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Tonga September 2008
By Jovin Lim on 10 October 2008 - comments
Whales are memorable
My heart skipped a beat as I watched in awed when the 40-tonne mother humpback whale breaches her entire gigantic body out of the water within point-blank range from our boat. The sound of her landing back onto the surface was amazingly powerful, the splash huge. Together with Natalia and Jake, I was sitting on the bow of the boat, some on the top deck while others still in the waters, we were all caught by surprise and were screaming in excitement but none of us has our cameras ready for this magical moment of life’s greatest wildlife encounters. That captivating display was the finale for my whale watching experience in Vava’u group of islands in Tonga and I took home with me many cherished and unforgettable memories.
Southern hemisphere humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a baleen whale and a rorqual whale that sings amazing songs. An adult female humpback whale can grow up to 16 meters in length and weigh as much as 45 tonnes. Adult males are slightly smaller. A humpback whale calf at birth is around 3 meters in length and weighs around one tonne. The humpback has a bulky head with bumpy protuberances (tubercles), each with a bristle. Humpbacks are acrobats of the ocean, breaching and slapping the water. They live in pods and have 2 blowholes. The name humpback describes the motion it makes as it arches its back out of the water in preparation for a dive. It spends around eight months of each year in Antarctica, feeding on krill, small prawn like critters, and shoals of herrings. The South Pacific kingdom of Tonga is one of the only places on the planet where tourists can swim with humpback whales. From July to September each year, the humpbacks migrate to Tonga to mate and calve in the island-nation’s warm, sheltered waters. Boisterous courtship displays and mating occur during these months … it’s an exciting time to be observing the whales of Tonga.
Cornwall's Second Most Popular Shore Dive
By Mark Milburn on 5 October 2008 - comments
Five German U-Boats
At the end of WWI the captured German navy wasn’t all scuttled at Scapa Flow. The rest of the fleet was dispersed between the Allied Forces. The Royal Navy had a surplus of ships and had no need for the war battered remnants. A lot were to be used as target practice but 5 of the German U-Boats escaped being shot at one last time.
As they were moored up in Falmouth Bay awaiting their time, a storm brewed up. They broke their moorings and blew up onto the rocks at Pendennis Point. A few years later they were heavily salvaged, but some large parts do remain.
North, South, East and West
By Helen Hadley on 5 October 2008 - comments
Every dive is special
It’s an hour or so of my life in which nothing above the water matters, a time where I get to see animals and places few others do. Time out from life.
This is an account of four of my dives, my most northerly in Orkney, Southerly in Malta, Easterly on wrecks close to the river Tyne and Westerly off the west coast of Scotland. All of these dives were fantastic, the images fresh as if I had surfaced minutes ago, salt still drying on my skin.
Costa Rica and Cocos Islands
By Jovin Lim on 2 October 2008 - comments [3]
Island of the Sharks
To kick-start 2008, I traveled halfway around the globe to fulfill one of my greatest dream to the remote Isla de Cocos, better known as Cocos Island for some of the wildest and most adventurous diving experiences.
Cocos Island is situated 375 nautical miles out in the Eastern Pacific, off the coast of Costa Rica. The main Island covers an area of approximately 24 square kilometers, the majority of which is covered in dense tropical rain forest.
The landscape is very rugged, thus forming many waterfalls, some of which are spectacular as they plummet from great heights to the sea. Cocos Island was granted UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and has a 12 nautical miles fishing exclusion zone for commercial and sport fishing around the perimeter of the island. Rangers of the Costa Rican Parks Service, who maintain two ranger stations on the island, the only human habitation now remaining on its shores, administer the island.
Raglan's Reef, The Manacles
By Mark Milburn on 1 October 2008 - comments
The Manacles
Situated on the eastern side of the Lizard is a series of pinnacles that have caused many a wreck over the years. They are exposed to the weather and some strong currents, this means a great feeding place for all sorts of marine life. It has been several months since I dived Raglans Reef, which is one of the pinnacles that do not break the surface, and it was about time. We headed out on Shaun’s boat ‘Redeemer’ for our usual Friday night 6pm dive. It wasn’t long before we got there and jumped in the water.
A Weekend at Porthkerris - Sunday
By Mark Milburn on 27 September 2008 - comments
Chynhallis Reef, Spyridion Vagliano and The Mohegan
After a nice relaxed evening and a good night’s sleep, it was up early for ropes off at 9am. We had left our kit on the boat the previous day, only taking off our cylinders to be filled.
So all we had to do was to collect our cylinders, put them on the rollable jetty and wait for the boat. It came to the jetty at 9am and off we set.
A Weekend at Porthkerris - Saturday
By Mark Milburn on 27 September 2008 - comments
The Citrine and The Volnay
Even though Porthkerris is only 45 minutes away for me I had decided to travel down on the Friday evening to avoid any rush or traffic on the Saturday morning. The holiday season is under way and Saturday is the day when most people travel down to Cornwall making the roads busier than normal. Camping in the car park, right next to the beach, it is an idyllic place to wake up in the morning or spend a peacefull evening.
The boat wasn’t going to leave until 12:30, so we had lots of time to get ready and introduce ourselves to each other. The trip had been organised by ‘sch’ from the Yorkshire-Divers forum. I had managed to get a space after Sean, another YD member had to cancel his weekend.
The Port Napier
By Jane Wilkinson on 27 September 2008 - comments
Enroute for a weeks diving off the northern end of Skye, half of us had arranged to dive the Port Napier. Meeting up at Kyle of Lochalsh for the dive it was nice to see some familiar faces that I had dived with up in Scapa only a week before. The skipper was Dave from Lochaline Charter Boats and having left at two in the morning to bring the boat up from Lochaline he was already there with The Brenden when we arrived.
The wreck sits very high in the water and is visible from the shore at low tide. She is generally dived from Kyle of Lochalsh being only a five-minute trip from the pontoon, which is in front of the hotel by the harbour.
Scapa Diary Day 6 - SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm and YC21
By Jane Wilkinson on 27 September 2008 - comments
Today was to be the last day that we would officially be Scapa virgins (as the trip had been called) and on the agenda today was the awesome Kronprinz Wilhelm.
Incredible battleships
With sister ships the Konig and Markgraf, who also lie in the watery grave of the flow, these are some of the largest dreadnoughts that the world has seen. Coming in at around 25,388 tons and over 570ft long the Kronprinz is a massive ship by anyone’s standards. Her array of firepower was equally awesome having ten 12in guns, fourteen 5.9in guns and eight 3.45 anti aircraft guns.
Lizard Archaeology
By Mark Milburn on 26 September 2008 - comments
The Lizard peninsula is home to many wrecks, some are dived almost everyday like the WWI cargo ship, the Volnay. The large liner called the Mohegan which struck Vase rock at full speed, losing it’s rudder then crashing into Maen Voes leaving a large hole in the side. New wrecks are always being found, recently a wreck was found in about 16m by a diver swimming between dive sites. Some will never been found as they have either rotted away or have sunk deep into the sand.
Scapa Diary Day 5 - Gobernador Bories & SMS Coln
By Jane Wilkinson on 26 September 2008 - comments
A later start today gave everybody the chance for a lie in and an opportunity to drop into the cafe en route to the boat and have an egg and bacon burger for brunch. Still thinking about the fact that I was unable to get into my old dry suit, I declined! The day had started with some watery sunshine but this was already beginning to disappear and get a little gloomy as we got ourselves ready for the days diving.
Local names
We were doing a reverse profile today for a variety of reasons and had to be at our first dive site to catch slack, otherwise we would be in danger or getting whizzed off the wreck by the tidal rip and end up miles away in the Atlantic – it has happened!. Our destination was the Gobernador Bories or go bananas as it was fondly known by the locals!
A Long Weekend in Plymouth, The Scylla
By Mark Milburn on 25 September 2008 - comments
U.K.’s most popular wreck
The Scylla has now got to be the most dived wreck in U.K. waters. Ever since the ex-Naval Frigate was sunk as an artificial reef in 2004, thousands of divers of all levels have swam around it and through it. My first dive on the Scylla was a few months after it had been sunk. It was full of holes for divers to swim in and out of; covered in signs warning you to check your air, it was all a little contrived.
Still it has been a huge success, with many people returning again and again – some because it’s such an easy dive and some to watch how it becomes colonised by marine life. I was a little indifferent about diving it again. Originally this story was just going to be a a few lines about a second shallower dive of the day, but it is worthy of a lot more than that.
Scapa Diary Day 4 - SMS Dresden, Karlsruhe & F2
By Jane Wilkinson on 25 September 2008 - comments
As I set out on the twenty-minute walk from the campsite to the harbour the sky looked a bit grim. The air was filled with a fine rain that made everything have a misty appearance; it certainly was not the fine weather that we had been promised. However with three good dives planned for the day there was plenty to look forward to.
Not so deep
The first dive on the agenda was SMS Dresden, so after sorting out fills we were on our way. She is a light cruiser of around about 5530 tons and part of the German fleet. Once it was realised that the German ships were being scuttled she was taken in tow by the Clousin, the idea being to beach her on the island of Cava. However, with her decks already awash the Dresden continued to take on water until she finally sank so quickly nothing could be done. It is around 16-18m to her starboard side which is uppermost and then 34m to the seabed, so she is quite within the capability of the majority of divers.
Scapa Diary Day 3 - The Radiation and HMS Rodean
By Jane Wilkinson on 24 September 2008 - comments
The weather looked a bit brighter as we made our way to the boat on the third day, hoping for a little more sun than we had had the day before. We had another diver joining us for the rest of the week who had just passed his AOW whilst up at Scapa, so two shallower dives were the order of the day before we did something a bit deeper. Motoring out of Stromness we headed down south to dive the Radiation, an old trawler that has been deliberately sunk as a shallower dive.
As I was going to St. Ives........
By Mark Milburn on 23 September 2008 - comments
I met a shop called Dive St. Ives….....
One of my dive buddies, Andy, had booked us on their rib for two dives. The first was the St. Chamond, better know as the train wreck. It was a WWI German submarine victim sunk on 30th April 1918 a couple of miles out of St. Ives.
Her deck cargo included several steam locomotive engines; stories vary between five and seven in total. The St. Chamond had two boilers, of which only one has been found, so the steam engines could be anywhere.
Scapa Diary Day 2 - Karlsruhe, Seydlitz & Barge
By Jane Wilkinson on 23 September 2008 - comments
The boys on the boat were looking forward to the first dive today because the ship had big guns!
The Karlsruhe
With a slightly earlier start to the day we motored out to the light cruiser The Karlsruhe which was to be our first dive of the day. She lies listing on her starboard side at about 26m, with much of the deck ripped open leaving twisted wreckage and gaping holes of blackness so deep that most torches are unable to penetrate. The shot was about midships which was ideal and gave you the choice of whether to go towards the stern or bow. Looking at the diagrams beforehand each looked like good routes with plenty to see.
Diving the British Virgin Islands
By Kevin Bieri on 22 September 2008 - comments
The first time that i headed off to the British Virgin Islands for a week of diving, most people asked why i was flying across the Atlantic to go diving when the Caribbean is a mere 4 hour flight from Texas. After patiently explaining that the islands were in fact in the Caribbean I was mostly met with blank stares and comments about how I should be traveling to Bonaire or Grand Cayman if i really wanted spectacular diving in the Caribbean.
Anemone Reef & Sharkpoint
By Mark Milburn on 22 September 2008 - comments
We had arrived back from the Similan trip just two days ago, my travelling companions were in no rush to get back in the water, but I was. Having been to Thailand seven times previously and logged over two hundred dives there, I was surprised when going through my log that I had never dived Anemone Reef. Anemone Reef was famous for being the reef that the ship King Cruiser struck, it holed one of the catamarans hulls, which caused it to sink. I had already planned another trip to see the King Cruiser and Sharkpoint on the next Tuesday, but my only opportunity to dive Anemone Reef was going to be on this trip, so I booked it.
Similan Epilogue
By Mark Milburn on 20 September 2008 - comments
The Similan Islands certainly do live up to their name as a world class dive site, including the islands of Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock. The range of underwater life is varied and interesting, the sites are diversified but not too challenging. The most challenging thing is the amount of dives on a trip like this, nineteen dives in 5 days is more likely to challenge your fitness than your diving ability. I enjoyed all the diving, as did everyone else on the boat, the crew were friendly and helpful and the boat was pleasant enough.
Similan Liveaboard – Day 5
By Mark Milburn on 19 September 2008 - comments
It was our last day of diving on this trip. I remember having so many different feelings at once, I was feeling sad that it was our last day, I was looking forward to the last three dives, I had mentioned the sites I was interested in, and they happened to be the ones we were doing, I was looking forward to dry land, a decent nights sleep and real Thai food.
Malta - A divers guide
By Helen Hadley on 17 September 2008 - comments
Slowly I fin out of the steep sided gully and away from the engine noise from the small tourist boats. This is my first ever solo dive and the rush of adrenaline pushes me onward as I follow the 10m contour south out of the bay. The freedom of not having to keep an eye on anyone else allows me such freedom, and soon I find myself stopping to notice all manner of animals such as sea hares and geological formations I would normally miss.
Soon a large barren rock looms from the blue and I rest on it, watching the fish, shadows in the blue, the shafts of sunlight dancing like silk curtains in a breeze.
Scapa Diary Day 1 - The Mara and the V83
By Jane Wilkinson on 17 September 2008 - comments
At last I was to dive the famous Scapa Flow!
It had been on my ‘to do’ list for some time but I had been frustrated in my efforts to find a suitable boat and group to dive with. Trips seemed to be very technically orientated with divers using twins, rebreathers, stages and doing a lot of decompression diving. However, at the beginning of the year Hazel skipper of Stormdrift advertised a ‘Scapa virgins trip’ on the Yorkshire Divers Forum. This was aimed at people like myself who were diving on a single cylinder with/without pony, doing no stop diving and people who wanted a ‘taster’ of what the flow had to offer.
Similan Liveaboard – Day 4
By Mark Milburn on 15 September 2008 - comments
We were now heading back towards Phuket, three days of solid diving done and only two more to go. Everyone on the boat was friendly enough, and by now we knew each others names and would have conversations about all sorts of things and not just diving. Even after twelve dives everyone was still looking forward to the next one. For some reason I was up early, so was nearly everyone else, all drinking tea or coffee and eating toast, when it was time for the briefing everyone was already there.
Krakafat, Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea
By John Boyle on 14 September 2008 - comments
PNG never ceases to blow my mind with the diversity of its diving, the pristine corals and the huge schools of fish. Once all the planet’s oceans must have been like this before man made his mark. You can start a dive among huge schools of fish and end it staring at tiny creatures that you never imagined even existed – it is impossible to decide what camera set up to use on many dives. And anything can come along out of the blue – from orcas to the most amazing drifting oceanic beings – on one shallow dive I was amazed to encounter the world’s longest sea creature – not a giant whale but a siphonophore – a linear colony of individuals all with their own specific roles, reaching as long as 40 metres and trailing through the ocean with their deadly stinging cells.
Kanteong Dredging Arm at Fowey
By Jane Wilkinson on 13 September 2008 - comments
Jumping starfish? maybe not, but ones that just let go and float to their next resting place. I was diving the Kanteong Dredger and felt something on my head. As the little sea star floated down past my mask I assumed I had accidentally dislodged it from the ceiling as I was swimming through parts of the structure. However, later I was to spot one or two other small common sea stars do exactly the same thing. So I came to the conclusion that this is obviously how some of them move around at times a sort of drop and float method.
Around Mulbury Harbour
By Juliet Savigear on 13 September 2008 - comments
Mulbury Harbour, West Sussex
What a great dive that is so easy to get to from London.
As is often the way with my boyfriend, who hates planning anything much ahead, we booked our dive with www.witteringdivers.co.uk late on the Friday afternoon and then made our way down to Wittering bright and early on the Saturday morning.
Raja Reigns Supreme
By Jovin Lim on 10 September 2008 - comments [1]
Ever since I started on underwater macro-photography a few years ago I have decided that Irian Jaya to be on my list of must-visit destinations and I had always been anticipating a visit to this mythical land. ‘Raja Ampat’ translates as four kings from Bahasa Indonesia, comprises an archipelago of over 600 islands off the western tip of the Indonesian half of New Guinea. Studies show that the exotic and mysterious islands of Irian Jaya to be the epicenter of global marine biodiversity. Dec 15th …. FINALLY the day has arrived and I’m on my way to discover this paradise on Earth and diving the last frontiers.
On the road to Boonsung, West Thailand
By Dive Safari Asia on 9 September 2008 - comments
Mystery Tour
I think we fell into the same trap as everybody else when Paul, owner of a Wicked Diving, first asked us if we wanted to make a dive on Boonsung Wreck, this being the first time we had heard of it.
Diving in the Rainbow Nation
By Daniela Marchesi on 7 September 2008 - comments
“Now remember there is no need to panic. Just remember to keep breathing and what ever you do, stay close to your buddy. Now let’s go down and enjoy every minute of it!” These were the last words of wisdom Gabby shared with us before we went down on our first dive in the Indian Ocean. We were told this was going to be a life-changing experience, one beyond our wildest expectations, but no matter how many books I read and photos I trawled through, nothing could have quite prepared me for life deep-down in the Ocean.
Weathering Weymouth
By Mark Davies on 5 September 2008 - comments
Why do we do it?
It’s a question that must have passed the lips of every UK diver there has ever been. At the time I uttered them I was sat in my car in a huge traffic jam. I’d barely moved more than a mile in the previous hour, queueing up to get through a set of traffic lights near the end of the M67. I’d left home almost two hours previously and had travelled about 20 miles. It was the Friday of the late May Bank Holiday – reputedly the worst day of the year on Britain’s roads, and I could well believe it!
A Long Weekend in Plymouth, Persier and Fairylands
By Mark Milburn on 4 September 2008 - comments
Europes Diving Capital?
Devonians like to claim that Plymouth is the diving capital of Europe. I am sure that a lot of people would agree and maybe more would disagree. There are certainly a lot of diving centres and boats operating out of Plymouth.
Similan Liveaboard – Day 3
By Mark Milburn on 2 September 2008 - comments [2]
Richelieu Rock
Today for me was going to be the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of Thailand’s diving, three dives on Richelieu Rock. Richelieu was our most northerly dive site on this trip, located east of Koh Surin at 09 218N 98 013E. It has a pinnacle that breaks the surface at low tide, other than that it is in the open seas. My previous visits to Richelieu have always been very productive when it comes to photography, it is covered with life of all shapes and sizes, hopefully thing hadn’t changed. I even changed the memory card in my camera so I had plenty of space.
Similan Island Liveaboard: Prologue
By Mark Milburn on 1 September 2008 - comments
The Similan Islands are a group of 9 island in the Andaman Sea, some 60km west of Khao Lak, or roughly 90km north north west of Phuket, Thailand. It was supposed to have been one of Jacques Cousteau’s favourite diving locations.
3 dives off the North Cornish Coast
By Mark Milburn on 31 August 2008 - comments
Fridays dive is off
Our normal Friday night dive had been cancelled due to Redeemer being repainted, so we had to make alternative arrangements. We assumed that it would be out of the water for the weekend so we looked at the weather forecast and made our own plans.
A Day Trip Out of Falmouth
By Mark Milburn on 30 August 2008 - comments
Cancelled Trip
Finally the weather was improving and our hopes of getting in some more diving were looking promising. Shaun’s boat ‘Redeemer’ had been booked by a group of divers who were going to have to travel a fair distance for a long weekend out of Penzance, but the weather forecast had forced them to cancel.
This was bad news for Shaun, but good news for us. He had managed to get a couple of people wanting to do some diving on Sunday, so we decided that we were going to tag along. The dives were going to be a drift dive over ‘The Bizzies’, a long reef system, and a return to the wreck of the Hera.
Similan Liveaboard – Day 2
By Mark Milburn on 29 August 2008 - comments
After a decent nights sleep I was up bright and early, assembling my camera after charging the batteries and re-greasing the ‘O’ rings. I took it up to the briefing deck and got some tea and toast, this would become a habit I’m afraid.
3 Dive Day Trip, King Cruiser, Shark Point & Koh Doc Mai
By Mark Milburn on 29 August 2008 - comments [1]
Today was going to be the last of my diving in Thailand for this trip and I was to be accompanied by Sharky and Neville once again. We were picked up from our accommodation at 7:40. I don’t like early mornings really, especially when I am on Holiday. We were taken to the pier at Chalong and then transferred to the boat, Calypso.
Heaven is a place on earth
By Agnes Milowka on 29 August 2008 - comments [3]
Florida really is heaven on earth… or rather is about as close to heaven as a cave diver can get without abstaining from drinking and spending their entire life helping little old ladies across the road. It is home to some very pretty caves, with beautiful clear tunnels that allow for wonderfully long penetrations and very long dives. Any old cave in Florida has tunnels that just go and go forever… it is hard not to be impressed.
A Cornish Shore Dive
By Mark Milburn on 28 August 2008 - comments [1]
Hidden Cove
There is a tiny cove, hidden along the North Cornish coastline, that, in my opinion, is perfect for open water courses, or for shore diving. A couple of my dive buddies had been out spending money; one had a new BCD and regs, the other a new twinset. So it was decided that the best course of action was a shore dive.
Its just another jetty…. isnt it?
By Jane Wilkinson on 27 August 2008 - comments
Hidden under the waves at Busselton is probably the most incredible riot of colour that I have yet to encounter on a pier or anywhere else that I have dived. Bussleton Jetty was to become one of my favourite sites during my travels in Australia, which is ironic as it wasn’t even on my itinerary when I started!
Fish Rock Cave
By Jane Wilkinson on 26 August 2008 - comments [2]
I gazed at the diagram of Fish Rock Cave on the wall of the shop and wondered whether I was really biting off more than I could chew. I had heard a lot about it during the course of my journey around Australia, about the wobbegongs that lie at the bottom of the cave and the chimney ascent.
Looking at the diagram on the wall in South West Rocks Dive Centre it looked so straightforward. Without wanting to commit myself I tentatively started to ask about diving the cave.
Wreck Diving in Mull
By Mark Davies on 26 August 2008 - comments [1]
Beautiful Sound
When I first dived at the Sound of Mull on the west coast of Scotland I simply fell in love with the place. Since then it has made its way onto my annual ‘must do’ diving list and I usually make it one of my first diving trips of the season. Year after year the Sound has never failed to deliver. It has everything that is best in UK diving – magnificent coastal scenery, sheltered dive sites that let you get in the water in almost any weather (and the weather is usually very good) and most important of all, absolutely fabulous wrecks!
Saturation Monday – Thai Style
By Mark Milburn on 25 August 2008 - comments
After my trip to Anemone Reef and Sharkpoint I fancied going to the islands of Racha Yai or Racha Noi, sometimes referred to as Raya instead of Racha. I had dived both islands before and there has always been fewer dive boats around. I went to my normal dive shop and asked if they had anything going there. Saturation Monday I was told would go to both islands; 4 dives in one day. I like the sound of that so I booked it. I wondered what the Thai interpretation of ‘Saturation’ would be though.
Similan Liveaboard – Day 1
By Mark Milburn on 25 August 2008 - comments [1]
I woke during the night to a sudden silence, we had arrived at our first dive site and the engines had been turned off.
Bang! Bang! Bang! “Dive Briefing”, it was 7:30am. I made my way to the meeting/eating/briefing area and grabbed some toast and a cup of tea. The dive groups had been sorted and were written on the white board, next to it was stuck a sketch of the first dive site, Hide-away corner. Mats started the briefing describing the site and what we might expect to see, it was an easy site and was always used as the first dive site to make sure everyone was comfortable, more likely to make sure the divers were as experienced as they said they were. There were two moorings lines, one at each end of the reef, we would drop down and go with the current, the south end of the reef.
Purge The Soul In Ireland
By Mark Davies on 25 August 2008 - comments
Loose Planning
Ever since Tim had gone over to Ireland for work it had been on the cards that I’d go over there some time to do some diving. He popped over here last March and we had some lovely zero viz diving in Anglesey so we decided it was about time we sampled Ireland’s west coast and made a commitment. We’d both had a dreadful run of bad luck with our diving that winter (hadn’t everyone?) so were desperate for some good dives. To give us the best chance we settled on a neap tide weekend, that happily coincided with me having some days off work.
The Hard Hat Experience
By Kate Hardy on 24 August 2008 - comments
Winter – Not for me!
While there are divers all around the country that are more than happy and tough enough to dive throughout the year, I am not one of them. And I suspect I am joined by a hefty majority. Not only does winter mean shorter days, going to work in the dark, going home in the dark, thick jumpers and sturdy umbrellas, but also the end to my dive season.
But is it?
It doesn’t have to be!
Phuket Local Dives
By Mark Milburn on 24 August 2008 - comments
Dive 1 – Koh Pu, East Side
Lying on the western coast of Phuket is the island of Koh Pu, translated as crab island, Koh being island, as in Koh Phuket, Koh Samui etc. The island lies about 1 mile offshore from Kata Beach.
Raglans and Porthkerris reefs
By Mark Milburn on 23 August 2008 - comments
Diving in the UK is probably best known for its wrecks. Most divers, if asked to name their favourite reefs, would probably name a site in some far off, tropical waters. Few would list a site in British waters.
But our shores offer some spectacular scenic dives that could rival many found in more exotic climes.
The best of these may be found in Cornwall. Mark Milburn tells us about two of his favourites; Raglans and Porthkerris.
Raglans
SS Sambut
By Brian Hennessy on 23 August 2008 - comments
18 August 1943: The SS Sambut (number 169803 – Signal: BKXP) was only awarded a Provisional Registration in the Lloyds Register of Masters. There, just23 periods of command are recorded – the first commenced in Glasgow on 26th June 1943 – the first commenced in San Francisco on 18 August 1943 and ended in Glasgow, arriving on 7th March 1944 – the second engagement commenced on 12 April 1944 – was never completed. The Register is annotated simply, “War loss. Sunk”.
Anglesey - All Is Forgiven
By Mark Davies on 21 August 2008 - comments
Those of you who have followed my ramblings will know I have had mixed experiences at Anglesey in the past. It is a challenging diving environment with strong currents and often very limited visibility. Over the years it has been a place where I have learnt a lot about diving – and more still about myself. It is easy to find yourself in a spot of bother and you need to have a bit about yourself at times to get out of it.
Testing Times in Tenerife
By Kate Hardy on 19 August 2008 - comments
Most dive holidays pass off without incident with a series of pleasant dives but sometimes things don’t go quite as we’d like. Diving in the UK we almost expect to have problems but in more favourable conditions abroad is there any less reason to be careful? Sometimes we need those reminders that diving is a risk sport wherever we choose to do it.
I have just come back from a trip to Tenerife. It was a cracking holiday and lots of fun and for the most part the diving was great – but here is the story of two dives that I did which, for very different reasons, became particularly memorable.
Pulau Weh
By Dive Safari Asia on 18 August 2008 - comments [3]
Our first visit to Pulau Weh confirmed all our expectations and more. Working as Instructors in Malaysia we had heard reports from traveling divers who had made their way up through Indonesia of an island surrounded by pristine reefs and prolific marine life.
Ningaloo And The Navy Pier
By Jane Wilkinson on 8 August 2008 - comments [2]
I found it very difficult to control my excitement as I took a big stride off the pier and hit the water with an almighty splash because of the huge drop. This was my second dive off the Navy Pier in Exmouth and although the visibility had been pretty grim the first time I knew what was waiting below the surface; hence the second dive and my excitement.
The Magic of Scapa
By Jane Wilkinson on 7 August 2008 - comments
Standing nearly ankle deep in sheep shit I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what the place would have been like all those years ago. I could almost hear the constant hum of peoples’ voices, doors opening and closing, the louder more obtrusive sounds of the typewriters clattering away. No gentle clicking noises of a computer key board in those days. Where was I? I was standing in the middle of what had once been the command centre for Scapa Flow during the Second World War.
This was my second visit to Scapa Flow and I was back again for another week’s diving, but this time on MV Halton with skipper Bob Anderson. Not only had I come and dived here, but I had visited many of the places associated with the history of the Flow. Most of the skippers running dive trips up here will take you to places during the surface intervals that allow you to explore Scapas past.
Koh Samui
By Travel Dive on 9 August 2006 - comments
Samui is still a backpackers resort, although there are several large high quality hotels, there are more bungalows and low priced accommodation then most islands in Thailand. It’s one of those place that you either love or not, its Thailand’s third largest island measuring 21km long by 25kn wide. The soft smooth sand, crystal clear warm water and party atmosphere at night makes it more suited to the 18-30’s than the quiet get away, people of all ages do return to Koh Samui every year.
Cornwall
By Travel Dive on 5 March 2006 - comments
Cornwall is England’s Riviera. Since Victorian times the Major beach resorts such as Newquay, Bude & Perranporth to name a few have seen sun worshipers heading to England’s most southerly and westerly region. The relatively warm waters and hot sunny days could please even the most discerning of folk. Over time things change, during the 60’s the surfers start to invade, in increasing numbers every year, especially to the north coast to surf the Atlantic Ocean. In later years with the advent of 18-30 holidays and ‘Run To The Sun’ type events people still keep coming in their droves.
Phuket
By Alan Edwards on 1 March 2006 - comments
Phuket is seen as a mecca for sun worshipers, ever since the first backpackers arrived in the 1960’s. Soft smooth sand, crystal clear warm water and the sort of charm that can make you feel at home, all makes it the ideal winter break. Being in the Northern Hemisphere it has the same seasons as Europe, the only difference is that Thailand’s summer season is their rainy season, it is also when the sea turns from being flat to having decent surf. The sun has got to be the biggest attraction in Thailand, the next biggest tourist attraction has got to be diving.
Stoney Cove – A Visitor’s Guide
By Mark Davies on 22 February 2006 - comments
What do you think is the most dived wreck in the UK? The James Eagan Layne from Plymouth? Or the Scylla? Or perhaps one of the German fleet at Scapa? The Rhondo in Mull? Or maybe the Maine?
Well probably none of these. I’d guess the most dived wreck in the UK lies at the bottom of a flooded quarry in the Midlands. My money is on the Stanegarth at Stoney Cove. And why? Simply because this is probably the most frequently dived body of water anywhere in the British Isles!
So, other than the largest wreck within inland waters, let’s see what else Stoney Cove has to offer.
Scapa Flow - Travelers Guide
By Travel-Dive on 20 February 2006 - comments
“After the armistice, seventy-four ships of the German High Seas Fleet were ordered into Scapa Flow to be interned. They arrived in November 1918, and stayed there for 10 months. During this time, they became a tourist attraction, with boat trips to see them. By June 1919, Rear Admiral von Reuter, the German Officer in command at Scapa Flow, knew that Germany would have to accept surrender terms. When the main part of the British Fleet left the flow for exercises he gave the order for the German fleet to be scuttled.”
Scapa is high up on many divers “to do” list, and here is how to go and do it! Rated as one of the best diving locations in the world it is a must for a wreck diver.
Sharm El-Sheikh
By Alan Edwards on 8 December 2004 - comments
Sharm El-Sheikh famously suffers from a complete lack of development control. Eating out has been been considered a dangerous sport and getting food poisoning is generally a case of when not if!
It is beginning to turned itself around and become a huge travel destination, not just for divers, but for those looking for an alternative to continental Europe. While it is starting to look more and more like Vegas (repleat with Casinos and Neon), it is still definitely worth a visit.
If you are a non-diver there is plenty of sun, sea and an increasing amout of activities. For the diver it’s like going to heaven! (a sort of hot, slightly smelly on occasion heaven with varying degrees of cullinary experiences). The whole town is geared up for divers with every establishment somehow related to scuba.
More divers go to Sharm than anywhere in the world, and whilst seen by some as the McDonalds of the diving industry, it’s definitely a place where divers will go again and again.
