a scuba weblog
Archive for March 2003
| Place: | Channel near Bird Rock | Buddy: | John McManus |
| Weather: | Rain | Type: | Boat |
| Max. depth (m): | 30.2 | Visibility (m): | 15 |
| Time down: | 15:00 | Dive time (mins): | 20 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #8.
Notes: [nothing noted, though I do remember a large solitary spider crab standing on a rock, brandishing its claws ]
Accumulated time under water: 3 hrs 27 mins
| Place: | Channel near Bird Rock | Buddy: | John McManus |
| Weather: | Foggy, rain | Type: | Boat |
| Max. depth (m): | 26.5 | Visibility (m): | 15 |
| Time down: | 10:00 | Dive time (mins): | 24 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #7.
Notes: [nothing noted]
Accumulated time under water: 3 hrs 7 mins
| Place: | Yellow Rock | Buddy: | Jane Sanders |
| Weather: | Sunny | Type: | Boat ( |
| Max. depth (m): | 22.4 | Visibility (m): | 15 |
| Time down: | 15:40 | Dive time (mins): | 24 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #6.
Notes: [nothing noted]
Accumulated time under water: 2 hrs 43 mins
| Place: | Channel near Novice Rock | Buddy: | Steve Power |
| Weather: | Sunny | Type: | Boat ( |
| Max. depth (m): | 20.0 | Visibility (m): | 15 |
| Time down: | 12:35 | Dive time (mins): | 25 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #5, 28 lb weight this time.
Notes: [nothing noted, though I think the 3rd Ocean Diver assessment was completed on this dive]
Accumulated time under water: 2 hrs 19 mins
| Place: | Yellow Rock | Buddy: | Ciara Lynch |
| Weather: | Raining | Type: | Boat ( |
| Max. depth (m): | 15.2 | Visibility (m): | 10 |
| Time down: | 13:15 | Dive time (mins): | 25 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #4, 28 lb weight this time.
Notes: Tried assessment involving alternate air source and controlled ascent (3rd Ocean Diver assessment), but did not complete because too little weight.
Accumulated time under water: 1 hr 54 mins
| Place: | Bird Rock | Buddy: | Will Fyans |
| Weather: | Sunny | Type: | Boat ( |
| Max. depth (m): | 16.5 | Visibility (m): | 10 |
| Time down: | 14:30 | Dive time (mins): | 20 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #3, 31 lb weight this time.
Notes: Second assessment dive: Fin pivot (neutral buoyancy), mask replacement, partial and full mask clearing, inversion recovery, alternate air source use and provision, second stage retrieval and clearing.
Saw these anemones looking like little white hairs which retract into the sand when touched. [log book calls them ‘reids’ a name that I must have picked up from someone, but I can find no reference to them on the web]
Accumulated time under water: 1 hr 29 mins
| Place: | Novice Rock | Buddy: | John Hickey |
| Weather: | Mild | Type: | Boat ( |
| Max. depth (m): | 10.0 | Visibility (m): | 10 |
| Time down: | 09:40 | Dive time (mins): | 22 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #2, 28 lb weight this time.
Notes: First proper assessment dive: mask replacement, mask clearing, second stage retrieval and clear.
Accumulated time under water: 1 hr 9 mins
| Place: | Novice Rock | Buddy: | Conor Crowe |
| Weather: | Sunny | Type: | Shore |
| Max. depth (m): | 4.0 | Visibility (m): | 10 |
| Time down: | 15:00 | Dive time (mins): | 25 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: Same as Dive #1 but with 30 lb weight.
Notes: Did weight belt jettison [this must have been part of the assessment stuff- I don’t remember].
Accumulated time under water: 45 mins
| Place: | Coral Beach | Buddy: | Steve Parks |
| Weather: | Sunny | Type: | Shore |
| Max. depth (m): | 5.0 | Visibility (m): | 10 |
| Time down: | 10:00 | Dive time (mins): | 22 |
| Average depth (m): | 0.0 | Water temp. (C): | 0.0 |
Equipment: TCD Sub Aqua club reg, tank (12 l, steel) and BCD. Own 7-mm two-piece wetsuit, booties, fins, mask, snorkel, gloves, weight belt (28 lb).
Notes: First dive ever! I joined DUSAC, the Scuba Diving club at Trinity College Dublin, in October 2002. The first couple of months was spent doing lectures and pool sessions. Dive tables galore. This training for the first BSAC grade (Ocean Diver) culminated with a week in Mayo diving and doing assessments and drinking and having a great time.