Photography SDC
Last Saturday morning nine of us, plus Joe who was instructing, made our way to the Anker Valley canoe clubhouse in Hartshill for the theory lectures of the Photography SDC. Our first challenge was to find the place as despite having a post code and a map drawn by Jim we spent 20 minutes driving up and down country lanes. We were finally hailed by Joe at the gate. As we parked we were met by Jim (who drew the
map remember) saying “Oh did you get lost too?” He’d also spotted Nik driving around so we didn’t feel too silly. We settled in to a very cold room with cups of coffee and good humour for comfort. Joe knows his stuff when it comes to cameras and photography so the lectures were full of useful info that isn’t generally included in the course. One good piece of advice was to read the manual that comes with your camera. Never thought of that Doh! . To be honest the technical stuff doesn’t really float my boat but I still learned loads and I’m looking forward to taking the camera somewhere just to concentrate on taking some proper photo’s. We had a visit to the pool last night from a very photogenic scuba diving action man. If anyone would like to see a video of the bottom of the Pingles Pool contact Kev.

Branch Training Activities
Talking of Kev, last night we had another good turnout for the second of four first aid lectures. Every time I listen to one of Kev’s presentations it’s changed slightly (apart from the jokes, they don’t get any better) and different stuff sticks in my head so that’s good. There’s always something new to learn and these lectures are
well worth coming to, not just for diving but for first aid in general. Part 3 starts next Thursday at 8p.m. prompt.

Calendar: http://www.marlinsac.com/about/calendar/

Pool marshal list (Ask the committee for the password!): http://www.marlinsac.com/members-area/pool-marshal-rota/

Branch Training Activities

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to attend the first aid lecture last night and to Kevin for putting in so much enthusiasm as usual. It was clear that some of us needed more refreshing than others, and for some this was totally new. Next week we move on to part 2 but before that we’ll be at The Anker Valley canoe clubhouse,
Applepie Lane, Hartshill, Nuneaton CV10 0SU tomorrow, for the Photography SDC.

Don’t forget to check the calendar: http://www.marlinsac.com/about/calendar/

Or the pool marshal list (Ask the committee for the password!): 
http://www.marlinsac.com/members-area/pool-marshal-rota/

Happy New Year Everyone

Considering how cold, dark and wet it was last night we had a reasonable and boisterous turn out for our first meeting of 2012, with 17 members and 3 guests, including one try diver. We’re hoping that talk of Kevin’s doo dah, Eoin’s penchant for wearing women’s clothing and Joe’s suggestion that he would wear a Rah Rah skirt to show his support for Eoin in New Zealand will not have frightened the try diver away. He said he’d had a good night with Kevin and promised to return next week but was last seen beating a hasty retreat from the pool.

We began the evening by congratulating Chris on managing to trap persuade Hanna to be his better half. Wedding bells are anticipated sometime this summer. This was followed by Kev’s announcements for the training programme, which begins next Thursday, see below for details.

The seed was sown for a possible club trip to Australia (specifically Cairns) at the beginning of November, timed to coincide with Eoin’s visit to NZ and Oz and Garry and Steve’s sortie to Truk and Oz. If this is something you might consider, or are just curious about, please let me know and I’ll do some costings

Branch Training Activities

Next Thursday sees the beginning of our 2012 programme of activities for all diving members, trainees and divers qualified to any level, with the first of four sessions of the First Aid for divers SDC. We are going to kick off at 7.45, setting the chairs out etc to make the most of the hour available to us.
This will be closely followed, on the Saturday (14 th Jan), by Joe’s presentation of the theory part of the photography SDC. Beginning at 10 a.m. the day promises to be informative and entertaining. Bring cameras, housings if you have them, sandwiches, tea bags and jammie dodgers or equivalent. For directions or other info contact Joe.

Other training planned to be completed before Easter includes 2 weeks oxy admin, defibrillation and the Buoyancy and trim workshop. Garry has run the nitrox course for a couple of members who qualified before the introduction of nitrox into the DTP. It now appears that there may be others who would gain from doing this, either as a new topic or as a refresher. If you think you would benefit from learning a bit more about the use of nitrox speak to Kev or Garry . For information about dates and times of training take a look at the calendar on our website which is constantly being updated.

The next Instructor Foundation Course is being run by West Midlands on 25th/26th February 2012. Do we have any Sports Divers or above who might be interested in taking the first step on the ladder to becoming an instructor?

Don’t forget to check the calendar: http://www.marlinsac.com/about/calendar/

Or the pool marshal list (Ask the committee for the password!): http://www.marlinsac.com/members-area/pool-marshal-rota/

Trip spaces: 

1) We have been offered 3 spaces on a trip to the Isle of Man next June (10th to 17th) with Coventry BSAC. Two have been taken by Garry and Steve and at the time of going to press there is still one space available but it isn’t likely to be free for long. The trip is suitable for experienced Sport Divers and above, Steve has all the details.

2) We are organising a trip to the Scillies in May which is also suitable for experienced Sport Divers and above. At the moment we have booked five spaces, we’re not booking the whole boat so if you’d like a space you need to be quick. This is on the liveaboard “Loyal Watcher” which departs from Plymouth. Website 
 

3) Next Friday afternoon, October 7th, weather permitting, the van will be going down to Babbacombe for the weekend. This trip is suitable for all members including trainees. Accommodation will be camping or B&B for wimps

We have a quiz champion in our ranks. Dave’s team won first prize in the Asda quiz on Friday night. Our other team, none of whom work for Asda, came a respectable 4th, and were the only ones to identify a photograph of an Asda manager. Dave and his colleagues provided mountains of food and we had an excellent night. Definitely recomended if they repeat this next year.

50m Dry Dive
The dry dive has been postponed until 29th January 2012 as it’s more convenient for us.

Red van trip to Leamington R.S.V.P 

BBC presenter Paul Rose will be talking about his lifetime of remarkable adventures at the The Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa on Friday 14th October. Tickets cost £13 online and we’re going to book as a group. If you’d like a ticket please bring £13 next Thursday or get it to me (Cathy) before Friday.

A professional diver, polar explorer, mountaineer and yachtsman, Paul is best known for his BBC documentaries Voyages of Discovery, Oceans and Britain’s Secret Seas. From climbing Antarctica’s most active volcano to retracing the voyages of pioneers Captain Cook and Ferdinand Magellan, Paul’s adventures have taken him all over our planet. He spent 10 years working for the British Antarctic Survey, regularly leads expeditions across the Greenland Icecap and has made some of the most challenging dives in the world.

In Explore, Paul uses behind the scenes stories and footage from his television programmes to inspire the audience with his spirit of adventure and his passion for the environment.

Box Office: 01926 334418

Annual General Meeting 3rd November.

The date for the AGM has been set for Thursday 3rd November. None of the current officers will be standing for re election so it’s time to decide who is willing and able to have a go. All 4 officer positions need filling. In addition we need between 2 and 8 members who will assist in running the club, 6 is ideal. Richard will bring the nomination sheet to the club on Thursday. Nominations and items for the Agenda must be with Richard by 20th October.

CHAIR ROTA

Dive Show 2011

Stoney Cove is doing a promotion for entry to the dive show. Print the page to be found HERE and take it with you to the show to BOGOF. Two tickets for £10.50. Under 14s get in free.

BSAC’s stand at this year’s DIVE 2011 will be plastic bag free as part of its pledge to minimise its impact on the environment. BSAC, who has just announced a new partnership with Marine Environment charity Plastic Oceans, is currently driving forward its own ‘green pledge’ to reduce its reliance on plastic across the organisation. By creating a ‘no plastic bag zone’ at this year’s Birmingham Dive Show, BSAC is also supporting DIVE 2011 organisers’ move to reduce the number of plastic bags given out over the whole weekend. Visitors to the BSAC stand, in particular the BSAC Shop, are now being encouraged to bring their own reusable bags or rucksacks and show their support for the initiative.

Free lectures for Dive Leader and Advanced Diver trainees
In addition to the main BSAC stand (1650) and the BSAC Pods, we will also be running free Dive Leader and Advanced Diver lectures at the NEC over the show weekend. A range of lectures from the two diver grade training syllabi will be on offer on a pre-bookable basis. Places are subject to availability.

Last week I promised a weekend at Swanage or Plymouth with Kev’s new boat. Some of us remember the last 2 trips with Kev and boats. We had to redefine the first one as a submarine as it took on water at an alarming rate and was not visible above the water line when fully loaded, and his new one comes with a health warning ‘People who are pregnant or people with back problems, motion sickness, or heart problems should not ride’ Although that is more to do with the skipper than the craft. Friday night came and Kev collected his boat from its berth near Coventry. On the road between Coventry and Nuneaton he had a small altercation with an alledged nomadic person which resulted in his vessel feeling rather deflated on the port side and it is now back in dry dock awaiting repair.
Nevertheless the weekend did continue successfully with a couple of trips out on a proper boat and a dive in Bovisand harbour.

Dive Leader Training
On Wednesday Steve and Garry were involved in the BSAC Dive Leader training programme again at Stoney Cove. Steve received a mention on the BSAC forum:

These events are brilliant for us as a club as our instructors are continually updating their skills and networking for us with other branches and National Instructors. They are also able to have input into the development of the training programme.

Wednesday Night Dive
It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed marshalling (or managing if you prefer) a night dive so much. For a couple of the participants this was their first time back in open water for a while, you’d never have guessed. Eoin was going for minimalist dive kit but was persuaded that an inflator hose might be useful, and after attaching reg to cylinder he realised his BCD had to be in there somewhere. His first attempt at attaching cylinder to bcd was not quite right (180° out) but after the second attempt he was good to go. By this time he needed to go to the little boys room but as he was wearing a wetsuit his buddy said no need. I’ve promised not to elaborate on the subsequent conversations and maybe you had to be there anyway to appreciate them. As the 6 divers entered the water it was like watching a P*DI group in more ways than one. Après-Dive we went for a beer and grub, seeing members of Rugby club and Heanor club which made it all very sociable.

Thursday club night 

I must start to get out more. I found club night even more enjoyable than Wednesday. To begin with we found squatters in the Crèche. A Zumba class was taking place, booked from 7.30 to 8.30. We soon put them straight. We had 4 try dives going on, 3 for new members Martyn, Richard and Chloë, a huge demand for kit and no equipment officer .

Kev brought in Zipstraps and little plastic letters for everyone to make i.d. straps for their cylinders. This is an excellent idea for when your cylinders are in for a fill along with dozens of other identical cylinders. The bits are in the equipment room for anyone who wasn’t there. It was good to see so many people in the room and also in the pool afterwards.  

Dave told us about the Tickled Pink Quiz taking place in Hinckley on Friday 30th September. Teams can be as many as 6 members, the cost is £5 per person and funds are going to Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Campaign. Names and cash to Dave please ASAP. 

 

50 metre dry dive 

The dry dive has been postponed until November as it’s more convenient for us. Martin will inform us when the new date has been booked.

 

 

 

Breaking News : Plymouth diving weekend 

We now have a number of places left on the Plymouth trip on Red Alert for 24th / 25th September. 9 of us have paid, 8 of us are going on the boat but only 6 diving. If we have a couple or more who would like to go on the boat but not dive from it we could do a reduced rate. Good experience for trainees to see what hard boat diving involves, and it will be sociable. There is also the possibility of shore diving. This will probably be the last time we’ll book a hard boat at this location. I’ll bring boat sweets (Sorry Jim all the fried eggs have gone).

 

Annual General Meeting 3rd November. 

The date for the AGM has been set for Thursday 3rd November. None of the current officers will be standing for re election so it’s time to decide who is willing and able to have a go. All 4 positions need filling. We do have interest in the positions of DO, Treasurer and Secretary but as yet not for Chairman. Officially the role of chair as defined in our Bye Laws is :- The Chairman shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Branch and shall take the chair at all meetings of the Branch and of the Committee at which he or she is present, and subject to the provisions of these Rules, his or her decision on matters of procedure shall be final.

In addition we need between 2 and 8 members who will assist in running the club, 6 is ideal, and again we have willing volunteers for some of those posts which is great. To my mind the more members we have with experience of the running of the club and the way BSAC works the better it will be for everyone, whether we’ve been diving for weeks or years makes no difference we all have something to offer.

 

 

CHAIR ROTA

In the chair this week :- Nik

22nd September	Garry
6th October	Wayne
13th October
20th October
27th October
29th September

Pool Training

Kev will be starting snorkel training with Richard and Chloe in the pool next Thursday if anyone would like to join them you’ll be more than welcome.