City of Brisbane Dive ~ Monday 2nd April 2007

Late News: - I had an offer to buddy-up on a two tank dive out of Brighton Marina on Monday 2nd April , first dive on the the wreck of City of Brisbane. There may be other places spare for these dives - buddied pairs needed! £38 for the two dives! I don't think the viz will be much to talk of ....but we live in hope!

Meridian Divers Meeting ~ 28th March 2007

A very strong turn-out at this evening's meeting, with 15 divers attending. Plenty of positive activity going on, with updates on dives done, trips booked , trips still open for bookings, courses attended and charter dives planned!

Full minutes of the meeting were taken by Shiela and will be circulated soon.

SEASEARCH Fish ID Course ~ 25 March 2007

Five Meridian Divers attended the Fish ID course held at the Shipwreck Heritage Centre in Hastings. The course was organised by Bryony Chapman (Kent SEASEARCH) and presented by Dr Frances Dipper, author of "British Sea Fishes". The course reviewed classifications, distinguishing features, identification and recording techniques and included the examination of specimens for identification practice and a practical application in the Sea Life Centre aquarium.

Each delegate was provided with a pack including printed onformation and CD of all the course presentations. At the conclusion of the course delegates had their SEASEARCH "Training & Qualification Records" updated with the Specialist Course.

More info on :- http://seasearch.org.uk/

Sponsoring Nick & Alex ~ Supporting Leukaemia CARE

Just see what you can do if you focus your efforts! Nick & Alex have been training hard for the

London Marathon on 22nd April

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and have raised (as of today) over £1325 towards their chosen charity , Leukaemia CARE. I have to say I am so impressed with their efforts , I am also impressed with how easy it is to sponsor them from the comfort of your armchair ! Click on the link below and you won't even have to run down the bank!

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http://www.justgiving.com/AlexandNick

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SWANAGE DIVE TRIP ~ BOOKED!

SWANAGE ~ HERE WE COME!

I am pleased to announce that the Boat Charters have been booked for four dives (two on the famous Kyarra) and that cheques have been received from 10 divers (there are two more places if we have late joiners!) . A list of B&B accommodation has been circulated to those taking part and I know that some of you have already booked your rooms. Now all we need is some lovely weather! And of course some more trips in the diary!

Horsea Sunday 25th March

After my dive at Horsea a couple of weeks ago I am off there again on Sunday. More weight for my dry suit and more understanding after a pool dive. Looking to be there at about 11:00. Once again, the more the merrier? I'll ask my buddy there about Swanage. It's all prep. for my first sea dive of the year on 31st March, Indiana wreck. Sounds like the viz can only be better. Oh dear, shouldn't have said that!!!

(Promoted from comment to post obo Simon T)

W A N T E D ~ DIVERS for TRIPS !

Wanted ~ divers for the West Wales Dive Trip.

Date option (C) is now the only unbooked date - speed is of the essence if we are going to get that date. We have seven divers and need ten to make this happen.

Final decision at the next Meridian Divers meeting!!!

Pentyrch Profile

OK , ok, after the debate on diving costs here is the Pentyrch Profile , admittedly not one of our finest dives , but a very fine profile I would argue!

Mysterious Wreck Retains Her Secrets

12 divers from as far a field as Croydon & Norwich boarded the (brand new!) Channel Diver at Brighton today . The boat cast-off shortly after 8am and against lively seas made progress towards the South West sailing to a point south od Shoreham . After an hour or so of switch-back ride the boat circled the last known co-ordinates for the stricken vessel. 'Adventurous' was the word running unspoken through several divers minds, but the swell had reduced a little an most ventured down the shot line to a wreck that hithero hadn't appeared my my log book.

The 'Big Boys' were amongst the first in, with rebreathers and stages. Then followed more common rigs and then rigs like mine (very common!). But as Jim H and I neared the bottom of the shot line ,'What was this?' divers coming back! It was certainly very dark , and the viz was less than a metre. Were they in problems? No, they had just thought 'enough is enough' . The shot was at 23m and on top of the wreck and after a fairly short while Jim & I decided to follow the 'Big Boys' , back up the line! On surfacing after 20mins all but one other pair were back on the boat!

So the wreck revealed nothing to us , which wreck was it ? Hard to say but it was at the co-ordinates of the Pentyrch (Page 97 Dive Sussex), so I guess it was the Pentyrch, how would I know? I didn't see more than my hand hold!

Oh well that the 'starting gun' for me , 1st UK Sea dive this season , it can only get better! Steve, the Skipper laid a bet with me that after all my kit servicing I'd get a free-flow. Well all the kit worked like a dream , well done Ocean View!

Proposed 'Adopt A Wreck' Training Weekend - 13-15 April 2007

Ian Barefoot at the Diving Into History Project of the Nautical Archaeology Society has sent me details of a good value Adopt A Wreck sponsored 'NAS Mini-Summer School' for the above week-end. The training weekend will allow students to get their Intriduction and Part 1 courses done in one week-end. Sadly I can't make it but hopefully others among you can!

I will circulate the full details by email. Add a comment if you do not receive the email or are not on the circulation list!

Diving Too Deep?

The linked BBC story :-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6379839.stm

tells of a diver who went to 40m in the Red Sea, got a bend then found that her insurance didn't cover her emergency treatment.

Worth checking the small print on your insurance ! There are plenty of wreck dives off our coast that are regularly visited by recreational divers and which are over 30m deep.

Some insurance policies will state a max depth, others state a limit equivalent to your level of training . What is the limit for a PADI Advanced Open Water diver ? 30m ! May be worth thinking about the Deep Diver Specialty if you want to get a certification to a max of 4om.

DAN Europe Divers Day ~ Brussels ~ 7th April

Looks like there WILL be a Meridian Divers 'contingent' :-

Matt C - Reservation No.182
Chris P - Reservation No.184

If you are quick there are still a few places left (max 200).

Want to do a 33m dive in a clear warm research pool?

DAN Europe promised to put on a major event this spring - they have just announced the details of a research conference and diving opportunity in Brussells on 7th April 2007 :-

https://www.daneurope.org:443/eventi/2007/Aprile/DanDay/www/DAN_DAY_BRUXELLES_eng.htm

In which you can take a dive in the WORLDS DEEPEST pool :-

www.nemo33.com

Sounds interesting - I'm checking out the details! If you are up for a visit add a comment to the blog , maybe we can make a mini-trip out of it. Good hotel rates for DAN members !

Dive Kit Servicing

Alan has kindly offered to deliver all the equipment collected at the last meeting to Ocean View for servicing. I'm glad I gave my kit an inspection, the neck seal on my drysuit which had only been replaced a year or so ago had perished in a few small places ! That came as a big surprise as the previous neck seal had lasted a LOT longer! The kit will be delivered for service tomorrow (Sun 4th) .

LIDS Car Share? 10th or 11th March

If anyone is planning to go to LIDS this year I have a couple of members interested in car sharing. Any takers / offers email me or add a comment to the blog. It would be unusual for a number of local divers NOT to be there !!

DIVING TRIP PROPOSALS - Rolling Feedback

I'll use this post to summarise the feedback received regarding the 1/3/07 email that circulated FIVE proposals, I'll update this as feedback arrives:-

Proposal 1 - West Wales
Date
A No longer Available
B No longer Available
C (7): SamB , Chris+, DDiva, Jimbob, SimonT+, Shiela & Ernie,
D No longer available

Proposal 2 - Farne Islands
Not a runner!

Proposal 3- Swanage
Date A (13 expressions of interest)
(Note 7/3/07: Sidewinder is NOT now available for Date A above, but Mary Jo is!)
(Note 14/3/07: Date A is now the target date, cheques are now required, places will be allocated on first-come-first-served basis according to receipt of cheques :-
1. Chris
2. Emily
3. Lou
4. John D
5. Jim H
6. Simon T
7. Sheila B
8. Ernie B
9. Frank M
10.Sam B
11.
12.
Reserve.
Reserve.


Proposal 4 - Southern Eire
Not a runner!


Proposal 5 - Gozo / Malta
Date
A (3): Sheila& Ernie, Chris ,
B (3): Sheila & Ernie, Chris ,
C (9): Emily & Lou, Shiela & Ernie, Chris , Deborah, Josie, Kevin and Rebeca,
D (10): Emily & Lou, Shiela & Ernie, Chris , Simon, Deborah, Josie, Kevin and Rebeca,

Please note that some date options clash with others - any problems that this may lead to will be sorted-out in the next stage of planning ....it's a numbers game!

+ = With a non-diver.

Last updated 21/3/07

LUNDY Dive DVD

Last year I dived Lundy Island with a bunch of serious u/w photographers & videographers, today I received a DVD of the trip with some lovely 'footage' of seals underwater , a very nice souvenir - thanks to Rob W who sent it to me. If anyone wants to know a little more about lundy Island diving , ask very nicely and I might lend you the DVD!

Summary of Diving Trip Proposals

A basic summary of the dive trip proposals discussed at the 28th Feb meeting has now been circulated by email. If you do not receive this email and would like a copy , please add a comment to this posting.

Please let me know if you are interested in a proposal / date . Nil returns would be very helpful.

Thanks

Chris