London Dive Show
Sunday 9th March 2008

"Me and Gatchie didn't come down this way", the advice from the back seat was sound but I carried on in the wrong direction regardless; thank goodness we were nearly there. M4 – M11 – A113. Sound simple? Well it was really, it's just a bloody long way from South Wales and I managed to pick the most awkward route to the Excel Centre. Eventually though we saw the signposts and followed the road into London's dock land. Parking our car in a multi storey cost £10 for 5 hours but the place looked reasonably secure and it was only a short walk to the Excel centre and the exhibition halls.

Once inside, all the familiar names were on show: AP valves, Mares, Northern Diver and many more. The stalls were loaded with all the latest in dive gear and manned by friendly, helpful staff. Peter wanted to visit the Maldives Scuba Tours stand so we made this our first stop and whilst he was renewing acquaintances with the staff, I spent a pleasant five minutes watching a video of manta ray, whale shark and coral reefs. Gazing at this paradise took me back to December when I was there in the flesh experiencing the sights first hand – happy days!

I wanted to look for a new dry suit and boy, was I spoilt for choice. We walked around and eventually stopped at the Beaver stand (it's all in the mind - honest) where I managed to find a suit to fit and not a bad price either!

The day passed quickly. We collected carrier bags like they were going out of fashion – so much for global warming – and stuffed them full of brochures, leaflets and the odd freebie. Along the way we bought strobes, knives, torches, dry-bags, gloves and other bits and pieces that will make a day's diving easier and safer. It didn't take long to spend a shed load of dosh, so we were grateful for a coffee break and even at £1.60 a cup and £3 for a Cornish pasty, it was worth it to take the weight off our feet for a while.

Later in the day Chris had a go with a re-breather and was mighty impressed, Martin bandied words with a German guy on a camera stall and Peter had a really useful conversation with the people on the SAA stand, then all too soon it was time to leave. We carried our loaded carriers to the car and set off. Leaving dock lands wasn't so easy but thanks to the guys where we stopped for petrol we were soon on the right road.

"Me and Gatchie didn't use this route." I was just about to reply with something sarcastic but when I looked in the rear view mirror the offender was eyes closed head lolled and the only sound was a rhythmic snore. It had been a long day. It's a long way to come and it seemed even longer going home because I ignored the directions coming from the back seat as I headed towards Dartford in exactly the wrong direction but we'd enjoyed the experience, made some useful contacts especially with the SAA and bought plenty of gear. And now I can't wait for the start of the season to try my new dry suit.

PHIL. THE POST

Las Vegas Night
Friday 18th January 2008

For all those members who didn’t attend the club’s Las Vegas night held recently at the Taffs Well Rugby Club, I have this message.

You missed a very good night!

The venue was ideal. The club let us use their upstairs premises, a lovely big room with a stage, a dance floor and of course a bar.

Entertainment was provided by ‘Rocking Dave’, a larger than life character who sang along to a selection of well known tunes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Dave was very good; he could sing almost any song requested and he invoked many memories with hits from Cliff Richards, The Platters, Dean Martin, and even Cilla Black. I wondered at one time during the evening whether there was too much nostalgia for our younger members, who, fair play, had turned up in droves to support the event, but judging by the energy they put into their activity on the dance floor, they enjoyed ‘Rocking Dave’ as much as us ‘old uns’.

The buffet was superb – there’s no other word to describe it. Lyn’s partner Elaine must have been up all the previous night preparing the food. There was so much variety and everything was so well presented and so delicious – I went back at least three times and I wasn’t the only one. A big thank you to Elaine.

‘Strictly for fun only’ the roulette wheel manned by Lyn’s guest for the evening, Keith gave members a chance to win chips which could be used to bid at the auction to be held later. There were those who knew how and those who hadn’t played before. I couldn’t tell you who came off best, but judging by the crowd around the table and the wry smiles even the losers seem to enjoy having a flutter.

And big Paul Morgan was ‘in his element’ in charge of the Black Jack table. He had a willing audience even after ‘Rocking Dave started his second session. I must mention also, the initiative of Paul Markwell who on being given the job of selling the raffle tickets, devised a spiel so good that he abstracted a minimum of £3 from every purchaser. He was so good he even had me convinced I’d had a good deal!

The night ended with an auction and Peter Rees did a superb job as auctioneer in separating members from their hard won chips in exchange for a range of useful household items.

The event not only raised much needed funds for the club but it gave members an opportunity to socialise, get to know one another away from boats and salt water and neoprene suits.

A big thank you to Entertainments Officer Lyn Eade and his partner Elaine for organising the event, selling the tickets, and generally seeing that everybody had a very good time. Lyn, you did a bloody good job, and Elaine, that buffet was to die for! Thank You, and I can’t wait for your next event.


PHIL. THE POST

Club Diving
Sunday 9th September 2007
by Phil the Post

John Evans can list amongst his life experiences, teaching, caving , rambling, and world travelling. He’s also a good scuba diver and was originally with a Cardiff club but is now a well established member of LSAC. His standing within the club is renowned, but despite this he is amongst the first to offer words of encouragement to new club members during their initial West Wales diving ventures. Some say this is because he is always on the look-out for recruits to help him on and off with his dive gear, a spaghetti of straps, hoses and dubious bits of equipment, all colour coded, but requiring a person with a degree in logistics to decide on the order of unbuckling so as to avoid consigning the lot, to the depths.

John’s dry-suit has always leaked – and I mean really let in the wet stuff. This is in spite of his efforts to find a solution to the problem. On Sunday last, as we sat in the café behind West Wales Divers, enjoying our bacon and egg butties and mugs of tea, John came in and announced he had finally solved the problem… by getting a replacement suit. Not a new one mind. He had been rummaging in the attic and unearthed a suit belonging to his son. “It fits perfectly and the seals feel brand new.” He told the assembled audience.

There were eventually eight of us. Paul Gray, dive marshal, decided that we would use one boat, and that launching from Broadhaven would allow access to Skomer Island.

We parked in the back car park and loaded the equipment then struggled into our suits. “What do you think then?” John stood there in said suit – black and shocking pink. We were speechless – but at least we’d have less chance of losing him on a crowded beach!

Launching was a doddle and within thirty minutes we were moored to the visitor’s buoy in Skomer haven. Buddy teams were decided – I was to dive with Martin and Mike Rees – and we motored slowly to the north wall, before dropping into twenty metres of water. Visibility was very good – 8+ metres and we did the drop off, seeing lots of marine life including big pink fans and some lovely anemones. Our dive lasted 40 minutes. John and Club President Viv Griff did the same dive whilst Max, Richie and Paul dived on the Lucy. All reported excellent viz and enjoyable diving. We returned to the visitor’s buoy to eat lunch and were joined by a very tame cormorant that came right up to the boat in search of free offerings. John commented on his ‘new’ suit; “I feel quite dry – except for my left foot – or maybe my right leg. And what’s that trickling down my sleeve?”

It happened just before our second dive. John decided he needed a comfort break and whilst climbing out of his suit, tugged half of a cuff seal off – the eight years lying in his attic hadn’t improved the suit’s quality. Now I know it’s not funny but we couldn’t help but laugh, and of course that put an end to he’s diving for the day. Our second dive on the hen and chicks was really special. Again, viz was really good and we saw amongst other marine life, trigger fish – a first for me in British waters. We were also joined on the dive by a grey seal that played peek-a- boo around the rocks. Our dive in depths up to thirteen metres, lasted an hour.

The day was not without further incident and Richie added to our ‘equipment lost at sea’ list by somehow losing his weight-belt after ascending from the Lucy.

It had been another successful day. The boat was re-fuelled and readied for next weekend’s training event. John is still without a ‘dry’ dry suit. Will he invest? Or will his inventive side come up with another home made remedy? I think we all know the answer to that one.

PHIL. THE POST

August Bank Holiday Sunday
Sunday 26th August 2007
by Phil the Post

Our Monday evening events have of late, been very well attended. There are twenty plus people using the pool and the training team are kept busy with a stream of new recruits. Later our numbers are swelled as other club members join us and with thirty plus people in attendance, we just about take over Llantrisant Leisure Centre’s main bar area. At the last Monday meeting, D.O. Peter Rees asked for a show of hands re- diving over the bank holiday weekend; the response for diving on Sunday was good and so when I didn’t receive many phone calls on the Friday, I wasn’t unduly concerned. The weather through the week was glorious and the forecast for the weekend was for more of the same.

Sunday dawned with bright sunshine, rising temperatures and no wind. By 9-30 there were fifteen of us at West Wales Divers, – our best attendance so far this season. Lyn Eade was dive marshal. We readied and launched both boats and with assistance from Billy and his trusty tractor, launched successfully from a crowded Broadhaven beach. The sun had prompted a rare attendance by our D.O., who, complete with a cap clearly marked ‘THE BOSS’, skippered Lima 1. Mac took charge of Lima 2 and we bumped across a choppy sea to anchor just off the Mares rock.

I was buddied with Phil (the blade) Gillet. We rolled off the boat and swam over to the rock then descended, landing on a rocky seabed at 14 metres. Visibility was murky - probably due to divers in the water before us, because as we crossed the bottom, the water cleared. There was plenty to see including the usual spider crabs, velvet crabs and lobster, whilst above the rocks, huge pollack and wrasse hovered in search of lunch. Underneath one particular ledge we spotted a conger eel’s tail and had to swim around a rock to find his head. He was all of four feet long – well, that’s my version – I am a fisherman after all. Our dive lasted the best part of an hour and we ascended slowly into bright sunshine.

We ate our lunch in Solva Harbour. Of all the beautiful places along this coast, Solva is my favourite; we spent a pleasant hour enjoying the scenery and relaxing.

Our second dive site, Dinas Fawr, was one I hadn’t visited before. Visibility here was poor, but we managed forty odd minutes at depths up to 13 metres. Our day had been good; we’d had almost perfect weather, good diving, and enjoyed good company with plenty of chat and laughs. What minor difficulties we encountered had been solved one way or another and even a little difference regarding tank fittings – Din versus A. Clamp concluded in uncontrolled laughter.

We returned to Broadhaven around 4-30. One of the boat trailers needed attention – Billy was on the case – what would the club do without this man? He’s a dab hand at repairs and always the first person to volunteer; he must save the club a fortune. The other boat was taken back to base. The road home was surprisingly quiet; by 9-30 I was sorting my kit and half way down a glass of Speckled Hen. It had been a perfect day.

PHIL. THE POST

Who’d be Dive Leader?
Sunday 12th August 2007
by Phil the Post

I’d had a nagging doubt whilst driving down to West Wales. The response at our Monday night meeting was positive, but there had been no contact since. Surely somebody would turn up – and what if they didn’t? Well, I’ve been a club member for long enough to have faith. ‘Don’t worry; it’ll be alright on the day’, should really be our club motto

By 09-15, there were six of us. We operated like a well oiled machine; the boat was prepared, the jeep hitched up, we were ready to go – but where to? And more important, who was going to be the dive marshal? My nagging doubt had come true and as I looked around, I realised that I was the only person present with a dive leader ticket – and that had only recently been acquired – there were others present better able and more experienced, but… Suddenly, for me at least, today was going to be different. The others seemed happy enough so I became a dive marshal for the very first time, and started my duties by driving the jeep with boat in tow down the narrow lanes to Gelliswick boat slip. By the time we were ready to launch, there were eight of us; Richard Griff and Wayne had been delayed, but would join us as soon as they’d filled their cylinders.

A strengthening wind and a heavy swell meant that diving today would be confined to the sheltered waters of Milford Haven, and a consensus opted to find the shipwreck ‘Behar’, a cable laying vessel that was one of the first casualties of WW2. Our navigation was spot on and we dropped anchor almost into the wreck. Selecting buddy teams, part of the dive marshal duties, means matching divers’ ability and experience. Luckily we had all dived on previous occasions making selection quite an easy task. I paired up with Mike, who has just recently qualified as a diver. We were the first to roll off the boat and descended through the murky water to land beside the wreck at 16 metres. Visibility wasn’t bad – around 2 maybe 3 metres.

Mike hadn’t been on a wreck before so I took the lead and we swam slowly around the rusty metal and exposed spars. My torch beam picked out ‘dead men’s fingers’ and other marine growths as well as shoals of fish hovering safe within the wreckage. Ropes and old fishing net swayed in the gentle current, whilst long strands of seaweed added ghostly movement to an otherwise still, silent scene. Our dive lasted 45 minutes and we ascended slowly into bright sunshine.

The wind was still causing a heavy swell. Our second dive was on the wreck of the ‘Loch Shiel’ a ship that went down in 1901 off Thorne Island. She was reputedly carrying a cargo of whisky and bricks and whilst there are still lots of the latter, I’ve yet to find any bottles of the ‘hard stuff’. The wreck itself is now very skeletal but covered in marine life. There are lots of crabs, fish, and the occasional lobster to see. In the relative shallow depth of under10 metres, Mike and I enjoyed a relaxed dive that lasted the best part of an hour.

The day had been good. We headed back to shore, recovered the boat and were soon on our way back home. En- route, I reflected on my day. It had been different. In between my dives, I checked on safety issues, kept an eye on other boat traffic, and timed the others on their dives. There had been no incidents and the boat was returned safely to base. Later there would be reports to complete and logs to keep. Maybe this dive marshal bit isn’t too difficult after all…. or do I owe a round of drinks to a very experienced and well organised crew. I’ve a sneaky feeling it’s more the latter than the former.

PHIL. THE POST

The weather had started off fine and sunny but clouds were forming as we approached Haverford West. According to the cheery forecaster on national radio, most of the country was to be bathed in glorious sunshine and temperatures would be in the middle 20s C. Len Bateman on radio Pembrokeshire was more conservative. ‘ A cloudy start with rain coming in by the early afternoon and maximum temperatures 17/18C’. Why does West Wales always have to be different? There were six members at the Dive Centre and another couple turned up as we enjoyed a bacon sandwich.

By 9-30 there were twelve of us. We decided to go to Skomer and prepared both of the club boats. Launching from Broahaven is never easy, but today we had Billy Whizz and his trusty tractor. He pushed the boats through the big breakers and into the smooth waters beyond. We headed out taking our time and riding lumpy swells. In the lee of the island, conditions were much calmer. Jeff Canning, dive marshal for the day, set the buddy pairs and we kitted up for our first dive. I was paired with Paul ‘the gas’ Morgan. We rolled off the boat alongside Skomer North Wall, landing at 20 metres, onto a rocky bottom. Visibility was good – 5 maybe 6 metres. Finning against a mild current we saw loads of marine life; spider crabs, lobster, big edible crabs, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse and Pollack. They weren’t worried by our presence and seemed to recognise their safe status within the marine reserve. After half an hour, we turned around and drifted gently back with the current. Our dive lasted 45 minutes and with my air supply at 50 bar, we ascended slowly. At the surface, it had started to rain. Our boat was 50 metres down tide and as we drifted slowly towards it, gulls wheeled overhead, and the odd puffin flew by. Back on board, we ate lunch in North Haven then decided to head back to the ‘Hen and Chicks for our second dive. The rain was now falling steadily and visibility deteriorating.

The ‘Hen and Chicks is one of my favourite dive sites. It’s shallow, with little or no current, and the viz is generally good. We spent almost an hour around and under the rocks, seeing lots of marine creatures including shoals of juvenile fish, probably bass.

It had been a good day’s diving and by the time we’d washed the boats and stored the equipment it was after 7-00. There are always things worthy of recall and today was no exception. Mark Jones had a new toy; a green force torch, which he wanted to try out. Well, according to his dive buddies, it was so bright, the crabs and lobsters hastily took opposite sides; they thought someone had arranged a night match and had forgotten to tell them. And Billy Whizz had new spring type fin straps. He was full of praise after his first dive, but we learnt some new words when he accidentally lost a fin complete with new strap, over the side. Is there anybody in the market for one fin complete with (new) spring strap? Then we learn that Jeff C had tried a minilistic approach to his equipment by rolling off the boat minus his weight belt. The quest to discover his unsuccessful attempt to descend was solved via a series of elimination.

But my memory of the day would be twofold. Firstly, Wanda one of our novice divers enjoyed her first undersea experience in the safe confines of Skomer North Haven. Accompanied by ‘tall Paul’, she spent 30+ minutes enjoying the marine environment, and is looking forward to more dives in the future. And, our oldest member, ‘Phil the Flute’, celebrated his 76th birthday by completing two dives. Well done Phil.

PHIL. THE POST

Yesterday's diving trip was very successful. I travelled down West with Peter Swarfield. The journey was uneventful; we chatted about club events past and present, club members, and other 'man' topics.

Arriving at West Wales Divers we met up with John Evans, Jeff Canning and Richie Grice. A brief discussion, then Richie left to fill the boat with fuel; he met us at Broadhaven. Our launch was almost successful, but we misjudged the depth of water and the boat grounded onto the sand. Thankfully the tide was rising; we manhandled the boat into deeper water and were soon riding the wave crests as we headed for Ramsey Island.

The journey was lumpy, a result of the poor weather conditions of late, though thankfully, the sun was shining; it was a lovely day. Arriving at Ramsey, Richie used our new monitoring system to gauge depths and we dropped anchor in a sheltered bay.

I dived with John 'Crabhook'Evans. We dropped into 18 metres; the visibility was good and the current slight. John followed his favourite pursuit ie, find the lobster I followed behind, admiring the marine creatures of which there were lots.

Towards the end of the dive, John shouted at me (well, he would have if he could have) I followed his moving torch beam and saw a large grey seal. This inquisitive creature played hide and seek with us and eventually came close enough to nibble at my fins. I was ecstatic!! I've seen it happen to other people, read about it, and seen pictures, but when it happened to me, I was over the moon. He or she looked up at me with large soulful eyes; I reached out, and in a flash, he was gone. He re-appeared as we were ascending, this time playing around John's fins.

Back on the boat we were like a pair of school children as we tried to relay our experiences to the others. The same seal interacted with the next pair of divers. After their dive, they recalled similar experiences.

Our next dive was in another bay. Here we experienced a mixture of reef and sand. There were lots of dog fish, lobsters, velvet spider crabs, and scallops.

Boat recovery was a smooth operation and apart from having to negotiate lots of holiday makers who are unfamiliar with the narrow lanes of West Wales, there’s nothing else to report.

We got back to base around 6-30pm.

PHIL. THE POST

Club Training Day
Sunday 15th July 2007
by Phil the Post

Her Very First Time

There's something special about that very first time. We sit there exchanging glances, making small talk; throwaway remarks. I can tell by her expression that she's anxious. I know what's going through her mind. 'Will it be as good as they said it would be? Will it be safe? I've come so far, is there any way of turning back?'

And now it's the moment. We've been through the checks together, weight-belt, air turned on, releases identified, fins and mask in place. I motion that I'm going in first, then confidently roll off the boat and on resurfacing, encourage my student to follow. "Come on in, the water's lovely". She remains statue like – then there's movement and almost as if in slow motion she falls backwards; there's a mighty splash, she resurfaces thankfully, her regulator clasped tightly in her mouth. Her eyes are wide – she's breathing fast; I issue words of encouragement – "well done, stay calm". And then, "Are you ready?" She nods, nervously, unable to answer for fear of losing the regulator. I know how she's feeling right now; it's not too long ago that I was in a similar situation. I remember how my instructor encouraged me and try to do the same for my student.

I sense the time is right, and raise my inflate/deflate hose with my thumb on the deflate button, indicating for her to follow the example. We prepare to descend. She finds the controls and together we leave the surface; the sky disappears from view; now we're entering the undersea world and within seconds my feet hit the sand. Thankfully my student is within touching distance, wobbling clumsily, almost toddler like, trying to balance in this unnatural environment. She tries to move, and falls over. I motion for her to add a small amount of air to her jacket and demonstrate. She follows my example and instantly gains neutral buoyancy. I clap my hands in encouragement, and prepare to move off. Visibility is good – at least three metres and at this shallow depth – 4/5 metres, there's plenty of light. We spot wrasse, small flat fish, and lots of spider crabs. All this is new to my student and she is clearly enjoying this new experience. There's lots to see, anemones, different coloured weed, and in the eel grass, hundreds of juvenile fish. But she's smitten with the spider crabs, and I watch with amusement as she gingerly picks one particularly lively specimen up taking care not to engage with its extended claws, and then gently replaces it to the sea bed where it scuttles to the safety of a large rock.

I've been monitoring the air gauges throughout the dive; at this shallow depth, air consumption is conservative. We've been underwater for thirty minutes, I'm beginning to feel the cold, and at thirty five minutes, give the signal to ascend. She adds a little air to her jacket almost as if she's been doing it for years. We ascend slowly and soon there's the sky, and scores of puffins wheeling overhead. I signal the boat and watch as they respond. We bob together in the gentle swell; I'm tempted to ask "How was it for you?" But the huge smile behind her mask make words unnecessary.

Liz was confident throughout this her first boat dive. She managed to control her buoyancy and her breathing; a compliment to club trainers and training policy. The dive had been one activity of the training weekend and congratulations are in order for Chris, Alan, Owen, Phil, 'Smudge', Mike, Paul and Liz who all attended lectures and completed several exercises at both open water and club diver level. A big thank you is also owed to club training officer Richie, committee member 'Tall Paul' and Max who gave up their time over the weekend. Both club boats were used on the Sunday, a rare sight these days according to one local observer; but hopefully with plenty of new divers being introduced to the pleasures of diving off the West Wales coast, two boats filled with Llantrisant Divers heading out to sea, will in future become a frequent sight.

PHIL. THE POST

On Sunday 10th of June, several club members took advantage of excellent weather conditions to chance a trip to the Small's lighthouse.

This rocky outcrop 22 miles out from the Haven, is a once a year trip, and that's if you're lucky.

Due to its remote location, sea and weather conditions have to be near perfect to be able to go there, and enough members need to turn up as club safety policy dictates that two boats must be used when travelling this far out.

On this particular Sunday, the sun was shining, there was almost no wind, the temperature was approaching 20c at 9:00am, the tides were favourable and there were ten of us present and correct at WWD, ready and eager to go. Due to fuelling needs, we decided to launch from Gelliswick. Lyn, dive marshal for the day, used the Pajero to tow one boat, Jeff Canning followed on with the other.

Launching went smoothly and we were soon zooming out of the Haven. There was a mist over the sea, and it was mainly thanks to our senior members, Mac, Billy and Lyn, that we eventually saw the tall lighthouse. I feared a day out in Dublin was on the cards, had navigation been left to the rest of us. A compass or GPS on each boat, and members properly trained in their use was never more obvious, (strong hint to the committee).

En route we were privileged to see feeding puffins, shearwaters and my favourites, the mighty gannets; we were also lucky enough to be joined by a pod of dolphins as they played in our bow wave for several seconds before disappearing only to be seen minutes later in the distance.

There were several boats at the Smalls, fishing boats, dive boats, and a hard boat full of excited people who had come to see the seals.

There are lots of seals here, big ones and small ones; they sprawl across the rocks as though catching the rays, or pop up at the side of the boat with an inquisitive look on their face; they really are most amusing creatures, I could willingly watch them all day. But we were here to dive. It was slack tide. Perfect! Lyn paired people up and we were soon underwater.

Visibility was good, and I'm not just saying that! Apart from a bit of suspended sediment, it was possible to see clearly for at least six metres. We saw wrasse, pollack, and the biggest crabs and lobsters you could imagine. The marine vegetation was stunning; every rock surface was covered with bright, beautiful colours, you could almost have been in the tropics. Water temperature wasn't bad either, a heady 13c, wow!!

By the time we had all got out of the water, the tide was racing and boy; for our second dive we needed to change location and so reluctantly we left this paradise and headed back towards Skokholm. The ebb tide was flowing as we rolled off the boat; this time I buddied with Jeff. We levelled off at 16 metres and explored the many gullies that are a feature of this mark. Again, the viz was good and we saw plenty of marine life.

It was 6:30pm when we eventually got back to WWD. There was a queue to wash the boats; we waited our turn patiently. The temperature was still in the 20s, it would have been nice, after putting the boats away, to enjoy a couple of beers and watch the sun go down, but we needed to head East, and it was 9:00pm when I and my travelling companion Peter Swarfield pulled into the Cross Inn pub near Llantrisant. Over a pint or two we reflected on what had been a brilliant day. Perfect weather, lots to see, a few laughs.

I promised not to tell about Richie Griff rolling off the boat without his fins on; he was quite a way down tide when we managed to catch up with him, we couldn't move for laughing, and I've a feeling it'll be some time before he's allowed to forget it.

Next week I'm travelling to Cuba and whilst I'll be diving there, I'm sure it won't be half as much fun as a day out with the club 'down west'.

PHIL. THE POST

The Training Weekend
Sunday 20th May 2007
by Phil the Post

It was quiet in the little café behind West Wales Divers; surprisingly quiet considering it was a lovely Sunday morning in the middle of May, but understandable, taking into account the nasty winds and heavy showers that had been the weather pattern for the previous week. There were seven of us assembled; men on a mission; all present for this, a training day; all anticipating the challenge involved in demonstrating skills that would lead onto a higher level of S.A.A. recognition.

We launched from Broadhaven, the scene more reminiscent of an Australian surf beach as we fought to hold the boat against powerful oncoming rollers. Luckily, we managed to remain upright and Richie, dive marshal for this trip, powered across the bay, past the Hen and Chicks and out towards Skomer. Today’s exercise was a deep dive and Richie had chosen the site of the wreck, Lucy, to complete the necessary tasks. The Lucy ran aground in Jack Sound on Valentine’s Day 1967. The next full tide lifted her off and she sank into 40 metres of water where she still sits perfectly upright. Further details on www.westwalesdivers.co.uk.

We tied up to the buoy and assembled our kit. Paul Morgan, Max, and myself were doing this dive as part of the Dive Leader level. Richie gave a briefing, going through the hazards of deep diving, and then using tables, we calculated our dive plan. We rolled off the boat and descended the shot line. The water temperature was 12.C; not violently cold, but I was thankful for the layers of insulation. Visibility was awful, a result of the previous week’s storms, and as we got to the 25metre mark the light faded; we were literally, in the dark; it was eerie; I couldn’t see anything, and needed to use a torch to read my computer.

The top of the wreck is at 36 metres; at this depth, my computer told me I had 10 minutes before de-co. Groping in the blackness, I followed the rail towards the stern, shining my torch and picking out huge spider crabs and dead men’s fingers in the narrow beam. The combination of darkness and depth was awesome; I gripped the rail tightly! A further glance at my computer revealed 6 minutes remaining; it was time to turn around. We gathered at the shot line and made our ascent slowly, pausing at 3 metres for a safety stop.

Back on the boat we discussed our brief adventure into the depths and all admitted to a heightening of sensations as we had descended into the dark. There’s no doubt in my mind that a deep, dark, and cold environment provided a challenge that I hadn’t encountered before and one I would have to try again several times before I could say I would be confident in this sort of environment.

Richie and Tall Paul were next, and they completed a more involved ‘deco’ dive as part of their dive supervisor level. Phil Gillett and Mark Jones were last in the water. We had lunch whilst watching the antics of the Puffin population around Skomer, and were entertained by numerous grey seals. They popped up frequently as if wanting to know what we were doing in their backyard. Our second dive, on the ‘North Wall’, was abandoned due to zero visibility and we completed the day with a relaxed dive on the Hen and Chicks, where the ‘viz’ was slightly better.

By the time we had recovered the boat and returned to W.W.D., it was after 7.00pm; it had been a long day, but luckily traffic heading east was light and we were enjoying a well deserved pint in the Barn on the outskirts of Llantrisant just before 9.00pm.

Next weekend is a bank holiday and West Wales diving will be extended to Monday. I look forward to seeing you there.

PHIL. THE POST

Diving Report
Sunday 22 April 2007
by Phil the Post

Why would you want to get up at 05-30am on a Sunday morning? Well, if you’ve a dog to walk, a hundred mile+ journey to do, a date with a bacon sandwich and a mug of steaming tea; and all to fit in before 09-00am; you ain’t got much option. Martin picked me up at 06-45am and we headed West. We spent the journey discussing mundane topics; family, work, holidays; and trying to ignore the darkening clouds and the odd speck of rain. Why, after such a lovely week of weather must it suddenly deteriorate on a Sunday? The odd specks turned to big drops, and the windscreen wipers needed to be on constant, to cope with the downpour. Like little boys, we talked our way through the rain. Maybe it was only a shower; it wouldn’t be raining in Haverford West – would it?

By the time we pulled up outside of West Wales Divers the rain had stopped; see, told you so!! Max and his buddy Dave were in the little Café. The rest of the team began to arrive; two more, then two more, then two more, and more… Dive Marshall for the day, Lyn, appeared on the scene. Now there were ten of us; and only one boat!! Lyn, not known for making hasty decisions, and armed with the knowledge that West Wales Divers had cancelled their charter for the day,( because of the deteriorating weather conditions) called a conference. We decided that given the circumstances, it would be safe and sensible to have one dive each and to confine our activities to the seas around the Haven.

Launching was a doddle as the full tide was lapping the top of the slipway at Gelliswick. Martin took the helm and we headed around the piers and out towards St. Anne’s Head. The sea was a horrible grey colour and the breakers made progress slow. It soon became obvious that conditions outside of the Haven would be un-comfy to say the least. A dive on the wreck of the Behar seemed a safer option. We buddied up and dropped into the water. It was cold – around 10C according to my computer. Martin and myself followed the anchor rope down onto the seabed. Visibility was surprisingly good (this would have compensated for the cold which was by now making my fingers very numb), except that there was nothing to see!! The seabed was featureless and the Behar? The old hands on board told tales of a huge wreck. Well either we had dropped on the wrong spot or somebody had pinched the rusty old hulk overnight. Our dive lasted half an hour during which time we managed to find several patches of rough ground where there was at least a little bit of life to see.

Back aboard the rib, it transpired that nobody had managed to find the wreck. Max and Dave had come the closest. They had found a huge anchor, but when they followed the rusty old chain, it ended in nothing!! Maybe a working GPS on board our rib, would help.

Recovery was achieved with polished performance. We really are getting quite good at this; though I must admit, the Pajero makes life a lot easier. Back at West Wales divers, we washed the boat down and stored the safety gear. We were on our way East by 4-00pm. Not the best day’s diving, but good to see so many enthusiastic members so early in the season, and it’s always great to get out on the water, regardless of the end results.

The ten members who braved the cold were Lyn (dive marshall) Martin (he has a tool for just about any situation) John (Crabhook), Max, Dave, Phil (Crabhook’s apprentice), Mike Rees,(who only came to feed the fishes) Gail and Griff; nice to see Gail come back to cold water diving, next time she may even get into the water) and yours truly

PHIL. THE POST

P.S. I look forward to seeing you on future dive weekends; come along and join us, there’s plenty of room for more.

The weather over the Easter weekend, was glorious. On Easter Sunday, an early veil of mist gave way to blue skies, bright sunshine, and virtually no wind. We met up at the West Wales Diver’s base, Hasguard’s Cross, which is just beyond Haverfordwest.

There were seven of us including a rare appearance of our leader Mr. Rees. Once a frequent diver in West Wales, in recent years, Peter is better known for his diving exploits in warmer climes. Maybe this is a comeback, watch this space!

After a substantial breakfast and two mugs of tea, we towed the boat to Broadhaven. The tide was just off the slipway; ideal conditions for launching and we were soon on our way, zooming across the water towards Mare’s rock. The sea was silky smooth. We saw cormorants, shearwaters and as we approached Solva, a lone dolphin rolled on the surface.

There were five of us prepared to dive and we split into two teams. I was partnered with Phil ‘the Blade’. We rolled off the boat together and hit the water. It was cold; it might have been a warm day but believe me, the sea was cold…ten degrees Celsius according to my computer, and it got colder as we descended. Visibility however was surprisingly good and we made our way across the rocky bottom down to twenty metres. Along the way we saw pollack, wrasse, dogfish and literally hundreds of spider crabs. Our dive lasted forty minutes by which time we were running low on air.

After a leisurely lunch spent in the picturesque Solva harbour, we headed back, past Stack rock, and anchored up at a well known dive mark, ‘the hen and chicks’.

Our second dive was similar to the first; maybe the visibility was a little better but it was still very cold. There was plenty to see though including lobsters edible crab and the biggest spider crabs you could imagine. As in the first dive, our air supply began to dwindle after about forty minutes and we surfaced slowly into bright sunshine.

Back in Broadhaven, team effort made boat recovery a doddle and I was soon on the motorway heading east. It had been a perfect day; good diving, good company, and most important, I’d be home in time to enjoy a couple of pints of good beer in my local.

Club members please note, the dive calendar has been published on the club web site. www.llantrisantdivers.com I hope to see you over the next few dive weekends.

PHIL. THE POST

Start of the Dive Week
(29th & 30th July 2006)
by Phil the Post

Some call it Sod’s Law – others are more explicit! But that’s how it goes. So on the Sunday that ten of us turn up to dive, the wind is blowing at force 4/5, limiting our choice of venues and launch sites. We divers are a resourceful lot mind, and following a discussion, we decided that Gelliswick slip would be a safe launch site, and that this would be an ideal opportunity to see how we could handle a situation – towing and launching two boats with just one tow vehicle. Tall Paul volunteered to drive, and with Lima 1 hitched up, was soon on his way. Meantime, we took advantage of the café facilities for a leisurely breakfast. Paul was back within the hour, and with Lima 2 in tow, we set off in convoy for Gelliswick.

Launching went smoothly and two boats headed around the jetties out towards the mouth of the Haven. The wind had picked up, and it soon became clear that our diving today would be very restricted. Amidst rolling waves, we decided to dive inside the Haven; our first dive would be on the wreck of the ‘Dakotion’. Now. I make no secret of the fact that I do not like wreck diving, and see the ‘Dakotion’as a pile of rusty metal sheets! But, any dive is better than none, so after the buddy teams had been appointed by marshall for the day Jeff. Canning, we dropped into the murky water and followed the anchor rope down to the sea bed, some 18 metres below. Visibility was just about zero, but thankfully my buddy Phil. (the blade) Gillet had a powerful torch and we fumbled our way around the bottom spotting small lobsters, and several species of fish amongst the wreckage before deciding to ‘knock it on the head’.

At the surface, the sun was shining brightly, in fact it was a glorious day, but the wind and the tide were causing the anchored boats to rock about wildly. On our boat, young Peter Swarfield was sharing his breakfast with the fish whilst on the other boat, new member, Mike Rees who many of us considered was more at home on the sea than Popeye, had turned a ‘whiter shade of pale’ and was close to joining Peter!

We decided to seek shelter and headed for the Thorn Island; our second dive would be on the wreck of the ‘Loch Sheil’. Here, visibility was a little better and we spent a pleasant half hour perusing the wreckage, and searching for remnants of the cargo, bottles of whisky, and bricks, (we found the bricks). It was now time to go; we made our way back to the slip; boat recovery went well, and we were soon back at base, West Wales Divers. Just after six pm I settled down as passenger in Martin’s car and enjoyed a very pleasant journey home.

There was supposed to be diving all the next week, in fact, I fully intended to return to West Wales on Thursday, but the weather deteriorated and reports indicated that visibility remained poor so I didn’t make it. The next dive weekend is 12/13 of August when it is intended to visit the ‘Lucy’ for some deep dive training. Yes! I know, another wreck, but----. Maybe I’ll see you there.

PHIL. THE POST

Last Weekend's Diving
(1st & 2nd July 2006)
by Phil the Post

After two weeks spent diving in the Maldive Islands, I couldn’t wait to get back to the challenging waters of West Wales – (NOT!) The recent spell of fine weather held out. Sunday dawned bright and sunny with temperatures of 20.0c and rising. My early morning journey to Hasguard’s Cross was rewarded with the sighting of a kite hovering over a roundabout at St. Clears; quite a start to the day.

The café behind West Wale’s Divers was heaving; workers toiled valiantly to satisfy demand for healthy breakfasts; bacon, two eggs, sausage, beans and toast being the order of the day. I spotted our treasurer Jeffrey, working his way through what is commonly known as a Diver’s Delight and joined him. Jeff had come down on Friday with every intention of a camping, canoeing and diving weekend. He confided in me that he had forgotten to bring with him one basic piece of kit – the tent, but in true pioneering fashion had managed to secure accommodation locally. He asked me not to tell of his dilemma, and I promised not to; so please don’t tell anybody else!

The rest of the gang arrived and we prepared the boat. Later, using our recently acquired Pajero, we launched Lima 2 from Gelliswick. We had been joined by our President, Viv with his own boat, and we made our way together, around the jetties, out towards Skokholm Island. Our team for the day, Viv, Phil the flute, Martin, Jeff, Mac, Phil Gillet, and myself. Dive Marshall for the day was Jeff, and he set the buddy teams.

Mac and I were first in. The shock of cold water-13.0c- penetrated my dry-suit, under-suit and base layers. It was a sharp contrast with the 30.0c Indian Ocean I had been enjoying just a week previous! Visibility however was good and there was plenty to see amongst the rocks and kelp. Half-way through the dive, the current seemed to pick up. It was not surprising therefore to discover when we surfaced, that we had strayed into the race and were heading at a rate of knots towards Jack Sound. Luckily, Jeff had spotted our SMB and followed us to the pick up point.

We all managed two dives before the weather turned. The journey back was a wet one. Gelliswick slip was thankfully clear, and following a smooth recovery we were soon back at base. It had been another successful day with plenty to see, including, seals, puffins, cormorants; and underwater, pollack, wrasse, dogfish, crabs, lobsters, and a host of other colourful marine life. WHY THEREFORE were there so few of us diving? Surely we can’t all be just warm water divers. Perhaps we’ll have a better turn out next weekend. Members please note, if you’re unsure of the arrangements for the weekend’s diving, give me a ring on my works number, 01443 226201, during office hours on Fridays. I have up to the minute details of who will be Dive Marshall, and how many people are likely to turn up. There’s no problem with towing now that we have our own vehicle. I look forward to hearing from you.

PHIL THE POST

Bank Holiday Weekend 2006

Sunday is Dive Day!

by Phil the Post

After a week of dismal weather, Sunday started dry and bright. Richard arrived to pick me up at 7.00am, and following a minor emergency when I took time to find my glasses, we were soon heading down the M4. Conversation at this time of the morning tends to be limited, and I took a rare opportunity of being a passenger, to admire the lovely countryside. The journey was uneventful and it was just after 9.00am, when we rolled up outside of West Wales Divers where the other club members making up the team for today, were waiting. The ‘look’ we got didn't seem right and we were greeted with the news that the promised tow vehicle, our very own long awaited 4x4, wasn't available. We resigned ourselves to using the smaller Humber. It never ceases to amaze me what a co-operative bunch we divers are however, and over a cup of coffee in the café, the Dive Shop owner offered to tow and launch our Cobra. We were very grateful to Roland for saving the day.

At Little Haven, a stiff breeze was coming off the sea, causing breakers to roll up the beach. We made our way slowly towards Stack Rock where we hoped to get a little shelter. The Cobra rode the waves well; and we were soon anchored; grey seals eyed us warily as the dive teams busied themselves kitting up. There were two other dive boats in the area, a sure sign of the weather which would restrict out diving today. Jeff and Martin were first to roll off the boat; Richard discovered he had forgotten to fit a low pressure hose to his first stage, but prepared as we always are, (or if we’re honest, purely by good fortune), we had a spare and he was soon ready to join John Evans, and Phil. Gillett; they disappeared beneath the grey sea and I watched their bubbles as they made their way towards the rock. The sun had stayed out and in the shelter of the rock, it was quite pleasant. I watched the seals and the sea birds whilst looking out for the S.M.B. which would signal the divers return. Martin and Jeff surfaced after 50 minutes. Due to the low tide, their dive had been restricted to 12 metres. Visibility however had been reasonable; they had spotted edible and spider crabs, as well as ‘dead men’s fingers’ and the ever present dog fish. The others surfaced soon afterwards. All had enjoyed the dive. We decided to try the ‘Hen and Chicks’ for our second dive and made our way back slowly. Following a respectable surface interval, and ‘butty’ break, the dive teams entered the water. This time, visibility wasn't as good, and due to the state of the tide, depth was restricted to 8 metres. By the time the divers had surfaced and we’d stowed all the gear away, it was 4.00pm. We made our way to Little Haven and following a challenging recovery were soon back at West Wales Divers.

The day had been enjoyable; we had managed to get two dives in, and in between, there was plenty of surface activity with seals, and a variety of sea birds to view. What’s that you say, “Why didn't I dive?” I almost forgot to mention. We had kitted up as we usually do, in the car park at Little Haven. As I was struggling into my dry suit, a wrist seal ripped, consigning me to boat cover for the rest of the day. In fairness, Martin, (always the man to be relied upon to have just about anything you might need) tried a repair using strong tape, but I didn't fancy a soaking! As you can well imagine, when the boys came up from their first dive and said that the sea temperature was a staggering 11 degrees Celsius I was truly disappointed that I hadn’t shared their experience. And on their second dive when the viz was almost zero; well, I was gutted. So, on our return,it was West Wales Divers to the rescue again; they took my suit and fitted two new wrist seals. I won’t need it for while as it’s the Maldives for me in June. I won’t be diving in the U.K. again until July; hopefully the water will be warmer by then; I hope so because I’m fast running out of excuses!

PHIL THE POST

May Day 2006

by Phil the Post

Two Bank Holidays within three weeks, and another opportunity to go diving. The May Day weekend saw dry weather, sunshine and boiling hot temperatures. Well, two out of three ain’t bad, and at least it didn’t rain, - well, not on the Monday; that’s when I had committed to going down ‘west’.

Traffic was remarkably light and the 108 mile journey was eaten up in less than two hours. I arrived at West Wales Divers just after nine- o-clock, and met up with the team for the day; Lynne Eaddes, Phil Gillet, John ‘Crabhook’ Evans, and Phil ‘Marine’ Hodder. Over a perfect bacon sandwich and a mug of tea, we discussed the dive plan for the day. There was a brisk north easterly, so we decided to launch from Gelliswick.

Phil Hodder hitched Leema 2 up to his sturdy 4+4 and we negotiated the narrow West Wales lanes. We arrived to see white horses crashing through the Haven, but we were determined, and following a smooth launch, were soon amongst the pontoons and barges now part of the scene in an area busy preparing itself for the arrival of the LPG terminal currently under construction.

It was soon evident that the weather conditions weren’t going to allow us outside of the Haven, strong winds meant we were getting soaked by just pointing the boat into the waves. Lynn sought shelter by Stack Fort, and we tied up by the steps. Divers kitted up; John and Phil Gillet, then Lynn and Phil Hodder, rolled into the water. Yours truly stayed on the boat as cover,( well, somebody has to do it and the fact that the sea temperature was only 9.0c had nothing at all to do with me not diving!)

Some twenty minutes later, Lynn and Phil surfaced; they were soon followed by John and Phil Gillet. The boys remarked on visibility being one to two metres. There wasn’t a lot to see amongst the kelp, but the odd dogfish was evident, and I’m not sure what ‘Crabhook had in his ‘goodie’ bag, but at least they had managed a dive.

We headed back to Gelliswick just in time to catch the ‘slip’ on a falling tide. The boat washed down, and everything put away, I was on the road by 3.30pm, and back in Llantrisant by 5.30pm; not bad for a Bank Holiday Monday! Three pints of Abbot and a mixed grill later, I reflected on what can only be described as a perfect day. The next opportunity to dive with the Club is week-ending 13/14 May. I look forward to seeing you there.

PHIL THE POST

The Easter Weekend 2006

by Phil the Post

The 2006 season got off to a very good start. Over the Easter weekend, the sun beat down from a cloudless sky and members were able to dive in clear warm water, where, the visibility was good enough to be able to see the vast array of marine life common to this part of the West Wales coast. Well, it wasn’t quite that good. The weather was kind enough however, to allow us to launch the boats and get some diving in. On Saturday, four hardy souls braved the cold waters off Stack rock and the Hen and Chicks. Patchy sunshine made for a pleasant day and though the visibility beneath the waves has been known to be better, it was an opportunity to test equipment, and refresh skills.

Richard, our training officer, Jeff, the club treasurer, and self appointed marine cookery officer John ‘Crab-hook’ Evans stayed overnight. They were joined on Sunday by Peter Rees, Richard Griffiths and yours truly.

After a hearty breakfast at West Wales Divers, we trailed the boat down to Gelliswick and launched from the wide slipway. Peter skippered, and soon had us powering across the bay. It was good to be back to familiar sights; we whizzed by the forts and jetties, the breeze chill, but pleasant and the sea within the Haven quite flat. Our first stop was around the corner from St. Anne’s head. Jeff and John kitted up and rolled into the grey sea. They descended, but were soon on the surface again; visibility was poor. We up-anchored, and made our way back, stopping just off the point, directly under St. Anne’s head. It was the two Richards who dived on this mark. They quickly descended and we watched their bubbles as they made their way around the rocks. They were underwater for around half an hour before a S.M.B. popped to the surface and we soon had them safely back on board. Visibility had been about a metre but there hadn’t been much to see through the murk. By this time, the wind had picked up and as there were no other volunteers willing to brave the icy waters, (sea temperature 6.5c ) we headed back to Gelliswick, recovered the boat, and returned to West Wales Divers.

Boat cleaning was next on the agenda, and we took advantage of the newly fitted water source on site, to scrub, and hose down the two Cobras. Later in the afternoon, we were joined by the Club’s Equipment Officer ‘Billy Whizz’. Billy had brought his welding gear and we watched in amazement as he skilfully fitted strengthening bars to the Club’s metal cupboard. Later, equipment stored, and boats secured, I headed for home. Thankfully the roads were quiet, and after dropping off Richard, I was enjoying a well earned pint or three in the ‘local’ by eight- o-clock.

Jeff and Peter stayed over on Sunday night, but by Monday, the wind had picked up; the weather had taken a turn for the worst and there was no further diving. I’m now looking forward to the next dive weekend. Hope to see you there!

PHIL THE POST