Sunday June 9th
The one day with good weather so we made the most of it.
Late start and the 5 of us were off to the dive the Shirala. Well that is what we thought. Found the wreck and dropped the shot, only to find we missed the main wreck. The tide was running. New plan, pick up the shot and have another go taking the tide into account, running at just under 2 knots. Our calculation put this as slack tide. Have to have another look at this.
We approached the shot and hooked the buoy, found it was snagged. Decided to wait for the tide to wane, half an hour later it was still in full flow, so we had another go to release the shot, eventually we manage this, and plan B was in motion.
Off we went to the Waldrons a reef system south of Bognor.
Keith, Sam and Kev went in first for their 45 minute drift. First thing they saw was a compass jellyfish and expect to see more, several cuckoo wrasse, vivid blue, even a shark (aka dog fish). Can’t believe they didn’t let us know about the jellyfish until we had our dive as well.
The plankton bloom was missing, fantastic. No budy line for my dive with Brian.
A nice little bimble along the bottom over the rocks, lots of crabs, a cuckoo wrasse who followed us so it seemed. Spotted a Red Mullet. For those who like other sea life we had lots of crabs, Velvet swimming crabs mainly and a giant spider crab. One of my favourites is the fan worm, from plant live there is lots of obelia geniculate, I can’t even pronounce it, hairy fern I call it, dead men’s fingers and one painted top-shell mollusc, a first for me.
Once back we cleaned the boat and off home we went, no time for me to have a pint as I was off to cook dinner for my neglected beloved.
Save diving,
Steve
Sunday 12th May
Four divers again for a trip to the Shirala, early start to get over the sand bar before low tide.
Keith and Sam went on the first wave. Saw a cuttlefish and large lobster.
While we were getting them back on the boat, another dive boat appeared hurtling in form the west. There’s me thinking ‘get off my wreck’ how selfish it that.
Brian and myself went in on the second wave. Down into pea soup. Took a longer than usual as I had a problem with my sinus, eventually cleared. Once down we set the shot up. And started to look around, bumped into the divers from the other boat. ‘Red Sea Diving’
That was it for us not much else to report.
Up we came and a slow ride back to get over the sand bar with inches to spare.
Safe Diving
Steve
Sunday 5th May
Four divers this time for the trip to the Waldrons. Sam came with her new twin set.
Good for this time of year, only a bit of plankton bloom.
Saw a dogfish and manage to get a few decent sized scallops.
Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April
This has got to be a first. A trip to Vobster and going diving for fun, no trainees, they are still doing their sheltered water lessons. Everyone had an enjoyable time. I was unable to go myself due to a hard-earned holiday in the Canaries, yep, I did get some diving in.
5 divers who went to Vobster had a great time. Water was a bit chilly and a long absent Matt made an appearance. One of many we hope.
I heard there was a new wreck, a helicopter no less, near the crushing works. Have to look out for that the next time I go.
Safe Diving
Steve
March 2019
Committee meeting held 14th March.
Usual agenda followed with the committee members providing their regular reports.
Suggestions welcome for social events and diving holidays so don’t be shy, let us know by emailing k2divers@yahoo.co.uk
January 2019
The AGM was held at the Royal Oak Handcross with pizza being provided.
The current committee members were re-elected.
Awards Presented.
Chairman’s Award: Awarded to Steve
Training Officers Award: Awarded to Steve for achieving Open Water Instructor qualification.
Propeller Award: (St Ethelburger Award): Won by Kev for relying on his buddy’s dive computer.
Egypt Livaboard September 2018
What a holiday, what a great time.
We all met at Gatwick South terminal, Sam, Nic, Kev, Cheryl, Keith, Dean and Loraine, starting with a breakfast/brunch to get into the mood.
Arrived at Hurghada, and the rep (Blue0two) said it would be a ten minute journey to the boat. Ten minutes later we were unloading from the bus and carrying our bags to the boat. Who would have guess it was so close.
Day one - Local Reef, Gota Abu Ramada,
3 dives including a check dive, and an incredible night dive one of those scenes you see on tele that takes months to film. The deck had plenty of room to get ready and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful, ensuring you were untied from the rack when you stood up when all kitted up. The dives were on a pinnacle with a few smaller pinnacles nearby. The first two dives were limited to 60 minutes and the night dive to 45 minutes. The first check dive included practice deploying a DSMB which everyone needed to carry.
So a few fish names, Red Sea Anemonefish aka clown fish. One of my favourites, Blue spotted Ray, Masked Porcupinefish, Red Sea Walkman, what a strange one that is.
The night dive was something else, this had loads of small fry that were just everywhere, so many it looked like you were in fog, they were followed by what looked like fusilier fish, and finally Giant Trevally. Rushing everywhere with the small fry dispersing as the Giant Trevally dashed through them the reformed.
Day two - Small Brother, 3 dives
Another great dive from the boat heading anticlockwise to the Giant Gorgonian sea fan then back to the boat with a sighting of an oceanic whitetip shark off in the blue. The second dive was from the rib negative entry to the cleaning station and then heading anticlockwise back to the boat. The third and final dive of the day was a fairly relaxing dive until coming back the boat with oceanic whitetip sharks under the boat just waiting to play, or at least allow us to take a few photos.
Day three - Big Brother, 3 dives
First dive was from the boat anticlockwise until 100bar then levelling up and returning to the boat, missed it on the way back due to the vis then found the jetty, knew we had missed the boat so headed back and further away from the reef until we were under the boat, hey, more oceanic whitetip sharks, and more photos, getting to be a habit, anyone would think they lived there. Second dive was uneventful, had a Thresher shark pointed out to me, out in the blue and fairly deep, impressive looking shark. The third and final dive was a rib dive directly above the Numidia and Aida wrecks, a couple of the divers undertook a penetration dive, the headed back to the boat coming up to 20m, 10m then 5m to manage the air, phew that was a long way.
Day four - Thistlegorm, Dunraven and The Alternative reef, 4 dives
We arrived early in the morning not stopping on the way for other wrecks due to the weather, guess a few others had the same thought as there were already 6 or so boats already there. If you count 20 people to a boat then there will 120 or more divers on the wreck. We took a Zodiac to one of the mooring lines down we went, made a note of the line as we would come back up the same line. As I had been to the wreck before, I fancied see the Locomotive first sitting off to one side of the wreck. Had a great big moray eel in it. Back to the main wreck, a swim around then back to the line, which was just being untied as this boat was leaving, so up another line to the safety stop, together with 20 other divers, not much room, eventually up to the surface to the expected chaos. Only got bumped between a zodiac and boat several times before getting back to our own boat. Not sure I will go back, too crowded. Second dive was Dunraven, nice easy penetration dive from the stern. The third and fourth dives were on the Alternatives, day and night dive. Pleasant enough reef dive.
Day five - Shark and Yolanda, Shag Rock, Siyul Is and Dolphin House reef, 4 dives
Not feeling too hot first thing in the morning, I decided to give the first dive a miss, one I love, but had done it several times before out of Sharm on a day boat. Once the divers were back, they gave me tails of very strong currents. Glad I gave it a miss. Shag rock was next, full of live, Giant Clams, Blue spotted Rays, Crocodile fish, Red Sea Anemone fish, and all the usual. Finally Siyul Is and Dolphin House for the night dive
Day six - Dolphin House and El Miniya
Having dived this on a night dive, turned out to be an leisurely dive of just over 60 minutes, even managed to spot a nudibranch, not seen a lot of these during the dives. After begin asked what we would like for our last dive we said a wreck. So off we went to El Miniya, a Russian-built Soviet T-43 minesweeper sunk during the Israel/Egypt war, just outside of the port of Hurghada. Lots of life as well, two types of nudibranch and a pipefish.
So finally laying out all the kit on the deck to dry then packing and home, via laying around the pool of the Marriot for the day until the flight home.
Thanks Keith for the lift home.
Safe diving.
Steve