Recent Events by Club Members

Sunday 7th June. Another great club dive organised by Sally. Well done to both Lizzy and Finn, who were trying ‘cold water diving’. Eleven divers went in at Brixham, and enjoyed reasonably viz, despite fairly high winds on the previous day. Ben was brilliant as shore helper, and after the dive almost everyone went off for a good brunch.

Sunday 17th May. Underwater beach clean. A brilliant morning organised by our ‘Club Marine Champion’ Sally. 14 divers accepted the challenge of clearing the area round the breakwater of any debris that shouldn’t be there. This was mainly lost fishing tackle, and there were 10Kg of lost fishing weights, 2Kg of fishing line (that’s a phenomenal length!), a lightweight crab pot, and half a fishing rod. Lost fishing line gets entangled around sea life, and it’s great to get it out the water. At the end the seal appeared – as if to say ‘Thank you!’ So well done to all the divers, and especially Sally, Derek and Cherry.

“Big waves of applause for our amazing club members Nikki, Petra, and Nik.

The trio recently headed to sunny Exmouth and Hele to complete their BDMLR Marine Mammal Medic training and refresher courses. It wasn’t just about soaking up the sun; they’ve been honing the vital skills needed to rescue and rehabilitate the incredible wildlife right off our coast.

A massive thank you to those who supported the mission by providing the loan of cylinders—your generosity made this essential training possible.

Whether it’s a stranded seal or a dolphin in distress, these three are ready to dive in and help.”

Thanks,

Dave Hansen (photos credit Louise Round – BDMLR )

Sunday 26th April. Seven members of Exeter BSAC headed to Lyme Regis for a fantastic day diving the wreck of the Baygitano. The low tide created ideal conditions for a team-building exercise, and the morning sea was sparkling gently, giving us a smooth run out to the site.

We split the day into two waves. Nick took the helm as cox for the first launch, delivering everyone to the shot with precision. For the second wave, Nik stepped in as cox and kept things running just as efficiently. As predicted, the wind and sea got up a bit in the afternoon – not enough to prevent us diving, though enough to make for a bumpy ride.

Both dives were excellent. Visibility was good, with the May bloom not far away and the temperature a comfortable 12 degrees. The wreck was teeming with life — shoals of fish weaving through the structure: crawfish around the boiler: crabs, lobsters and conger eels tucked under the plates, and a healthy covering of jewel anemones and soft corals. The Baygitano remains a reliable favourite, offering atmosphere, history, and plenty to explore.

A successful day all round, with great company, safe diving, and a wreck that never disappoints.

Sunday 5th April – Club dive organised by Sally. 9 divers went in at Babbacombe, looking for cuttlefish and octopus. The water is warming up, and small fry are around. Several divers found cuttlefish, and almost all went off for a well earned brunch afterward. Even the sun came out to play as we got changed, and it was a great morning.

Sunday 29th March. Rescue skills day. Organised by Jane, David and Andy L, Lots of club members got involved, and we had trips out on the RIB, as well as shore based rescue skills. It was a hard morning, but with some fun, and the general feeling was that people wanted to do it again next year. A great day, special thanks go to Clint and Ann for organising the RIB 🙂

Friday 27th March. Disaster movie night. Petra and Nik showed 6 videos of dives that ‘went wrong’. Each video prompted a discussion on what went wrong, and possible ways that this scenario could have been avoided.

Friday 6th March. Street SAC fire. Rob and Mick kindly gave an excellent talk on how their fire started, how they rebuilt things, and what lessons were learned from this catastrophic event. It was an enlightening evening, because most people aren’t aware that 100% oxygen can self combust if it’s hot enough. It doesn’t need a spark to set it off, and that was what happened in their barn. Fortunately the boat was out that day, otherwise more fuel would have been added to the fire. Lots of things to learn here, and many thanks to Street SAC for coming over.

Monday 1st March. Club dive organised by Sally. Sadly, the winter weather has been terrible, so limited enthusiasm for the club dive. Only six divers went in at Brixham, but everyone had a good time, and the water has now warmed up to 10C (yippee!).

Feb 27th. Kit lecture. Andy L talked through how to look after dive kit, and how to minimise malfunctions. Included were easy repairs, and how to avoid missing dives from equipment failures. 22 people present, so a good turnout.

Sat 31st Jan. Cromhall Quarry. Sea diving hasn’t been possible because of the recent horrific storms and flooding. The sea is completely brown, and there’s no underwater visibility. So 5 desperate divers went off to brave the cold at a quarry just north of Bristol. Good viz, but it was too cold to consider a second dive. Great brunch nearby at The Lounge at Leyhill Prison (recommended).

Sat 24 / Sunday 25th Jan. Congratulations to Nick and Matthew for completing their twinset course. This enables them to dive longer (often into decompression) and do this safely. Many thanks to Pegs for Instructing this course.

Friday 23rd Jan. Petra and Nik went through some of the accident reports reported to BSAC head office. Some of the incidents were discussed, and we offered suggestions as to how accidents could have been prevented. This was an entertaining hour, and well done to all for offering suggestions. Well worth doing again on an annual basis.

Sat 17th Jan. First ever UK sea dive for Dan. Well done for diving (in a wet suit) whilst conditions were somewhat challenging. Viz was limited at 1 metre, thoughit wasn’t quite bad enough to use a buddy line.

Sunday 4th Jan – Club Dive. It was a lovely sunrise, but 8 people had to de-ice cars to dive at Beacon Cove. There was 3 metres viz, and lots of small things to see. The water was cold at 8C, the air 1C, but it was warm in the cafe after. Amazing video Charles!