flexible hose needs to be replaced.
Other
Good news - EDF has refunded the club some money from our electricity bill and reduced the monthly rate (due to lower usage over the lockdown months).
18 November 2020
Social
Still on Zoom obviously, but we continue to meet each week.
Diving
No diving has been done since last week - the Spring tides and stormy weather seem to have ruined the local vis. The lockdown means that we are unable to go boat diving of course, but if you want to go shore diving locally, that seems to be permitted as long as you only meet up with one buddy from outside your household. In the circumstances, we will not be organising branch shore dives which could be construed as group meetings, but you are free to organise your own shore dives with a buddy. If you need a buddy, we can help to communicate this through this email list or via WhatsApp.
Compressor
There are now five whips on the new compressor (all of which deliver 232 bar). Contact Terry if you need to be shown how to use the compressor. The door lock code has been changed to restrict access by the uninitiated. Contact Terry for the new code. The replacement cooler for the old compressor is scheduled to be fitted tomorrow so that we can prepare it for sale.
Other
The new sign at the entrance to Beacon Cove has been installed by the council, and since we helped to sponsor it, our logo is featured. We have also sponsored a permanent poster that has gone up on the path down to the cove. I prepared this with help from Paul Naylor (author of 'Great British Marine Animals'), who also kindly supplied all but one of the photographs (Terry Griffiths' cuttlefish photo from Splash-in 2017 was the exception).
11 November 2020
Social Meetings
Due to the lockdown we are back to meeting on Zoom. Discussion tonight was mostly around the compressor and TD1 servicing.
Diving
The lockdown means that we are unable to go out boat diving on TD1 until December. If you want to go shore diving locally, that seems to be permitted under the rules (counts as exercise), but you can only meet up with one buddy from outside your household. BSAC HQ has confirmed that this is their view too. In the circumstances, we will not be organising branch shore dives which could be construed as group meetings, but you are free to organise your own shore dives with a buddy. If you need a buddy, we can help to communicate this through this email list or via WhatsApp. The weather forecasts for the near future however do not look promising, with gale force winds from the south and southwest.
Compressor
The leaking hose fitting on the new compressor has been changed out. Contact Terry if you need to be shown how to use the compressor. The door lock code has been changed to restrict access by the uninitiated. Contact Terry for the new code. The cooler for the old compressor has now been purchased and will be fitted soon. We shall then be trying to sell it as a working compressor.
Other
We have been contacted by Plymouth Aquarium who are running a seagrass project and looking for local diving clubs to assist. Let me know if you are interested in finding out more and I can forward their email to you. The project seems to be based in Plymouth, so I'm not sure if there is a Torbay element (but it may be worth checking out).
4 November 2020
Social Meetings
Since the lockdown comes into effect at midnight on Wednesday, tonight's meeting was the last to be held at the rugby club until 9 Dec. We will try a Zoom meeting next week just to keep in touch.
Diving
The lockdown means that after today, we are unable to go out boat diving on TD1 until December. If you want to go shore diving locally, that seems to be permitted under the rules (counts as exercise), but you can only meet up with one buddy from outside your household. BSAC HQ has confirmed that this is their view too. In the circumstances, we will not be organising branch shore dives which could be construed as group meetings, but you are free to organise your own shore dives with a buddy. If you need a buddy, we can help to communicate this through this email list or via WhatsApp.
Other News
The compressor seems to be working fine (with a few minor gremlins to sort out). Contact Terry if you need to be shown how to use it. We shall be changing the door lock code soon to restrict access to the uninitiated. BSAC has confirmed that our current arrangements with regard to only supplying air to branch members are valid. If local BSAC members need air fills, they will have to join the branch to have access to the compressor.
The Scylla dive from Plymouth which was scheduled for 28 Nov has obviously been cancelled. If a new date is arranged, we can publicise it here in case more people are interested in joining the party.
Since pools have been closed during lockdown, Try Dives and pool training are obviously not possible. We shall try to kickstart this again in December if possible.
There has been some interest again in the spare propeller from the SS Maine (a photo of it appeared in a local Facebook page which got a lot of comments, mostly from people who remember it from the Victoria Shopping Centre in Paignton). You can read the DIVER magazine story of how it was recovered (by Terry Blackmore and others) on our website (go to the 'Articles' page). How we raised the Maine objective
2 November 2020
Social Meetings
Since the lockdown will go into effect on Thursday, this Wednesday will be the last meeting to be held at the rugby club until 9 Dec. We may try a Zoom meeting again next week just to keep in touch.
Diving
The lockdown means that after Wednesday, we are unable to go out boat diving on TD1 until December. If you want to go shore diving, that seems to be permitted under the rules (counts as exercise), but you can only meet up with one buddy from outside your household.
28 October 2020
The new compressor is now working. You must contact us to arrange a demonstration of how to run it safely, since the procedure is a little different. The old compressor has been fixed (ready for sale), although it is still waiting for a replacement oil cooler.
TD1 has had an engine clean-up and the fuel filters replaced. Work is ongoing to find a replacement prop to restore some of its power. It could also do with a bottom scrape.
Currently, 4 members have booked to dive the Scylla (plus another dive) from Outcast out of Plymouth on Saturday 28 November. There are still places on the boat - call Aquanauts on 01752 228825 to book.
We are looking into the possibility of offering Nitrox fills at some point. Can you please let me know if you are Nitrox certified (and at what level), and whether you would be interested in joining a 'Nitrox Club' in the future (to pay for O2 cylinder hire).
I'd also like to hear from those members who hold BSAC Compressor Operation, Nitrox Blender, or Mixed Gas Blender qualifications. We are looking into options for providing air fills for BSAC Members who are not branch members.
21 October 2020
There was a Committee meeting tonight. Items discussed included how to manage the new compressor, boat servicing requirements, the status of training courses, Cox'n approvals, and fund raising options.
The new compressor has hit a snag with an electrical problem, but we are hoping that this can be fixed tomorrow. The old compressor should also be fixed soon, since all the parts are now in. We are hoping to sell on the old compressor as fully working equipment (we've been told that with proper maintenance it will continue to work for many years to come).
14 October 2020
Good news - the new compressor has been installed and is working! At the moment, it is only operating manually, but a new relay should be delivered tomorrow that will allow it to work automatically. Thanks to Granville, Terry and Mike who have worked hard to swap the compressors out and set up the new panels. Members will need to receive instruction on how to operate the new compressor safely before being allowed to fill their own cylinders, and we shall probably change the door code to manage this. Let us know if you want to become a compressor operator. The Nitrox panel is not yet connected, but we shall be investigating our options to do this.
A big thank you to all those who have generously donated money to the Compressor Fund, which now stands at £1350. If any one else is willing to help, it would be very much appreciated - please let Margaret know.
There will be a Committee meeting next Wednesday at 18:45 before the social evening to discuss how we manage the new compressor, cox approvals, and the status of ongoing training courses.
This week's Herald Express contained a report on Splash-in 2000, complete with 5 colour photos. And we were also featured in Divernet online magazine.
Due to Covid-19 precautions, TD1 can only take 6 divers (including Cox) at one time, but if we have 8 divers (including 2 Cox's and 2 Boat Handlers), we can run 2 waves, morning and afternoon. Remember, this pandemic is not over yet (and infection rates are starting to rise again), so precautions should be taken to enforce social distancing. This means that, apart from the 2 divers kitting or de-kitting on the rear bench, all should wear a face mask if you are within 2m of another person outside, or if you are inside the cabin. Hands should be sanitised when getting on the boat (hand gel is available), and surfaces should be wiped clean with a virucide (also on the boat). Simple cooking on board can only be done if strict food hygiene standards are followed, including use of masks and hand sanitising.
Please also remember to observe precautions in the Compressor Room. If you have downloaded the NHS Covid-19 App, a QR code is posted in the Compressor Room that you can scan to check-in.