Subsea 149

SUBSEA Ireland’s Only Diving Magazine

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SUBSEA

CONTENTS

ISSN 0791 - 475X Volume 10 Number 149 Summer 2014 5

EDITORIAL Publisher’s comments

5

BRIEFINGS What’s happening at home and abroad

14 NOTED IRISHMEN Lord Kelvin 15 2014-2015 CFT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Meet the people who will be running CFT 17 HISTORY OF THE SS LOCHGARRY

By Martin Baillie-Johnson 20 CFT MEMBERS ON THE MOVE Photo gallery 22 SAFE USE OF YOUR COMPRESSOR Keep safe when filling The Great Hammerhead shark. The shape of its head has many purposes. It provides wider vision and larger electrical detection range. Some sharks have even been seen using their head to pin down buried stingrays. Photo by Michel Labrecque.

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

Advertising: Sarah Campbell

Proofreading: Peter O’Doherty Eibhir Mulqueen

Typesetting and Design: Bernard Kaye 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.

23 CFT INSURANCE – ARE YOU COVERED? Check your COMS status 24 MAYOR OF WEXFORD DONS CHAINS UNDERWATER

By Ivan Donoghue 25 RECORDING OUR MARINE BIODIVERSITY

By Tim Butter 26 DCI DENIAL

By Heike Weichert 28 GREAT HAMMERHEAD SHARK

By Julie Ouimet 33 OILEÁIN – THE IRISH ISLANDS GUIDE Book review by Éibhir Mulqueen 34 GREENLAND – GIANTS OF THE ARCTIC

By Tobias Friedrich 39 SUBAQUATIC MEMORIES OF TURBULENT TIMES IN FERMOY

By Timmy Carey 42 JEWEL OF THE EAST

By Don Baldwin 45 BACKSCATTER LEAK DETECTOR REVIEW

By Ivan Donoghue 47 IRELAND AS A MACRO DESTINATION?

By Maja Stankovski

Affiliated to

51 DIVING INTO THE DETAIL - KEVIN O’SHAUGHNESSY By Éibhir Mulqueen 53 CLUB SPOTLIGHT Cork Sub Aqua Club 55 MART AND EXCHANGE

CMAS

Autumn/Winter 2014 Issue Deadline All articles for inclusion in the next issue of SubSea should be sent to the editor before August 25th.

All advertising should be sent to CFT Head Office before August 25th.

SubSea Summer 2014

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SubSea Summer 2014

BRIEFINGS Albert Gets Top award

EDITORIAL Hello and welcome to the 2014 Summer Edition of Subsea. As this is my first edition of Subsea I’ll take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I started diving in Australia in 2001 by taking a PADI course which included the ’hardship’ of warm water diving on a liveaboard on the Great Barrier Reef. Two years later, in 2003, I joined the Curragh SAC and began my journey into the world of CMAS, CFT and Club diving. You may think that after having learned to dive in warm waters , it would be difficult to make the transition to cold water, low visibility diving that was Dublin Bay, well, for me it wasn’t.

The joy of belonging to a club full of kindred spirits was just inexplicable, and still is to this day. Since joining CFT I have enjoyed fantastic diving in Ireland and abroad and have developed a special love of exploring the colder water environs of Northern Europe. I have really enjoyed the training that CFT gives and I am now a Mon ***. I have been a member of the Technical Commission and the Executive Committee since 2011 and am delighted to have this opportunity to be the editor of this magazine. I have big shoes to fill with all the editors who have gone before me, and most recently Denny Lawlor who has brought us six wonderful editions over the last two years. I want to acknowledge all the help Denny has given me in the transition as he has sown the seed for numerous articles in this edition.

In this edition I have included a large variety of articles, we have first time contributor Martin Baille Johnston writing about the very popular wreck of the Lochgarry, Timmy Carey writes about his fascinating find of early 20th century watches in the Blackwater River in Fermoy, and Maja Stankovski discusses Ireland as a macro destination. Our cover story is about diving in Bimini, with the Great Hammerhead Sharks and, to balance the warm with the cold, we have an article on diving on the icebergs of East Greenland.

Our club in the spotlight is Cork SAC and we a collage of photos of CFT divers on the move.

On issues of safety I have included summary of diving incidents over the past three seasons and also include a recap on safe use of diving compressors. CFT has an excellent safety record and this is due to our attention to detail and learning from our experiences. Our photographers who have been growing in strength and numbers over the last numbers of years have committed to giving us an article each edition. Ivan Donoghue has obliged by sending us an article on a tool to help us to prevent leaks in camera housings.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition and please remember it is your contributions that make this magazine what it is.

Please feel free to send any item you have to me at editor@diving.ie Happy and Safe Diving Jean Kelleher Editor

Albert Kerr.

One of our own, Albert Kerr, recently received an award for his outstanding work with his local youth club. Albert founded The Queen Of Peace Adventure Youth Club in 1967 as a result of being approached by parents from the local community in Bray asking him to set up a youth club. Originally, the Queen of Peace Youth Club was founded as a boys club but very soon it became apparent that there was a need for it to accept girls, and so it did just that in the late 1970’s.

Paul Temple, who nominated Albert for a Volunteer Ireland Award said “He can still be found every Friday night leading groups of young people on Bray Head or being quiz master on an indoor night. We feel that Albert should be a worthy recipient of this award in recognition of his life time commitment to improving the lives of countless young people from our area.”

And so it came to pass last December when Albert was awarded two awards. Mary Kennedy presented him with the Charity Hero Award at Dublin castle and later he received one of three awards in the Children and Young Peoples award at City Hall. Albert said that they were two fabulous events and that he could not have been prouder. He went on to say that it was really the 81 wonderful young people that keep him going and full of energy and enthusiasm for the project.

Since the club was founded all those years ago it has gone from strength to strength. Albert, who turned 72 last December, is still actively involved on a weekly basis and has been the chairperson of the club for many years. Today the club provides indoor and outdoor activities for young people aged from ten to 18 years old from Bray and South County Dublin. In 2006 the club finally got premises of its own, this could not have happened without Albert. He tirelessly lobbied the local councillors and campaigned on behalf of local young people.

His efforts paid off, the clubhouse was officially opened on April 7th 2008 by then Minister of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr John Gormley TD. Albert is a keen diver with Bray Sub Aqua Club.

SubSea Summer 2014

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BRIEFINGS

Incidents 2011 - 2013

Here is a summary of the incidents that have been reported to CFT over the last three seasons. Reporting of incidents is of huge importance to all of us as divers. It is from seeing what types of incidents are occurring regularly, we can plan to take action to reduce incidents by targeting training and advise where it is needed most.

You can see from the chart below that the largest number of incidents that occurred over the last three years was in the category of Equipment Failure. These incidents range from

winch straps breaking on compressor trailers to inflate valves sticking on both BCD’s and drysuit’s, as well as numerous free flows of regulators.

Equipment failure has the potential to be very dangerous as a range of serious incidents can stem from this. What we can learn from this is that there are areas where we can improve. Are we rinsing our equipment properly after every dive, do we pay particular attention to checking valves for salt and dirt deposits? Are we getting our regulators serviced at the

recommended intervals? It is important to note that it is not only our cylinders and regulators that need to be looked after and serviced, every piece of equipment that we use is exposed to the sea and salty air and we need to be diligent in its cleaning and maintenance.

We have recorded 18 DCI incidents and 30 rapid ascents with no resulting DCI. It is good to note that proper procedures are being used in terms of using Oxygen (O2) immediately after a rapid ascent and this will have prevented the number of DCI incidents from being bigger.

Inexperience, equipment failure and start of season acclimatisation appear to be the main cause of rapid ascents.

Actions to take in order to reduce these rapid ascents could be to introduce more weight; this may mean using extra weight at the start of the season while acclimatising. It would also be worthwhile to consider more emphasis on buoyancy training for trainees and using caution when surfacing to avoid swell.

We thank everyone who reported their incidents. It is only through this reporting that the TC can develop recommendations for keeping us all safer in the water.

“Date for your Diving Diaries” Grainne Uaile Host the West Regional Dive Weekend This year the Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club (GUSAC) will be hosting the West Regional Dive Weekend on Friday 18th July– Sunday 20th July which will be centred in Killala, Co Mayo.

If you have not experienced diving in the crystal clear waters of Mayo before, then you’re in for a real treat. The spectacular rock formations, ship wrecks and the huge variety of marine life that abounds ensures that there is something for everyone.

There are numerous reef walls from Killala to Downpatrick Head which are practically wallpapered with multicoloured patches of the different anemones . From the daisy to the dahlia to the green snake locks anemone and

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SubSea Summer 2014

plumose anemones you will be in for a treat of vivid colour life. But don’t take our word for it, come along and experience it for yourselves.

To ensure you get the most out of diving in Mayo, the Grainne Uaile club are delighted to invite you to share our fabulous underwater terrain and will ably point you to the right site so you will get the best diving available.

Killala is designated hub for the weekend activities as most dive excursions can go directly from Killala Pier or from locations close by, depending on the weather conditions.

There will be boat spaces for individuals who can't persuade their less enlightened club mates to come along for the

weekend. We have several volunteers ready to go for a pint with any solo travellers so don't be afraid of travelling alone, you will soon be among friends.

For clubs travelling with Boats, mooring and trailer parking facilities will be arranged close by.

An accommodation list is available whether you want to camp, book a B&B or rent a house for the weekend for the whole club.

For more information contact: Kathy McSharry (kathymcsharry@gmail.com/ 087 9077248) or Tanya Murphy urphym@yahoo.co.uk / 087 9018394

BRIEFINGS

Cork Underwater Hockey Ladies Making Waves

By Eva Brennan six of the teams competing were elite, with many GB team or international players on each team. The Great Britain ladies team narrowly missed winning the World Underwater Hockey Ladies title last June in Eger Hungary, coming second to New Zealand. The standard of these players was exceptionally high and it was a great privilege and learning experience for the Cork team to play against them.

There were four novice teams competing in the competition also and the Cork ladies were delighted to win two matches, 8-0 against Midlands Mermaids and 4-2 against Islington and to draw 3-3 with Edinburgh ladies.

The Cork ladies hope to continue competing with two upcoming tournaments in Ireland this Summer in Cork and Dublin and also hope to travel to an international hockey tournament in Parma in Italy in August.

The ladies team competing in Leeds.

Cork underwater hockey ladies team only formed this February but the future is bright. The team is Ireland’s first ladies underwater hockey team and initially there was a question over whether it would be possible to find enough ladies to send to a tournament. Luckily through strong links between the other clubs in Ireland, including Limerick, Dublin and the newly formed Belfast club, nine ladies signed up to the challenge. Training was done at club level and helped by experienced Irish players who coached the girls in Dublin on two training weekends.

The girls first tournament was the UK Ladies Nationals in the John Charles Sports centre, Leeds on Sat 22nd March. It was a daunting proposition for some of the newer players as

Dive Show and AGM 2016 In line with forward planning, CFT Executive are now looking to the 2016 Dive show and AGM which will be held on March 5th and 6th.

If your club is interested in hosting this event we would be delighted to hear from you.

We have drawn up a “Criteria For hosting the Dive Show and AGM” and this in now available to see on COMS. We suggest you study this document in detail before submitting your request as this sets out in detail the requirements and conditions that CFT would be looking for in order to ensure a successful event.

Once CFT receives your submission we would ask that your club attend a meeting at CFT office and present your proposal to an Executive meeting for their approval.

The hosting of this event is open to all clubs but it should be kept in mind that the venue must be in a central location on a national route from Dublin and not more than 1.5 hour travel time from Dublin to facilitate the traders.

Cork Underwater hockey welcomes new members, training is in Mayfield Pool on Wednesday nights at 7.45-9.15pm. We can be contacted via our email: Corkuwh@gmail.com or through our Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/underwaterhockey.cork Dublin Underwater Hockey Train at Tallaght Leisure Centre on Monday between 7.45 an 9pm.

Contact ciaran@underwaterhockey.ie https://www.facebook.com/UnderwaterHockeyIreland Limerick UWH can be contacted through Mike Orth, mike.orth@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/UWHLimerick

Writing Competition for Young Snorkelers Calling all young snorkelers. Get published in Subsea!

Just write a story or a poem entitled

“A Day Snorkelling” Competition is open to all snorkelers aged between 6 and 18.

Send your story to: National Snorkeling Officer CFT Head Office, 78A Patricks Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Or e-mail: nso@diving Please include your name, address CFT number and Club.

The winning story or poem will be published in Subsea Closing Date: 31st July 2014

Replies please to vicepresident@diving.ie before July 11th SubSea Summer 2014

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BRIEFINGS

Titanic discoverer Dr. Robert Ballard has launched new Ocean Exploration Centre at Titanic Belfast Legendary ocean explorer Dr. Robert Ballard opened a new Ocean Exploration Centre at Titanic Belfast on 20th March 2014.

The former US Navy Officer, who rose to fame on 1st of September 1985 when he discovered RMS Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean, officially launched the Ocean Exploration Centre at Titanic Belfast as part of several engagements at the visitor attraction, where he gave a public lecture about his discovery of Titanic.

The Ocean Exploration Centre at Titanic Belfast w offers state-of-the-art technology unique to the venue, bringing valuable insights to the undersea world and its mysteries to visitors and education groups of all ages.

It also offers exciting live interactions with Dr. Ballard’s exploration vessel E/V Nautilus as it explores the world’s oceans, as well as an exclusive link with Dr. Ballard’s Inner Space Centre in Rhode Island, USA. Titanic Belfast’s Ocean Exploration Centre Manager Susan Heaney said: “Visitors, educators and students can now learn about the shores, oceans and marine life around us in a fun, engaging and interactive gallery using the most amazing technology.

“Linking up with E/V Nautilus and Dr. Ballard for live events and being able to watch the ship’s crew at work wherever they are in the world is a fantastic addition to the exhibition at Titanic Belfast. The OEC is an important feature of Titanic’s legacy.”

Dr Robert Ballard said: “Credit must go to Titanic Belfast for its investment and vision in such an important subject matter. We have learned a lot about the oceans from Titanic’s tragedy, lessons that we abide by to this day.

“Titanic is teaching us day by day, and through the new Ocean Exploration Centre at Titanic Belfast we can continue to appreciate the importance of oceans around us and fascinating life within them.

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SubSea Summer 2014

Dr. Robert Ballard in the Harland and Wolff Drawing Office.

“I’m excited about being at Titanic Belfast to see its new OEC and proud to endorse its aims and values.”

For details on Titanic Belfast on March 20, 2014, visit: www.titanicbelfast.com

Titanic Belfast Titanic Belfast is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the City and people which made her. It is the World’s Largest Titanic exhibition.

The building houses temporary exhibits, a banqueting suite, education and community facilities, catering and retail space, and a basement car park.

Visitors learn about the construction of RMS Titanic and the wide and rich

story of Northern Ireland’s industrial and maritime heritage.

Supported by the Northern Ireland Executive, Titanic Belfast is a unique public/private partnership funded by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour and Titanic Quarter Ltd. It is operated

by Titanic Belfast Ltd and owned by the Titanic Foundation Ltd.

About Dr. Robert Ballard Dr. Robert Ballard (born June 30, 1942) is a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology: maritime archaeology and archaeology of shipwrecks.

He is most known for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic on September 1 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989, and the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998.

He discovered the wreck of John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 in 2002. Ballard leads ocean exploration on E/V Nautilus.

Useful link: http://www.titanicbelfast.com/Site/ News-Archieve/2012-(1)/News/ Dr-Robert-Ballard-talks-about-TitanicBelfast.aspx

The Titanic Belfast building. Photo by Bernard Kaye.

BRIEFINGS

Not just Cups of Tea! I am often asked what exactly do we do in Head Office and often get jokes remarks about drinking tea all day, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth! To get a flavour of what we do, please read on!

At the heart of the office are membership services, these range from managing and producing certificates and membership cards, liaising with RDO’s, providing support to club committees, and giving essential assistance to Diving Officers. We are available throughout the working day on the phone and email to answer individual member queries and concerns as they arise. This is, as always, our most important function and one we take very seriously, however, it is only part of what we do.

CFT Head Office is a very dynamic and rewarding place to work. We are continually changing and adapting to situations and seizing opportunities as they arise. Over the past number of years we have introduced significant changes to how we do business and how we interact with all members, the public and other sporting bodies. It is only a few years since all registrations were done on paper and all communication was made through letters. Today our COMS system manages and streamlines registrations and the majority of communication and payments is done through the online system.

We have seen four websites come and go. Our new website www.diving.ie has multi user login to allow officers and appointed personnel an opportunity to update the site at any time. Our membership ezine now allows us to communicate directly with all our members on a very cost effective basis. Most IT and computer system issues are managed in house, although a little help from our diving friends has been gratefully received! We are currently in the process of migrating to cloud computing as well as setting up email aliases for each of our clubs. More details of this will follow via the Ezine!

Club Diver Test Twins, Tadgh and Emma McHugh, with members of Blue Water SAC after passing their Club Diver test on the May Bank Holiday weekend in Kilcummin

Steve Mulhall, Barry Kavanagh, Tadgh McHugh, Barry McHugh, Emma McHugh, Sinead Burke, Brian Bourke. Photo by Jean Kelleher.

Louise and Sarah in CFT Head Office.

Along with membership services, we also offer full managerial reports and support to our National Executive, we liaise with other National Governing Bodies of sport as well as The Irish Sports Council to promote sport throughout Ireland. We are central to developing and following a strategic plan to continually move the administration of our company forward, contributing to the overall vision of CFT. There are very few areas in CFT in which we don’t have some hand!

However none of our achievements would be possible without the support and help of you the members. CFT is run mainly by members for members and it is you who make the difference to us. We are proud to work for such a wonderful group of dedicated volunteers. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to run a dive event or a company like CFT and the dedication and determination of our Regional Diving Officers, Club Diving Officers and Club Committees not to mention the Executive, Technical and Medical Commissions should never be underestimated.

Thank you for making our job so worthwhile, oh and just for the record we do drink tea but usually just one cup a day!

Dublin South Cox'n Instructor Course

Dublin South Mon *’s complete their Cox’n Instructor course April 2014. Photo by Andy Keegan.

SubSea Summer 2014

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BRIEFINGS

Dalkey Island Swim, St Patricks Day 2014

By Andy Keegan, Atlantis SAC

Getting Ready on the steps.

Photo: Andy Keegan.

We had a very enjoyable morning last March at the annual St Patricks Day Swim . The weather was clear and the seas were calm which made for a very attainable and enjoyable challenge for the 85 Snorkelers who registered for the event.

The tidal conditions in the sound allowed those “in the know” to swim down to the People’s Park and “catch the escalator” to the south end of the island. Under the watchful eyes of four cover boats the snorkelers swam under the shadow of the Dalkey island fort and then north towards the outer sound.

Lazy seals languished on rocks in the early spring sunshine watching the swimmers as they rounded the south tip of the island towards Dublin bay navigating to Seal Bay as the

Snorkelers head south from Colimore.

Photo: Andy Keegan.

10 SubSea Summer 2014

younger more energetic seals escorted the swimmers on their journey. Some of the more adventurous snorkelers struck out east to include Muglins in their trip and then back to the Dalkey’s north tip, Maiden Rock, this detour adds approximately 2 kilometres to the journey. Not for the faint hearted, figuratively speaking.

Our enthused snorkelers swam past the point and over the coral garden to Davies point and North rock on the final leg of what some consider an expedition and others see as a relaxed mornings swim.

Once around north rock our swimmers could “hug” the island for approximately 500 metres and then head west back to the starting point of the historic Collimore harbour.

Spurred on by our doe eyed, flippered audience it was a simple case of head down and kick for the final 500 metres back to the harbour wall.

On their return with smirks of personal achievement our aquine warriors checked in with the shore marshal and were relieved of their numbered tags. The swim is very much a an event rather than a competition the fastest time recorded was 43 minutes. The average was 90. A brief walk to the refreshments table and happy smiles were rewarded with hot drinks and fresh ham sambos.

Most stayed to talk and catch up with friends coming out of a winter hibernation and not seen since October. Tactics were discussed and times (some questionable) were compared.

With a final look back at the island our swimmers headed for home, some thinking about where they are going to do their first dive of 2014, some thinking about the next swim. All went home with a smile.

Thank you to all who participated representing 4 regions 18 clubs and 2 dive organisations. A special note of thanks to Wicklow SAC, Oceandivers.

Atlantis SAC, Curragh SAC for supplying support cover boats and cox’ns.

Making a splash. Photo: Andy Keegan.

Also of note were Marlin SAC, Atlantis SAC, for shore management, refreshments and support and all those who did the favours and “small jobs” that needed doing.

A total of €1050 was raised for the Dunlaoghaire RNLI And finally. for the Ann Burrows Prepetual trophy with highest percentage of club members attending, 3rd Place was tied between Trident SAC and Curragh SAC 2nd place was tied between Atlantis SAC and True Blue SAC. 1st place goes to........ Wicklow SAC. Next stop in Dublin is August and the Dublin regional dive weekend. We hope to see you all there.

Tiring work this Dalkey Island Swim!

Photo: Andy Keegan.

BRIEFINGS

Diving in the Blood, Three Generations of CFT Divers

By Jason Scoltock When my father Jack Scoltock (CFT number 160) joined the City of Derry diving club on 21st December 1970, I can’t imagine he would have thought that 44 years later that his son and grandson would also have become divers. He had been diving with the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club and with others prior to 1970 but that was when City of Derry moved from the BSAC to the CFT. He was one of team who found La Trinidad Valencera in Kinnagoe Bay in County Donegal in 1971.

He is well known by the diving community in the North West as he ran a dive shop, called Marine Sports, for 25 Years in Derry and it was there where I caught the diving bug. Well really I suppose it started before that, standing on the beach in Kinnagoe, watching the

Jack Scoltock.

diver’s excitement as they brought their many exciting finds to the surface.

I had my first dive with my father in a neoprene wetsuit which he had made me from a kit when I was 10 but didn’t join the City of Derry sub aqua club until I was 17 year old, on 16th October 1985. I completed my Club Diver (CFT Number 2264) on 5th October 1986 and continued to dive with the club in Ireland and around the world until 1995 when my twins were born. I sold my gear and bought a pram and thought that would be the end of my diving. To my delight when my son Jake was 10 year of age he expressed an interest in starting to dive. No doubt this interest

Jake & Jason Scoltock.

was prompted by mine and my father’s stories. I quickly bought some new gear from my father’s shop and took Jake on his first shallow dive in Culdaff Co. Donegal.

Jake Scoltock (CFT number 22792) joined the City of Derry sub aqua club on 1st September 2011 and completed his club diver on 29th December 2013; 43 years and seven days after his Grandfather joined the CFT. He is hoping to do Marine Biology with Professional studies next year after he completes his A Levels.

Gerry Deane Remembered The sudden death in October of Gerry Deane came as a great shock to his family and friends, and in particular to his buddies in Gráinne Uaile Sub Aqua Club.

A noted and experienced angler, Gerry (52) had a great love of nature and was a skilled ghilly and boatman. He knew every inch of all the great western lakes, where he fished for pleasure.

He devoted his time to instilling the art of angling in the younger generation. He regularly brought youngsters to participate in competitions on Loughs Carra, Mask and Conn as well as deepsea outings to Newport, Achill, Inishturk and Inishbofin.

Gerry from Knight’s Park, Castlebar, was predeceased by his father Willie (1980) and brother Brendan (1996) and just last May by his mother Bridie. In July he was the proud father of the bride as his daughter Rachel married Shane.

In 2007 he took up diving when Rachel became interested in the sport. He loved diving and as the years progressed he was more and more interested in seeing the fish in their natural surroundings, rather than catching them. He loved the outdoors and everything about nature but most of all he thrived in imparting that love to others.

Gerry is survived by his wife Theresa, daughter Rachael, son Mark, sister Annmarie, brother-in-law Gabriel and son-inlaw Shane.

As a club we wish to thank all who attempted to revive Gerry on that fateful day in Killary Harbour. The assistance and sensitivity shown by all on the day will forever stay in our

hearts. Nothing more could have been done. May God bring consolation to all his buddies and indeed to all who helped on the day.

On May 4th, Gerry’s ashes were scattered on Lough Corrib. It was close to his mother’s first anniversary and the start of the Mayfly, a time of year close to his heart. A huge turnout of family, friends, fishermen and dive buddies paid their final farewell to Gerry, the gentle giant. He shall always remain in our hearts.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Gráinne Uaile Sub Aqua Club

SubSea Summer 2014

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BRIEFINGS

Liam Miller, an Appreciation: 1959-2014 “Home is the sailor, home from the sea” Requiem, Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894 Liam Miller first made contact with the Underwater Archaeology Unit (UAU) in 2007. Liam was reporting that he and his diving colleagues (Oscar Duffy, Liam McAuley, Paudie Ward and Michael Early) had discovered a wreck in Rutland Harbour, Burtonport in Donegal. Liam was excited and eager to engage on this new discovery. The UAU, however, was then carrying out the excavation of the Drogheda Boat wreck in the River Boyne and was not in a position to head to the northwest to investigate the find. In fact, it was not until early 2008 that we were able to go to Burtonport to do a dive on the new wreck site. That was our first time meeting Liam, though in the intervening time we had liaised frequently via email.

It was obvious from that first meeting that Liam was genuinely interested in the archaeological significance of the discovery and intent on promoting it as part of the heritage of the Burtonport area. He was similarly keen to get some project going on the wreck site that would involve the local community, particularly the divers in the area and spoke frequently of his wish to see a centre developed that celebrated the maritime heritage of Rutland and Burtonport and that incorporated both local heritage display and actual diving activity. In the summer of 2008 the UAU liaised with Liam and his diving colleagues in surveying and recording the new wreck site and we discussed ways that they could extend the survey of the wider harbour area over the course of the coming winter months. No surprise, Liam and his diving buddies discovered a second wreck some 300m from the first. It is this wreck that became the focus of an intensive archaeological survey and excavation project from 2009 to 2013 by the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht.

Liam was at home on and in the water. A former US Naval officer who hailed from Newport, Rhode Island but

12 SubSea Summer 2014

Liam as we best remember him.

had family connections in Burtonport.

Liam was an accomplished sailor and equally experienced diver and was completing his PhD in underwater robotics from the University of Limerick. Liam never emerged from a dive without a smile on his face and the utterance of his distinctive laugh. He was a joy to dive with and had an innate ability to make you feel safe in the water.

He encouraged younger divers and relished tales of past dives with diving peers. He and his colleague and friend Oscar Duffy, were ever-willing and ever-present with their Inishfree Charters boats to assist with any needs that might arise. They often acted as maritime chauffeurs when visitors – both to the area and locals alike, wished to visit the Rutland Island Wreck project while it was underway, and they both did so with patience and a smile.

Liam’s sudden death in March has left us shocked, and his passing leaves a sad void now in our diving world, both professionally and personally.

When contemplating this loss and in discussion with archaeological colleagues from the Rutland Wreck team, we all recalled memories that were strikingly similar. Kindred voices tell of a man who was genuine in his endeavours, with no agendas, was modest but strong and in his quiet way a larger-than-life character, evergracious with his time, adventurous in spirit and eager to be part of all aspects of the dive project. He was a calming influence and considerate in all his actions but equally, he was a problem solver, an equipment-finder and, as a colleague put it, he made Donegal magical and made time stand still when we were diving off Rutland Island. He was a natural entertainer and he and his equally welcoming wife Moira, opened their home to us each year to mark the end of the dive project. Liam’s barbeques became stuff of legend and something we all looked forwarded to, becoming part and parcel of the Rutland Island Wreck Project. The evenings spent on Inishfree with Liam and Moira, his friends and colleagues from Burtonport and surrounding islands, not alone marked an enjoyable end to a successful project each year, but made us ‘outsiders’ feel welcome and part of the community that is Burtonport.

Liam’s generosity was again to the fore in May 2011 when one of the writers of this piece (FM) was on a sailing trip up the west coast of Ireland, the ultimate aim of which was to get to Iceland by following in the footsteps of St Brendan via Iona and the Faroes. I was one of the crew of Ar Seachrán, a 40’ converted racing yacht, under renowned skipper Paddy Barry, for the first leg of the journey. Having left Kerry on May 16th, the feast of St Brendan, we made it into the shelter of Burtonport on the third day and were happy to do so after a very rough crossing of Donegal Bay. Weather prevented us leaving as scheduled and Liam came to the rescue. He brought the whole crew out to Inishfree. and

BRIEFINGS again, shortly before Ar Seachrán sailed north some 8 days later, Liam and Moira had us over to their home for what was by all accounts a great night. As Ar Seachrán sailed north, thanks to Liam in particular the crew left Burtonport with fond memories and a real sense of connection to the place. One of the crew members was Danny Sheehy (Domhnall Mac Síthigh) who wrote a book on the voyage to Iceland and Liam’s generosity is fondly recalled in Danny’s account of Ar Seachrán’s stay in Burtonport .

Liam had a genuine interest in the underwater heritage. His enthusiasm, knowledge of the area and keen sense of what was needed to successfully and safely secure the dive site, including providing the necessary anchors in order to do so, as well as his genuine engagement with the archaeology, ensured that he became a driving force behind the work and a key member of the Rutland Island Wreck team. It is a simple fact that, without Liam’s input and genuine eagerness, the project would not have happened. Importantly, Liam was and remains a brilliant example of how it is possible for the recreational diving community and State archaeologists to successfully collaborate and to be mutually enriched by the relationships that can develop when we all work together toward a common goal. Liam, from the outset, sought such an approach and Liam’s legacy, from an archaeological

Liam as part of the Rutland Is. Wreck Project team, helping with environmental samples on the site.

perspective, is as a shining light in this regard.

Going back to Burtonport will never be the same. It was a better place when Liam was around. In essence, he was our main link to Donegal but through his energy and openness we forged other links that can, we are sure, be sustained into the future. We hope to continue our connections with the people of Burtonport, particularly the divers there so that the good work Liam had started can be carried on.

Liam was a dive colleague, but what began as a professional collaboration quickly became a

friendship. While we will fondly remember the dives we did together, the engrossing discussions at the end of each day, the barbeques on his island paradise, and importantly, the contribution Liam made to the Rutland Wreck project and to underwater heritage in Donegal, it is very sadly in the knowledge that Liam is and will continue to be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Connie Kelleher & Fionnbarr Moore Underwater Archaeology Unit Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

The late Noel Gleeson, Kilkee Sub Aqua Club

Doing what he loved best.

May he rest in Peace

Photo by courtesy of Tony Burke.

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Noted Irishmen

Lord Kelvin William Thomson, later to become Lord Kelvin, was born on 26 June 1824 in College Square East in Belfast. The location of his home was later to become the first cinema in Belfast and was appropriately called “The Kelvin”.

He was taught by his father, a professor of mathematics.

In 1832, the Thomson family moved to Glasgow where the young William attended Glasgow University from the age of 10. He subsequently studied in universities in Cambridge and Paris.

He was an excellent student, winning many academic prizes, and became an eminent physicist with a wide range of interests, and particularly fascinated by varying temperatures. He continued to study the nature of heat and is famous for devising the absolute temperature scale. He realised that it would be useful to be able to define extremely low temperatures precisely. In 1848, he proposed an absolute temperature scale, now called “The Kelvin Scale”.

Best remembered for his talent for theoretical mathematics, he also had a practical ability for solving problems. Thanks to his persistence and ingenuity, the first functioning telegraph cable was successfully installed under the Atlantic Ocean. His interest in the transmission of electricity prompted Kelvin’s appointment as Director of the Atlantic Telegraph Company in 1856.The company attempted to install a telegraph cable under the Atlantic Ocean but failed in 1857, 1858 and 1865. When it finally succeeded in 1866 Kelvin received a knighthood for his efforts in this project.

K

373.15K

100ºC

212ºF

310.15K

37ºC

98ºF

298.15K

25ºC

77ºF

273.15K

0ºC

32ºF

0K

-273.15ºC

-459.58ºF

Cº

Fº

Temperature scale conversions

14 SubSea Summer 2014

Lord Kelvin with his compass.

From 1870 onwards, Kelvin spent many summers on his yacht ‘Lalla Rookh’, his love of the sea being attributed to the time spent laying the transatlantic cable. He went on to invent several marine instruments to improve navigation and safety. He also made improvements to the accuracy of the mariner’s compass, and invented a machine to predict tide levels worldwide.

Kelvin had become an international celebrity and, in 1884, he travelled to the United States to give a series of lectures. These were enthusiastically received, and were published in 1904 as the Boiling ‘Baltimore Lectures’.

Point of water Kelvin became a Lord in 1892 and took the name Kelvin because of his Glasgow connections.

By the time of his death in 1907, he was widely respected and honoured.

Charles Law states that the volume of a given mass of an ideal gas is directly proportional to its Human body temperature on the absolute temperature scale in Temperature Kelvin, if pressure and the amount of gas remain Room constant; that is, the volume of the gas increases or Temperature decreases by the same factor as its temperature.

If the absolute temperature of a balloon filled with 2 litres of air at 1 bar is increased by 10 per Freezing Point of water cent, the volume of the balloon will expand by 10 per cent.

Absolute Zero However, if the volume remains constant (a high pressure cylinder, for example) while the absolute temperature increases by 10 per cent, the pressure will correspondingly increase.

And this is based on the Kelvin Scale. ◼

2014-2015 CFT executive Committee

Back Row: Gerry Hughes, Jean Kelleher, Tim Butter, Dearbhla Walsh, Martine McCarthy, Dermot Moynihan.

Front Row: Denny Lawlor, Mike Orth and Ray Furlong. Photo by Gearoid McCarthy.

The Executive Committee members were elected by the delegates at the CFT 2014 AGM held last March in Kilkenny. This committee will have the privilege of running CFT for the coming year. Here is a brief introduction to all members of the committee; however our newly elected President, National Diving Officer and Snorkeling Officer have given a short personal briefing.

President

Mike Orth, Limerick SAC I joined Limerick Sub Aqua Club as a raw trainee in 2006, and was delighted to uncover a hidden addiction to all things underwater. I found the club system was a highly rewarding route to getting involved. Not yet having practical skills to keep the equipment moving, or the experience earned to teach new trainees, I still wanted to give back to my club. I have a passion for bringing my love of the sport and the club itself to others so I accepted the call for Chairman. I was then given the opportunity to take the position of Vice President of CFT and I was lucky enough to have the privilege of

representing both Limerick SAC and CFT during their birthdays, two memberships that should be proud of how far they have come in 50 years. My goal as President is to reach every member, be it through the web or in person, and hopefully build on the community spirit that defines why the club way is the best way!

National diving Officer

Dermot Moynihan, Omega SAC Let me begin with some personal background. I am 47 years old, married to Maggie May for 22 years. I have two children of college age who live at home with us in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. I am a Mon*** with Omega SAC, Dublin North

Region, which I joined in 2004. Almost from the first year I have been involved as a committee member and have held every position, except Treasurer, for some reason, of which I’m not quite sure!

Omega SAC is a great Club with a fantastic balance of fun and quality diving.

I have spent the last three years as the Regional Diving Officer for the Dublin North Region ending my term in October 2013. I have enjoyed this time as RDO immensely, particularly helping to bring the Leading Diver and Mon* candidates through their courses to qualification. I have tried to pass on to these members the sense of community and support I have experienced on my path through the grades.

SubSea Summer 2014 15

CFT Executive In 2013 I was delighted to be elected to the executive as the National Snorkelling Officer. My ambition is to promote and develop the sport of snorkelling in Ireland, as a sport in its own right, and would love to hear if you have any ideas to help me achieved this.

I am here to represent you, the members, and if you have any ideas or snorkelling activities don’t be afraid to bring them forward.

The remaining Executive members are:

Treasurer

Ray Furlong. Hook SAC

Mike Orth presents a medal to outgoing NDO Martin Kiely.

Photo by Gearoid McCarthy.

The other area I want to identify as a diving highlight for me is attending and indeed hosting the Regional Diving Weekends. This is where CFT comes into its own and the “Power of the Clubs” is easily recognisable. The capability of the clubs’ members and the pride they have in their clubs and their dive sites is wonderful to see. I hope to attend all of the Regional Weekends this season if I can so please say hello if you see me!

During my time as the NDO I plan to improve the members experience within CFT and promote the interclub relationships which are a unique feature of our organisation.

Safe and great diving to you all.

National Snorkeling Officer Martine McCarthy, Pisces Snorkeling Club

I am an avid snorkeler; I have been Snorkeling since 2000 and qualified as a snorkel instructor. I would like to give you, the members, a brief insight to who I am and what I’d like to achieve for snorkeling in Ireland. Snorkeling is a passion of mine and I so love, what I call, my underwater garden. I started snorkeling with the “Snorkeling for Woman” programme that was run by CFT in the Finglas pool. As I enjoyed this programme so much I decided to get involved and progressed to assisting Theresa McGuinness in its running.

Eventually I started running my own show in Monaghan.

16 SubSea Summer 2014

Ray has been looking after our finances for the last two years. Under his watchful eye Ray has managed to turn the books around and last year saw us back in the black. This is a huge achievement for our organizations in the current economic climate.

honorary Secretary

Mike Orth presents a medal to outgoing President, Richard Thorn.

Photo by Gearoid McCarthy.

Public relations Officer

Dearbhla Walsh, Hook SAC

This is Gerry’s first term as secretary of CFT and he brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his previous experience of Secretary in his Golf Club members.

This is Dearbhla’s first term as Public Relations Officer. She has been PRO for her own club in recent times and her main ambition is to promote CFT to the widest possible audience and hopefully reverse the recent trend of declining numbers.

Denny Lawlor, Hook SAC

Publications Officer

Gerry Hughes, Alpha Dive

Vice President

After two years as Editor of Subsea, Denny has taken over this important role. Denny is a founder member of Hook SAC and has been diving over thirty years. As VP he will be responsible for the Strategic Plan and will look after CFT Insurance amongst a vast array of other duties.

Scientific Officer

Jean Kelleher, Curragh SAC Jean has spent the last three years as Secretary of CFT and is delighted to be taking on the role of Publications Officer. Her ambition is to continue to produce top quality publications for CFT and in particular collate wide ranging articles for your information and enjoyment in Subsea.

Tim Butter, Cork SAC

Children’s Officer

Tim Butter is a marine biologist with both a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in environmental engineering. He has over 20 years’ experience as a professional scientist. This is Tim’s second year in this role where he looks after Seasearch Ireland, has introduced us to a new biodiversity recording website, has organised an Underwater archaeology seminar and is working tirelessly on our behalf on marine environmental issues.

If there are any environmental issues that arise that you feel are pertinent to us as divers contact Tim.

Fidelma Carroll stepped down from this very important role at the AGM as her maximum term in the role was complete. CFT is now looking for someone to fill this role so if you or anyone you know is interested in taking up this position please contact Mike Orth to express your interest.

Working as part of the executive is a rewarding and fulfilling experience and ensuring the safety of children in the sport is vital for continued success of CFT. ◼

Currently Vacant

SS Lochgarry at Lancefield Quay Glasgow. Photo: Colin Campbell and the Burns and Laird Archives.

The first time I dived the wreck of the SS Lochgarry it was a hot day in June and I was sweating in my dry suit as I waited for the skipper to give us the signal to roll in. There were six of us diving the wreck. I was last in when we finally got the signal to go. You could still feel the run of the tide as I swam to the shot. By the time I reached the line the buoy was under water with the weight of the tide coupled with the weight of five divers already holding on to it. I had been told previously about the strong currents that surround the wreck and I was getting first-hand experience of the same. I descended down the line and got my first glimpse of the SS Lochgarry.

The start of the story of the SS Lochgarry:

G and J Burns Ltd1

George and James Burns were produce merchants. They became involved in shipping around 1824. The routes between Glasgow to Ayr and Belfast to Liverpool were prominent routes for the company for many years.

SS Vulture

In the late 1890s G and J Burns Ltd ordered two steam ships to be built by A&J Inglis.2 A & J Inglis were 1 2

shipbuilders founded in 1862 after the acquisition of a shipyard at Pointhouse, Glasgow. The firm built more than 500 ships in just over 100 years.

The two steam ships ordered by G and J Burns Ltd were launched in 1898, and when completed were 1280gt and 265 feet long. The ships were christened “Magpie” and “Vulture”.

Some unusual design features of the time were that Magpie and Vulture’s passenger accommodation was placed amidships and a dining saloon was located in a deckhouse on the poop.

Another unusual feature was that both ships were given fidded masts. This

allowed the top mast to be lowered in the event that either ship needed to navigate the Manchester Canal.

Vulture was used mainly on the Glasgow to Belfast and Ardrossan to Belfast routes for much of her career, eventually being replaced. During the first World War Vulture was taken off her normal routes and used on the Aberdeen to Bergen route.

SS Lairdsrock

In 1922 G and J Burns Ltd amalgamated with Laird Lines to form the company Burns and Laird Lines Ltd. G and J

Colin Campbell and Roy Fenton (1999) Burns and Laird.

A. & J.Inglis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._%26_J._Inglis) Accessed 02 Aug 2012

SubSea Summer 2014 17

SS Lochgarry Transport which required her to sail between Douglas, Ramsey, Barrow in Furness and Liverpool. She then sailed to Reykjavik in Iceland before returning to England.

After this the Lochgarry was employed as a troop ship and made several trips between Leith and Torshavn in the Faroe Islands surviving an air attack on the 17th of September.

The rest of 1941 saw her sailing between Oban and Torshavn and surviving yet another air attack on Christmas day of that year.

Final Voyage4, 5

Lairdsrock Leaving Broomielaw. Photo: Colin Campbell and the Burns and Laird Archives.

Burns Ltd at this time brought 15 ships into the new company one of which was Vulture. By 1924 Vulture was over 25 years old and due for a refit. She was upgraded by the Scottish ship builders D and W Henderson who at the time were under the management of Harland and Wolff. They fitted new boilers and modified her accommodation. In May of 1929 all 15 ships in the Burns and Laird Fleet were renamed. As part of the rename all ships were given the prefix Lairds-. The Vulture was renamed the SS Lairdsrock. It is believed that between the end of the first World War and 1936 that Vulture/Lairdsrock continued to sail between Ardrossan and Belfast.

SS Lochgarry

In 1936 Burns and Laird Lines Ltd took delivery of the two modern motor ferries, the Royal Scotsman and the Royal Ulsterman. The Ardrossan to Belfast night sailings were discontinued and the Lairdsrock became redundant.

The Lairdsrock was chartered and eventually sold to David MacBrayne Ltd who renamed her SS Lochgarry in 1937. She became the largest member of the David MacBrayne Ltd fleet.

The Lochgarry was extensively refitted with new accommodation and a new funnel, before becoming a West Highland Cruiser. She cruised around scenic parts of the west coast of 3

Scotland including: The Arran and Islay islands; Durat Castle; Lochness; Oban; and Tober Moray as well as offering views of some of the tallest Munros.

World War23

On the 24th of April 1940 the Lochgarry was requisitioned by the government. She had been laid up at the time of requisitioning possibly due to not being used as a cruise ship during the winter months. She sailed to the south to England where she was chartered as a troop ship bringing troops to and from France. She took part in Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk during the period May to June 1940.

Shortly after departing from Dunkirk on the 29th of May she was attacked and damaged by enemy bombs which also holed her Royal Navy escort.

Despite this she returned to England safely with over 1000 troops on board.

From England the Lochgarry returned to Scotland and was released from Admiralty work on the 12th of June 1940. She entered dry dock for repairs at Ardrossan in mid-June and then returned to Greenock in late June where she remained laid up for the rest of the year. She operated under charter for the Admiralty for a total of 50 days.

In January 1941 she began a second charter for the Ministry of War

Ian McCrorie and the Caledonian MacBrayne Archives Colin Campbell and Roy Fenton (1999) Burns and Laird.

5 A. & J.Inglis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._%26_J._Inglis) Accessed 02 Aug 2012 4

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Departing from Torshavn on 1st of January 1942 the Lochgarry sailed to Glasgow via Oban. She left Glasgow on the afternoon of the 20th of January for Oban to pick up a group of Soldiers bound for the Faroe Islands. She was in ballast with a crew of 49 hands and one passenger.

As the evening wore on the weather turned, the wind increased to a moderate gale and visibility was poor with periods of rain and snow. At 10:15pm that evening a course was set for the Mull of Kintyre, the weather remained poor with gale force winds and limited visibility. The ship

SS Lochgarry brochure for Highland Cruises from the late 1930s. Photo: Ian McCrorie and the Caledonian MacBrayne Archives.

SS Lochgarry

A diver entering the forward hold. The chain placed there by the Royal Navy is clearly visible. Photo by and © Damian Joyce.

continued at full speed and the Mull of Kintyre light was expected to be seen around midnight. No light was spotted and at 12:25am the Lochgarry struck rocks. The master thought that this was the Mull of Kintyre but it turned out to be the rocks off Torr point.

The master ordered the engines full astern and the Lochgarry refloated herself at 12:35am. The engines were then reduced to slow astern and her stern turned into the wind. The master ordered some of the crew to shore up the watertight bulkhead in the forward hold, whilst others were ordered to make lifeboats ready to abandon ship.

Distress rockets were sent out at intervals. An SOS was sent out and a reply received. Unfortunately as the master had believed their position to be the Mull of Kintyre incorrect information was sent regarding the ships position and the rescue tug never appeared. Around 2:40am a signal lamp was spotted on the shore flashing the letter U. The signal represented the fact that the ship was running into danger. The master turned the bow into the wind and the Lochgarry began to take on water rapidly and the order to abandon ship was given between 3 and 4am.

The two after lifeboats were lowered and the crew made their way away from the ship. The master and chief engineer stayed on board until 5:30 am when they then left the vessel in another lifeboat. The Master and Chief Engineer arrived on Rathlin Island around 6:30am. They found 25 of the ship’s crew there, however 23 of the crew were missing. It eventually transpired that the lifeboat containing the 23 missing crew members had

Divers at the bow. Note the damage caused by the grounding to the bow. Photo by and © Damian Joyce.

been swept north and struck the only offshore rock on Rathlin Island’s east side. The life boat capsized drowning some of its occupants. The crew members that made it ashore, subsequently died as a result of exposure and injuries they suffered on hitting the rocks whilst trying to reach shore. The Rathlin coast guide organised search parties after seeing the distress rockets. All survivors were accounted for by the morning of the 21st of January.

A board of Inquiry to investigate the sinking of the Lochgarry was conducted in the County Building in Glasgow between the 1st and 4th of September 1942. At the end of the inquiry the court found that “The loss was probably due to an abnormal set towards the Irish coast owing to a moderate S.E. gale, occurring during darkness and in poor visibility owing to frequent snow and rain squalls, but was also contributed to by the default of the master.”5 It was recommended by the court that the master’s certificate “should not be dealt with”5 that is taken from him but he should be severely reprimanded due to his failure to sight the Mull of Kintyre. Failure to sight the Mull of Kintyre should have caused the Master to take precautionary measures.

The Wreck

The wreck today sits upright on the sea bed off the Coast of Rathlin Island in approximately 32 meters. It is largely intact though the stern section has started to collapse. The wreck is usually buoyed, when I last dived the wreck the shot was attached to the

port railings around midships.

There are several recognisable features on the wreck. Some wood decking plates have survived and there are several bollards still in place. One of the most discernible features is the black and white tiles on the deck. This was once a bathroom floor, the walls and ceiling have rotted away to revel the tiles, some pieces of porcelain from toilets and sinks can be seen nearby.

The engine room is open and the triple expansion engine is exposed. Coming forward on the wreck it is possible to see into the forward Hold, the width of the hold is covered with heavy chain placed there by the Royal Navy in an attempt to stop anyone obtaining the rifles, grenades and munitions stored in the hold.

Forward on from the hold the back of the forecastle is open and access is easy with natural light penetrating from above and the sides.

A trip to the bow of the wreck clearly shows the damaged inflicted from the impact with the rocks off Torr Point.

The Lochgarry is one of the most popular recreational wrecks in Ireland.

It rests in a very tidal area and should only be dived at slack tide. At the height of the dive season it is usual for the site to be extremely busy. On a recent dive Dr E. Bourke diver and Shipwreck Historian recovered a gasmask hose that would have been carried by one of the many soldiers that the Lochgarry transported.

Special Thanks to Dr Edward Bourke, Damian Joyce, Colin Campbell, Ian McCroie and Mick O’Rourke for all their help and advice. ◼ SubSea Summer 2014 19

CFT Members on the move Every year hundreds of CFT divers take advantage of the bank holiday weekends and up sticks, put their boats on trailers, put their compressors into cars, vans or trailers and travel to far flung locations in Ireland. On these weekends they get a chance to dive different dive sites than their usual ones and local divers are always more than generous, sharing their knowledge with the visitors, advising of the best local dive sites and advising the best times to dive. Here is just a small sample of the clubs on the move. It is diving these, sometimes very remote, locations and meeting divers from other clubs, exchanging knowledge and having fun that makes diving within a CFT club so rewarding.

Almost 80 divers attend the brief at the South West Regional Weekend organised by Inbher Sceine May 17th 2014

Atlantis Divers relax in Rathlin.

Photo by Andy Keegan.

Limerick SAC having lunch in Kilkee.

Photo by Mike Orth.

Atlantis Diver Wreck diving on Melmore Head Co. Donegal. Photo by Andy Keegan.

Sea Urchins in Mayo.

Photo by and ©Thomas Moore Jnr. Passing Showers – UCDSAC divers in Kilkee.

Galway SAC Divers at the Stags Of Broadhaven.

Photo by and ©Thomas Moore Jnr.

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Members of Curragh SAC at Rosroe Pier. Photo by Niell Bannon.

Dive Brief Killary. Photo by Niell Bannon.

Alpha Dive Club in Malin Beg. Photo by Enda Daly.

Garda SAC Divers in the water at Killary Fjord.

Omega diver returns to boat – Killala Easter 2014. Photo by Dermot Moynihan.

Post Dive pint – Omega Divers in Killala.

Photo by Dermot Moynihan.

Galway diver finds a conger in Mayo.

Photo by and ©Thomas Moore Jnr.

Cork SAC Returning to Oysterhaven from an evening dive off Kinsale Head, May 2014.

Stags of Broadhaven May Bank Holiday. Photo by and ©Thomas Moore Jnr.

Curragh Divers with guests Richard and Suzanne Thorn, return from a dive on Dun Briste. Photo by Niall Stapleton.

Three Clubs, Blue Water, Curragh and Grainne Uaile in Kilcummin Harbour.

SubSea Summer 2014 21

Safe use of your compressor The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 [S.I.445 of 2012] address the use and in-service inspection of pressure systems in the context of occupational safety.

Pressure equipment used for diving operations is exempt from these regulations. Cylinder charging stations which are part of a voluntary activity are not covered by occupational safety legislation.

The design and manufacture of cylinders for diving apparatus is subject to the Pressure Equipment Directive which suppliers of cylinders need to take into account.

Notwithstanding the above, it is important that you understand the safe use of your compressor.

Siting a Compressor

There are a few points associated with siting a compressor: 1. Site on level ground away from crowds and other non-divers.

2. Find a sufficiently large area for free air access and bottle storage.

3. The engine exhaust must face down-wind and the compressor air intake must be upwind, at least 2m high. Beware of the effects of walls, buildings and other obstacles on wind flow and direction.

4. Beware of car exhausts and central heating boilers etc.

5. Do not immerse the cylinder in a tank of cold water as this causes condensation to form on the inside of the cylinder, thus increasing the risk of rust build up.

6. Regularly check wind direction.

Operation of a Compressor

On no account must an attempt be made to start a compressor without first checking that there is sufficient oil in its sump. If oil is required, then only suitable compressor grade oil may be used, check the manufacturers’ specification for the recommended oil.

It is of equal importance to check the oil level of the motor engine, the oil

22 SubSea Summer 2014

Photo © Choucashoot / Dollar Photo Club.

here is typically motor oil, however check the manufacturers’ specification for the recommended oil Always check that the final stage filter cartridge is within its “hours”. If in doubt change it.

Assuming the compressor and motor are oiled-up and ready to go, use the following guidelines 1. Ensure that the motor fuel tank is full.

2. When topping up fuel, ensure that motor is stopped, turned off and cooled down. Re-fuelling while the motor is hot or running can cause fire.

3. Before starting engine (or motor) open all stopcocks, to help reduce the starting load.

4. Run the compressor until the pressure relief valve blows off and check that the gauge pressure is not excessive.

5. Allow the pressure to build in the compressor before opening the pillar valve on the cylinder. When the pressure in the compressor exceeds the cylinder pressure, open the pillar valve slowly and allow them to equalise slowly.

6. Before connecting any cylinder, check that it’s V.I.P. and hydro are in date.

7. Fill a cylinder only to its working pressure.

8. At regular intervals during operation (typically 10-15 mins.), drain the inter-stage water/oil separators. This avoids overloading the cartridge filter.

9. If a leak occurs, turn off the compressor, relieve the pressure before tightening nuts, unions or

filters and retest before resuming filling. Never use an oil based lubricant on pressurised components (including WD40).

10. Keep an accurate log of the compressor’s running time, to facilitate maintenance.

11. Wear ear protection when operating a compressor for extended periods.

maintenance

Regular maintenance of any compressor is very important. Daily checks should be made when on an expedition. Using the log as a guide, oil and filter changes should be carried out on time. The following should be observed: 1. Read the manufacturer’s instructions, and follow them.

2. Drain sump oil and refill only with a suitable compressor grade oil (as recommended by the manufacturer).

3. Replace filter chemicals or cartridge according to manufacturer’s recommendations (generally 20 running hours).

4. Check all nuts, unions and screws for tightness and wear, replace where necessary.

5. Check V belt for tightness and wear, replace if necessary.

6. Do not forget the donkey engine, which also requires regular servicing.

7. No unskilled person must ever attempt to dismantle a compressor. If any internal repairs are necessary, then it must be returned to a suitably qualified service agent.

CFT Insurance – Are you covered?

Have you your Three Green Ticks? Has CFT received your registration fee?

Most of us are aware that our dive insurance is included in our CFT registration fee which your club treasurer pays on your behalf each year out of your club fees. This insurance is valid for everyone once you dive within CFT rules and regulations, have your Three Green Ticks on COMS and have a membership status of CURRENT. What are the three green ticks?

Tick 1 Water Fitness Test – This is the fitness test that you do at the start of the season to ensure that you are physically fit enough to dive. You do this test either in the pool or in open water and your diving officer will sign you off and update this tick on COMS. Until this test is done each year you are not insured to dive Tick 2 Fitness to dive form – This is the medical disclaimer form that you fill in online on COMS. You are the one who fills this in. If there are any medical issues that need to be cleared with the medical commission this will be Pending until it is cleared. While this is pending you are not insured to dive.

Tick 3 Medical Assessment – This is your dive medical that you must do, depending on age. Your first medical is due on joining CFT. After the age of 35 you need a medical every 3 years and after the age of 55 you need an annual medical.

If your medical expires during the diving season, your green tick will turn into a Red X and you are NOT insured until you do pass your next medical. When you have completed the medical you must get your doctor to stamp your Log Book and then notify your D.O. that the test was done and show him/her the doctor’s stamp. Your D.O. will update your record in COMS and your medical assessment status will go green.

Is your membership Status CURRENT? Has CFT received your registration fee?

When you pay your club fee to your

treasurer, he/she will update your status to state that they have received your payment. Your membership status will be Pending. However, the treasurer may wait until a number of people pay before transferring the money to CFT (this could be to keep bank charges down).

You will not be insured until CFT actually receives payment from the treasurer. Please pay your club fee in time to let the payment get to CFT before you intend to start diving.

Your treasurer and D.O. are volunteers and do not always have the time to update each member’s status the minute they are informed of an updated medical, a completed water fitness test or a fee payment. It may take a few days for the status to be updated and during this time you are not insured. It is your own responsibility to ensure you are covered.

If there are any delays within your club, just contact the CFT office and help with be at hand.

Who is responsible to make sure you are properly insured? YOU ARE !

Please check COMS before you go diving, particularly at the start of each season and after you have done a new medical. Double check your medical status after you have completed the medical to ensure COMS is up to date.

One or more Red X and Status Current – You are not Insured to dive Three Green ticks and Status Pending You are not Insured to dive Three Green ticks and Status Current – You are insured to dive

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 SubSea Summer 2014 23

mayor of Wexford dons chains underwater Text and Pictures

by Ivan donoghue

Mayor of Wexford Cllr. George Lawlor wearing his chains of office in Wexford swimming pool.

Less than two kilometres from where the Guinness Book of World Records originated, Cllr George Lawlor may have set his own Irish record by becoming the first mayor to don the chains of office underwater. I say may because I know Irish dive clubs are always ahead of the game, so if he is not the first mayor underwater, then apologies.

In his official capacity, George was launching the annual pool training for Wexford Sub Aqua Club.

Wexford is a town with a strong maritime history and where the people have a love for the sea. It was, therefore, fitting that the ceremonial chains would eventually make their way from terra firma to the weightless world underwater.

It was not George’s first encounter with the sea as he is an active member of Wexford MarineWatch, an organisation dedicated to preventing loss of life on Wexford quay front.

The idea for the try-a-dive came about during the donation of a fundraising cheque from the club to Wexford MarineWatch. In the lashing rain, dive club chairman Ivan Donoghue jokingly spoke with George about how he would be drier at one of the club’s pool sessions. The momentum grew from there.

24 SubSea Summer 2014

The scuba dive took place in Wexford Swimming pool in January.

George was given his safety briefing and introduced to the scuba equipment by club Instructor Brian Martin.

After an initial acclimatisation in the shallows, the dive team brought George down to the deep end where while wearing his chains, he cut the ribbon to declare the scuba training session open.

Of course, the golden chains had to be matched by the diving equivalent – the golden Scubapro Mk 25 regulator.

Won as a prize at the CFT 50th anniversary (donated by Great Outdoors), the regulator has now found its niche supplying air on demand to the

powerful of society.

Afterward George said: “As soon as I hit the water, the chains felt lighter. I was told that this was due to the buoyancy of the water. It was a real thrill and I didn’t expect breathing from the regulator to be so easy. I appreciate the work that the sub aqua club has done over the years and it is a pleasure for me to open their annual pool training.”

After the opening, one of the club founders, Denis Martin, presented George with a small pin of the Hook Lighthouse, a popular dive spot in Co Wexford. The club has promised to take George out for a snorkel with the seals later in the summer. ◼

The Mayor with members of Wexford Sub Aqua Club.

Recording our Marine Biodiversity

DIVING HOLIDAYS IN EL HIERRO AUTUMN BOOKINGS COMING IN ALREADY !

DON´T PUT IT ON THE LONG FINGER !

DISCOUNT OFFER WITH THIS SUBSEA ADVERT !

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. * Early decisions mean cheaper flights (Ryanair are quoting €219 return for Oct/ Nov at present; that is good value!)

Tim Butter CFT Scientific Officer Don't forget that photos taken during a dive can be great for recording observations. This picture, taken off the Old Head of Kinsale, wouldn't win any prizes but a wide variety of anemones, corals and other animals are clearly recognisable. Ideal for entering data at home in the evening after a dive!

In order to protect our natural world, it is vital that we know what we have to protect! This can only be done by making the effort to record the plants, animals and habitats we see around us. Whilst this may be very easy on land, it is much more difficult in the sea! But now help is at hand for those of us who want to contribute to the greater knowledge of our marine life.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre, the central point in Ireland for all biological records, has recently launched an online form for recording observations of marine life. The Irish Marine Survey can be accessed at http://records.biodiversityireland.ie The Irish Marine Survey is an open, free resource for all divers, snorkellers and seashore explorers. The amount of required information is minimal, although date and location (including grid reference) are essential as are your contact details. Most other data fields are optional but the more information you have the better.

At the bottom of the form is a space to enter the species name. As you start to type in the name, options will appear in a drop down window and you can click on the one you want.

Many common names are accepted, although some are not, but all scientific names are held on the database. If you have more than one species to enter, click on the green “+” sign to the right of the species selection box and another box will appear. When you have entered all the species from the site, simply click on the “Save Record” button.

Our knowledge of the distribution of many marine species has been obtained largely from scuba diving records. But there is still much that we don’t know, even for common and familiar species, so every record is valuable.

This resource will prove to be an excellent option for those who wish to record the animals and plants they see on a dive or when snorkelling in an easy and hassle-free way. So please give it a go and record that conger eel or lobster you see on your next dive!

Don’t forget that photos taken during a dive can be great for recording observations. This picture, taken off the Old Head of Kinsale, wouldn’t win any prizes but a wide variety of anemones, corals and other animals are clearly recognisable. Ideal for entering data at home in the evening after a dive!

Tim Butter Scientific Officer

EL HIERRO 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 stone walls like Connemara, 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 whatsoever! 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 8-seater Toyotas, a 5-seater Mercedes and a 4-seater Mercedes, parked beneath the apartments, overlooking the harbour. 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 Europe. 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 drop-offs, 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.

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 "supermmarcado" 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. After 140 groups over the last 14 years the Irish are favoured friends and part of the fabric of this welcoming village.

AUTUMN DEPARTURES Departures are THURSDAYS to avail of Ryanair (October) and Aer Lingus (November) early morning Tenerife flights from Dublin which enable us to connect with the new evening fast ferry service to El Hierro. 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).

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) 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.

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

Shane Gray Diving & Walking Holidays sdwtenerife@gmail.com www.shane-gray.com

SubSea Summer 2014 25

DCI L A I DEN

By heike Weichert

I have always considered myself to be a very safe diver, one who adheres to the rules and recommendations for safe diving. I dive within the limits of my computer and always ascend at the correct rate. However, I often found myself feeling extremely tired and weak after a day’s diving, and would feel so lethargic and unable to move that I would sleep for a few hours in my car before driving home. Along with my extreme tiredness I also experienced piercing headaches, and felt generally unwell. I didn’t want to associate these symptoms with DCI so I simply put it all down to dehydration, or any other excuse I could think of.

Skin Bend similar to Heike’s.

26 SubSea Summer 2014

After a while, it became the norm for me to feel like this after a dive. I just thought that there must be something different about me. I just didn’t want to believe that my symptoms could be symptoms of decompression illness (DCI).

One day, after a perfectly safe and uneventful dive, I suddenly felt an intense burning on my upper back. I got out of my drysuit and joined my dive buddies in the pub. I checked my back in the bathroom mirror and saw irregular red patches on my upper back and left shoulder, in the area where I was experiencing the severe burning sensation. I explained this to some of my fellow divers, but they just laughed and shrugged it off. They said that it must be drysuit squeeze. I was so embarrassed at my own apparent stupidity that I went home, and was upset that my fellow divers did not take me seriously. Eventually, the symptoms of what I later learned to be a skin bend went away.

I had six more skin bends after further dives. I thought to myself “if I ignore it, it will go away”, and each time, the skin bend went away. I would occasionally approach another diver and ask advice, but the general attitude was that I should wait and see if it goes away. There seemed to be a general a lack of knowledge about what a skin bend was – or looked like. I didn’t want to press the issue, or cause the other divers the effort and inconvenience of managing a diving incident.

The skin bends came with increasing frequency. On one occasion, I was having a drink in the pub on a Friday night after a diving expedition.

The following morning, I still felt rough and sick, but put this down to the alcohol and exhaustion from a week of diving. When I woke up on the Sunday morning, I was unable to write properly and clearly had coordination problems. Having delayed so long, I was now too embarrassed to call anyone for help. I just suffered through it and hoped it would go away. And, again, it eventually did.

One day, after I had been diving on the City of Waterford wreck near Brighton, it all came to a head. I was filling cylinders with another diver when I felt the now familiar burning sensation. But this time I started experiencing visual disturbances –

DCI Denial colourful, fast moving zigzag patterns and tunnel vision, and I had a really strong headache. My buddy saw that there was something seriously wrong and called the chamber. I was then taken by ambulance to the nearest hyperbaric facility. There they discovered that I also had some impaired co-ordination and balance problems, and I was diagnosed with neurological, constitutional and cutaneous decompression illness. I was recompressed therapeutically, during which I had an oxygen convulsion.

Luckily, I made a full recovery and I was subsequently given the all clear to dive.

A short time later, by chance, I was talking to an anaesthetist I knew, and told him about my episodes of decompression illness and explained about the skin bends and headaches.

He said that I should get tested to see if I had a patent foramen ovale (PFO) because, after listening to me, he was quite certain that I did. A PFO is a hole in the heart between the two upper chambers. A quarter of the population have a PFO, but in most people the hole is so tiny that they will have no ill effects. However, a large hole means a predisposition to decompression sickness. Only a very small percentage of people have a large PFO, but it turned out that I was one of them.

My cardiologist, Dr Wilmshurst, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, told me that a skin bend in combination with a migraine aura almost certainly occurs because of the presence of a PFO. I was given three options. I could stop diving; dive within very conservative limits; or have surgery to close the hole. I chose the surgery, which was successful. A few months later I got the all clear and, thankfully, I can dive again, but I’ll never ignore any symptoms, even if I‘ve done nothing ‘wrong’ on my dive.

Looking back, I was lucky; I could be paraplegic now, or dead. Diver denial is very dangerous. Just hoping that things will go away can lead to serious injury.

The lesson I’ve learned from all of this is that you can get DCI even when your dive profile is safe and your computer has no warnings. If you have a symptom after a dive, even a minor one, don’t just hope that it will go away. Get professional advice from a doctor, preferably one with knowledge of DCI. There are many reasons for a seemingly unexplained bend; for

White area of bubbles indicate a large PFO, image taken before closure.

Photo after closure, no bubbles visible in the left atrium.

example dehydration, fatigue, overexertion etc. Be alert, but do not panic, apparent symptoms are not always related to DCI. My own symptoms were very intense; unusually extreme tiredness, really piercing headaches, strong burning sensations in the skin bend areas, and general feelings of sickness, similar to seasickness although I did not experience nausea.

If you see a diver with symptoms, particularly an experienced diver, never assume that they won’t be in denial. If

they try to shrug it off, be diligent.

Don’t ignore the symptoms, activate emergency procedures. Often, the casualty doesn’t want to cause a fuss, be a trouble to anyone, or stop the group having their next dive. But no dive is worth anyone’s health.

I am certain that there are many divers out there, including experienced divers, who live in denial. However, a serious hit can always happen, and once you’re in a wheelchair, or a coffin, it is too late. Be aware of the danger of DCI denial. ◼ SubSea Summer 2014 27

Great hammerhead sh

By Julie

Certain creatures fascinate us. We can spend a lifet we will encounter these near-mythical animals. Lik escape our sight. If by faith our paths fina

The Great Hammerhead is usually found near the bottom, except 28 SubSea Summer 2014

hark – in the spotlight Ouimet

time searching, hoping and dreaming that one day ke ghosts, they will haunt us as they seem to always ally cross, we will be forever transformed.

t when it flees with a mouthful of fish. Photo by: Michel Labrecque.

SubSea Summer 2014 29

Hammerheads

When it finds something, the Great Hammerhead buries its lower jaw in the sand and scoops up its prey. Photo by: Michel Labrecque.

In January 2013, we departed for Bimini, a chain of small Bahamian islands located only 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of Miami, Florida. Our purpose was very specific. We were hoping to first locate and then get images of a rare shark, the great

hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran).

Our travels begin in the Florida Keys. To reach our destination, the 61foot vessel on which we are travelling will have to navigate the mighty Gulf Stream. It has a bad reputation amongst mariners and we quickly

The purpose of this expedition was to document the then elusive Great Hammerhead Shark.

Photo by: Michel Labrecque.

30 SubSea Summer 2014

understand why so many are apprehensive of it. Our crossing is rough as we spend most of the night being shaken in our bunks. By early morning, almost everyone on board, including our seasoned crew, is feeling seasick. We are thrilled to be greeted by calm Bahamian waters later that afternoon. The islands of Bimini are the westernmost ones of the Bahamas, and there are two main islands, North and South Bimini. Famous for its world-class game fishing grounds, Bimini was frequently visited by Ernest Hemmingway and Martin Luther King.

With a total area of only 23 square kilometres, Bimini has so far managed to avoid being overrun by tourists. It still has its island charms and is in sharp contrast with the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahamas with their mega hotel complexes, casinos and luxurious marinas. Mangroves occupy a large portion of Bimini’s territory. This would explain its impressive biodiversity. This is true on land as well as underwater. The mangroves act as nurseries for many species of tropical fish. Numerous

Hammerheads

The Hammerhead circles a small wreck,maybe hoping to find a stingray hidden in the sand. Photo by: Michel Labrecque.

shark species also live in the coastal waters of Bimini. The presence of lemon sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks and the elusive great hammerhead have transformed these islands into prized locations for sharks researchers and enthusiasts alike.

Increasingly rare but far from timid Once plentiful in our oceans, great hammerheads today are in peril. Their numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate. They have been classified as “In Danger” by the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) and are now on its red list. Overfishing and shark finning threaten this species.

Sadly, one of its most distinctive features, its impressive dorsal fin, has made it a prized catch. Moreover, the great hammerhead has a poor bycatch survival rate. Together, these factors have contributed to dramatic population declines. Few studies have been conducted on the great hammerhead. We know very little about them. They eluded researchers,

divers, photographers and videographers for many years until recent and consistent reports of sightings in Bimini emerged.

The islands offer an extraordinary opportunity for those dreaming of laying their eyes and lenses on the great hammerhead shark. Clear and shallow waters are an added bonus and make for better observation conditions, not to mention the pleasant water temperatures that range from 24º to 30º Celsius.

The great hammerhead is known to come up from deeper waters to hunt along shallow sandy coastal bottoms. In Bimini, typical observations have consistently been in the 12 metre depth range. This delights divers looking for a 60-minute dive. Perfect conditions one might immediately think, but this is far from true for anyone submerging with a camera in hand.

Great hammerheads are thought to make their way to the sand patches of Bimini from January to March. At this time of year, the amount of daylight is short. Sightings usually occur during the afternoon, when the sun is making

its way towards the horizon. This makes for limited ambient daylight at depth and darker shooting conditions.

The bottom composition also complicates matters. The very fine sand that characterizes the sighting area is displaced with the slightest movement. Even when perfectly still, divers will have to deal with the sand storm that usually follows the passage of a great hammerhead as it skims the bottom, pectoral fins often sweeping the sand. Photographers are left to deal with a veil of particles that is slow to set. To get the perfect shot, good technique and patience become imperative in such challenging conditions.

Fortunately, great hammerheads are not easily intimidated. As opposed to their cousins, the scalloped hammerheads, they seem unimpressed by the bubbles divers exhaust. They approach with little if no hesitation and often graze camera domes and even divers. Thought to grow to lengths of up to 6 metres, these big sharks will easily fill a frame. Wide-angles lenses are a must.

SubSea Summer 2014 31

Hammerheads

Great Hammerhead Shark and diver. Photo by: Michel Labrecque.

During the first few months of 2013, great hammerheads were encountered in the area. Most consider this a first, which has prompted divers to flock to Bimini. The number of sharks and their willingness to approach divers, even at night, has convinced many photographers to add Bimini to their agenda. Enthusiasm is growing and many were impatiently awaiting the start of the 2014 season to submerge with these giants.

head and teeth mere inches from your legs. More experienced divers will be conscious to avoid sudden and untimely movements and have sufficient knowledge to know that at times, it is best to abort a dive.

Responsible and respectful practices should always be followed to ensure that these close interactions are unthreatening to divers and to sharks.

In such a context, divers become truly privileged and are offered a unique glance into this mystical shark’s universe.

Good diving etiquette To fully appreciate this type of interaction, experience of diving with larger sharks outside of a cage is a must. The same can be said about having prior experience in diving with sharks in baited situations. When bait is involved, sharks will have a tendency to come in much closer to divers.

Being able to recognize the signs of agitation as opposed to defensive behaviour is essential. Divers should, of course, be aware that there are inherent risks that accompany interacting with any type of wild animal. Great hammerheads skim the bottom while searching for food and it can be unnerving to have such a large

32 SubSea Summer 2014

The future for this island paradise With Bimini’s increasing popularity, many fear for the future of the islands.

Development projects could threaten the fragile balance of the ecosystem.

Multimillion dollar complexes are taking shape and the close proximity of these islands to the US coastline could mean insensitive development. Will Bimini withstand, or succumb to, the pressures that often follow increased demand for tourism and the economic promise it brings? As for the diving and scientific communities, they too will have to manage the impact of the

recent influx of divers to this new shark hotspot.

Bahamians have, for many years, been involved in shark conservation and management of shark tourism.

Hopefully, stakeholders will work together to ensure that divers and sharks co-exist.

Given the precarious status of the great hammerhead, it is becomes increasingly important to guard this safe haven. It is truly magical to swim alongside these beautiful sharks and it is now our responsibility to ensures that they continue to inhabit the ocean long after our passage.

Michael and Julie Ouimet are coowners of a PADI 5 stars Instructor Development Centre in Victoriaville, Québec, Canada. Apart from his involvement with the dive centre (instructor for all levels and types of diving, and Instructor Trainer), Michael is an underwater photojournalist and focuses on sharks whenever he can. Julie is an underwater videographer as well. They are in the start-up phase of another company “N2Pix Images” that will be dedicated to their work in underwater and wildlife imagery. ◼

Oileáin – The Irish islands guide (david Walsh) reviewed by Éibhir mulqueen

As an occasional kayaker, I know there is something very special about being on a flat calm sea, with nothing but the sound of the paddles breaking water and lonely seabirds. It’s also the kind of weather that makes divers hanker after the perfect excursion but there is a joy in the simplicity, once the initial logistics are looked after, of launching your sea kayak, pointing its nose and heading where you will.

Ireland’s meandering coast is reviewed in detail in this second edition of kayaker David Walsh’s impressively comprehensive work, which has grown from an online directory of 86 islands 20 years ago to 574 today. That such a large number of islands even exist is probably news to many, and the number will probably grow as this project evolves.

Although it’s hard to decide on a definition of when is an island an island and not just a rock, for Walsh and his team it seems to come down to whether they can make a landing on their flexible craft. Part of the inspiration for the book was the lack of availability of such a guide.

In an era when circumnavigating Ireland by rowing/paddling is becoming a popular choice for the intrepid kayaker, a guide such as this provides a wealth of knowledge about where to embark from and lay to, local tidal conditions and races, and eddies and sounds.

Walsh has been to 503 of these islands and can claim to have seen as much of Ireland’s coast and an array of views that would take an average person several lifetimes to accomplish.

Some of these views are reproduced and Oileáin is nicely illustrated throughout with a series of photographs that celebrate our wonderful scenery. They are a reminder, to take one example, of the magnificent, often isolated beaches that should be discovered and rediscovered.

As usual, all you need is the weather, but this book also reminds us that conditions are good more often than we realise. One picture shows a delicate looking craft resting at the foot of the majestic Fastnet lighthouse, another, a party of three on Omey Island in Connemara, looking like they’ve landed on a tropical shoreline.

The author describes the Skelligs as perhaps the greatest single kayak

paddle, a three hours each way with the chance in changeable conditions of being unable to land. The craft comes into its own for its flexibility and ability to explore sea caves, navigate through arches and pull up at otherwise inaccessible shores.

But where kayaks go, RIBs can usually follow, and if Oileáin only deals with the land above the waves, it still points to the potential for virgin dive sites to be discovered as well as providing a guide to appreciating the wider context of the better-known ones.

It gives a good deal of ecological and historical/cultural background, so that a visitor, instead of arriving, seeing

and conquering, before heading home after the weekend, might pause, take in some of the local history and culture and take away memories that go beyond the viz, the sea life and the quality of the local pint.

Just one example is mention that the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is Gola Island in Co Donegal, after the writer was inspired by the story of the Armada wreck, La Juliana and its motley crew. Rumours of buried treasure linger naturally.

However, it’s not possible to do justice to the scope of this book and its multiple entries and asides on wrecks, historical lore and points of ecological interest.

It circumnavigates Ireland, starting at Lough Foyle and heading east until getting to Tor Beg off Donegal, the most northerly landing in Ireland except for remote Rockall (which is also covered, although the 860kilometre round trip and limited camping option are not recommended).

Remoteness, in fact, is a key theme throughout. The new breed of kayaker may bring camping gear, indulging in a new past-time of planning and conducting trips over a number of days and truly getting away from it all. And while it’s still possible to feel lost with a trip to Lambay Island, Ireland’s Eye or Dalkey Island, most of the oileáin are on the south and west coasts, with some of the higher concentrations in south Connemara, all begging for exploration.

For some, the Wild Atlantic Way may be a road network, but for those in the know, it means taking to the water with the right preparations and exploring a true wilderness. Oileáin is a reminder too that sometimes the best memories for all sea-goers are on the surface and that “there is nothing – absolute nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats”. ◼ SubSea Summer 2014 33

Greenland Giants of the arctic

By Tobias Friedrich Translated by Sharon Clarken and heike Weichert

When Eric the Red was exiled from Iceland in the year 982, he sailed west into the sunset. Many hundreds of miles later and after several weeks at sea, he made landfall. He called this new land Greenland, more than likely to make it sound more attractive for colonisation. In fact Greenland is anything but green, since four fifths of it is covered by an ice sheet. Today, the largest island in the world is being re-discovered, not by settlers, but by divers who travel to this arctic territory seeking encounters with giants – whales, glaciers and icebergs.

34 SubSea Summer 2014

Split shot half / half of an iceberg over and underwater with a diver holding a lamp, near Kulusuk and Tasiilaq, East Greenland, Atlantic Ocean, Artic. Photo by and Š Tobias Friedrich.

SubSea Summer 2014 35

Greenland

Colorful soft corals with diver holding a lamp, near Kulusuk and Tasiilaq, East Greenland, Atlantic Ocean, Artic.

Photo by and © Tobias Friedrich www.BELOW-SURFACE.com.

“Icebergs are like living beings” says Sven Gust as he looks out across the open sea.”They are constantly changing shape and here in East Greenland they are largely responsible for the dramatic appearance of the landscape”.

German born, Gust has worked at a Dive centre in Norway for many years and it was there that he discovered his passion for the cold, arctic waters. “Every dive has its own character” he maintains, and in order to explore more possibilities he began to organise expeditions to Greenland.

Asked what the attraction is to diving in such extreme cold conditions he answers, “To discover dive sites where nobody has ever been before”. Diving is limited to a max of 30 metres when the water is above 0 degrees and 25 metres if it is below. In water temperatures between 2 and minus 3 degrees one needs particularly good equipment and definitely a second, independent, breathing system. Since it is very costly for divers to bring all the necessary equipment to Greenland, Gust brought a compressor and twenty bottles with twin valves which he keeps there all year round.

He can only offer a limited number of expeditions each year - to do more would mean bringing more equipment from Norway to Greenland at a prohibitively high cost. This is why previously; there was only one Dive centre in Greenland, in the west of the

36 SubSea Summer 2014

island. Nobody on the east coast had yet risked establishing a centre, so Sven Gust took the initiative. As he couldn’t contemplate doing this on his own, he persuaded Lars Anker-Moller, a fisherman and boatman with vast local experience, to join him in the enterprise.

Originally from Denmark, Lars Anker-Moller has spent months on end in the Greenland wilderness, accompanying and filming Inuit hunters. He also owns a number of boats in East Greenland’s capital, Tasiilaq, where he brings tourists on expeditions from the capital to outlying destinations. He maintains that “East Greenland is the real Greenland” and continues, “here life is about 20 years behind the west coast, which makes it all the more unspoiled and appealing”. It was here that he fell in love and here too that he discovered his love for the country where he lives the whole year round. Asked why he does not at least spend the bitterly cold winters in his homeland, Denmark, he answers reasonably, “because then I am no longer a local”. Since he knows the rugged coastal region and its countless fjords better than anyone else, he is the ideal partner for Sven Gust’s expeditions. Specialised knowledge of the area is extremely important as until now only a handful of divers have journeyed into these latitudes, and an assessment has to be made on site as

to whether a dive is viable or not. With his years of experience as a fisherman he knows where the prevailing currents will carry a dive group and thus he can give them detailed information and advice.

And you need to listen to his advice, especially when it comes to the white giants - the icebergs. He is, after all, the person best capable of judging whether a dive at one of these giants is worth the risk. This is especially important in August, the warmest month in Greenland, when the icebergs melt and can break apart at any time. Large cracks are an indication that an iceberg is about to break and this can cause it to suddenly turn over. The falling ice masses, which can cause mini tsunamis, are not only a danger to the divers themselves but also to the boats waiting nearby. This is why Anker-Moller has to ensure that the risk is minimal before an iceberg dive is undertaken. Despite the precautions it’s still dangerous.

Under water the divers can hear the constant creaking and groaning as the iceberg shifts and changes, and as well as the adrenalin rush the diver is also rewarded with spectacular sights.

Some icebergs have the look of giant golf balls under the water, with lots of shallow indentations encased in a thin layer of clear ice, behind which the mass of white ice looks like trapped snow. Other icebergs have huge jagged

Greenland

Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, also called the finback whale, razorback, or common rorqua, breathing on the surface with a lot of spray from the blow still in the air as well as an iceberg in the background, near Kulusuk and Tasiilaq, East Greenland, Atlantic Ocean, Artic.

Photo by and Š Tobias Friedrich www.BELOW-SURFACE.com.

edges which rise bizarrely out of the underwater. All the more frustrating lapping against the hull, to watch the dark blue depths. Discovering how the then, when a whale swims only 20 whale as it surfaces and hear its mighty shape and structure of these giants will meters away, that an unsuspecting blow, this is a unique and special look under water is what makes a dive diver may see only blue water. experience. These are the moments in these latitudes so thrilling and Nevertheless, it is an incredible where one feels close to nature and spectacular. Even above water every feeling to be able to experience these where everyone on the boat has a smile iceberg is constantly changing, and the gentle giants up close, as they dive on his face. iceberg that rose up beautifully out of again and again, with that iconic Apart from the whales and the the water yesterday is totally different display of their powerful tail flukes. To icebergs, diving in the rugged coast of today, having changed its form merely be in this atmosphere with the boat East Greenland has its own beauty. by turning or breaking. engine turned off and the water gently The fjords have steep walls caused by The whales are also a huge the grinding action of the annual attraction here. In August many passing pack ice, and the species migrate along the coast of underwater landscape is East Greenland. They rest here for characterised by large kelp forests some time, apparently to feed and that gently sway along the slabs. recover from the long journey up At about 25 meters the kelp from the Atlantic. Species such as disappears and is replaced by fin whales, sperm whales, minke white and yellow soft corals whales and humpback whales are which, even though they not uncommon. Even killer maximise the use of the remaining whales are visitors here. But the light, never grow larger than 30 whale most often sighted is the centimetres. Beautiful sponges, humpback. It is thought that they sea squirts, anemones, too, can be swim into the fjords to socialize seen along with exquisite soft or find some peace and shelter. cnidarians. Typical arctic Unfortunately, they are very shy creatures such as nudibranchs, sea and keep their distance from spiders, starfish and shrimp live boats and divers, so it is quite rare between the coral and the kelp to encounter these creatures stalks, although not in numbers under water. Due to the fresh that can compete with warmer water melt in the fjords the locations. Also, the amount of visibility is usually limited to fishlife here is rather limited and between five and ten metres so, is mainly made up of cod, various even if a diver or snorkeller gets sea scorpions, sea bass and sea close to a whale, it is next to hare, which are seen from time to Filling bottles in Kulusuk. impossible to photograph them time. In the depths also lurk Photo by and Š Tobias Friedrich www.BELOW-SURFACE.com.

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Greenland

Young sled dogs, or huskies, husky, playing on a green lawn with mountains in the background, Tasiilaq, near Kulusuk, East Greenland.

Photo by and © Tobias Friedrich www.BELOW-SURFACE.com.

redfish, halibut and the giant Greenland shark. The whole landscape under water, with the green and iridescent colours of the corals, stands in delightful contrast to the barren but dramatic landscape, and the bright white of the ice-giants.

Another highlight of Greenland is definitely the landscape above water.

Most of Greenland is covered by a massive ice sheet with the coastal areas only sparcely populated. Hundreds, if not thousands, of glaciers carry their ice, in kilometres-wide moraines, past these isolated communities to the sea.

When in Tasiilaq, a boat trip to the big Rasmussen glacier is a must. Here you can experience the so-called “calving” of the glacier. Calving happens when the glacier can no longer hold the ice at its leading edge and it splits away.

With a loud cracking sound the calving ice crashes from the high wall of the glacier into the sea. From past experience skipper Lars Anker-Møller knows to keeps his distance because the resulting tidal wave could swamp the small but stable boats.

“Nature decides what you do” he says, and he doesn’t only mean the

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security measures which must be taken. The weather too, can have a major influence on daily trips.

Conditions are volatile in this part of the world, one day the sun could be splitting the skies and the water as smooth as glass, the next day it might be stormy, with big seas making any trip impossible. This means that plans can change, and divers on expeditions to East Greenland must be flexible and happy to go with the flow, team players willing to compromise, if the expedition is to be successful. But even if a dive is cancelled there are many things to do.

The beautiful walks and hikes around Tasiilaq. The mountains, lakes and flower valleys, all quite overwhelming and varied - and very different to other places in the world.

The brown cliffs of the coastal region are divided by white glaciers, and inland the ice rises up between the high mountains. This is a stunning landscape.

Everywhere there are the sled dogs, resting during the summer months between the brightly painted houses.

They are no longer used as working

animals since almost everyone has a motor-sledge, but they are a tourist attraction and when the snow returns they will pull sleds for the visitors who come here each year. In general, the Inuit have a very practical relationship with nature. The traditional way of life is hunting whales, seals and polar bears and the Inuit still cherish their traditions. They have a quota to hunt these animals, and while there is a lot of resistance to this in more modern societies, if you spend time with them you start to better understand their way of life. Due to the lack of grazing land and the extreme temperatures in winter, the Inuit do not farm or keep livestock, so they get their proteins solely by hunting birds, seals, bears and even whales. Every part of the whale, right down to the bones, will be used, and there will be enough meat for the community for several weeks. This is not Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, where whale meat is served in restaurants as a luxury, here the hunting and eating of whales seems more acceptable and quite justified. It is this closeness to nature that makes Greenland so fascinating. ◼

Subaquatic memories of turbulent times in Fermoy

By Timmy Carey Pocket watches lying on the bed of the river Blackwater.

In 2009, during a routine training dive at O’Neill Crowley Quay in Fermoy, I was more than a little suprised to find an ornate pocket watch partially submerged in the thick mud of the river Blackwater. Twenty minutes later some very careful digging would reveal three old pocket watches very close to Fermoy bridge. Finding all three so close to each other didn’t make sense, unless they had been thrown in together. But then, why would anyone throw such valuable pieces of jewellery into the river Blackwater?

A vast amount of research over the and, during the raid, killed one was quite an audacious attack and the next two years would illustrate how member of the regiment and injured local British military forces were these watches were linked to a much several others. Considering Fermoy’s outraged at the casualties and more turbulent time in Irish history. status as a major garrison town, this embarrassed by the loss of so many In 1919, while many Fermoy weapons. A coroner’s inquest men were in the British army into the loss of life returned a fighting in various parts of the verdict of “accidental death, world, Ireland was embroiled unpremeditated” and this in the War of Independence. further incensed the troops On the 7th of September Liam who then, in reprisal, looted Lynch, along with members of and ransacked Fermoy town, the local detachment of the causing huge damage. In IRA, raided the Wesleyan “British voices from the War of church in Fermoy while Independence” a book written members of the Shopshire

by William Sheehan compiling Regiment were in attendance. accounts of the war of They stole a large quantity of independence from a British A copy of an advertisement from the shop looted dating to the rifles from outside the church perspective, Lieutenant Colonel turn of the last century.

SubSea Summer 2014 39

Fermoy Watches

More watches from J.J. Barber’s shop.

Today Barber’s is still thriving and Simon Barber is the fifth generation of his family to run the business.

This was not the only ransacking of Fermoy businesses during the war of independence and, less than 12 months later, the town would again suffer reprisals by the British army.

On the 26th of June 1920 three I.R.A members, Sean Moylan, Patrick Clancy and George Power, again under the command of Liam Lynch, kidnapped General Lucas and Colonel Danford of the Royal Artillery, and Colonel Tyrrell of the Royal Engineers.

Two nights later, troops from the Buffs Regiment went on the rampage in Fermoy, carrying out widespread looting and damage to businesses.

Newspaper reports of the event in The New York Times and The Irish Times reported thirty-five shops being damaged in one street alone, with major damage being done to the premises of “Messrs J Lombard and J.J Barber, both of Artillery Quay” with thousands of pounds worth of jewellery looted and some of the looted material thrown into the nearby river Blackwater.

Research into these dramatic events was greatly helped by extensive entries in The Fermoy Town Commissioners’ minute books stored in County Hall archives. These include detailed information on the Letters of Claim, made by the town traders to the general officer commanding British troops in Ireland, seeking restitution.

Working in limited visibility..

Hughes- Hallett recalls “the demolition Party proceeded to every shop or place of business of the coroner and the members of the jury, who had brought in their infamous verdict. I can’t recall all the details, but the jeweller, the boot shop and the wine shop and particularly the foreman of the jury, etc., were all faithfully dealth with.

Trays of rings and watches were soon being flung into the river”. Many newspaper cuttings and other historical sources all clearly illustrate the huge levels of damage inflicted.

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The damage was estimated at the time to be in excess of £18,000, a very large sum in 1919.

The jewellers mentioned above is Barber’s jewellers, founded in 1869 and Fermoy’s oldest surviving business.

Today the jewellers is located in Patrick Street, but in 1919 the business was located on O’Neill Crowley Quay, then called Artillery Quay. Barber’s jewellers came in for special attention because John Joseph Barber was chairman of the jury which returned the verdict of accidental death, unpremeditated.

Timmy Carey surfacing with a number of pocket watches after a freshwater night dive.

Fermoy Watches But with the Fermoy flood plan looming and, as part of the works, the planned dumping of a huge amount of rubble as in-fill at O’Neill Crowley Quay, time was running out. The riverbed was about to be changed forever.

Along with the research came the more difficult task of carrying out as much diving as possible in the area, to see if more items could be found on

“… over 40 pocket watches had been reclaimed from the river bed. These were cleaned, and framed along with the remains of old chemist bottles, gas lamps and many other items, all linked to those dramatic events of 1919.” the riverbed for preservation as part of the town’s history. It didn’t help that this area of the river is one of the most difficult to dive. At this point the river funnels water for the mill race and can be very fast with very limited visibility, so can be dived only when the river is quite low. For the next two years walking the river on a weekly basis to check the river speed and visibility would provide plenty of good opportunities to investigate the area further, and before the flood works commenced, over 40 pocket watches had been reclaimed from the river bed.

These were cleaned, and framed along with the remains of old chemist bottles, gas lamps and many other items, all linked to those dramatic events of 1919. Several large pieces of still very sharp plate glass from the shop windows were also retrieved, but unfortunately, no jewellery other than the watches was recovered, which raises the question as to whether all the jewellery was thrown into the river in the first place, or simply looted.

While some of the watches are silver and some still have their glass and clock faces intact, they hold little in the way of monetary value. Their intrinsic value is, however, much more important, as they form a part of the broad tapestry of Fermoy town’s rich

Two old brass gas lamps recovered from the river mud which were part of the war of independence looting and which were referred to in the letters of claim from the town traders to the British government.

Simon Barber (the fifth generation of his family ) to run the jewellers with of the recovered pocket watches, the Barber family were presented with a number of the watches to frame and remount in the business that they were looted from almost a century before.

historical legacy, and are now preserved to be placed on display.

A big thanks to Steve McDevitt of Cork Sub Aqua Club for his help in obtaining copies of the Fermoy Town Commissioners’ minute books, and a massive thanks, as always, to Paudie McGrath, with his boundless enthusiasm for matters historical, his generosity with his time and his

fathomless knowledge of military history.

So when the Thursday evening weather forecast shows packed isobars, and sea diving is yet again cancelled, always remember that, for those who make the effort, there are vastly rewarding freshwater dives, with only tiny fraction of our inland waterways explored. ◼ SubSea Spring 2014 41

JEWEL OF THE EAST

By Don Baldwin, Dundalk SAC Lough locals. Photo: Don Baldwin.

Hemmed in by the majestic Mourne Mountains on its northern shores, and flanked to the south by the iconic Cooley Hills, Carlingford Lough has long offered weary seafarers refuge from the troublesome Irish Sea. Centuries before it became the haven for Scuba Divers it is today, Carlingford Lough had been well known for its recreational qualities. In Celtic time it was described as Cuan Snamh Aigneach or the bay of the swim of Aigneach始, the Aigneachta were the people who inhabited this area long before the arrival of the Vikings in the eight century. Eight miles long and a true fjord, the Norse Vikings found the lough very much to their taste and renamed it in their own language Cairlinn Fjord, or 驶steep sided fjord. Of course ownership of such a prize maritime possession was hotly disputed by the Norsemen始s implacable enemy the Danes, as both sides vied for control of the emerging strongholds of Linn Duachill (Annagassan) and

42 SubSea Summer 2014

Dubh Linn (Dublin) which were strategically located for trade along the Irish east coast. In 851 a Naval battle involving over 500 ships was fought at the mouth of the Lough, just beyond the bar. The battle raged for three days and three nights before the Danes under their leader Gorm finally won the day, forcing the Norse leaders Jargno and Lain along with all their followers from the lands of Louth.

What priceless artifacts might have fallen to the sea floor those fateful days, an intriguing prospect for Divers?

Guarding the entrance to the Lough now is Haulbowline Lighthouse built in 1823, its old world symmetry easy on the eye as it guides you safely in. The stumpy ruins of the old Blockhouse on the adjacent Island are

considerably older, formerly an Isolation Hospital. Today the seal-slick rock has been reclaimed by its former residents the Grey Seals, who lounge indolently upon the bare rock at low water, indifferent to the passing traffic.

Passing through the Carlingford Cut you then come to one of the deepest parts of the Lough at 20m, and one of its finest dive sites. Here the serried shelves of a reef wall provide tenement type accommodation to a myriad of marine life, including the usual suspects of wary congers, lobsters, crabs, wrasse and blennies, with the exotic exception of the odd octopus making a brief visit.

Back on the surface, the Cooley Mountains offer an unparalleled backdrop on the southern shore of the

Jewel of the East Lough. It was in these ancient Hills that the legendary warrior Cuchulainn made his heroic stand against Queen Maeve and the forces of Connaught as her army sought to seize the famed ʻBrown Bull of Cooleyʼ. This wonderful Celtic saga ʻThe Tainʼ, is the oldest vernacular epic in Western Literature.

Many of the place names associated with this war between Connaught and Ulster such as Barnavave, ʻMaeveʼs Gapʼ, where the Queen ordered her Army to cut a road through the mountain “for the humiliation of the Ultonians”, are still easily identified today. Further along the southern shore the linear outlines of the cranes at Greenore Port guide the mariner to the busy slipway in front of the Coastguard Station. Here the shoreline plunges abruptly to 20m, a popular shore dive. Continuing northwest one encounters the picturesque village of Carlingford nestled in the shadow of Slieve Foy Mountain, the highest peak in the Cooley Range which rises to a respectable 589m. As you approach from the sea the imposing ruins of King John’s Castle look out upon a once thriving harbour.

Carlingford has always been famous for its Oysters, which were far superior to any in England. In 1851 the oyster-beds stretched from Narrow Water at the head of the Lough, to

Silent Sentinel. Photo: Don Baldwin.

Greenore Point. At the height of the season 8 Sailing boats and 100 rowing boats dredged the shell-fish beds.

Today the Harbour is more tranquil, frequented by a few working trawlers and recreational sailors. Three miles northwest is the coastal village of Omeath, formerly a Gaeltacht area.

Omeath has been confirmed as the birth place of Iseult, from the poignant medieval legend Tristram and Iseult.

Iseult was the daughter of Horm, King of Ireland, who ruled his Kingdom from his settlement in Omeath. Iseultʼs fate became inextricably intertwined with that of Tristram, the nephew of the King of Cornwall. Iseult was the bride of Mark, the Cornwall King, but

unwittingly Iseult and Tristram drank a love potion which doomed their love and their lives. Ironically, Tristramʼs name means ʻSadnessʼ.

Victoria Locks caps the head of the Lough, while the Canal beyond leads into the heart of Newry, these murky waters have proved to be an ideal training ground for the Dundalk SAC Search and Rescue Unit.. Southeast from Newry lies the small port town of Warrenpoint, a mile directly across the Lough from Omeath. This narrow stretch of water between the north and south has been a popular location for cross-border Fin/Swim events, Dundalk SAC having organised and participated in more than a few over

SubSea Summer 2014 43

Jewel of the East

That's far enough ! Photo: Aiden McKenna.

Back Off !. Photo: Don Baldwin.

Blending Blenny. Photo: Don Baldwin.

the years. Further east along the northern shore at Rostrevor is the distinctive obelisk known as The Ross Monument, a useful landmark for seafarers on foul weather days. Major Ross is best remembered for his leadership in the attack on Washington

44 SubSea Summer 2014

in 1812-1813 during the American War. Undoubtedly, the brooding backdrop of the Mourne Mountains dominates the entire northern shore.

Hardly surprising, that these mystical mountains were the inspiration for the Belfast Writer C.S. Lewis, when

creating his masterpiece the Chronicles of Narnia. Sweeping another five miles to the southeast along the northern shore, overshadowed by the mighty Mournes, the inconspicuous ruins of Greencastle Keep now harbour only faded memories of its illustrious past.

This Castle existed before 1312, when two daughters of the Red Earl of Ulster were married to Maurice Fitz-Thomas and Thomas Fitz-John, second Earl of Kildare, at Greencastle. These de Burghs were a very famous and powerful family, the other two sisters being respectively the wives of Robert Bruce of Scotland, and the Earl of Desmond.

At the furthest point east on the northern shore is Cranfield Point. This headland along with its southern counterpart Balagan Point, mark the geographical entrance to Carlingford Lough. It was near here that the worst maritime disaster in the Louth/Down area occurred, the sinking of the Connemara, a mail steamer with 80 passengers, and the cargo ship the ʻSS Retrieverʼ on 3 of November 1916.

Struggling to control their vessels as they passed each other in the Carlingford Cut, stormy weather threw the two ships together in a savage twist of fate sinking them both almost instantly, with the loss of 90 lives: The remains of the ʻConnemaraʼsʼ Boilers, and the strewn remnants of the ʻSS Retrieverʼsʼ cargo of coal, a sad reminder to Divers today of that infamous tragedy not so long ago.

There are off course a great many other sombre wrecks and alluring dive sites to be explored in and around the Carlingford Lough area, as the Sub Aqua Clubs from Dundalk, Newry, Drogheda and Monaghan would surely attest. However a word of caution, Carlingford Lough can be ferociously tidal, with its own unique micro climate, additionally, some of the better dive sites are precariously close to the very busy shipping lane. That being said, Carlingford Lough with its adorning necklace of mountains is without doubt the ʻJewel of the Eastʼ, a treasure to be guarded. For it is wild places such as this which inspire our artists and forge our explorers. It is this unspoilt nature which nourishes our spirit, and soothes our very soul. ◼

Backscatter Leak detector review

By Ivan donoghue

Backscatter vacuum detector. Photo by: Ivan Donoghue.

For all underwater photographers, either using a compact camera, or a more expensive high-end system, there is always a gnawing fear that our camera will leak. All dive photographers descend the first few meters watching the housing with trepidation for that heart stopping sign of water leaking inside. Once there is no sign of leaking we tend to calm and enjoy the dive.

My theory is that the majority of underwater photographers will flood their camera at some stage, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you haven’t had at least one flood, you are either meticulous in your preparation, just starting out, or aren’t underwater enough! Personally, I have seen four of my housings lose the battle against salt water when either the o-ring, or waterproof bag, didn’t do as intended.

I can debate as to where the fault was for two of the incidents (myself, the camera repair shop, or the manufacturer), but the flood I remember most clearly is the one I know was caused by me. Whilst preparing my camera for a shore dive Co Galway, as others waited for me to follow, I rushed. Too much haste in preparation is the number one cause of floods. Within seconds of being underwater, my compact was ruined and so was my mood, especially as the dive from Coral Strand teemed with life.

Now that I’ve upgraded to a digital SLR, the thought of a flood become

much scarier. It is not the housing itself flooding that is the worry.

Housings can be dried as there are few electronics to their construction.

It is all the camera components such a €500 wide angle lens, the €500 camera body or a €1,000 viewfinder that will be damaged by the water. Some housings come with a moisture detector fitted, but the problem with them is that they only indicate when water has already got inside at which stage it’s too late to stop damage happening. Divermaster insurance used to cover unexpected flooding, but due to a change in their underwriters they no longer insure outside of the United Kingdom.

The ultimate aim is to avoid a flood in the first place and the current trend is for high end housings to come fitted with a leak detector, or to have one retrofitted.

The unit I purchased was the Backscatter electronic model. When fitted, it allows you to create a vacuum inside the housing and then to visibly monitor that vacuum, if there is no leak this will hold steady.

Despite being told it was compatible with my Aquatica T2i housing, fitting it was not that straightforward. I wanted to fit the unit to the unused hydrophone port, but when I tried that, it obstructed the zoom knob. Backscatter said that they carried out their tests using one of the fibre optic ports, but I needed that

option for my strobes. I then investigated a smaller zoom knob but the screw on the original was jammed tight. I sent the housing and leak detector to Kevin Reed in Aquaphot to fit, which he did, but only after having to install an additional T-bend.

Phew! That took some doing and I made Backscatter aware of my difficulties with it’s fitting. Let’s hope my efforts will be to the benefit of other T2i users.

Here is how I use the unit. If I’m diving on Sunday, I will set up my camera on Saturday. I can then check the seal’s integrity by undoing the cap on the one way valve, next I insert the nozzle/gauge combination and hand pump. After around 40 pumps I have evacuated the housing to -10Hg (mercury). I remove the pump and let the housing stand.

Later on Saturday evening, I can recheck that the seal is still doing its job by reinserting the pump/gauge and it should still read -10Hg. The LED unit will flash green if the internal pressure is still stable On Sunday morning, I recheck the seal just before hitting the water in case anything dislodged during transport.

Just before diving, I twist the light display on the unit and if the seal is intact, it will flash green (not available on the manual version). Initially, it will flash green every five seconds for the first forty seconds and then it goes into sleep mode, reminding you with a green flash every 140 seconds. If the seal loses pressure, the lights will flash orange and then red by which stage you are hopefully ascending.

So now it’s fitted and sea trialled, what do I think of it?

I think it’s a great piece of kit.

Before I even get the housing wet, I have a higher confidence than before that my preparation was sufficient and that there are no air leaks in the system. It is still recommended to follow in water checks such as inverting the dome on descent and checking for water ingress.

An additional benefit is that it holds the dome ports securely in place so reducing the chances of dislodging a seal during entry, or while in a strong current.

SubSea Summer 2014 45

Backscatter Review

Green light indicates pressure is steady. Photo by: Ivan Donoghue.

With the improved weather, I was able to give the unit its first sea trials.

Between dives, I changed the ports and the system allowed me to check that I had done everything right.

Coming in at €500, it is an expensive piece of equipment, but if is saves me from a leak it will have paid for itself several times over. It will also have paid for itself within two seasons by

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Red light means pressure has equalised so you have a leak. Photo by: Ivan Donoghue.

negating the need for insurance premiums.

I have created a video review of the sea trials for the unit and you can view it at this link… http://youtu.be/PaiKP2j-p2M PS – the last dive I did in May, was to 10 meters on a very green and murky dive. I got a bit of a fright when I

noticed the LED flash orange. As I ascended, I turned the unit on and off which then gave me forty seconds of flashes. Again the flashes looked orange, but when I shined my buddy’s torch at the unit, it showed up as being green. Obviously the underwater lighting conditions were changing my eyes perception of the true colours. ◼

Ireland as a macro destination?

By maja Stankovski Flabelina pedata nudibranch. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

Ireland is well known as an excellent and rich cold water diving destination.

Divers flock from all over Europe, and other destinations, to see the rich marine life and the abundance of wrecks. But how does it deliver as a macro destination?

I’ve often shown macro pictures taken in Ireland to friends and family and their first question is, this was taken in Asia, right? The sheer variety of small creatures and colours always surprises them. Unfortunately not enough is known about the variety of species and small critters here.

We have all, as divers, enjoyed the cheeky nature and colours of tompot blennies, admired the colours of cuckoo wrasses, the beauty of dahlia anemones and marvelled at jewel anemones. How about going even smaller? How does Ireland deliver?

We’ve all heard about the wonderful macro destinations in Indonesia, the Philippines or even Gulen in Norway, but Ireland? What miniature creatures could you find here? How unusual are they? Are they as colourful and unusual as their warm water cousins? Will we observe the unusual behaviour that we often see in documentaries and magazines showing exotic destinations?

According to Dr. Alex Mustard the most precious gems come in the

smallest packages, and I couldn’t agree more with him. When we slow down and explore the reefs and wrecks in detail, we can find an abundance of the tiniest creatures and, if you look at them closely, you’ll be amazed at their variety, colours and behaviour. There hasn’t been a dive that I have done in Ireland that I haven’t found at least a few, and if you spend a few minutes observing them, you will be amazed at what you’ll spot. From nudibranchs that come in brightest colours from white to bright pink, to the smallest of shrimps, shiny gobies, colourful sponges and patterns.

It is quite common as well to observe the nudibranchs mating or creating egg masses, skeleton shrimps quarrelling or annoying other small crabs, sea spiders

trying to find the best place to blend in with their surroundings, squat lobsters peeking out of their hiding places, cuckoo wrasses dissecting kelp and feeding smaller fish. If you go for night dives, you might find little cuttlefish, squid, and lots of small crabs that you might not be able to spot during the day.

But knowing that there are a lot of small creatures in Irish waters is not enough. How do you find them? Where can you see them? How do you even spot them?

If you are looking for a specific animal, it is always best to do your research first to find out what areas they like, whether you find them in shallow or deep water, in sandy areas, SubSea Summer 2014 47

Macro Ireland

Tompot blenny. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

on walls or on wrecks. This will help in discovering them. It also helps if you are diving during the season, and in the area where they are most common, but that’s not always necessary. If you haven’t managed to do that, just take your time and observe, keep your eyes opened and explore the reef.

Wrecks and walls will be full of small critters like nudibranchs, small shrimp, cowries, pipefish, worms, sea spiders or

even amphipods. Look closely into anemones and you will notice that there are a lot of small amphipods hiding in their tentacles. If you look at the water around you and the small life that is swimming there, you can see swimming sea slugs called “sea angels” or “sea butterflies”, swimming prawns, lots of various jellyfish, from gooseberries to their bigger cousins like compass jellyfish and moon jellyfish.

Nudbranch on dead man’s finger with jewel anemones. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

48 SubSea Summer 2014

Remember to look at starfish in detail, you could find sea spiders on them or small flat fish. Always inspect the dahlia anemones thoroughly, you will find all sorts of life in them; sometimes you will even spot them digesting small crabs or fish. Scallops, when open, are amazing to observe filtering water, and, if you look even closer, you might the see the multitude of eyes or even observe them swimming.

Even though kelp by itself appears pretty unappealing, sometimes if you look at it closely, you can see blue rayed limpets on it that are a beautiful blue colour, or even sea hares. Sea grass might look barren and lifeless, but, again, if you observe it in more detail, you might be able to find stalked jellyfish on it, or long-legged spider crabs, and sometimes even pipefish.

Dead man’s fingers are a pleasure to see by themselves, but they deserve a second glance and you might spot different nudibranchs on them.

Sponges are a joy of colours to see on their own, but if you spend a couple

Macro Ireland

Snakelock anemone. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

Skeleton Shrimp couple. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

SubSea Summer 2014 49

Macro Ireland

Nudibranch creating an egg mass or known as ribbon. Photo by: Maja Stankovski.

of minutes observing them, you will see European cowries resting on them, baby shrimps trying to blend in, skeleton shrimps doing their antics and even baby whelks and baby brittle stars.

And if the sponge is bigger, you might even find a crab or tompot blenny peeking out of its hole.

50 SubSea Summer 2014

Sandy areas might appear to be barren but again upon closer inspection, we can find the so called flowers of the sea, more commonly known as sea anemones. You may see fireworks anemones or burrowing anemones and, if you check out the area around them in the sand, you can

spot tiny shrimp, sometimes almost transparent, peeking at you. It might take a while to spot them, but think small and move slowly and you’ll train your eye to see them straight away.

So what are the best locations to see all these tiny creatures? Is there a preferable spot where you could see them? In short, no, and although the areas where there is a little bit of current are best, that’s not always the rule. You might find small critters on walls, on wrecks, in sandy or even kelpy areas if you look closely enough.

All you need to do is keep very close to the areas that you’re observing and you’ll start noticing all the jewels of the sea. So go to the dive site that you enjoy and like, be prepared to spend a bit of time pottering around slowly and you will start to notice the tiny world that exists beneath the waves and see the large variety of life and colour that Irish waters offer. You do not have to go to the tropics to be treated to a feast of colour and life.

With patience and observation you will find it all here. ◼

diving into the detail

Former NdO kevin O’Shaughnessy explains what drives him to push for change at european and international level as President of CmaS europe

By Éibhir mulqueen

qualifications and grades. “Federations recognize the CMAS For Kevin O’Shaughnessy, his biggest challenge as the new standards as the minimum required but then have their own President of CMAS Europe is to give it a distinctive identity add-ons to various grades,” he points out. “If a Norwegian and get greater recognition for the organisation outside of instructor wants to work in France, then he should be allowed CMAS international. do so after carrying out a basic crossover course.”

Part of that remit is to introduce common European and, Another issue for him is that CMAS Europe is one of five indeed, worldwide diving standards.

CMAS continental zones globally (along with Africa, the It is a European and global vision that might seem far Americas, Asia and the Oceanic zones), some of which are removed from CFT and diving in Ireland. But Kevin has been more active than others, he notes. However, while CMAS active at every level of CFT in his time. A member of Aughinish Europe provides 85% of overall CMAS Diving Club, he is a former Regional revenue worldwide, it does not have Diving Officer and National Diving Officer, “My love of the underwater proportionate voting powers: “I want the and has demonstrated a flair for the world is unwavering. The one European zone to be the guiding light political side of diving when people often and the one with the structures that the shy away from the administration and thing that motivated me others will wish to follow. development of diving organisations. through all of these positions “CMAS understands this and are He has been diving for 28 years now. was the belief that I can make willing to work with us. The President, “My love of the underwater world is unwavering. The one thing that motivated a change and making gradual Vice President and the General Secretary of CMAS were present during the CMAS me through all of these positions was the change makes diving better Europe general assembly proving that belief that I can make a change and making and safer for all of us”. this is one of their priorities also.” gradual change makes diving better and One of the reasons he was elected, safer for all of us. There are different levels Kevin believes, is because his way of working quietly to of difficulty involved in instigating changes. achieve his goals is recognised.

Kevin has been chairman and DO of his club as well as “I know all the people involved and also know the way that holding other key positions – his years working in various CMAS works and how to achieve one’s goals.

CFT positions – and his nine-year membership of the CMAS To assist me there is an excellent team on the board with Technical Committee, eight of which he was TC President, has me and are all very positive about the work that has to be given him the experience to take on his next challenge: President of CMAS Europe. done.”

He has been diving since 1986, and has been steadily As diving becomes increasingly international in outlook, one of his current goals is to further standardise the moving up through the CFT grades since then and developing a

SubSea Summer 2014 51

Kevin O’Shaughnessy specialist interest in the more technical aspects of diving. He became an instructor in 1990, a Mon III and an Advanced Nitrox Instructor in 1997 and an Extended Range Instructor in 1998. He qualified as a rebreather diver and a trimix diver in 2003 and was NDO around this time for a total of four years. As NDO he chaired the CFT technical committees, then progressed to the CMAS Technical Committee (TC), serving as president of it from 2005 up to last year.

“From a CMAS TC point of view there have been a lot of successes and what I would class as disappointments, the main one being the inflexibility of federations to accept change for a global better stance in the diving world. I tried to introduce a common standards policy where a Diver 3* qualification in one federation would be accepted without question in another.

For the most part, it is mainly there but there are some federations which will not change. If a federation wants to be part of the CMAS then it should be so within the rules.”

Kevin joined Aughinish Diving Club shortly after it was founded and he remembers many diving excursions with Tralee SAC members like Ronnie Fitzgibbon and John O’Connor. “They really treated us very well and accepted us as part of their family, but do not be five minutes late arriving for a dive as, rightly so, you would be left on the pier.

“One of the best things about diving is the fantastic friends I have made along the way. I am the worst in the world for maintaining contact – as my friends will testify too – but it is always great to meet up, enjoy a good dive and a glass afterwards. Some of these are friends for life, while others pass along the way. “Sadly I have lost good friends through diving accidents also and these I miss the most.”

His favourite dive location in the world is Inisbofin because of what he describes as its many extraordinary diving locations and fantastic life and that there is always a dive location regardless of the weather.

“When one thinks about Spotted Rock, Sunfish Rock, the Stags and the many other magnificent sites with fantastic scenery and variety of fish life, and some other European locations there is no comparison” He has had his share of hair-raising experiences over the years, having been on two boats that overturned in Kilkee.

“One was salvaged and the other was totally wrecked. This was scary and many prayers were said as our upturned boat passed underneath the cliffs of Georges Head with ten of us clinging to it. I can safely say I have a very healthy respect for the sea”.

He is also a firm believer in training and maintaining skills, whether it is just simple buddy breathing or gas switching for more advanced divers.

“If one has trained for a situation, then when that situation happens the training automatically kicks in and you just deal with it. I like to practise some skill at the start of all my dives, be it mask clearing or buddy breathing or whatever”.

He has brought this firm belief in standards to the technical committees he has served on, first at national level, where Technical Diving was introduced, standards and courses were created for Extended Range Diving, and Gas Blending, and the Rebreather policy was outlined.

“We introduced equivalencies for divers joining us from other dive associations. We rewrote the courses and tests book. But I feel the biggest contribution was that the bullying

52 SubSea Summer 2014

was removed from tests. I am not advocating being soft on candidates but to be fair, treating the candidate with respect and understanding the pressure they are under.”

At an international level, the TC groups that worked with him over the past eight years have introduced newly recognised CMAS courses like Search and Recovery, written

by CFT members. Extended Range was also given to him by CFT. Other new courses include Normoxic Trimix, Altitude Diving, Ice Diving, Closed Circuit Rebreather levels, Side Mount standard, Recreational and Technical diving skills, and Self Rescue techniques.

“We took all the existing standards and rewrote them in a standard format and then translated them into French and Spanish. We introduced maximum depth limits for all the diving grades, much to the annoyance of some federations which did not see the reason for this,” he adds.

The biggest achievement of all, he feels, was bringing CMAS back from the brink of bankruptcy to profit in a fouryear turnaround.

Kevin still enjoys his diving as much as ever and is looking forward to the next regional diving weekend and meeting with friends. ◼

Club Spotlight

CORK SUB AQUA CLUB

At Garinish Pier, Allihies in May.

As the season gets into full swing, Cork Sub Aqua Club recalls its early days and looks forward to balmy dives at its local spots and excursions to favourite haunts further west…

The first Cork Sub Aqua Club can be traced back to 1961 when the Irish Sub Aqua Club set up a Cork Branch. This club disbanded in 1967 and the new Cork Sub Aqua Club was formed in 1971 following a newspaper advertisement announcing a meeting in Sunday’s Well church. The founding members were, Navy diver, Pat O’Byrne, John Lotty, an RAF diver and instructor, and Billy Birmingham, who became the club’s first qualified trainee.

Cork SAC went from strength to strength and by the mid 70’s, had over 100 members. As well as diving outings, the club met for winter training at the Grand Hotel pool in Crosshaven and at Dunlop’s Social Club.

This enthusiastic bunch trained many divers and cox’ns and helped influence the development of diving in the region. The club was the first in the area to acquire a RIB and, a very successful monster draw for a

brand new Osprey RIB, helped pay for its second in the 90’s. Having been an associated member of CFT, the club became a full member in 1980. In 2000, Cork SAC purchased its second rib, and in 2007, with the assistance of a National Lottery grant, purchased a new Excalibur.

To this day, we’ve retained our focus on skills development,

Setting off for a dive in 1980 in the club’s first boat.

supporting courses from Trainee Diver up to right up to Mon 3. Taking on new members each year is essential for the club’s progression and we’re delighted that our nine new trainees have just completed their qualifying dives and are now all boat diving. Says Slovakian trainee Lubos; ‘I’m amazed at the huge variety of marine life we’ve seen, and having a group of dolphins swim right alongside the boat was a great surprise!’

As a club we’ve been privileged to have numerous unique characters within our membership.

For many years, no weekend would be have been complete without bagpipe player Donncha on the pier, there are memories of a horse arriving into the pub in Crookhaven, close encounters with basking sharks, and many fun pranks that kept us laughing!

We don’t have a clubhouse but our main base is Oysterhaven SubSea Summer 2014 53

Club Spotlight

Diving off the Skelligs in Kerry.

where we often launch for weekend dives throughout the season and for evening dives from April. This gives us access to the area’s great dive sites which include the Ling Rocks, the Sovereigns, Old Head of Kinsale and Cork Harbour with classic wrecks such as the Aud, the Santo and UC42.

We’ve always loved our bank holiday weekends away too. On these trips, we’ve travelled as far north as Malin Head and East to the Hook Peninsula. Says Mercy Fenton, ‘At the most unexpected times we’ve managed to dive fabulous sites by grabbing a window of opportunity, like the glorious October day that we dived the Fastnet Rock in the morning and that afternoon reached Mizen Head and dived the wreck of L’Impatiente, complete with cannons and cannon balls’. This year, the club visited Baltimore at Easter and for the May Bank Holiday there was a trip to Allihies. The venue never disappoints, producing newly discovered dive sites and sometimes challenging conditions for trainees. This time, pods of dolphins and good nights in the pub more than made up for the rainy, misty days.

As well as getting immersed in three days diving, these weekends give the newcomers a chance to get to know other members and it’s usually not long before the characters emerge! This year we’re

54 SubSea Summer 2014

also planning weekend trips to Bere Island and Kilcrohane, and in August we will spend a week in Portmagee.

This is one of our favourite spots and over the years, we’ve developed friendships with local fishermen who are always helpful with moorings and knowledge of the area, and with exdiver Willie Kennedy from Glen Pier who provides bottle fills.

There are great dive sites from Portmcgee to Bray Head, including Lemontounagher Rock, Long Island with 40 metre sheer walls full of life, and Puffin Island where Rory Keane remembers seeing an ‘Octopus Convention’. Further out are the spectacular Skelligs with sites like Seal Cove where Pat Glavin once surfaced between a seal and her pups and the indignant mother grabbed his fins, dragging him 10 metres down.

According to Club Chairman Don

Monica and Dave on Honeymoon in the Red Sea.

McCarthy, ‘The week’s diving in Portmcgee comes towards the end of the season so trainees can cement the skills they’ve learned over the year and really enjoy diving in great surroundings and summer temperatures’.

The club has members of all ages, from all walks of life, and from trainees to very experienced divers. We’re a family oriented club and this year we’ve introduced a snorkelling membership aimed at juniors. Since its early days, the club has had an active social scene and in the winter months there was always great interest in snorkelling and social events. We’re lucky to have a good mix of male and female members and we’ve even had a few marriages! The most recent was Dave Riordan and Monica McNamara who were married last November and have recently returned from their third honeymoon! Dave is also a Nudibranch enthusiast who, with some other clubbers, visited Scapa Flow and returned home with more pictures of the area’s tiny molluscs then of its famous wartime wrecks. It’s rumoured that he will soon be launching his book on the Nudibranchs of Scapa Flow!

As with every club, we regularly fundraise to finance the maintenance and upgrading of boats and other equipment. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed everything from fin swims and ceili’s to a recent interactive race night which proved a great success, with members showing off their skills as jockeys, and all the punters getting involved in the action! Sponsorship, auction proceeds and bookies takings went towards funding of emergency equipment. Says Mercy Fenton ‘There’s great cooperation between the dive clubs in Cork and they’re always willing to support each other’s events and training initiatives.

Our beginner’s courses start each January and we welcome qualified divers at any time of the year. For more information about the club, visit our website: http://blog.corksac.info or our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/cork.subaqua You can also contact us by email: committee@corksac.info ◼

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.

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