This weekend kicked off our UK RIB diving season, and what a success it was! 4 of us started the day early to leave for Selsey Bill. After evaluating our chances at the first launch site (East Beach) to be slightly outside of the capabilities of the family van towing our boat we settled for tractor launching from Bracklesham (via a quick fact finding detour to Bognor to find the slip there closed).
AGM 2017
Putney BSAC convened for our Annual General Meeting at the beginning of November, giving us a chance to look back at our achievements of the past year and inject some new energy into the coming year.
Sarah, our Diving Officer, gave a summary of our diving this year; almost 200 dives logged as a club totaling 5.7 days underwater! Continue reading AGM 2017
Farne Islands – November 2017
A bit later in the year than usual, Putney BSAC went for traditional pilgrimage to Farne Islands, to be precise it was the first weekend of November. Our group (good mixture of new and “wetted” divers) booked Lee Hall – who was as usual fantastic skipper and ground support (organising our accommodation, cylinder rental and fills !).
Porthkerris – September 2017
Seven divers from Putney SAC headed down to Cornwall at the start of September, for what is becoming an annual long weekend towards the end of the dive season. The destination this time: Porthkerris Divers, a well-known operation sat almost on top of the Manacles, an incredible reef system near the southernmost point of the country.
Weymouth – June 2017
Great weekend in Weymouth – thanks to Richard Bright-Paul and Sue, their trusted cat Wey Chieftain IV and Putney BSAC (including our lost child / grand dad John H) – great dives on Binnendijk and Black Hawk (bow) + lot of scallops for my kids from the drift 🙂 thx a mil
West Bay – June 2017
This time last year, eight intrepid divers got ready to make their way down to the Dorset coast, to a small fishing village called West Bay (site of the TV series Broadchurch). The plan was to dive some of the well-known reefs in the area, searching for pink sea fans, and the elusive sunset cup coral. Sadly, the weather gods were not with us and the trip was cancelled, so we found ourselves preparing once again for a second attempt this year.
Plymouth – May 2017
It was a very hot & sunny Friday afternoon when we left Putney to drive the 4-5 hours to Plymouth – sadly that was the last we would see of the good weather. Thunderstorms & epic lightning kept some of us awake on Friday night, but we all made it down to the boat after breakfast on Saturday morning. We were joined by Jules from Clifton BSAC on the Aquanaut boat ‘Outcast’ skippered by Dougie.
Galapagos – May 2017
….. So let’s start with a question – why would 4 of our members agree to suffer spending a day in 3 different planes flying across the globe, in addition spending another day sailing in not so calm ocean? – well this time the “Darwin and Wolf” is the right answer. Yes we (Iris, Leszek, Tim and me – Michal) fulfil our-self (yet another) diving dream and went for a trip to these northern / remote islands of Galapagos group… so what have we seen ….
Continue reading Galapagos – May 2017
Pool games – April 2017
Let the hunger games begin…
Ok, so the annual Putney SAC pool games didn’t herald the fall of a despotic regime and the transformation of society, but the stakes were still pretty high. Pride and all that… and some Quality Street for the winners which I totally forgot to buy. Woops. If I were a gamemaker I’m pretty sure I’d be shot. Luckily, our club members are a little more forgiving (I think…).
We had two teams of three competing in this year’s games – longstanding members (Team A) vs. less longstanding members (Team B). I don’t think I’m allowed to say oldies vs. youngsters but oh look, I just did. The games consist of four challenges which are both demanding (for the participants) and hilarious (for the bystanders). Continue reading Pool games – April 2017
Newhaven – March 2017
They say the early bird catches the worm, but I’m not sure the same can be said for the early diver getting the good conditions. Not for us anyway. Starting at the crack of dawn (my first sunrise of 2017 I think), 4 brave divers and a kind cox made their way to Newhaven for the first UK ocean dive of the year.