Subsea 150

SUBSEA Ireland’s Only Diving Magazine

HOOK HEAD PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

B4 Scuba Majorca History of the SS Folia Canada’s North-East wonders

Vol. 10 No. 150 Autumn 2014 ())*++"!#$,%!&-

# !!"!#$ %!&""%

%'

We have the best location on the island for diving!!

Located in a secluded bay on the Playa Chica beach in Puerto del Carmen with most of the island’s dive sites less than 20 metres away!!

6 dives with tank and weights and 7 nights accommodation (based on 2 sharing) only 299 euros pp!

Come visit us at the NEC Dive We are not beaten on ‘LIKE FOR LIKE QUOTES’ Others make the promise…we DELIVER !!

Show, Birmingham, 25th and 26th October to hear about all our super dive show deals!!

Contact Wendy at:

Email enquiry@safaridiving.com Web www.safaridiving.com Tel 0034 625 059 713

Celebrating 15 years in 2014

Suunto

Vyper Air + USB

CYLINDER AND REGULATOR SERVICING

e350 Zoop

IDEST No 7F FULL RANGE OF SERVICES GROUP RATES COLLECTION + DELIVERY SERVICE Contact us for details

e195

TRAINING SEASON STARTER PACK Mask, snorkel, fins and booties

NEW!!

from

e99

ATX 40 DS4 Octo and twin console

only e395

Bulloch Harbour, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Tel: 01 2845180 Fax: 01 2845178 E-mail: info@flagshipscuba.com Web: www.flagshipscuba.com

SUBSEA

CONTENTS

ISSN 0791 - 475X Volume 10 Number 150 Autumn 2014 5

EDITORIAL Editor's comment

5

BRIEFINGS What’s happening at home and abroad

13 DIVE RALLIES 2014 Reports from the regional rallies 16 VINCENT O’BRIEN PHOTO COMPETITION Winners from the event held at Hook Head 17 SNAPPING BENEATH THE WAVES

By Richard Thorn 21 ROCK ‘N’ ROLL DIVING IN MAJORCA

By Ivan Donoghue Martin Kiely from Co. Clare won the best SLR shot for his jewel anemone picture at the Vincent O’Brien Photo Competition, Hook Head.

Attention SubSea contributors • Submit all material to the Editor at editor@diving.ie or to Head Office • Material must arrive well in advance of the deadline.

• Pictures are essential to illustrate news items and articles.

• Authors must remember that they bear responsibility to ensure that material is not copied from another copyrighted publication.

• Ensure that digital photos submitted are: 120 pixels/cm (300 dpi) and sized at 30cm X 21cm.

SubSea is published by the Irish Underwater Council. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Council.

The magazine is not intended as an invitation or prospectus to members of the public or other interested parties to dive on any of the sites that are mentioned in the text and anyone intending to do so should take appropriate advice with regard to the safety and viability of their proposed actions. Boarding a wreck requires the permission of the owner. Diving on a 100 year old wreck requires a permit.

Edited by: Jean Kelleher

26 CANADA’S NORTH-EAST WONDERS

By Michel Labrecque 31 THE ISLANDS TOUR OF GALWAY

By Dave Moore 34 FIBRE-TECK REVIEW

By Ivan Donoghue 35 BLUEWAY MAY BE EXPANDED ALONG WILD ATLANTIC WAY

By Laura Taylor 37 HISTORY OF THE SS FOLIA

By Martin Baillie-Johnston 40 WINNING IMAGES Book review by Damien McGuirk 41 TAKING THE LEAP TO CFT

By Cathal Mullane 44 THE SPINY SPIDER CRAB

By Andrew Roughton

Advertising: Sarah Campbell

45 INTER-CLUB Quarterly report by Mike Orth

Typesetting and Design: Bernard Kaye

47 LINKING IN WITH CFT Join CFT’s LinkedIn group

Proofreading: Peter O’Doherty Eibhir Mulqueen

Honorary Archivist: Michael Moriarty SubSea, Irish Underwater Council, 78a Patrick St., Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin.

Tel: (01) 2844601. Fax: (01) 2844602.

Web site: www.diving.ie E-Mail: info@diving.ie

Printed by Doggett Print & Design, Dublin.

Tel: (01) 453 3151. Fax: (01) 453 3156.

Affiliated to

49 CLUB SPOTLIGHT Daunt Sub Aqua Club 51 MART AND EXCHANGE

CMAS

Spring 2015 Issue Deadline All articles for inclusion in the next issue of SubSea should be sent to the editor before January 5th.

All advertising should be sent to CFT Head Office before January 5th.

SubSea Autumn 2014

3

Of the four autumn dive trips to El Hierro one is already FULL and there are some names already down for the other three. People are planning ahead so don’t put it on the long finger.

EL HIERRO

AUTUMN DEPARTURES

A magic, undiscovered little gem of an island on the western edge of the Canary archipelago. Only 25 miles long but 5,000ft high it has an extraordinary diversity of scenery from green fields and stonewalls like the west of Ireland, up on the plateau, through beautiful pine and laurel forests and vineyards down to fertile coastal plains awash with bananas, pineapples, papayas and cereals. The people are extremely friendly and there is zero crime on the island. There are no Irish bars, no English bars, no fast food joints, no golf courses, no snakes or mosquitoes - and hardly any tourists. In fact no nasties at all!

Departures from Tenerife to El Hierro are by evening ferry (5.30pm) so book your flight to arrive Tenerife by 2.30pm latest I collect you at the airport and we transfer to the ferry port. However some people opt to fly in a day or so earlier and/ or stay on for extra days in the sun at the end - at very little cost (€25 single and €42 twin sharing room in the hotel we use in Tenerife).

The scenic driving and hill walking are both dramatic and amazing so it is idyllic for the non-diving spouse who values peace and quiet and an utterly relaxing holiday in the sun.

“OUR FLEET”

We have 4 vehicles and anyone who wishes can take a car for a drive around the island or to nearby swimming spots.

The picture shows “our fleet” of two x 8seater Toyotas, a 5-seater Mercedes and a 4-seater Mercedes, parked beneath the apartments, overlooking the harbour in La Restinga.

Those of you who were with us in the early days may mourn the passing of our old 11 -seater Land Rover but you will find these cars a lot more comfortable!

THE DIVING The best diving in all of Spain. The Spanish Open U/W Photography Competition (a major, heavily sponsored event) has been held here for the last 16 years! Probably the best diving in all of

We travel back on Wednesday and spend our final evening in the bright lights of Tenerife at Hotel Andreas in the attractive resort of Los Cristianos, flying home on Thursday. Departure dates: ■ Thursday 9 October ■ Thursday 16 October (FULL) Euro-land. It is, after all, the most southerly (28 degrees) and the most westerly (18 degrees) point in Europe.

Temperatures are tropical and the Ocean is 25 degrees in autumn so there is abundant Oceanic and tropical life, particularly in the Marine Reserve, situated in The “Mar de Las Calmas” or tranquil sea, an area of several square miles completely protected from the prevailing NE winds by huge cliffs.

The seascape is spectacular with dramatic dropoffs, caves and pinnacles.

Depths are daunting with 3,000m not far offshore. Visibility is 30m plus and the sea is a vivid blue. The variety and abundance of marine life is exceptional.

■ Thursday 6 November ■ Thursday 20 November

HOLIDAY COST The diving holiday price which includes all transfers and transport; all ferries; all accommodation and ten boat dives with tanks, air, weights and dive guide is €625. Non divers and hill walkers (5 days guided walking) travel for just €425.

SPECIAL OFFER Quote this special ad and get €50 discount (Divers: €575 and Non- divers & hill

LA RESTINGA The tiny fishing village at the southern tip of the island which is our base for the week; our lovely apartments are on the little promenade overlooking the harbour. Everything is within a couple of minutes’ walk - the Dive Centre, “El Bar” the little “supermercado” and the 5 very good restaurants (fresh fish every day).

There are safe and simple swimming and snorkelling spots and the outdoor dining and wining under the stars are memories to cherish.

walkers: €375)

INFORMATION If you wish to give me a postal address I can send you the information leaflet Contact me on e-mail at any time if you have questions or queries.

Good Diving!

Shane

BRIEFINGS Diving – pictures from our past

EDITORIAL Welcome to the autumn edition of Subsea. For most people, the summer of 2014 has been a fantastic season of diving with fabulous weather and visibility.

Unfortunately this season has also been tinged with great sadness as, in just a few short weeks in June and July, the diving community lost six divers in tragic circumstances. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of all these divers in this time of sorrow. As fellow divers and lovers of the sea we must all endeavour to dive safely, respect the sea and its wonderful power, and ensure that we continue to uphold the standards that our organisations lay down for our safety.

In this edition of Subsea, our president Mike Orth gives us an update on what the executive committee have been doing on our behalf in recent months. We have a number of articles regarding photography, an area which has been growing rapidly in recent years, resulting in huge improvements in the variety and quality of divers’ photographs. Richard Thorn discusses the art of underwater photography and what it can mean to different people, we see the interest that was generated by the photo competition at the Hook dive rally, and Ivan Donoghue shows us the latest gadget for strobe photography.

We are also focusing on Irish diving, with reports from four dive rallies and a dive trip along the islands of Galway’s coastline. Our foreign dive locations in this edition are relatively close to home, with a report on diving in Majorca and North East Canada.

For our wreck diving fans, Martin Baille Johnston has provided us with a great history of the life and sinking of the Folio, which now lies off the Waterford coast.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the magazine and please continue to send your articles to me at editor@diving.ie.

Happy and safe diving Jean Kelleher Editor

By Denny Lawlor A picture tells a thousand words or so they say. Well this was certainly true when I started researching for our 50th celebration.

At the time, I was inundated with old pictures from the early days of diving in Ireland, from the “Skinny Dip Divers” through to the “Woolly Jumper Brigade” and on to the various homemade wetsuits. It occurred to me that these pictures not only bring back wonderful memories to those depicted in them but are also a pictorial history of diving in Ireland.

These pictures and the stories behind them are what has brought us to where we are today. So, instead of storing them away in a box to gather dust, I have put together a compilation of the best in a limited edition CFT coffee table publication. This is a must have for anyone interested in diving and its history. If there was no diving past, there would be no diving present!

To ensure you get your copy, you should place your order now through the CFT online shop. The book will be out in time for Christmas and would make a great present come the 25th December.

The Nautilus Crack Squad, about to take to the water for their first dive of the season in the early 1980s.

A sponsored fin swim at O’Briensbridge, County Clare, in 1983.

A pose for the camera before taking to the water.

More pictures from our past on page 46.

SubSea Autumn 2014

5

BRIEFINGS

Incidents reported to CFT Jan 2014 to date

The attached chart shows the incidents reported to CFT for 2014 to date.

Despite the alarming and tragic events of June and July this year, the number and type of incidents has not altered from previous seasons. There were a number of rapid ascents with no

resulting DCI, which occurred mainly at the start of the season. This reminds us that the policy of doing work up dives at the start of the season is very valid as buoyancy can be an issue after a lay off from diving and with trainee divers. Also, there were a lot of

incidents due to equipment failure, which again reminds us that it is imperative for us to maintain our equipment to the very highest standards. This includes rinsing well after every dive and regular servicing of our equipment.

One issue which I have been asked to raise is the policy of separation procedures. Clarity is required when giving briefs, especially when diving with other clubs. Good practice is to emphasise the separation procedures at the dive brief and ask a diver in the brief to state what the procedure is.

Where more than one club is diving together, the D.O. should ask a visiting diver to state the procedure just to confirm that everyone knows and works from the same one.

Please note that these statistics refer solely to CFT divers, and incidents reported to the CFT Incidents Officer.

OBITUARY

Tom Shakespeare 1931 – 2014 Long before Irish diving had ‘Health and Safety’ we had Tom Shakespeare. Tom and safe diving standards go hand in hand.

Tom was a founding member of the Irish Sub Aqua Club. One of the first things he did was to contact the British Sub Aqua Club to enable him to study their training standards. He also bought, begged or borrowed any book he could get on sub aqua diving. As a result , Tom drew up the first diving and training standards for the ISAC, which could well have been called Tom’s bible. Tom was always at the forefront of diving standards and safety.

From 1959 to 1961, Tom was ISAC training officer, during which time he drew up the tests to go from third class diver to second class diver. Tom also served as ISAC’s Secretary, PRO and Vice Chairman as well as the club’s representative to the voluntary Emergency Rescue Association and CMAS. Tom was also one of the driving forces behind setting up Comhairle Fo-Thuinn, The Irish Underwater Council. He became its first Secretary, first National Diving Officer and first Four Star Moniteur!

Always with safety in mind Tom’s motto was “The Sea is Unforgiving”, ensuring that new members coming up through ISAC knew to respect and abide by good safety standards. They also learned never to contradict Tom as he always proved to be right.

6

SubSea Autumn 2014

Tom Shakespeare in 1959.

Later in life Tom took up archery, coaching and managing the Irish Olympic teams in Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988.

Fortunately, along with all his other interests Tom still had time for the diving community. He was always right there to advise us.

Ted Spendlove

BRIEFINGS

CLUB REGISTRATION NUMBERS (CRNs) From the CFT Archive Many clubs will no doubt have received their Certificates of Membership by now from CFT head office. To some it may have come as a surprise so I feel that a little more explanation is required. It has been the custom of most of the national governing bodies of diving across the world to allocate a serial number to each of their constituent clubs.

However, CFT had never expressed such a requirement up to now.

When I retired from the Army I went to Lisbon for a prolonged period in order to improve on my Portuguese.

While there I called on the HQ of the Portuguese Federation, FPAS, (Federação Portugueses dos Actividades Subaquatiques), where I met Isobel Pires, the Office Secretary to FPAS. There she explained to me among other things that FPAS operated a system of allotting a serial number to each member club. I thought no more about this practice on my return to Ireland.

One day about three years ago I happened to mention the potential usefulness of this practice to Louise. She thought it a great idea and felt that it would help to clear up a lot of confusion amongst the clubs and would greatly simplify the maintenance of records at Head Office. From the earliest days of CFT It has been the practice to refer to a club by using capital letters, e.g. CSAC. This practice was obviously flawed as I discovered when I realised that CSAC could equally refer to clubs in Cork, Clonmel, Cobh, Curragh, Craigavon, Chill, or Castlebar. If one also considers the number of clubs whose titles start

with letters such as ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘W’, ‘O’, or ‘L’ , it is easy to see why confusion reigned. In addition I discovered that we had a ‘surplus’ of titles, such as Nautilus (4), Neptune (2), Atlantic (2), Dolphin (2) and Buccaneer (2).

From a long and tedious scanning of the minutes of CFT meetings and SubSea issues extending over a period of 50 years, I found out that a grand total of 181 clubs have been accepted as members since CFT was established in 1963. A further 26 clubs or groups were accepted under various arrangements, most of which have been since discontinued.

(Even these numbers are not certain as the records held by CFT over the years are less than complete.)

The date when a particular club was accepted as a member of CFT became the basis for its CRN number. This number is recorded at CFT and will always be the recorded CRN for that club whether it is an active or lapsed club.

Such numbers will never again be used to avoid future confusion. Branches of the British SAC that had become member clubs of CFT are also included in this list.

As a small number of clubs had been in existence before the 29 September 1963 – the date of the establishment of CFT – it was agreed that the Irish Sub Aqua Club, being the first club to be formed in the Republic, would be granted the first CRN - 001. Numbers were then allotted to all subsequent clubs by their dates of formation and acceptance as members of CFT. A full record and a draft set of rules are maintained at CFT Head Office.

Michael Moriarty

GOOD SHOT A diver exits the sea at Bullock Harbour, Dublin. Photo by Ian Hennessy.

SubSea Autumn 2014

7

BRIEFINGS Noted Irishmen

Francis Rynd Inventor of the hypodermic syringe Another great Irish scientist The hypodermic syringe was invented in the 1840s by Irish Doctor, Francis Rynd.

Rynd was born in Dublin in 1801. He worked pro bono at then charity hospital “The Meath” which helped the poorest people in the city.

He was an innovator and was not afraid to try new ideas and test different drugs on patients.

In the 1840s, he tried to find a cure for neuralgia, a disease that attacks the nervous system and as we know, causes the sufferer to experience intense pain.

At the time, there was no cure and doctors could only reduce the symptoms.

Francis Rynd believed that if he could inject a sedative into the bloodstream of the patient, their pain would be relieved much quicker than if they had taken drugs orally.

He was ultimately unsuccessful in finding a solution. However his efforts were not in vain, or rather they were ‘in

vein’, because along the way, he invented a hollow needle which he used to put the drugs into the patient’s bloodstreams. It was in 1844 that he first used a drip needle that could inject drugs directly into the vein.

A few years later a Scottish doctor, Alexander Wood was acclaimed for his own role in the development of the hypodermic syringe. Many people thought it was actually Wood’s invention.

However, Dr Rynd’s legacy was secure thanks to historical documents including an article he wrote in the Dublin Medical Press. In it, he documented how he had injected fluids into a patient with a hypodermic syringe. In an 1845 article in the Dublin Medical Press he outlined how he injected fluids into a patient with a hypodermic syringe, which he had done on a female patient in May 1844.

It was published in 1845, ten years before Wood’s article about his own use

of hypodermic syringes was published in the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal.

Rynd died in Dublin in 1861 after suffering a heart attack. He was 60 years old.

Following Dr Rynd’s lead were French physician, Charles Pravaz and Dr Wood, who continued the evolution of the hypodermic syringe. There are now tens of billions used every year throughout the world.

Skin-diving for shellfish bye-law No. 53

Six divers die in Irish waters

The skin-diving for shellfish bye-law no. 533 of 1966 was the subject of a written question and answer in Dáil Éireann on 18 February 2014 (see http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswe bpack.nsf/takes/dail2014021800068).

The result of this exchange is below:

Six divers have tragically lost their lives in Irish waters this year, including one of our own members, John McNally, who died in June. In the course of just over four weeks the diving community here were shocked and saddened by each reported death. John McNally died while diving in Roches Point in Cork on 14th June and the following day, Marius Szczesny, a Polish national lost his life on a dive near Inishtrahull Island, approximately 10 kilometres north west of Malin Head. In July, two British divers Steven Clark and Jonathan Scot also died in tragic circumstances after diving the U260 in Cork in July. They were both experienced divers and regular visitors to Ireland.

Again in July, Ciaran Flynn died shortly after surfacing from a dive on Inishboffin, and on 14th of July Rev Stewart Jones died after getting into difficulty after a dive on St John’s Point in Co. Donegal.

On behalf of the 2,000 members of the Irish Underwater Council (CFT) we would like to offer our condolences to the family, friends and dive buddies of the recently deceased divers. We further wish to acknowledge the role of the professional and voluntary emergency services in assisting divers in distress.

Q) 471. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his interpretation of by-law 533 of the 1966 Fisheries Act as it relates to snorkelling for shellfish when snorkeling is permitted; the conditions or restrictions that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

A) Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Fergus O’Dowd): The enforcement of bye law 533 of 1966 is exercised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).

I am advised by IFI that, on an operational basis, the bye-law is construed as prohibiting snorkeling to target shellfish.

Interpretation of the bye law would be a matter for the Courts.

The bye-law can be viewed on the CFT website at http://diving.ie/news/legal-responsibilities/

8

SubSea Autumn 2014

BRIEFINGS

Irish Sailing Association SafeTrx App Boater registration • Register vessel and personal details.

• Enter emergency contact details in SafeTrx Web. • Accept End User Licence Agreement.

Create Sail Plan on departure • Launch app. Enter vessel details, destination ETA, no. of people on board and purpose of trip.

• Choose trip start, waypoint and end point.

• Press “Set Sail’.

GPS tracking on vessel • Transmits position, speed & heading to the server at regular intervals.

• Coast Guard uses SafeTrx Monitoring Console to track active SPs. Successfully close SP • Closes out SP on reaching destination or amends details mid-passage.

A new app launched recently by The Irish Sailing Association called SafeTrx has been designed to monitor your boat journeys and will alert Emergency Contacts should you fail to return on time.

ISA SafeTrx is a smartphone app for both Android & Apple iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) that allows you to plan your journey on your smartphone.

How it works • Designed to complement the existing technologies that save lives at sea, SafeTrx provides a means for boaters to file a Sail Plan (SP) with the Coast Guard from a smartphone.

Oonasdivers release new brochure to celebrate their first 30 years 1985-2015

Failure to close SP • Triggers a set of escalation SMS messages to the boater’s emergency contacts and Coast Guard.

• SafeTrx Monitoring Console assists in locating overdue vessel.

Whilst the app is not intended to be used as a replacement for normally approved safety devices (VHF, EPIRB, AIS, etc), it is a resource that in some instances may help to raise an alarm earlier and assist emergency services to locate divers more accurately.

SafeTrx can be downloaded from: Google Play, App Store, http://safetrxapp.com/

Oonasdivers, the diving holiday specialists, will be celebrating at the Birmingham Dive Show on 25th & 26th October. Grab a 'Shark Raving Mad' bag at the entrance, find a funky fish inside and win a prize!

Prizes include, holidays to Fiji, Tobago, Egypt and Malta, dive equipment, vouchers and more!

SubSea Autumn 2014

9

BRIEFINGS

Rebel welcome for participants at Cork UWH Tournament

On Saturday 23rd of August 2014, the sun shone in Mayfield, on Cork City’s northside, where Cork Underwater Hockey Club hosted its annual international invitational tournament.

The success of the inaugural tournament in 2013, held under “The Gathering” initiative, encouraged the club to make this year’s tournament an even bigger occasion. Enjoyment by all players is the main aim of this tournament and so the teams are selected on a mix and match basis according to ability, in order that all the teams are balanced fairly.

Given Cork’s location and association with the sea, the theme of this year’s tournament was “Pirates”, with the team names, pool decorations and social activities throughout the day reflecting this. Most players were, unsurprisingly, members of Cork & Dublin UWH Clubs.

The Dublin team was anxious to avenge their first defeat to Cork at the National Aquatic Centre in June, but given the mix and match format of this tournament, they didn’t get their chance. Several UK players from clubs, such as TSW, Dunstable and Kingsbridge Krays, were in

10 SubSea Autumn 2014

attendance, along with members of Belfast UWH Club, which was only founded earlier this year. Cork UWH had recently returned from a tour of Brittany, where they trained with Rennes UWH Club, and played a friendly match against them. A special invitation to players from Rennes to come to Cork for this tournament was graciously accepted, and three members made the journey to the Rebel County.

Once the first game started, every player’s competitive streak came to the fore. Such was the level of intensity shown from the first spike, one could have been forgiven for thinking that they were playing in the World Championships! In the end, after a clean sweep of victories, the tournament was won by “The Sea Horses”. There was enough time left for a ladies’ game between Cork Ladies UWH and a Barbarians-style selection of ladies drawn from among the other players.

Unfortunately, the Cork Ladies were defeated but this match was a great preparation for the Ladies’ National Championships in a few months time.

Afterwards, everyone retired to the

Cotton Ball pub in Mayfield for refreshments and prize giving. An evening reception was hosted in the Franciscan Well in Cork City, where all players were dressed to impress in their finest pirate outfits. A hugely enjoyable tournament was had by all.

Underwater hockey is developing all over Ireland, with clubs in Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Limerick. The Cork tournament, as well as the Dublin Invitational Tournament, which was held last June, is quickly becoming an important event in the annual calendar of Underwater Hockey Ireland activities.

One of the greatest outcomes of these tournaments is the networking between Irish clubs, and the contacts made with UWH clubs from abroad. These contacts are central to the development of the sport in Ireland, promoting the exchange of knowledge in skills, coaching and organisational structures.

Cork UWH Club would like to thank the Cotton Ball Brewery for its generous sponsorship of the event, and all the staff of Mayfield Sports Complex for facilitating a magnificent tournament.

BRIEFINGS

Scotland’s sea life preserved by Marine Protected Areas Scotland’s environmental charities have welcomed the decision by the Scottish government to double the size of an emerging network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead has given the go ahead for 30 new MPAs, protecting a further 12% of Scotland’s seas, as well as paving the way for urgent measures to protect struggling seabird, whale and dolphin populations.

Members of Scottish Environment LINK’s marine taskforce have campaigned for stronger protection of Scotland’s sea life for over a decade.

Last year, over 14,000 people backed proposals for new MPAs during a public consultation.

The new sites are needed to protect and recover the full spectrum of sea life, ranging from large-scale offshore habitats to fragile and ecologically important inshore areas.

The announcement also signals a new Scottish Government resolve to provide protection in critical habitats for other important mobile species, such as basking sharks, minke whale and Risso’s dolphins.

Licensed activities at sea will be subject to the MPA designation orders that came into force on August 7th.

Fisheries management measures for the sites will be developed during a two-year process. Together, they will ensure sea life and seabed habitats in the MPAs are protected from damaging activities.

Calum Duncan, convenor of Scottish Environment LINK’s marine taskforce and Marine Conservation Society Scotland programme manager said: “These new Marine Protected

Areas are very welcome news for sea life and Scotland’s hidden, underwater wonderlands. There has been a consensus among our marine scientists that the health of Scotland’s seas has suffered in recent decades and that threats from human activities must be better managed. By setting up these MPAs, the government has wisely placed its confidence in that verdict.

The work does not stop here – for the time being, these MPAs are just lines on maps, so careful management will be needed to ensure they actively help recover our sea life.”

Alex Kinninmonth, Scottish Wildlife Trust Living Seas policy officer, said: “This is a huge leap forward for nature conservation in Scotland. After many years of making a compelling case for better management of our seas, we are delighted to see these ambitious plans for marine protection. Each new MPA forms an important piece of a complex jigsaw that, when complete, will help turn the fortunes of our sea around.”

Sarah Dolman, North Atlantic programme manager for Whale and Dolphin Conservation said: “Having provided the evidence and

demonstrated huge public support for protection of important whale, dolphin and porpoise habitats, it’s great news that minke whales and Risso’s dolphins are included in the Scottish MPA network. With the right management in place, MPAs, in conjunction with wider measures, will help to protect Scotland’s precious whale and dolphin populations.”

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: “Scottish ministers have made the right decision for our seas and the many wonderful species and habitats that live in them. They have also made the right decision for those communities and industries that depend on healthy seas in the long term. The next step is to ensure that this network of MPAs are well managed and result in the recovery of our ecosystems for the benefit of all. This is a great step towards delivering a marine environment where economic interests can operate in a way that does not have to undermine the health of our seas.”

Richard Luxmoore, head of Nature Conservation, National Trust for Scotland, said: “Many of these MPAs – such as South Arran and Wester Ross – have been the direct result of local campaigning and research. We know that these measures to recover our sea life have popular support within many communities, but there is still work to do. Other communities – such as the tireless campaigners of Fair Isle – are still calling for better protection of their local marine environment and we hope that these MPAs mark a new regionally-sensitive approach to coastal and marine management.”

Remembering John McNally John McNally of Limerick Sub Aqua Club was lost in a diving accident in Cork Harbour on the 14th June last. John was an enthusiastic diver, a great member of the club and, above all, a genuine friend to those who knew him. We mourn his loss and we extend our sympathy to his wife Caroline, daughter Niamh, his family, and friends.

Limerick Sub Aqua Club Photo: Sebastian Kaczmarek SubSea Autumn 2014

11

BRIEFINGS

Covering divers

It can be difficult to see divers in choppy water.

One of the more onerous tasks bestowed on a diver coxswain is having to locate their divers in choppy and unfavourable sea conditions. These conditions could be caused by an unexpected change in the weather, strong currents or miscommunication.

Diver coxswaining is very different from any other boat handling discipline because a man overboard situation is expected and normal rather than an emergency situation. This places extra responsibility on a diver coxswain for the safety of the crew whilst in the water as well as when they are on board.

The diver coxswain should always ensure that proper planning of any dive has taken place before setting out to sea. As in all cases, prevention is better than cure, and planning is vital to ensure that a safe dive location can be found where sea conditions are favourable and currents are at a minimum. Knowing the speed and direction of the current is important so as to indicate the direction to search in the event that divers are adrift on the surface. A good dive brief should inform diving groups of the relevant currents and tides and allow them to

12 SubSea Autumn 2014

plan their dive accordingly. Another important note is that, once this plan has been made by a dive group and communicated to the diver coxswain, it should be adhered to. Should it change they should notify the diver coxswain as soon as possible.

Diving equipment has improved greatly over the last number of years and divers can aid in their own search by making themselves more visible on the surface and by using diving capable personal locator beacons (PLBs) and VHF radios. Some equipment available to make divers more visible on the surface are luminous hoods that glow and delayed surface marker buoys (DSMB). The introduction of the diver DSMB is probably the greatest single safely addition to diving equipment in recent times. There have also been improvements to boat equipment, with the introduction of very affordable GPS units that can play a very important role in searching for divers by recording the boat’s position and allowing the diver coxswain to perform a systematic search of an area.

Notwithstanding this, it is very important for the diver coxswain to

record their position using transits and visible land features in case the GPS is not functioning correctly. Having this reference point will help the diver coxswain in indicating the direction in which an object is travelling and may help later when searching for divers on the surface.

Always be mindful of the wind speed and direction, and be aware that the wind may have quite an effect on the boat as far as drift is concerned, yet little effect on divers on the surface.

Searching for divers in a swell can be difficult and it is important that a diver coxswain use all the help at their disposal in this. When a diving buddy pair is expected on the surface, a diver coxswain should start searching the planned surfacing location, note wind speed and direction, strength and direction of tide, appoint lookouts to search, contact other boats nearby and request assistance if divers do not appear when expected. It is more important to ask for help early and achieve a successful outcome than to delay and risk disappointment. Do not delay in contacting the emergency services.

DIVE RALLIES 2014

South West Regional Weekend The South West Regional weekend saw the start of the dive rallies of 2014. This event is the longest running of all the rallies and was hosted again by Inbhear Sceine SAC on the weekend of 16th to 18th of May in Cahersiveen Co. Kerry. This location, close to Valentia Island, has a host of spectacular dive sites on its doorstep and some real delights just a manageable boat trip away. As in previous years, the club did itself proud, proving to be generous, knowledgeable hosts, leading divers by the boatload to the various sites. Some boats elected to pack two cylinders each and lunches on board and head further afield to dive in the environs of Puffin Island. Conditions were good, with plenty of sunshine. The organisers worked tirelessly over the weekend ensuring that all divers were accommodated on boats and that all the cylinders were filled.

Many thank to Brendan, Nigel and all the divers who worked so cheerfully to make it a wonderful weekend. They set the bar high for the other dive rallies to follow. â—ź

South East Dive Rally The second annual South East Dive Rally took place on the first weekend in July. It was another fantastic success, attracting over 120 divers from all over the country to dive the beautiful waters of the South East.

The rally kicked off Friday afternoon with a dive to the Western Rock. A beautiful scenic dive with highlights such a sea fans and crayfish! That evening divers packed into boats to dive the Girl Arlene. This is a breath taking wreck dive surrounded by poor cod, ling and lobsters. It was a late night for many divers as they arrived to set up camp, right beside the Hook SAC's club house, well into early hours of Saturday.

The sound of the compressor and the smell of sausages filled the air on Saturday morning as over 100 divers

Saturday morning divers gathering

Enjoying a post dive pint in Portmagee after two great dives

geared up to head to sites such as Big Rock, Pollock Rock, Tower Hole and Churchtown. By mid-afternoon scores of hungry divers were returning to the club house, elated from their brilliant morning dives. Some had even spotted dolphins along the way!

They returned to a tasty BBQ supplied by Tomaz. Divers tucked into gourmet burgers, homemade sausages and fresh salads. Once fed and watered, it was back to the business of diving. The afternoon dive by the Hook Club went to the Lismore, a fantastic wreck lying 40m below the surface. This wreck is surrounded by Pollock, Cod and several conger eels. The vis was excellent, allowing divers to get the most from this spectacular dive.

That evening, the party really got started with a table quiz and dancing in Templars Inn. The bus left the camp site at around 8pm. The dancing continued

long into the night, and when the divers were dropped back to their tents, the party kept going, with many divers taking to playing cards in the club house.

Despite the late night of partying, divers were up bright and early for their last opportunity to dive the crystal clear waters of the South East. Divers headed back to sites such as the Girl Arlene, Big Rock and Western Rock. The weather was the best of the weekend and divers got some of their best dives. By the early afternoon, the camp site was beginning to empty. Weary divers started their long treks home with great memories of the south east.

Thanks to all those who came to the rally and a special thanks to all those who helped to make it a success. See you all next year!!!!

Thanks to Ivan Donoghue for the photos! (see page 16). â—ź

SubSea Autumn 2014 13

Dive Rallies

West Region weekend July 2014

By Tanya Murphy

Divers assembling at the pier in Killala.

Over the years as divers progressing through the CFT grades, the only time we get to meet divers from other clubs and regions is at exam time when the pressure is on and we never really get to relax and enjoy this experience.

Generally there has been little opportunity to socialise and dive just for the fun of it which, let’s face it, is what we all started out to do.

For the past few years, the regional dive rallies have begun to change this and having had the opportunity to attend and enjoy a number of them, I approached my club with a view to extending this to the western region and hosting one of these weekends ourselves.

Several “sure why not, let’s give it a go” later and we were committed to the third weekend in July. This all sounded fine back in January but as the weeks rushed by it became a bit more intimidating. Long evenings were had discussing where to base everything, what dive sites to dive, how many people should we expect, how many boats do we need, who was going to do the praying for good weather, what were Plans B, C & D in case the praying didn’t work! All bases were definitely discussed if maybe

Divers enjoying the good viz in Mayo

14 SubSea Autumn 2014

not quite covered and if we ended up with a howling north wind no amount of planning was going to help. Thankfully the weather gods played ball and as people began to arrive on Friday we could relax and just enjoy the sense of anticipation of a good weekends diving.

On Friday evening I took the opportunity to dive from the Omega SAC boat at Kilcummin Head on one of the shotted sites, which was just glorious with fantastic viz. I arranged to dive with Michael Higgins who has been a friend since doing our leading diver test together but with whom I’ve had very little chance to dive. We had a good tour through the swimthroughs and chimney east of the headland and even found a helpful monkfish for Michael to get his camera tuned up for the weekend.

Registrations were in full swing as we returned to the pier and two more boats went out to dive the wreck of the Thames and reported great life and colour.

We must have overdone the praying because Saturday morning dawned with some of the calmest conditions possible and glorious sunshine. Kathy McSharry our GUSAC Pro was busy dealing with registrations and allocating boat spaces

All this diving brings on a hunger.

from early morning and once Conal O Domhnaill and Dermot Moynihan delivered the safety brief for the weekend it was all systems go. The three GUSAC boats were all travelling to Downpatrick Head for the first dive of the day and many of the visiting boats opted to follow them in flat calm seas. The walls surrounding Downpatrick are always a treat to dive and with 15M+ of visibility there were lots of happy divers taking in the views above and below the water. For those of us left on the pier it was a lovely sight to watch the assorted ribs trailing back in through the twists and turns of the channel back into Killala. Once back on dry land divers tucked into a welcomed lunch on the pier where a good bit of debriefing on the mornings dives. With both boats and divers suitably refuelled, the afternoon dives went to the wreck of the Thames and Kilcummin Head and some divers even managed to sneak in a cheeky pint in Bessie’s of Kilcummin!

Saturday evening provided one of the highlights of the weekend with a BBQ in Gilvarrys pub and we were delighted to see 90%+ of the registered divers turn out. It was a great night and I lost count of how many people I talked to, both new and old friends.

Sunday was nice and relaxed with some additional clubs and individuals arriving that morning. With boats travelling to dive sites from Downpatrick back to Kilcummin everyone was well catered for and it was great to see so many divers of all grades from trainee* to M**** going out together and enjoying the best of Irish club diving. It was with a great sense of achievement and fulfilment that GUSAC packed up on Sunday evening. Our visitors had seen some of the best that North Mayo had to offer. We would like to extend our thanks to all the visiting divers who wholeheartedly took part in the weekend and shared their love of diving with us.

Special thanks go to Galway SAC and Portmarnock SAC who did much of the compressor duty for the weekend. ◼

Anglerfish.

Dive Rallies

Dublin Regional Rally The weekend of 22nd to 24th of August witnessed the largest collection of divers (known as a goofle) in Dublin not talking about the sport, but actively taking part in it.

This year’s Dublin dive rally attracted over 156 divers from 23 and clubs represented from the four corners and two sides of our nation. A flotilla of dive boats departed from harbours in Dun Laoghaire, Howth and Malahide to facilitate the over 350 individual dives during the weekend. Diverse dive sites, ranging from the Bolivar to the Vanguard with plenty of scenic diving were visited over the three days. Sites like the SS Pollywell and the Lanarkshire in Wicklow were also revisited.

With the sun shining and calm seas the theme of our weekend the “Try something new” philosophy was well within the ability of most. The initiative to mix and match divers to clubs and specific experience to dive a site not visited before was embraced by all.

Our theme also gave us our greatest challenge, which was to choreograph divers, experience, coxswains and preference to boats and sites. With a pool of willing and experienced cox’ns to direct boats the three days ran very smoothly.

Another focus for the organising team was to create a social aspect which might have proved difficult to achieve in a city centre location. However, with the permissions of Dun Laoghaire harbour authority, tents were located in the Coal

RDO gives his brief. Photo Michael Higgins.

Harbour for registration and a second “marquee” located with tea, coffee and soups available, which was very popular.

It was great to see divers and DOs comparing dive sites and notes. This all coincided with the Sandy Bottom BBQ on Saturday night, leaving our chef a nervous wreck…

Some fun aspects to the weekend were introduced with lucky horseshoes sprinkled around dive sites. The finder receiving a spot prize for their observation skills. One lucky winner received a special prize for discovering the golden horseshoe.

With divers from 16 to an “undisclosed age” in attendance the crack was great and the slagging better.

There must be an easier way than this to get the boat! Photo by Andy Keegan.

Thanks to the team who worked hard to ensure the weekend was the success it was and already planning for 2015 is underway.

A note of thanks to: Lambay diving Services Flagship Scuba Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company For support they provided over the weekend. ◼

Divers and sailors in Dublin Bay. Photo by Andy Keegan.

Boats awaiting divers.

SubSea Autumn 2014 15

Vincent O’Brien Photo Competition, Hook Head As part of the dive rally, an underwater photography competition was held in memory of diver Vincent O’ Brien.

Vincent was a keen underwater and land photographer/videographer and the event was held to honour him.

The winners received some great prizes from Sam McCauleys, Hores Stores and Martins Jewellers, along with individual plaques made by Kent Stainless.

Photographers gather in Hook SAC clubhouse.

Wexford diver Balazs Bauer won the best compact shot for his diver and anemones and was rewarded with a Powershot S120 and housing courtesy of Canon Ireland

Mike Orth won the video category.

Balazs Bauer and Ivan Donoghue

Lucina Keogh from Dublin won the wide angle category with her photograph of a Ling fish, while local boy Mikey O’ Regan won in the junior section.

Wexford Sub Aqua would like to thank Nigel Motyer for judging and Hook Sub Aqua for the use of their wonderful facilities for the competition.

Nigel Moyter presents Martin Kiely (left) with his prize for the SLR shot (cover photo)

16 SubSea Autumn 2014

All the pictures can be found on the CFT Underwater Photography Facebook page

Snapping beneath the waves The art of underwater photography is about more than taking snapshots and making images.

Richard Thorn gives a personal perspective

Diver on the Um El Faroud, Malta. Photo by Richard Thorn.

SubSea Autumn 2014 17

Snapping

The Um El Faroud, Malta. Photo by Richard Thorn.

Photography means many things in many ways to many people. It can be a record of what is present, as in forensic or scientific photography, or a way of remembering family and friends; it can be an attempt to create something of artistic relevance as in fine art photography; it can be a way of observing and reporting on the world, as in photojournalism; it can be a way of connecting with people, as in street photography, or it can be a magnificent deception in the case of tableau photography, where whole scenes are created by actors in sets for one shot.

Whatever the reason we take pictures, all of us have suffered the indignity of having images we thought were exceptional or important being ignored by others, or of spending large amounts on equipment thinking that it would transform our image making, or of dropping or breaking expensive equipment. So why do we do it? What unites us in the making of photographs, notwithstanding the variety of reasons for making pictures? Robert Adams, the American landscape photographer and essayist , wrote in Why People Photograph, that we

18 SubSea Autumn 2014

‘...make pictures because of what stands in front of the camera, to honour what is greater and more interesting than we are. We never accomplish this perfectly, though in return we are given something perfect – a sense of inclusion.

Our subject thus redefines us, and is part of the biography by which we want to be known.’

I, for one, would be lying if I said that I did not wish my images to be some sort of personal signature, to redefine me, and to have some sort of emotional impact, even if it is only on myself. Without that desire, why would I want to make pictures? Why would I post pictures on Facebook or Instagram or have them on my phone to show people if I did not want to generate some reaction? I could equally look at someone else’s images.

The extent to which the images we make speak to us and others, tell a believable story, or engage us emotionally depends on the extent to which the photographer is invested in the photograph. Without that investment, the image could have been

made by a machine. If the photographs are not personal they are, as Adams argues in Beauty in Photography, ‘...not persuasive’. However, emotional investment alone is not enough. Garry Winogrand, the well-known New York street photographer, who worked alongside giants of street photography such as Lee Friedlander and Diane Arbus, is quoted as saying that ‘photographers mistake the emotion they feel while taking the photo as a judgment that the photograph is good’.

Winogrand would sometimes wait a year before deciding whether the form and content of the pictures were good enough. So, emotional investment must be complemented by good composition and content if we wish our image making to have some durable emotional impact and to be a signature for ourselves.

In practical terms, this means that if we are serious about our photography and wish to move from taking snapshots to making images, we must invest emotionally and technically. The emotional investment has little to do with photography and more to do with identifying the things that are important

Snapping to us and about which we wish to comment through photography; the ‘why’ of making photographs. The technical investment comes through good technical skills (exposure, focus, lighting, etc.) and composition (contrast, colour, lines, shapes, narrative, visual weight, the unity of the image, etc.) – the ‘how’ of making photographs. Paul Colley in Winning Images (a recently published book for underwater photographers and reviewed in this edition of Subsea) argues strongly that without the complementarity of technique, artistic vision, as expressed through composition, and the enthusiasm of the photographer, our image making will not move beyond the taking of snapshots.

If I have a criticism of the way in which we approach underwater photography generally it is that we focus on technique (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, strobes, etc.) to the detriment of artistic vision and emotional investment. This is why Colley’s approach is a paradigm shift in the way in which we might think about how we develop ourselves as underwater photographers. Such an approach requires us to develop a better understanding of why certain images work and others don’t. If we have this understanding, and can combine it with a strong emotional investment, we are more likely to produce images more often that have an emotional impact.

This article has four images (two reproduced by kind permission of Damien McGuirk and two of my own), each of which is accompanied by my critique as to why I think the image works. I respect the fact that others may have a different view of the images, but that right to differ lies at the heart of artistic expression.

The Um El Faroud, Malta

From a technical perspective, this image works for me because while the visual mass of the ship is obviously greater than the diver, my eyes are drawn instinctively to the human form, thus providing balance to the image. The size of the diver emphasises the size and scale of the wreck, while the perspective, achieved

Hawkfish. Photo courtesy of Damien McGuirk.

using a wide angle lens gives depth to the image. The conversion to black and white emphasises the visual elements in the image. I had previsualised this following a dive on the wreck in 2012. On that dive, my compact camera was not adequate to allow me to make the image I wanted to make. So, my personal ‘investment’ for this image was to bring my SLR and housing on Ryanair, persuade my better half to model and work hard (300 metres from the shore entry point to the bow) to ensure that I got to the right position on the bow before anyone else got there to clutter the scene!

Hawkfish

This image of a Hawkfish engages me mainly because of the direct eye contact with the viewer. However, that key compositional element is supplemented by several contrasts, including the hard surface of the coral and the soft skin of the fish, the smooth skin of the fish and the rough texture of the coral and the complementary colours displayed by both. Johannes Itten, a key figure in the Bauhaus School of Art in the early years of the 20th Century, was the first to describe the key role that contrasts (quiet/loud, hard/soft, rough/smooth, etc.) play in artistic expression, and this image is a good example of that concept.

SubSea Autumn 2014 19

Snapping

Stickleback, Salt Lake, Clifden. Photo by Richard Thorn.

Stickleback, Salt Lake, Clifden

The image is one of many that I made as I watched for an hour, with a sense of privilege, the stickleback building a nest (as in this image), engage in mating behaviour and chase off other fish. From a composition perspective, there is narrative in the activity of the fish, strong diagonals in the form of the fish and the weed in its mouth and the

red and green colours that create a strong contrast.

Diver over kelp

This image was placed in the Clean Coasts competition in 2013 and includes a narrative component (the diver with camera). It has energy because of the obvious forward

Diver over kelp. Photo courtesy of Damien McGuirk.

20 SubSea Autumn 2014

momentum of the diver and the strong diagonals of the diver and the kelp line, and has contrasts between the human form and the kelp. The conversion to black and white emphasises the strong structure of the image. (Colley in his book, referred to above, suggests that an image should be looked at through half closed eyes. If the main elements are still visible then the composition is strong; this image meets that criterion.)

I have been pressing a shutter release button for almost fifty years but for all but the last few years, the release of that shutter has only resulted in snapshots. In the last few years, making images that mean more to me has become very important. This means understanding and acknowledging the emotional investment required and developing technical and artistic skills so that I can make images that mean more and make them more often.

Central to this artistic endeavour is, and I quote Robert Adams, ‘...to affirm meaning and thus to keep intact an affection for life’.

Richard Thorn is a Past President and National Diving Officer of CFT. â—ź

Rock ‘n’ roll diving in Majorca

By Ivan Donoghue

As a Led Zeppelin fan, I am intrigued by any dive centre which uses the name Houses of the Holy for one of their dive sites. For the uninitiated, this is the name of Zeppelin’s fifth album, the cover sleeve of which was shot off the County Antrim coast. So after a dive trip to Sharm el-Sheikh fell through, the gods of rock dealt me the hand which took our family to the north of Majorca.

Group split shot. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

SubSea Autumn 2014 21

Majorca

Phil Dessiou at Formentor Steps. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

My preconception of Majorca was one of a party island, and when you arrive in Palma airport, that idea is reinforced by the number of hen and stag parties, suitably attired, at baggage reclaim.

Yet, a 40-minute drive later, and you are in the north of the island and the contrast couldn’t be greater.

We stayed in the Grupotel Molins in Cala Vicente, and it was wonderful.

It was a step back in time to an older style hotel, where staff brought your bags to the room and gave you a refreshing drink on arrival. The food was really excellent, but if you fancied a change from the three-course meals, at least five other bars or restaurants were within a very short walk of the hotel.

The clientele was older, but that suited us, and, believe it or not, my ten-year-old didn’t raise one complaint about the absence of other kids there.

He seemed to settle into the relaxed pace and provided entertainment for people watching his antics in the pool, taking on the older gents at playing bolles and disputing every answer at the night-time table quiz.

22 SubSea Autumn 2014

Overall, it was no wonder that many of the people we spoke to were there on repeat visits.

I had arranged my diving with Tom Everard, the co-owner of Scuba Mallorca. Their website had good information on the sites, with links to

Captain Haddock dive boat.

Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

good reviews in Diver magazine. I was picked up in the hotel reception at 8am by dive guide Miquel Bonnin, who chatted happily about the weather and the World Cup during the ten-minute drive to the dive centre in Puerto Pollensa. A quick check-in and we walked down the street to the marina, where the spacious dive boat, Captain Haddock, was moored with cylinders already on board.

Formentor Steps was the furthest site we visited and that was only a 20minute spin away. We motored underneath the high cliffs, towards the lighthouse at the tip of Formentor headland (a popular tourist drive destination along winding roads and unguarded edges). A series of small hand-carved steps down to the water marks the dive starting point.

After a short, informative dive brief, we submerged and swam around the wall, coming to a massive gully. We went inside over the large boulders that littered the ground and at the back of the cave, there is a large swim-through back towards the shallows.

Majorca

Cuttlefish. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

I buddied with another CMAS diver, Phil Dessiou. Nothing beats having a buddy that you quickly know is of a similar standard to you.

Needless to say the visibility was excellent, with some nice underwater structures to swim through and around at a leisurely pace. However, the Mediterranean lags behind Ireland when it comes to big fish and our beautiful walls adorned with colourful anemones.

Lunch was provided during the hour-long surface interval, consisting of making your own ham-and-cheese crusty roll. Very tasty.

We were back onshore by 1pm, which allowed a little time before siesta to get to the Hiper Car Rental premises which, handily, were beside the dive centre. A Skoda Fabia for six days with extra insurance was €160, and the extra insurance proved well worth it, as it covered a tear I picked up in a tyre on the winding mountain back roads.

Tunnels of Love was the second dive, but I didn’t love it – because that old favourite, Murphy’s Law, struck.

Before the dive, Tom had asked me

how long my camera battery would last and I told him two dives or more.

However, as soon as I was underwater I got the change battery symbol.

Tia Coxita and Captain Haddoc.

Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

Ahhh...have you ever carried a useless SLR around for a whole dive? The only thing it was good for was acting as a carry handle for the attached GoPro. When I checked after the dive, I discovered I had left an old battery in it and it obviously wasn’t fully charged.

We had a 23-kg baggage allowance per passenger from Thomson Travel, so I had decided to bring my full dive gear, including a 3mm wetsuit. But I was cold on the first dive and that, coupled with the lack of a camera to distract me, meant that I spent this dive thinking about the cold. For the next few dives, I hired a 5mm suit and was toasty!

I didn’t dive from the boat on Saturday or Sunday as it was prebooked up with local divers – and that’s a point to bear in mind, especially as the summer season can get quite busy.

I didn’t mind, as it gave me time to visit some of the local towns and attractions, and the snorkelling from the Cala Molins beach, just outside the hotel, was enjoyable. I also managed to arrange a couple of shallow dives with SubSea Autumn 2014 23

Majorca

Tia Coxita in cavern. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

the macro lens set-up. The beach provided us with the perfect shore dive and these six-metre macro dives were good fun. I was able to spend ages on the rocks beside the small slipway while my buddy ambled behind me.

There were octopus, cuttlefish and gobies, all happily willing to pose for the diver or snorkeler. There was even a resident comorant swimming around fishing. But the only footage I have of him is when he attacked the GoPro. One day there were pink jellyfish in the bay, and they have a sting which can cause pain, nausea and cramps.

They took some of the enjoyment from my boy’s snorkelling, but for me, as a photographer, they provided great subjects.

Within a day they had left the area.

The next boat dive was called Swiss Cheese. It was another short spin to the east of Alcudia Bay, and is so called because as you leave the caves, your exhaled air exits the holes in the cave roof in streams of bubbles.

24 SubSea Autumn 2014

BMW Soft coral. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

Liam Donoghue snorkelling.

Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

I was really lucky for my next fours dives, as I was buddied with local diver Tia Coxita. Not only did Tia lead me on the dives, but he also happily agreed to help me make pictures, ie model for me. What a guy (thanks Tia)!

At the start of the dive, I looked up and saw my wife and son snorkelling above me. They had come out in the dive boat that day, and they told me they had easily followed me overhead for most of the dive, as I wound my way in and out of the caverns.

The second dive was back across the bay to Formentor Island, an uninhabited island just off the beach of the rich and famous. A gully runs in towards the island. Outside the gully, barracuda took up station and Tia tried his best to shepherd them towards the camera.

BMW Cave is so named as the entrance is meant to look like the emblem of the car. I didn’t notice the similarity myself, but did see some nice soft corals, which showed mother

Majorca

BMW Cave fishing net. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

nature in all her glory. Torch light brought the muted colours back to life.

In contrast, at the base of the reef, we came across a reminder of man’s damaging impact on the environment, with the remains of a long fishing net strewn across the bottom of the reef. It went on for hundreds of metres and I’m sure it was still ghost-catching fish.

The final dive was back to the Tunnels of Love. The name, I was told, comes from stories of instructors taking their lovers in for a kiss. But it’s more likely due to the heart-shape entrance to one of the caves. I much prefer the first explanation and wonder if we have any tunnels of love in Ireland?

What I remember vividly about this dive is peering over the side of the boat and seeing the bottom at around 20 metres.

After the turnaround point, you ascend to the shallows and return to the boat via several large undercuts in the reef wall. On rough days, however, this return route is not possible.

Jelly fish split. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

Tunnels of Love. Photo by Ivan Donoghue.

The day before we flew home, we drove to Palma Aquarium which houses Europe’s largest shark tank. It’s a great attraction and the dive centre was offering evening packages to the aquarium to dive with the sharks. I was impressed to see that there were large exhibits on the damage of shark finning and on the effects of Spanish over-fishing of tuna.

I never did get to dive Houses of the Holy. Tom told me early in the trip that he had better dive sites to offer, so I stuck with them. I’d love to go back there someday. The short, scheduled flights direct from Dublin offer the opportunity for a long weekend diving in Majorca any time when the weather at home drives you loco.

If I did revisit, I’d use the dive centre again. The staff are polite, helpful, chatty and enthusiastic, and after I had finished diving and paid the bill, my dive guide Miguel drove me back to the hotel in his own car. That’s service, the Majorcan way. ◼ SubSea Autumn 2014 25

Canada’s North-East wonders

By Michel Labrecque

26 SubSea Autumn 2014

Many may think that Canada, with its harsh winters and deep snow, is not an ideal place for diving. e reality is far different...

The plumous anemone is the most common sight in the cold salty water of Québec.

Photo by Michel Labrecque.

SubSea Autumn 2014 27

NE Canada

Little is known about the social life of the minke whale. Photo by Michel Labrecque.

During the warmer months, the air temperature in Québec, the province on the east coast, is typically above 20°C. Québec is very big, covering the surface area of France, Sweden, Germany, the UK and Ireland combined.

Depending on where you dive, the environment, conditions and fauna are very different. Freshwater covers 10% of Québec’s territory. With 4,500 rivers and half a million lakes, the province holds 3% of the Earth’s renewable freshwater reserves, and 40% of this

water is concentrated in the St Lawrence River watershed. It is no surprise that most divers dive in lakes or quarries.

Québec’s true underwater beauty, however, resides in the salt water haven of the St Lawrence and its estuary. This area remains a well-kept secret, with the exception of the worldclass dive site of Les Escoumins.

From Québec City and heading eastward, the St Lawrence River becomes progressively salty. We had always wanted to explore the eastern part of the river but first had to plan and prepare the logistics of diving in a remote area, bringing an air compressor to be self-sufficient, packing cold water gear and, most importantly, our heated underwear!

Les Escoumins

A Spider Crab uses the protection of an anemone's nematocysts. Photo by Michel Labrecque.

28 SubSea Autumn 2014

Our first stop would be Les Escoumins.

We had not been there in years and were met with excellent visibility.

According to a local guide, it was some of the best conditions he had ever seen (visibility of around 15 metres) given the exceptionally warm water temperature of 6°C. The temperature is usually 3°C, with six metres of visibility. We chose to

NE Canada

The elusive Greenland shark, also known as the sleeper shark is a visitor in Baie-Comeau. It is always a privilege to dive with this ancient species.

Photo by Michel Labrecque.

drift dive from two entry points to better cover the area. The world-class reputation of this dive site is not overrated. The bottom is covered with filter feeding creatures. Here, scarlet psolus and sea cucumbers cover every centimetre of ground. Sea strawberries and sea peaches are also easily found. As is the case with most coastal waters, not many species of fish populate the area.

Some rare lumpfish, Acadian redfish and Arctic shanny are found, but typically no big fish are present. We ended our dive in Baie des Anémones (Anemones’ Bay), so called because the wall is hidden behind thousands upon thousands of plumose anemones.

What is distinctive about the fjord is that the first five metres of water are tinted, turning from light brown to orange as a result of the top layer of fresh water mixing with saltwater. This brackish layer of water prevents all sunlight from penetrating the saltwater layer. Beneath five metres, you dive in total darkness and the

temperature drops drastically.

Unexpectedly, the water is very clear.

We can see as far as our dive lights can shine. The fauna is somewhat different from what we encountered in Les Escoumins, even though only 150 km separate the two and the fjord’s flow to the St Lawrence. Most dives sites are vertical walls and plunge to great

The fjord

After a few dives in Les Escoumins, we continued our journey towards the Fjord du Saguenay. The Cousteau team had dived this area in the early 80s. Jean-Michel Cousteau related at a conference in New York how he nearly died in the dark and frigid waters when the Saucer (the team’s small submarine) plunged into an uncontrolled descent to the depths of the fjord, which exceeds 275 metres in some areas.

The Atlantic cod is now a rare sight as populations have been decimated. Photo by Michel Labrecque.

SubSea Autumn 2014 29

NE Canada

Southbound

A masterpiece of art: the Basket Sea Stars unrolling its arms to feed.

Photo by Michel Labrecque.

Our trip continues towards Rimouski as we cross to the Bas-St-Laurent (south shore of the St Lawrence).

There we embark on a boat for a different type of diving, wreck diving.

The Empress of Ireland, built in Liverpool, sank in 1914, bringing with her 1,012 souls after colliding with the Storstad in heavy fog. The conditions can be harsh, so only experienced divers dive it. The visibility is usually poor, ranging from less than a metre to a rare 10 metres. Water temperatures average 2°C and the current can flow at up to six knots.

Also, you are often weathered out.

These factors, combined with the fact that the season to dive the Empress is short, explain why few images of the wreck are available.

depths. Tides can rise by six metres, and so all dives are drift dives in light to strong currents.

One creature usually encountered is the basket sea star. They are surrounded by perpetual darkness so you can observe them deploying their arms to feed at any time of the day.

Nudibranches are seen on every dive.

Shining our lights on them make them easy to spot as their orange tips seem to illuminate. We spot a flounder lying on a rare plateau and watch it swim around. Moon jellies, lion’s manes and many other translucid creatures drift along in the water column. There is even very tiny cephalopod, the Big-fin Bobtail Squid.

At the safety stop, the warmer water is much appreciated as our prolonged dive in 0°C water has chilled us. At five metres, we have the impression of diving in tea, given the water’s hue. This zone of the water column is far from sterile. Mysis, small crustaceans that resemble alien creatures, are present in huge numbers. We are absorbed by their theatrical ballet, and our threeminute stop flies by.

The fjord is home to another star that is mainly observed topside: the beluga whale. The regulations prevent you from interacting with this marine mammal. These curious animals are cute and endearing. The odds are that on a typical diving day one will come by and check out the boat.

Next we stop on the Côte-Nord (the north coast of the St Lawrence, east of Les Escoumins) and dive in the BaieComeau area. As an avid macro photographer, you can enjoy shore diving from the old pier of Godbout, swimming your own pace in a shallow bay for hours. Most sea creatures are around the pier or on the rocks that hold the structure in place. Hermit crabs, snake blenny, rock gunnel, common crabs, spider crabs, decorator crabs and Atlantic spiny lumpsuckers are numerous. You may even encounter a rare Atlantic cod.

In Baie-Comeau, at the mooring buoy and during our surface intervals, we were visited daily by harbour porpoises feeding on the thousands of American sand lance below. Overhead, minke whales were also a common sight. They are shy of divers and very little is known about their social life.

After a dive, one surfaced about five metres from the starboard side of the boat before descending for a short period and popping out on the portside.

Marine mammals aside, the reason we wanted to explore this portion of the St Lawrence was the presence of an elusive prehistoric shark. The Greenland shark has been sometimes observed here at typical recreational diver depths. Unlike in the Canadian

30 SubSea Autumn 2014

A final stop

The Moon Jelly is splendid in the emerald waters of the Upper Coast.

Photo by Michel Labrecque.

Arctic, the logistics to dive here are less complicated and the sharks do not need to be lured to be observed. Not much is known about the population size in Québec or even if they are on a migratory route.

During our dives, we had the privilege of encountering them. They move slowly, sometimes even seeming immobile. One of our encounters was magical as the shark let us follow it for a full eight minutes. This could easily be the longest encounter ever reported with this rare shark.

Until next time

During this expedition, we were grateful for all our encounters. We will return and hopefully catch the capelin run and the humpback whales it brings in the Haute Côte-Nord (upper north coast). Puffins are also prevalent further north. Virgin wrecks surround Anticosti Island and many of them are rumoured to hold silver and gold. They will have to wait for us a while. Life is too short and there are too many places to dive. ◼ Michel Labrecque and Julie Ouimet are co-owners of N2 Pix and trip leaders for many expeditions around the world.

Michel is an underwater photographer and Julie is an underwater videographer. Their work has been published in different media. For their upcoming expeditions visit their website at:

www.n2pix.com

Sunset on St. MacDara’s Island: Jean, Steve and Dave.

People talk about the trip of a lifetime in blurbs for expensive holidays and about travelling to far-off places.

However, some intrepid friends and I from the Curragh SAC, with blissful sunshine (lucky for us) and amazing dives, genuinely had a trip of the lifetime diving and camping around many of the islands off the coast of Galway this summer.

The idea was first floated back in December 2013 by two of my fellow club members, Steve and Jean. They had already recruited another diver, Lucinda, and I joined them to make up a team of four. We planned to load up the ‘Molly G’, Jean and Steve’s RIB, and leave from Kilkieran, diving the Aran Islands first and then working our way up to Inishbofin. We would do two dives a day, carrying four bottles each on the boat, and camp most nights, but stay at a B&B or hotel a couple of times to allow us to dry out (and wash). We would stage the three cars we had along the coast, allowing us to move

the compressor and other supplies we couldn’t take on the boat. Doing this we could leapfrog up the coast acting as our own support team.

Saturday 14th June

Launch at Kilkieran, dive the Aran Islands, camp on Inis Mór We arrived and stayed in Kilkieran the night before in order to start diving on Saturday. By the early morning we were on a ‘Nemo’ slip, named after the engineer responsible for the development of many of the small ports on the west coast. Unfortunately our trailer became stuck halfway down the slip but luckily some friendly locals came to the rescue. Amidst lots of cheerful banter, we were led by an articulated lorry from the seaweed factory to a perfect slipway, so we managed to leave by mid-morning.

We started the week’s diving with three fabulous dives, the Canyon at the lighthouse, Poll na bPeist on Inis Mór

and Synge’s Chair on Inis Meáin.

Compared to the Dublin Bay visibility, the crystal clear water of the Atlantic was a treat and reminded us all of why we took up diving. Poll na bPeist was particularly special, the ledges to the left as we exited, were filled with life and spectacular colour.

Sunday 15th June

Beached on Inis Mór and diving An Poll Gorm We awoke on Sunday morning in our makeshift campsite overlooking a beautiful beach and had a slightly too leisurely a breakfast chatting to the locals, so by the time we went to fetch the boat, the tide had dropped. The boat had come to rest gently on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the bay.

Unfortunately this time we didn’t manage to rescue the boat. Well, there are worse places to be stranded on a beautiful sunny morning. We did, however, struggle through adversity by SubSea Autumn 2014 31

Islands Tour

Becalmed at the Skerds: Lucinda and Steve wait for Jean and Dave to return from annoying the cormorants

hitch hiking to Cill Ronáin for lunch and ice creams. We then dived An Poll Gorm, an incredible double-level cave in the afternoon. Gently wafting in, we got a surprise when our torches picked out a really large seal calmly resting in a niche on the left-hand side.

Monday 16th June

Diving the Skerd Rocks, camping on St MacDara’s Island The weather was calm and the sun was beating down on us while we dived the Skerd Rocks. The Skerds are a series of rocky islands about 6km off the shore.

We had heard them described as the jewels of west coast diving and we

were not disappointed. With canyons, rocky outcrops, hoards of fish large and small, crays, lobsters and seals, they were teeming with life. We dived off Doonguddle and Skerdmore.

Jean had picked out the beautiful St MacDara’s Island as our campsite. It is uninhabited, with just a ruined 6th century oratory overlooking a small sandy cove. Carried away with enthusiasm, we loaded off our gear for a night dive. However, by the time we set up camp and ate ‘pollock a la Lucinda’ (steamed on the BBQ in olive oil and garlic), we thought better of it.

Instead, we walked the island, sipped red wine and watched the glorious crimson sunset over the Atlantic.

Equalise little and often: Lucinda descends at the Skerds

32 SubSea Autumn 2014

Steve Muhall with ‘his’ John Dory

Tuesday 17th June

Back to the Skerds, Lucinda leaves to re-join civilisation, stay in Roundstone The weather was incredible again, so there was little debate about our choice to dive the Skerds again. We ate our lunch in the flat calm water between Skerdmore and Skerdbeg. We moored on Skerdmore using the anchor as a grapple. Jean and I clambered up the rocks and came across some cormorant chicks so we beat a hasty retreat lest we scare them. We headed back to the mainland and reached a B&B in Roundstone by late afternoon.

Unfortunately Lucinda had to return to the world of work and left us.

Whats for dinner? Dave proudly displays his catch of the day.

Islands Tour

Are you sure that is right? Dave and Steve make tea

The swim through on Slyne Head

Wednesday 18th June

Friday 20th June

Starting from Roundstone, we travelled up the coast, diving Caulty Rock on the way. Steve saw his first John Dory. The rest of the day’s diving was on Slyne Head, underneath the lighthouse. We dived just inside the tip of the head on the north side. A lovely wall along the north side of the tip ended in what appeared to be a dark cave with seals inside.

After pushing further north up the coast, we camped on a random beach, in what we found out later was Mannin Bay. After more freshly caught pollock, we finished the night with a drift-wood fire, feeling like Bear Grylls incarnate.

We were getting closer to our ultimate destination of Bofin. Continuing north, we dived two sea mounts – Mweemore and High Island Breaker. Near the top of the mounts, there were some really large comb jellyfish and shoals of small pollock. I also vividly remember a crayfish so large it would feed a family.

As a seasoned pollock fisherman at this point, I knew we needed to drift off the mount to get at least 20m depth before starting to catch our final dinner of the trip. The pollock were either dim or very hungry, as I would often hook one before I had even paid out the line.

We arrived on Inish Shark with a last night of pollock and splendid isolation.

Jean and Steve were joining our club for the annual trip to Bofin, but it

Slyne Head and camping on a beach somewhere near Clifden

Thursday 19th June

Slyne Head, diving through from north to south and camping near the lifeboat station at Clifden We couldn’t resist going back to Slyne Head. This time we set out to explore the cave we had found the day before, only to discover it was a swim through.

It took us right from the north to the south side of the head. Starting on the darker side at about 20m and then rising to 6m at the exit into a pool of clear water bathed in glittering sunshine. What a dive! The return trip was with the current and we were whisked along ducking and weaving all the way.

Diving Mweemore, High Island Breaker, camping on Inish Shark

was time for me to go home. It felt odd getting into Cleggan with the hundreds of people, the busy ferry, cars and houses. The calm spell of the islands trip was broken.

The chances of us ever again having all the elements conspire with us to allow us visit and dive such wonderful places in perfect weather are practically nil. It was hard work, with early starts and late finishes, often sitting down to eat in the dark, but it was worth it. The sense of adventure from catching your dinner and rocking up to a deserted beach to camp was exhilarating. OK, so we weren’t in the Alaskan wilderness living on caribou and moss, but there are times we didn’t know where we were – and it didn’t matter. As I sit and write this, I can still recall every day, and this article could have been twice as long. It really was the trip of a lifetime. ◼

Nudibranch on Slyne Head

SubSea Autumn 2014 33

FIBER-TECK review

Text and photos

by Ivan Donoghue

I use a Canon 550D SLR with an Aquatica housing. One way to fire the external strobes is to push a button on the housing to activate the pop-up flash on the camera. Then when I take a picture, the light from the internal flash reflects off a metal strip before travelling up the fibre optic cable.

When the strobe sees this light, it fires.

It’s all instantaneous.

The problem is that when the camera flash fires, it can take up to five seconds to recharge before allowing you take another picture. Five seconds…a lifetime when you are looking through the viewfinder, seeing the dive subject in a perfect pose and all you can do is watch the recharge symbol blinking. Then when it is ready to shoot, you fire again and the subject has their eyes closed or has just exhaled or turned their back. Shot ruined. It is a pain, or more accurately, it was a pain.

Thanks to Underwater Photography Magazine (www.uwpmag.com), I came across an advertisement for a specially designed unit called the “FIBER-

Fiber-teck unit mounted on hot shoe.

34 SubSea Autumn 2014

The fiber-teck unit

TECK”, which fits into the cameras hot shoe and acts as a trigger for your strobes.

Made by Michiteck, it is designed and made by the father and son team of Fabio and Flavio Micheli.

Instead of the main flash firing, this unit fires two small LEDs, which are placed into the housing optic ports.

You can secure them by either a small dab of glue or wrapping them in electrical tape and wedging the LEDs tight. Currently I use Blu Tack and have had no problems.

It runs on a coin battery, which can be easily changed, even when the unit is in place.

After testing the system on land, when shooting larger RAW files, I was able to fire off eight consecutive strobe lit shots at ISO 100, F25, 1/200 sec.

Not bad.

The reason I only got eight shots

was that the camera stopped firing to process the RAW files.

When shooting the same settings with JPEG, I was able to shoot over 25 consecutive shots before the strobe needed to recharge.

Two other benefits are that it saves on camera battery life and also eliminates the need for a sync cord and subsequent one less O-ring to worry about.

When using the unit, you lose the capability to fire TTL, but the ability to fire rapid shots is too good to be true.

Before buying, you should email Fabio to ensure that when fitted to the top of your camera, the unit can still fit inside your housing. I found Fabio to be always available to answer an email, or Facebook message: fabiomicheli@michiteck.com In a nutshell, this €115 investment was one of the best I have made. The ability to rapid fire the strobe is a must for me and this unit allows me to use that while using fibre optic.

One thing I also did was to buy cheap, but thicker, fibre optic cable on eBay (stereo cables actually, with no price mark up for being dive related).

This fibre optics have a downside in that they can be easily damaged and I found them finicky and unreliable, even if they had brand names. Since buying the thicker cable, I have had much more consistent and reliable strobe activation while using the LED unit. ◼

Check with miniteck.com that the unit will fit with your camera/housing combination.

Blueway may be expanded along Wild Atlantic Way

Location of one of the trails, the beautiful Keem Bay on Achill Island, Co. Mayo.

The Blueway concept was first proposed by CFT’s Snorkel Development Officer Laura Taylor in February 2012 to promote snorkeling. Its initial success means it is now likely to be expanded along the west coast.

The concept of marine trails, whereby visitors can be led by guided snorkel leaders along the beautiful Irish coastline, or use trails to explore by themselves, is hugely innovative in Ireland.

While the national governing bodies are very familiar with the extent of Ireland’s marine resources, local communities had little knowledge of the potential of the wild Atlantic resource along the Mayo/Galway coastline.

Each Blueway trail is situated in a distinct place where water-based activities are provided and at which visitors can engage with the sea to enhance their experience of the area.

Blueway is also a brand that local communities can adopt to support sustainable rural tourism objectives.

The Blueway concept grew into a collaborative project between: Local development companies: South West Mayo Development Company, FORUM Connemara and Comhdháil na nOileán National governing bodies: Irish Underwater Council/Comhairle FoThuinn, Canoe Union of Ireland and Leave no Trace Ireland National tourism development authority: Fáilte Ireland Local authorities: Mayo County Council and Galway County Council

Blueway poster used to promote the trails during the summer of 2014.

In June 2014, Minister Michael Ring officially launched the Blueway Pilot Project at Old Head, Louisburgh, Co Mayo. Over the course of the summer, ten Blueway ‘taster days’ were hosted at Keem Bay on Achill Island, and in SubSea Autumn 2014 35

Blueway

Minister gets into the spirit of Blueway, Laura Tayler takes centre stage.

National Snorkeling Officer Martine McCarthy attends Blueway Launch.

Laura Taylor leads the way into the sea for two enthusiastic young snorkelers.

36 SubSea Autumn 2014

several locations in County Galway: Bofin Harbour on Inishbofin Island, Glassillaun Beach in Killary Harbour and Mannin Bay near Clifden. Local activity providers and CFT gave discounted snorkeling and kayaking trips to visitors on these days.

The ‘taster days’ also showed local communities and businesses how the Blueway business model worked: there is now clear evidence that Blueways can provide real commercial opportunities for coastal areas. In areas where local providers were unavailable, CFT asked some of their trained guides to work at these sites for the summer (at no cost to CFT). Two guides moved out to Inishbofin, one went to Keem, and Laura Taylor worked at Old Head. The business model worked well, and all three sites were deemed sustainable for the snorkel guide business. The success of the Blueway businesses has proven the potential of the Blueway offering and encouraged buy-in from local communities and businesses.

All in all, the Blueway pilot project was a huge success, with significant media interest – a first for the sport of snorkeling in Ireland. The Blueway was featured on RTE One’s Nationwide, with presenter Anne Cassin taking to the water for her first-ever snorkel.

“Actually the experience inspired me to bring my own snorkel (untested in Irish waters of course)...to West Kerry to explore the shore,” Anne said later.

The Blueway was also featured in the Irish Times’ Top 20 Places to Go Wild in Ireland and written up in The Journal and several marine magazines.

Social media has also been used to spread the word of the Blueway sites, and reaction on Facebook and Twitter has been enthusiastic. Now there is talk of expanding the Blueway into other regions across Ireland, and especially along the Wild Atlantic Way. CFT would like to thanks Laura for all her work. She has spearheaded this campaign from the very beginning with a dogged determination and has made this project the success it is. Blueway has given CFT a national platform in snorkeling and we hope this initiative will greatly assist us to grow our membership. ◼

Starboard view of the SS Principe di Piemonte10

A question was put to me in April 2008 “Do you want to dive the Folia next Sunday?” “Never heard of it. Where is it?” I replied. “Waterford. You better get your name down quick if you do”. So the following Sunday I drove down to Ardmore, loaded my dive gear and headed out to the wreck of the Folia. After arriving at the site, I geared up, did my buddy checks and rolled into the water. I began heading down the shot line and at around 35 metres we were on the wreck. We landed amidships, which was extensively damaged, and an abundance of used artillery shells lay everywhere.

The SS Folia began her life as part of the Lloyd Sabaudo shipping line.

Lloyd Sabaudo was an Italian shipping line formed in Turin in 1906. Sailings first began in 1907 with an initial route from Genoa to New York via Naples and Palermo. Lloyd Sabaudo also established a Genoa to Buenos Aires route in 1907, and moved their head office to Genoa in the same year.

In 1919 the Lloyd Sabaudo Line added a new route between Italy and Australia and by 1929 the company had taken financial control of the Cosulich, Lloyd Triestino, Marittima Italiana and Adria Lines. In 1932 the Lloyd Sabaudo Line was one of a number of shipping lines that was

amalgamated into the ITALIA line, which still exists to this day.

In 1906 the newly formed Lloyd Sabaudo Line ordered three ships to be built by James Laing & Co.

James Laing and Co. was originally founded by brothers Philip and John Laing in 1793. In 1818 John left the partnership and Philip Laing opened his own shipyard in Deptford, which was eventually taken over by his son James in 1844. By 1853 James Laing was the first shipbuilder on the river Wear to build an iron steam ship, the Amity. Many ironclad steamers constructed around this time went on Poster from the Lloyd Sabaudo Line,11

SubSea Autumn 2014 37

SS Folia York. The captain of the Principello, whilst she was in service with the Uranium Line, was one Captain Francis J.D. Inch, who had been in command of the ill-fated SS Volturno, another Uranium Line ship, which had caught fire and had eventually sunk in the North Atlantic in October of 1913, with a substantial loss of life. It appears that Capt. Inch took command of the Principello between the time of the Volturno sinking and the beginning of the First World War.

The SS Principe di Piemonte taking on passengers10

to see active service in the Crimean War. James Laing and Co. continued to flourish and several ships were built, including the clipper ship “Torrens”, one of the fastest ships to sail between London and Port Adelaide, South Australia at that time (1875). It was also the last ship on which the famous author Joseph Conrad served before beginning his writing career. During the First World War James Laing and Co. constructed more tonnage than any other Wear ship building yard.

They continued to build ships throughout most of the 20th century, the last ship to be launched from the Deptford yard being the “Mitla” which was launched in 1985.

The new ships ordered by the Lloyd Sabaudo line were three sister ships called Re d’Italia, Regina d‘Italia and the Principe di Piemonte. The ships were identical except that the Principe di Piemonte had a slightly larger tonnage than the others. The Principe di Piemonte, launched on the 20th January 1907, was 430ft long with a beam of 52.7ft and a draught of 25ft.

She had a steel hull and two decks, which resulted in a tonnage of 6704 gross, and was powered by a triple expansion six cylinder engine. Her four boilers and twin screws allowed her to travel at 14 knots and she had accommodation for 120 first class passenger and 1900 other class passengers.

38 SubSea Autumn 2014

All three sister ships served on the North Atlantic New York route. The Principe di Piemonte began her maiden voyage on the 19th of June 1907 when she left Genoa for Naples, Palermo and New York, and in 38 voyages over the next seven years she carried a total of 45,540 passengers to Ellis Island.

Tragedy struck the Principe di Piemonte on the 17th of July 1912 whilst enroute to New York when a pipe connected to one of the boilers burst. The escaping scalding steam killed five men, including the first engineer, the chief fireman and three stokers.

Due to declining trade, Lloyd Sabaudo reduced the number of ships running on the North Atlantic New York run from three to two. The Principe di Piemonte was no longer required and her last voyage was on the 12th December 1913. She was sold to the Canadian Northern Steamship line in early 1914, then chartered out to the Uranium Line, and renamed the SS Principello.

The SS Principello’s first voyage for the Uranium Line was on St. Valentine’s Day in 1914. The voyage was from Rotterdam to Halifax and then on to New York. Her last voyage on this route, on the 8th of September 1914, encompassed Rotterdam, Halifax, New York, Montreal and the UK. For the last 18 months of her service with the Uranium Line, the Principello sailed from Avonmouth to Halifax and New

In 1916 the Cunard Line acquired the Principello and renamed her SS Folia.

Captain Inch remained in command of the ship after the transfer to the Cunard Line. The Folia was operated as a cargo ship between Avonmouth and New York until the fateful morning of March 11th 1917.

At 7:15am the Folia was just off the Irish coast, on her way to Bristol, when the third officer spotted a submarine periscope 500 feet away. He then saw the two torpedoes heading their way, which slammed into the ship causing a massive explosion, destroying two of her six lifeboats and killing seven of her crew, including the second officer.

As she began to settle, the 68 surviving crew members abandoned the Folia in the remaining four lifeboats.

Whilst the lifeboats were still in the vicinity, the submarine U-53 surfaced and circled the Folia, shelling the ship four times before launching another torpedo into her.

Captain Inch instructed the lifeboats to be held fast to each other and to steer towards the North West by compass. At 11am he sighted breakers ahead, and instructed the other boats to follow inline. Whilst coming along the edge of the breakers they sighted some smooth water at the base of a cliff where they pulled into shore. The survivors saw a house above them and proceeded to attract the attention of the inhabitants.

They had landed at Ardmore in Co. Waterford, (some reports say Ardmore, Youghal, Co. Cork) from where the crew were taken to Dungarvan. It has been documented that the locals of both areas treated the officers and crew of the Folia with the utmost hospitality,

SS Folia

Stern Gun on the SS Folia12

supplying them with food, clothes and accommodation.

Captain Francis Inch returned to sea, retiring in 1929. He died not long after.

Salvage work was carried out on the Folia by two vessels, “Taurus” of Hamburg and “Twyford” of Southampton, which were used to recover some of the Folia’s cargo in the summer of 1977. The Taurus was owned by the salvage company Ulrich Harms and the Twyford was owned at one point by the famous salvage company Risdon Beazley. Risdon Beazley and Ulrich Harms did collaborate on some salvage work together, but it is believed that at the time the Folia was being salvaged both the “Taurus” and the “Twyford” were being run by Ulrich Harms.

The wreck today is visited by many divers on the south east coast. She lies approximately four miles off shore in a depth of between 34m and 40m, resting on a sandy bottom, with the stern facing east and the bow facing

Brass bars buried in the hold of the SS Folia12

west, the opposite way to which she was travelling. The majority of the salvage work was carried out at the middle of the wreck and consequently is badly broken up. The bow is intact and a very impressive anchor is still in place in the hawse. The boilers are the highest point of the wreck and are a very focal point of the dive. A stern gun can also be seen on the wreck.

Even though the midships of the wreck have been salvaged, and have collapsed in places, there is still much to see. The masts lie alongside and there is a field of cast iron shell casings that were being shipped back for re-use in France. There are brass bars in the hold, and other cargo thought to be part of trench building equipment.

1 Two bronze propellers were salvaged from the Folia by local divers, one of which can be seen on display in Dungarvan.

2 The submarine that sank the Folia was commanded by Hans Rose, one of the most successful and highly decorated U-Boat commanders of the First World

1 Lloyd Sabaudo (http://www.theshiplist.com/ships/lines/lloydsabaudo.shtml) Accessed 28 Mar 2014 2 (http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Sir_James_Laing_and_Sons) Accessed 15 May 2014 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrens_(clipper_ship)) Accessed 15 May 2014 4 (http:/waterfordmuseum.ie/exhibit/web/WAIVersion/article/160/4/) Accessed 18 Nov 2013 5 [North Atlantic Seaway, vol. 3, p. 1367 by N.R.P Bonsor] 6 (http://www.ellisisland.org/shipping/FormatshipVoyages.asp? lineshipid=740) 7 [The New York Times] Published July 20th 1912 8 (http://www.waterfordmuseum.ie/exhibit/web/Display/article/120/8/) Accessed 18 Nov 2013

War. In September 1916 Rose brought the U-53 into Newport, Rhode Island, and invited American naval officers aboard. He thought it wise not to delay too long and soon moved off to take up a position two miles from the lightship Nantucket. Here they halted and sank Allied ships, first allowing the crews to abandon them. U-53 continued to do this until all of her torpedoes had been used. The US Navy sent seventeen destroyers to search for survivors, and was even present at some of the sinkings, but, as a still neutral country, the US was powerless to do anything else as the sinkings were happening in international waters. Ironically, U-53 went on to torpedo and sink the USS Jacob Jones, which was the first US Navy destroyer to be lost after America entered the war in April 1917.

By the end of the First World War U-53 had sunk 87 ships during 13 patrols.

Thanks to Ted Finch, Mick O’Rouke, Timmy Carey, Ian Lawler, Cunard Line Archives, Roy Martin, Edward Bourke and Stephen McMullan. ◼

9 D42/PR4/13/2/1 Letter from Ralph E. Whitney of the Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board (Washington DC) to Cunard and Cunard’s reply.

Nov-Dec 1945.

10 Ian Lawler Collection 11 www.galerie123.com - since 1977 - Original Vintage Posters 12 Timmy Carey 13 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterseeboot_53_(1916) Accessed 11 Nov 2013 14 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Rose) Accessed 11 Nov 2013 15 (http://ramefamilytree.co.uk/ind4059.html) Accessed 31 Mar 2015

Copyright in all underwater photographs in this article resides with Mr Timmy Carey.

SubSea Autumn 2014 39

post production techniques using Adobe Photoshop and Light Room.

This last section is the author’s personal take on how he sets up his digital workflow process, and you will find many of the tips and tricks here very useful indeed. It is worth noting that the principles in this section are deliberately designed to work with any processing software. Finally, there is a glossary at the back of the book, which helps to explain terms used in the book that may not be instantly familiar to the reader.

The book is illustrated throughout, with images and explanations as to how an underwater image can be put together, and also has the ‘story behind the shot’ of some of Paul’s superb images.

“… the key strength of Paul’s book is that he communicates that most fundamental skill which every budding underwater photographer should strive to achieve - the skill of composition.”

For those of us who take that first step in bringing a camera underwater, we place ourselves on a learning curve from ‘taking a snap’ to ‘making a picture’. Our learning curve can be fast or slow, and full of many moments when the ‘strobes come on’. These moments may come from the way we change a camera variable, how we use a particular camera system or how we light and process our images.

There are many excellent books that will teach you the fundamentals of underwater photography, but very few will talk in detail about what it is that really makes an underwater image stand out from the crowd and appeal to a wider audience. I think it would be fair to say that professional underwater photographer Paul Colley

40 SubSea Autumn 2014

(www.mpcolley.com), knows a thing or two about making such images. His new book “Winning Images with any Underwater Camera” addresses this question, and elegantly puts into perspective what it really means to take that picture with the ‘WOW’ factor.

The book itself is split into four distinct parts that address key aspects in making under water images with that ‘WOW’ factor. Those key aspects include composition, with worked reference models where the author takes you through various types of winning composition scenarios; some advanced techniques to improve images, e.g. split level shots, natural light photography, use of remote strobes etc.; and finally a section on

You could be forgiven for taking the title of this book literally, and think that after reading it you will be able to enter images into competitions and win big prizes all round! But it’s not that type of book, and if you think that’s what it will do for you, you may well be disappointed! Neither is the book aimed at the complete beginner.

But for me personally, the key strength of Paul’s book is that he communicates that most fundamental skill which every budding underwater photographer should strive to achieve the skill of composition.

“Winning Images with any Underwater Camera” will certainly inspire you to take your image making to the next level. It is a ‘must-have’ reference for any aspiring underwater photographer who wants to make those images that will win, in every sense of the word.

A signed copy of “Winning Images with Any Underwater Camera” ISBN13:978-1909455047 is available now directly from Paul @ £30.00 (inc. p & p), or unsigned copies via Amazon @ £32.00 (inc. p & p). ◼

Taking the leap to CFT

ULSAC at speed. Photo by Martin Kiely.

The University of Limerick Sub Aqua Club (ULSAC) was founded by a small group of qualified, experienced divers at the university, mainly diving local sites with dive centres. Because of personal connections, it was decided to affiliate the club to ScotSAC initially. This arrangement worked very well and the club flourished, planning trips at home and abroad. But for a number of reasons, particularly isolation due to the distance from Scotland, and some training issues, it was decided to explore options closer to home. The options explored were affiliation to BSAC, PADI or CFT - or to stay with ScotSAC. In 2011 responses were received from these organisations outlining their affiliation requirements, and the ULSAC committee decided that the concerns of the club were addressed to a much higher degree of satisfaction by CFT, who were more than happy to welcome them into the CFT family.

The club was almost immediately enveloped by the vast, supportive, local diving community, which many of the UL members had never even known was there!

Of course, there were some stumbling blocks at first – crossing over a club of 50 members was a new process for CFT as well as for ULSAC. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the cross-over was the different instructor classification, and the ULSAC was not prepared to disband its current group of instructors and ask them to enrol in the lengthy Club Diver - Coxswain -

Leading Diver - Mon 1 program, without recognition of their extensive instructing experience and qualifications. To facilitate the move CFT accelerated the re-introduction of the Club Instructor qualification which meant that, after attending a crossover course of CFT lectures and pool work, ULSAC instructors could instruct

trainees in-house to the level of Trainee 1-star and prepare candidates for Club Diver assessments.

The new CFT training structure also allowed trainee 1-star divers to dive with suitably experienced club divers, rather than instructors. This was the system within ScotSAC, and it freed up the instructors once the initial training was completed. The CFT requirement for an outside instructor to deliver the club diver assessment was also a welcome change for ULSAC. Under the previous system, where assessment by in-club examiners was the norm, errors were often trained and re-trained over many years, before being picked up on and corrected by a Regional Instructor.

Under this new set-up, both the club diver candidates and their instructors can learn from the assessment.

Insurance concerns, too, were SubSea Autumn 2014 41

Leap to CFT

Eye to eye. Photo by Martin Kiely.

addressed for the majority of divers.

With CFT insurance deemed adequate for Irish sport diving, it was no longer necessary to buy individual DAN insurance annually, resulting in a welcome saving to the club and its members.

Crossover upheaval was kept to a minimum. Other than the conversion course for instructors, all other qualified members, on the basis of their previous experience, only required the addition of CFT signals and tables lectures. Members who had completed some training but had not yet qualified were given personalised crossover plans relative to their experience. For example, divers who had completed all lectures but only some pool dives, were exempted from most CFT lectures but asked to restart pool training. Overall, there was very little objection and most members were happy with their individual crossover process.

Financially, CFT costs were comparable to BSAC - higher than ScotSAC, but far lower than PADI. Considering the saving to members availing of CFT’s automatic member insurance, as well as student discounts, ULSAC found that CFT’s trainee-toclub diver certification costs were reasonable and workable for the

42 SubSea Autumn 2014

student budget. Furthermore, they were very impressed with the regional availability, frequency and affordability of CFTs additional courses – such as DFR, Rescue Diver, Search and Recovery, Diver Coxswain, Extended Range and Nitrox – which influenced their decision strongly.

Finally, “choice” was an obvious selling point for CFT. Access to training, support and knowledge from local clubs was of huge interest to ULSAC, as the club now had a new boat, novice coxswains and relatively little local offshore diving knowledge!

COMs provided a useful tool for browsing through and booking courses (not to mention keeping track of everyone’s progression and insurance coverage!), and events such as the regional weekends were a great way to meet other clubs and to expand ULSAC’s dive-site portfolio.

Today

The club has now been part of CFT for three years. It has 42 members, 5 qualified club instructors, 10 club divers (3 of which joined ULSAC after the crossover), and 11 trainee 1-star divers. Each year they take on approximately 20 trainees, with

Nudibranch. Photo by Martin Kiely.

roughly a 50% retention rate to open water. Pool training starts in September and, ideally, is completed by Christmas (about 4 months ahead of schedule from the ScotSAC days!).

This has been possible thanks to the on-going support of Limerick SAC and Aughinish SAC, who regularly supply instructors for pool training and lectures.

For the past three years, ULSAC has organised a January training trip to Lanzarote, which has proven a great motivation for new trainees who, in preparation, must brave the cold Portroe Quarry waters in November and December. Nearly all of those who go on the January trip continue training throughout the year. While Lanzarote dives may not count towards a trainee’s Club Diver status, new members have consistently said that they returned from Lanzarote to Ireland’s shores with a much higher degree of confidence and comfort in the water, making domestic diving much more enjoyable. For those students who are dedicated enough, CFT has enabled them to go from first lecture to first dive in just four months.

Shore and RHIB diving and training begins in the spring, with evening and full weekend trips by June. Over the

Leap to CFT past three years, the club has taken part in several of the regional weekend events, with its dive logs expanding to include Hook Head, Cork Harbour, the Dingle Peninsula, Caherciveen, Baltimore, Killary, Kenmare, Donegal and Dublin. ULSAC divers have also started to try their hands at Rescue Diver, Search and Recovery, Photography, SeaSearch and freediving to name but a few.

Like all university clubs, ULSAC struggles to retain members, long term. This is a fact of life for all college clubs due to natural attrition, and it is also limited by the students’ union as to the ratio of non-student/alumni members permitted to join.

Nevertheless, it has a small, but active, core of divers year round, and would like to expand its involvement with other clubs, inviting neighbouring clubs’ members to join them on their excursions, and joining in on their outings. New efforts are underway within CFT to support this kind of activity, online or through COMs.

Finally!

ULSAC has received a huge amount of support in the last three years from a long list of individuals and clubs, locally, regionally and nationally, far too many to list! However, a few merit a special shout out: Brian O’Leary, Mike Orth and the two Daves from Limerick SAC; Martin Kiely, NDO, who helped organise the crossover training and Aude Richard, Mary O’Malley, Paul Conroy from Aughinish; Caroline from Burren; Brian Donnelly from Lough Derg and, finally, Louise and Sarah in head office.

While there is always room for improvement, we are so happy to be a part of the CFT family, and we look forward to many more years of diving!

Both UL and CFT have benefitted from the affiliation. The college club is now training new members to the CFT/ CMAS standard, the region has a new club with great energy and vibrancy and the fantastic facilities at UL are now used regularly for CFT regional training. ◼ Photos from Martin Kiely at a recent dive weekend with ULSAC.

Jewel anemone. Photo by Martin Kiely.

ULSAC at CFT AGM.

SubSea Autumn 2014 43

The spiny spider crab

Article and photography by Andrew Roughton

One of my favourite things about diving in temperate waters is the changing of the seasons. Sure, it’s hard work getting into a dry suit in the winter when it’s freezing cold and lashing down with rain. It’s so much nicer to slip into crystal clear tropical waters with nothing but a skin suit on - but then you don’t get the seasonal changes in conditions or marine life. When diving in tropical climes you do get a distinction between winter and summer, and day and night, but you don’t see completely new species entering the waters in as noticeable a way as you do in each quarterly season here in the temperate seas.

Now, as we enter summer, the most recent addition to my local shore dive is the spiny spider crab. Also known as maja squinado, the European spider crab or even the spinous spider crab, the spiny spider crab is a migratory crab found across the north-east Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a remarkable creature that can travel up to onehundred and sixty kilometres in the course of its annual migration. However, it’s not its migratory abilities I wish to admire here, but its taste!

Having dived in a lot of marine reserves, written widely about the preservation of our oceans’ ecosystems and focused on observing – rather than taking – marine life, it feels a little contradictory to encourage bringing a delicious spiny spider crab home for the pot. However, unless one is a vegetarian, one has to accept that some animals need to die for humans to live. And crabs really are the rabbits of the ocean. That is, they are plentiful, reproduce frequently, and taste great. Therefore, as long as divers take responsibly and source these crabs through the correct legal channels, I have no objections to adding a culinary dimension to scuba diving.

44 SubSea Autumn 2014

As such I have added a recipe for preparing a delicious meal using the meat from two good sized spiny spider crabs.

You will need the following:

✓Four hundred grams of pasta. ✓One tablespoon of olive oil.

✓Two finely chopped garlic cloves.

✓Two deseeded and finely chopped red chilies. ✓One tablespoon of crushed fennel seeds. ✓One lemon.

✓Two hundred grams of brown crab meat. ✓Two hundred grams of white crabmeat.

✓A small bunch of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley. ✓Extra virgin olive oil.

Start by cooking the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water until al dente. Simultaneously heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the garlic, chilies, and fennel seeds for two minutes until soft, but not coloured. Next, add the zest of half your lemon and the juice of it all and then stir in the brown crab meat. Drain your pasta, reserving a few spoonfuls of the cooking water, and toss with the sauce, along with the white crab meat and parsley. Add the extra water if the dish seems too dry.

Season to taste and then divide between bowls. Finally, drizzle each bowl with a little extra virgin olive oil, serve immediately, and enjoy! ◼

Inter-club diving shows CFT’s community spirit In his quarterly report, Mike Orth, President of CFT, highlights how inter-club activities show off the best of CFT diving.

As the summer draws to a close, the time has come to update you, the members, on what we, the CFT Executive Committee, have been up to.

This is the second in a new series of quarterly reports, covering June, July and August, and it is part of a strategic plan based around direct communication with our membership.

We’re hearing lots of positive talk around the bottle rack – divers are hopping on boats with other clubs, travelling to rallies to meet old friends and make new ones, and even holidaying with other clubs. Looking at the number of dives logged at the rallies, and the number of clubs attending them, it confirms that our efforts to support and promote these activities are welcomed by the membership. This mixing between clubs helps CFT on many levels. More instructors around to monitor diving practice encourages safe diving. This means that there are more boats on site, which helps with the costs and reduces the organisational work load, and, of course, local knowledge sharing is of huge benefit to the visiting divers.

So it’s hats off to the clubs and members who hosted and supported the dive rallies. This was the first year for the Western Regional Rally, the second year for the South East, the third for Dublin, and the South West has been rallying for at least eight years running! This year also marked a first for snorkelling, with a rally held in Longford. The Executive encourages member clubs in all regions to host at least one rally every year.

At Head Office, Lorraine Casey is the new CFT Children’s Officer, and she’ll be kept busy ensuring that clubs with under age members are aware of their obligations, and fully vetted.

Welcome, Lorraine.

The delivery of new defibrillators has started, with several clubs taking up the fund-matching offer announced at last year’s AGM. In relation to the Dive Show in March 2015, Lough Derg SAC has already met with the Executive and will be ramping up promotion of the event as the date draws closer. The application process for Dive Ireland 2016 has now closed, and we will be in a position to announce the hosting club soon.

Training and instructor development has been a busy area, with a new dedicated network of Regional Snorkelling Officers, all reporting directly to the National Snorkelling Officer. The National Diving Officer has been busy, too, with a change to the National SAC to allow training up to One Star Diver and participation in Rescue and DFR courses. This will allow instructors in the National club to deliver courses, and the NDO will continue to liaise with commercially-run dive training organisations which might also be interested in this approach.

There is a newly drafted Guest Diver Policy, which is now available on the CFT website.

Tony Foran has written a detailed report on a survey of CFT instructors, entitled “The Volunteer Experience in IUC” and we very much appreciate his insights.

The CFT Executive continues to put a lot of time into marketing and communications, and we hope that this will pay off with enquiries from new and old members. We’re here to assist our clubs with the promotion of their events and, with our annual publicity drive set for October, we have already asked that the clubs forward their Try-A-Dive dates to us as soon as they know them.

The CFT Public Relations Officer has made available an updated national contacts list for newspapers, television and radio. This includes the names, email addresses and contact details for the appropriate people in the Irish Independent, the Irish Times, the Sun, the Star, Morning Ireland, NewsTalk, Ireland Am, RTE regional and The Journal.ie.

The Blueway continues to keep CFT in the media, featuring on RTE Nationwide earlier this summer.

If you have not yet heard about Regional Facebook pages, then you probably don’t know what an Ice Bucket Challenge is either, so you can skip this paragraph (or stay and learn!).

These new pages are an excellent tool for members who want to promote anything diving related. They can “like” the pages, see posts and promote events in their own region. Hopefully, this will encourage inter-club communications and enable dive-boat sharing. All at no cost to CFT! In our Strategic Plan, we established a specific section called “Areas of Special Interest”, and we continue to support new ideas here.

The CFT Underwater Photography Group, which is a closed group on Facebook (you have to know a member to get in), boasts the largest membership of divers, making it the biggest “club” in the country. They have organised several events, courses, dives and competitions, and are a staple of every rally. For that we say thanks to all involved! The group is set to grow a bit larger now that it has been formally agreed that snorkellers can participate in underwater photography courses right alongside their diving friends.

A system has been set up in association with the National

SubSea Autumn 2014 45

Inter-club Diving Biodiversity Data Centre, where snorkellers and divers can go online to record species sightings. Called the Irish Marine Survey, it can be accessed at http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/ We continue to support Underwater Hockey through event sponsorship and the development of new clubs. There is a group from UCD which hopes to start up a team, and they are working with the Dublinbased Under Water Hockey Club – training will begin in September.

Underwater Archaeology continues to gain interest and work is being done on a module for the Trainee Diver course as well as an assessment of the NAS and CMAS UWA courses.

Last but not least, the governance and management of CFT means that both Head Office and the Executive are kept busy behind the scenes (and between dives!). This quarter has seen a re-tendering of all major “utilities” for

cost savings, a mid-year review completed for grants and budgets, and the issuance of club registration numbers and certificates to all dive clubs. The office has overseen an upgrade of IT systems and continues to test cloud file-sharing, as well as getting to grips with a new low-cost helpdesk system to deal with the many and varied requests, an average of forty a day, that come in via email. This has freed up the office to concentrate on members who were in “pending” status, and to all those who helped us with this effort, many thanks. As usual, the office gets much needed assistance from the Interns, who help to share the load on various tasks like archive filing, basic office work – and lodging Dublin Bay planning objections!

One significant area that was brought up at this year’s AGM focused on changes in the Medical Commission procedures. We hope to

share specific details of these changes in the near future, but all’s been positive so far! Also, our Science officer has been drafting an environmental code of practice, as well as representing diver safety concerns in relation to the Alexandra Basin redevelopment project.

We are currently taking a look at the set-up in the Scottish Sub Aqua Club, which is similar in size to CFT, to see how we compare and maybe get some new ideas. Keep an eye on this.

That’s all for this quarter, and thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this – it is in each member’s interest to stay informed, to make suggestions, or even to lend a hand!

Mike Orth President www.diving.ie Comhairle Fo-Thuinn – Irish Underwater Council

More pictures from our past

Betty and Shane O’Connor, both members of the Curragh Club.

The site is Carraroe and the date would be around 1960. Shane was the first President of CFT.

46 SubSea Autumn 2014

Wetsuits have arrived…Mick Moriarty, Victor Hennessy and Jim Motherway, diving in Slade, Co Wexford in 1962

Linking in with CFT CFT has set up a LindedIn group and wants to expand it to the membership.

Lorraine Inglis explains what it is all about.

In May 2003, LinkedIn, a site aimed at connecting professionals with likeminded colleagues, was launched.

Since then, the growth in this professional network group has been phenomenal, with over 200 million users worldwide. It is affectionately dubbed as the Facebook for the Business Professional.

Why use it?

LinkedIn is used primarily to stay in contact with work-related contemporaries. In the social sense, they are not my friends, rather they are

my colleagues with whom I have a good working relationship.

As a recruiter, LinkedIn has quickly become one of the most valuable places to find talented people. The job board section is constantly improving and expanding, and its robust jobs section not only allows companies to post jobs so that LinkedIn subscribers can view the posts, it also allows applicants to see who they know at the company and how they can network their way into the position. As a recruiter, it is possible to check out candidates by visiting their profile before interviewing them and for this

reason, most recruiters and companies are incorporating the use of the site into the set procedures for acquiring new people.

However, the above two reasons are not the only valuable use LinkedIn provides. As you build your own personal brand, colleagues with whom you have built up a relationship, be it in terms of current or future needs, also fulfil the function of providing recommendations, posting articles and updates on tools that can improve your knowledge within your particular field, while at the same time giving you access to your contacts, resumĂŠ and

SubSea Autumn 2014 47

Linking in background recommendations at your fingertips.

One of the greatest power tools on LinkedIn is Groups. Groups gives you access to people and discussions related to an industry, topic or sector, and can effectively build a solid way to network and generate leads. It is a tremendous way of gaining valuable information on your profession, field or industry through articles posted on the group discussion boards.

Connect with members

Joining a group will facilitate a natural common connection with each group member, and it also gives you the ability to connect based on the mutual group members. It will give you the opportunity to promote knowledge, skills and expertise that colleagues may be unaware of. There are many members within CFT, who work tirelessly for the organisation, but

48 SubSea Autumn 2014

nobody ever hears about it. Be proud of the work you have contributed and let your colleagues within CFT know what has been achieved.

“The executive would love to see anyone that has given their time to a CFT club to join LinkedIn and add Irish Underwater Council to their profile.

This includes Dive Officers, Instructors, Committee members, past and present Executive members, and any members that want to join our network,” says Mike Orth, President, CFT. Here are instructions on how to add yourself to the Irish Underwater Council company. You have to do this yourself (if you want to), as only you can manage your own LinkedIn profile.

Adding people to your Company Page

How do I add current employees to my Company Page?

Employees are linked to a Company Page when they add or edit a position

on their profile and select a specific name from the company dropdown list. If they don’t click a company name in the dropdown list, they won’t show up on the Company Page.

If a colleague doesn’t appear on the Employees tab of your company page, send them the following instructions: 1 Move your cursor over Profile at the top of your home page and click Edit Profile.

2 Click Edit next to your current position.

3 Click Change Company and type the full company name: Irish Underwater Council 4 Important: This step is crucial.

Click the correct company name in the dropdown list.

5 Click Update. ◼

Club Spotlight

DAUNT SUB AQUA CLUB Daunt lifeguard dive boat in the 1980s.

What type of dive club is the Daunt SAC?

The Daunt Sub Aqua Club is a vibrant dive club located in Cork, with many of the best dive sites in Ireland right on its doorstep. It currently has a membership of 20 divers. The club operates from Oysterhaven, Co. Cork, but regularly organises dives in West Cork and Kerry, which are within easy reach. This year the club is celebrating its 40th birthday. The club’s constitution was first written in 1974.

Lightships including the Puffin, Guillemot, Gannet and Comet stationed at the Daunt Rock encountered many dangers and a number of crew members were lost at

What’s in a name?

The Daunt Sub Aqua Club is named after the Daunt lightships which were stationed east of the Daunt Rock outside Cork harbour to guide shipping away from this dangerous hazard. Before this, the Daunt Rock had been identified by a Bell Boat which was first put in place in 1865 and in 1874 the Bell Boat was replaced by a lightship.

sea.. The Puffin was placed on station at the Daunt Rock in 1874. On the 8th October 1896, a gale swept the south coast of Ireland, that caused huge confused seas to develop and by the morning of the 9th the Puffin lightship

was nowhere to be seen. On the 25th of October, a length of anchor cable was found, and with the weather deteriorating, operations had to be abandoned until November 5th, when divers, following the cable, found the forlorn remains of the Puffin. The Guillemot was towed in as a replacement. The Gannet was hit by the vessel Largo Bay in 1884 but was repaired and served until 1928. In 1936 the Comet broke her moorings in a violent storm in which all eight crew members were heroically rescued by the crew of the Ballycotton lifeboat. In 1974 the lightship was discontinued and replaced by a buoy.

The connection with the Daunt lightships still continues today. A member's wife (herself a past club diver) is the daughter of one of the lightship crew members. David Moran, at the time a 29 year old newlywed, was rescued on that stormy night in 1936 from the Comet Lightship!

SubSea Autumn 2014 49

Club Spotlight

Diving in the club

Daunt SAC’s new XS RIB.

The club was founded in 1974 by a small group of enthusiastic and pioneering people, and in March 1978 the club became affiliated to the Irish Underwater Council. October 1978 saw the first group of qualified club divers and in 1981 the first instructors qualified.

The club's first boat was an open Zodiac inflatable and in 1984 the club purchased a Lifeguard inflatable with a 40HP outboard. Long term members recall a dive trip from Achilles to the Bull Rock on the Beara peninsula which was a one and half hour journey each way. Today the club has a wellequipped, 7.5M XS RIB capable of carrying 12 fully kitted divers.

The club’s diving is predominately undertaken along the coasts of Cork and Kerry which provides an abundance of spectacular diving involving both wrecks and scenic dives.

This allows us to dive everywhere from the Blasket Islands in Kerry to the Ling Rocks located 7 miles to the South East (300o) of Kinsale. We also like to partake in sea search dives in the sheltered coves and bays. As a matter of tradition and respect to the Daunt Lightship, the club undertakes a dive to the Daunt Rock on an annual basis.

A Southern Regional dive weekend was organized by the Daunt Club in 2002, and for a number of years after that which was based out of Castle Cove, Co. Kerry. These weekends have become an integral part of the diving

50 SubSea Autumn 2014

calendar in the southern and southwestern regions where the Daunt has formed strong friendships with other clubs, which are enjoyed as much for the social occasion as for the diving.

The club today is comprised of 20 members, from experienced two star club divers up to monitor two stars.

There is a constant focus to develop the diving skills of members through in-house refresher programmes and CFT training courses.

Members have participated in a wide variety of diving around the world ranging from South Africa to Egypt to the Galapagos, Cocos Islands and to a cold Scapa Flow in Scotland.

The club is always open to new members and welcomes all enquiries to join.

Join our 40th celebration

The XS.

The Daunt Sub Aqua Club is holding a 40th celebration on the 4th October in Nemo Rangers, Douglas, Cork and would like to invite all past club members, our diving friends from all other clubs, and those that we would have met over the years at various dive locations around the world to join us.

A fun night is assured of sea shanty’s and dive yarns and the opportunity to win a few spot prizes.

Daunt SAC is looking forward to another year of fun and safe diving!

The Daunt club can be contacted at info@dauntsac.com, or visit our website www.dauntsac.com ◼

Dive with OceanAddicts

Oceanaddicts is an IDEST Accredited Test Centre committed to Top Quality Customer Service.

We can arrange to collect & deliver your cylinders, providing a transparent service in our modern workshop VIP!s Hydros Valve Service

www.oceanaddicts.ie graham@oceanaddicts.ie anne@oceanaddicts.ie Graham 087-2744992 Anne 087-7903211 www.facebook.com/oceanaddicts

Mart & Exchange Mart & Exchange carries small ads for commercial services at a rate of E50.00 for up to 50 words, cash with order. Ads from diver to diver for non commercial services are free.

Send advertisements by fax, E-mail or post to CFT Head Office for inclusion in the next issue. If gear is stolen please advertise to assist recovery and alert the trade.

North Irish Lodge/North Irish Diver Re-Opens ‘NEW 5* Accommodation’ Islandmagee - Antrim Coast Luxury Dive Package breaks for 4 Divers 4 Dives + 2 Nights 5 * Accommodation from £199 PPS 4 Dives + Hostel Accommodation £175 PPS Tel from: ROI 048 9338 2246 Website www.northirishlodge.com Email caroline.steele@btconnect.com

AQUAHOLICS NEW LUXURY ACCOMMODATION IN BALLYCASTLE FOR 2014 2 BOATS FOR UP TO 24 DIVERS. ALL YEAR ROUND DIVING 3 HOURS FROM DUBLIN DIVING RATHLIN ISLAND, GIANTS CAUSEWAY COAST, MALIN, SCOTTISH ISLES www.aquaholics.co.uk

SubSea Autumn 2014 51

CONQUER NEW TERRITORY

SUUNTO EON STEEL EXPLORE EXPL ORE MORE - FULL CUSTOMIZA CUSTOMIZATION Suunto introduces its next generation dive computer.

The intuitive Suunto EON Steel combines advanced technology with customizable features and display to show clearly what you need.

With heavy duty housing, a stainless steel bezel, and user updatable software, Suunto EON Steel will dive with you for years to come. www.suunto.com

Follow Fo llow us us on on

For F or m more ore information information call call 01420 01420 587272 587272 Discover Moves Discover att w www.movescount.com Moves a w w.movescount.com @SuuntoDivingUK SuuntoDivingUK an and at w w w.faceb ook.com / SuuntoDivingUK @ d at www.facebook.com/SuuntoDivingUK