B4 Spring 2018 - Ireland's Only Diving Magazine - Irish Underwater Council
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SUBSEA
Ireland’s Only Diving Magazine
HOOK
SHOT
SCORES
BIUPC
AWARD
B4
Vol. 10 No. 160
Spring 2018
Dive Ireland 2018
Diving and touring Cuba
The wrecks of North Donegal
EL HIERRO
DIVER’S PARADISE ISLAND!
DEPARTURE DATES
Book your Ryanair flights to Tenerife on
the designated date. I collect you at
Tenerife airport and we transfer to a hotel
in the nearby resort of Los Cristianos from
where we depart by fast ferry next day to
El Hierro. We travel back on Sunday
evening to the bright lights of Tenerife
EL HIERRO THE DIVING before flying home Monday.
A magic, undiscovered little gem of an The best diving in all of Spain. The Spanish SPRING 2018 DEPARTURES
island on the western edge of the Canary Open U/W Photography Competition (a ■ Monday 5 Mar
archipelago. Only 25 miles long but major, heavily sponsored event) has been
5,000ft high it has an extraordinary held here for the last 16 years! Probably ■ Monday 9 Apr
diversity of scenery from green fields the best diving in all of Euro-land. It is, after ■ Monday 23 Apr
and stonewalls like the west of Ireland, all, the most southerly (28 degrees) and
up on the plateau, through beautiful the most westerly (18 degrees) point in AUTUMN 2018 DEPARTURES
pine and laurel forests and vineyards Europe. Temperatures are tropical and the ■ Monday 8 Oct
down to fertile coastal plains awash with Ocean is 25 degrees in autumn so there is ■ Monday 15 Oct
bananas, pineapples, papayas and abundant Oceanic and tropical life,
■ Monday 5 Nov
cereals. The people are extremely particularly in the Marine Reserve, situated
friendly and there is zero crime on the in The “Mar de Las Calmas” or tranquil sea, ■ Monday 19 Nov
island. There are no Irish bars, no English an area of several square miles completely
bars, no fast food joints, no golf courses, protected from the prevailing NE winds by The diving holiday price which includes
no snakes or mosquitoes - and hardly huge cliffs. all transfers and transport; all ferries; all
any tourists. In fact no nasties at all! accommodation and ten boat dives with
The seascape is spectacular with tanks, air, weights and dive guide is €645.
The scenic driving and hill walking are dramatic dropoffs, caves and pinnacles. Non divers and hill walkers (5 days guided
both dramatic and amazing so it is idyllic Depths are daunting with 3,000m not far walking) travel for just €445.
for the non-diving spouse who values offshore. Visibility is 30m plus and the
peace and quiet and an utterly relaxing sea is a vivid blue. The variety and Good Diving!
holiday in the sun. abundance of marine life is exceptional. Shane
Scubadive West
Celebrating 26 years in the West!
Visit us at Stand 17
Dive Ireland, Limerick
3rd & 4th March
Purpose built waterfront dive centre
Spectacular Boat diving - Sheltered Shore diving
Air, Nitrox fills to 300 bar
Dive Shop - Equipment Servicing call 095 43922
Hot Showers - Heated changing rooms email info@scubadivewest.com
Equipment Storage - Coffee dock www.scubadivewest.com
SUBSEA ISSN 0791 - 475X
CONTENTS
Volume 10 Number 160 Spring 2018
5 EDITORIAL
Editor's comment
5 BRIEFINGS
What’s happening at home and abroad
7 MY FAVOURITE PIECE OF DIVE GEAR
By Mary O’Donoghue, Dermot Moynihan and Colm Lowney
9 JEDI NIGHT DIVE
By Mike Orth
12 CHILDREN IN OUR SPORT
Update on child protection rules
13 TEN GO TO CUBA
By Andy Fitzsimons
Balazs Bauer diving near Hook Head. British and Irish 20 THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER
Underwater Photography Championship 2017 runner up in the
wide angle category. Taken by Ivan Donoghue, Wexford SAC.
Ivan Donoghue’s BIUPC award
21 DUNDALK’S DARKEST DAY
By Don Baldwin
Attention SubSea contributors
24 BOOK REVIEW – THE REDISCOVERY OF THE UC-42
• Submit all material to the Editor at editor@diving.ie
or to Head Office Reviewed by Martin Baillie-Johnston
• Material must arrive well in advance of the deadline. 25 DIVE IRELAND 2018 PROGRAMME
• Pictures are essential to illustrate news items and articles. Events, exhibitors and guest speakers
• Authors must remember that they bear responsibility to
ensure that material is not copied from another 30 ASTHMA
copyrighted publication. By Dr. Richard O’Regan
• Ensure that digital photos submitted are: 120 pixels/cm
(300 dpi) and sized at 30cm X 21cm. 34 THE DEEP WRECKS OF NORTH DONEGAL
By Barry McGill
SubSea is published by the Irish Underwater Council. The
views expressed are not necessarily those of the Council.
42 DIVE BUDDIES, GRADES AND MAXIMUM DEPTHS
Determine your safe depth
The magazine is not intended as an invitation or prospectus to
members of the public or other interested parties to dive on any of the 44 ABOUT OUR CLUB – DUNDALK SUB AQUA CLUB
sites that are mentioned in the text and anyone intending to do so
should take appropriate advice with regard to the safety and viability of
By Don Baldwin
their proposed actions. Boarding a wreck requires the permission of
the owner. Diving on a 100 year old wreck requires a permit.
46 ABOUT OUR CLUB – CURRAGH SUB AQUA CLUB
By Garfield Spollen
Edited by: Martin Baillie-Johnston
Advertising: Sarah Campbell
47 UNDERWATER HOCKEY NEWS
Proofreading: Eibhir Mulqueen
Irish League 2017-18 and new Dublin training night
Colm Lowney 48 NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY NEWS
Typesetting and Design: Bernard Kaye Anchor conservation course
Honorary Archivist: Michael Moriarty Affiliated to 49 SNORKEL NEWS
SubSea, Irish Underwater Council,
Roundup of what’s happening in the snorkelling world
78a Patrick St.,
Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin.
51 MART AND EXCHANGE
Tel: (01) 2844601. Fax: (01) 2844602.
Web site: www.diving.ie CMAS Summer 2018 Issue Deadline
E-Mail: info@diving.ie All articles for inclusion in the next issue of SubSea
Printed by Doggett Print & Design, Dublin.
should be sent to the editor before April 21st.
Tel: (01) 453 3151. Fax: (01) 453 3156.
All advertising should be sent to CFT Head Office before April 21st.
SubSea Spring 2018 3
LANZAROTE
With the best situation for diving on Lanzarote,
Safari Diving is located in the family friendly, safe
resort of Puerto del Carmen.
The shore dives are literally on the doorstep and
boat dives a 5-10 minute ride. Photo © Rinie Luykx
Come and see our team on our stand at Dive Ireland Limerick We can assist with local
3rd and 4th March !! accommodation at great rates
Contact Wendy at:
Email enquiry@safaridiving.com Web www.safaridiving.com Tel 0034 625 059 713
A
BRE THING
IR
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING LTD.
IRISH AGENTS FOR NARDI
KIRBY MORGAN SERVICE CYLINDER TESTING
& INSPECTION
HIGH PRESSURE BREATHING
AIR COMPRESSOR
PACIFIC P
153 Forest Hills, Rathcoole, Co Dublin, Phone: 01 4447938
www.breathingairsystems. Mobile: 087 9471620 Email: eddienulty@gmail.com
BRIEFINGS
Short Safety Note
Editorial by Timmy Carey
Happy New Year everyone.
I hope you all enjoyed the
Christmas break and are
eagerly looking forward to
this year’s diving season,
both at home and abroad.
Subsea is a great reflection of
all that diving and diving clubs in Ireland have to offer.
Please keep the articles coming in, so that we can show off
what you and your club are doing.
As usual, we have another fine collection of articles in
this edition of Subsea.
We have a rundown of what to expect at Dive Ireland
2018 on the 3rd/4th of March. is event is being
organised by the Limerick and Aughinish Sub Aqua Club
in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Limerick. ere is an
excellent list of vendors and a number of fantastic speakers
lined up for the weekend. Put the date in your diary and As divers one of the most routine things we do is tie off ropes
check out the article detailing all of the speakers in this to piers and jetties and never really think much of it; earlier
issue. this year while shore diving in Oysterhaven Blackwater Sub
CFT’s own medical advisor Dr. Richard O’Regan brings Aqua club PRO Catriona Matthews grabbed hold of the ring
us the second instalment of three articles which explore in the photo while wearing a full neoprene glove. On entering
medical fitness for diving. the water she felt a pain in her finger and after discussing with
Well known Technical Diver, Barry McGill, brings us on the dive team they removed the glove to find that a sharp
some of the deep diving expeditions which he has shard of metal from the rusted ring had completely severed
undertaken over the last few years. one finger at the last digit without seemingly doing any dam-
Divers from different clubs have come together to share age as such to the glove. e laceration was such that the fin-
their favourite bits of dive gear, whilst Andy Fitzsimons ger could not be reattached -so be careful the next time you
tells us about the great diving available in Cuba. are tying up to or grabbing onto and old rusted metal ring.
We also have an update on the South west dive rally, a
fantastic article on the SS Dundalk by Don Baldwin,
articles on Jedi Night Dives on the Skelligs, Ivan
Donoghue’s success at the British and Irish Underwater
Photography Championship, an update on the CFT Child
Protection Policy and a short safety article by Timmy
Carey.
FREE RAFFLE
We have updates on NAS News, Snorkel News, UWH
News, book reviews and articles from the Dundalk Sub
AT DIVE IRELAND
Aqua Club and the Curragh Sub Aqua Club in the “Our
Club” section Shane Gray is offering a Diving holiday for
Please feel free to drop me a line if you have any two to El Hierro (value €1300) as top prize
suggestions or ideas of what you would like to see in Subsea. in the FREE RAFFLE at Dive Ireland.
Once again, thank you to all who helped me deliver this
edition of Subsea. Scubadive West are providing runner-up
Happy reading. Enjoy the issue! prizes of free diving weekends
Safe Diving Contact them on Stand 17
Marty
SubSea Spring 2018 5
BRIEFINGS
All Roads Lead to the Kingdom!
INBHEAR SCEINE/KERRY S.A.C. are to host the South no doubt that the 2018 event will be no different. is is a
West Regional dive weekend this year in the Cahersiveen great opportunity to meet with friends both old & new.
area on the 18th,19 & 20th May 2018.
We will base our boats and meeting point at the Cahersiveen
is is an invitation to all clubs to join us on a dive and fun marina. We hope not to change too much from the previous
weekend in the Cahersiveen/Valentia Island area. is years.
weekend has been a great success in recent years & we are in
For early arrivals we will meet on Friday for an evening dive
to whet the appetite.
Registration will be Saturday morning at the Marina & as
before the brief will be at 10 Am.
e Marina has shower & toilet facilities & will be available
to us throughout the weekend.
Caherciveen is well served with Accommodation &
Restaurants for visiting Divers. ere is also ample space for
Campers at the Marina.
Please see updates on our Website
www.kerrysubaquaclub.net
Passing of Brian Pim (1929-2017)
It is with deep sadness that Ted Spendglove has informed us the club Training Officer. Brian became the first club
of the passing of Brian Pim. member to buy an Aqua Lung. He will be remembered for
Brian was a founder member of the Irish Sub Aqua Club. his generosity in allowing other club members to try it out
After a preliminary meeting in the Shelbourne Hotel in 1956, and use it thereafter.
the first meeting of the Irish Sub Aqua Club was held in At a club meeting in April 1959 Brian proposed that a
Jury’s Hotel on March 27th 1956. Over the years, Brian held National Committee be formed. is was the forerunner to
many posts in the club, including being the first person to CFT, the Irish Underwater Council.
hold the role of Treasurer and Guarantor of the club. In Brian was married to Vivienne Scollen and was an
1958, Brian reported that if present trends continued, the engineer by profession; he became the Manager and
club would make a profit of ‘Five pounds and ten shillings’ Director of Jacobs Biscuits in the course of his professional
about €145 in today’s money. Subsequently, Brian became career.
6 SubSea Spring 2018
My Favourite Piece of Dive Gear
by Mary O’Donoghue, Dermot Moynihan and Colm Lowney
In this issue of Subsea three divers tell us all about their favourite piece of Dive Gear
Dermot: time. I like that I can easily deploy
regardless of my glove thickness. It also
Colm:
My favourite piece of diving equipment In all my years of diving in Irish waters
has a great ratchet or lock feature which
is my DSMB & Reel. is is because it especially on the east coast there is
I like. e only other system I have
took me a long time to find a system always the challenge to stay together
found easier to deploy is the DSMB
which worked efficiently and effectively with your buddy. Even if they have the
with a weighted line which I used for a
for a reasonable duration. For a long best LED torch on the market, all it
time. ere were two drawbacks with
time I was regularly replacing my takes to lose sight of them is to swim
this. e length of line limited the depth
DSMB & Reel due to a weak spring or into their blind spot and they can be
of deployment and the line retrieval
broken clip. Given how dramatically a lost quickly.
could be tedious if deployed from any
malfunctioning DSMB kit can spoil Then I came across a small piece of
great depth especially if I released the
your day, having a reliable system which kit from Beaver in the shape of an
weight again. is was mainly a
you can depend on is very reassuring. I automatic safety light which I found to
limitation if I was diving with a trainee
use an MGE type reel with SMB be great. Clipped onto the back of my
where I like to have my hands free to
assembled and bungeed together ready leg via my knife strap and just
react if a situation arises. I still carry one
for deployment. It is bulkier than some measuring approximately 3 inches and
as a spare!
other options but this gives it a weighing just a few grams you don’t
robustness which has stood the test of Dermot Moynihan even know you are wearing it.
SubSea Spring 2018 7
Favourite Dive Gear
So then I thought about all my other
equipment. My regulator that delivers
air when I need it to, my BCD that
allows me control my buoyancy, my
computer that lets me know my depths
and times and no decompression limits,
my torch that lights up the little nooks
and crannies so I can see the critters
hiding there, my camera that allows me
to try and capture that perfect image (I
still haven’t mastered that skill) my SMB
that allows the cox to see when my
buddy and I are ascending so the boat is
Flashing 130 times a minute in either
green or red and it stops when it dries
Mary: nearby when we surface. Equally
When I was asked to write an article important of course is my buddies gear,
out so the battery is preserved. Rated and I may need their octopus if I have a
about my favourite piece of diving
to 100m and supposedly to flash for problem with my regulator.
equipment, my first thought was my
750 hours it’ll certainly see you So I have come to the conclusion
dry suit. But then I got to thinking that
through a season. that I don’t have any one single
although I really do like my dry suit, it
Very cheap and cheerful, yet effective favourite piece of diving equipment. I
has let me down on the odd occasion,
in low vis conditions and handy for your need every single piece of it together to
generally through my own fault – I
buddy to spot you. ey are great to enable me to dive, and if I am missing
may not have turned the neck seal
have and won’t restrict you in any way. any one piece of it, I can’t dive. I do
down properly, or a valve might not be
A clever little addition to any divers list have some favourite dives which I
tightened enough. We all know that
of gear and one of my favourite pieces couldn’t have done without all my
feeling of cold water coming into the
of kit.
Mary O’Donoghue ◼
suit during a dive! ankfully though, ‘favourite’ equipment!
Colm Lowney it hasn’t happened to me that often.
8 SubSea Spring 2018
JEDI NIGHT DIVE
By mIke OrTh
Dawn at the Skelligs. Photo by Mike Orth.
SubSea Spring 2018 9
Jedi Night Dive
The Dawn Dive organisers pictured outside The Moorings Bar and opposite the meeting point; Gearoid and his daughter Riona and Sean Moran, the organisers.
Photo by Mike Orth.
Leaving the slip at 3am sharp was the planners minds. ere were more clubs and counties as well as friends of
fine print. is was to be a dawn dive terms and conditions including the Kerry SAC (there are many).
on Skellig Michael! e opportunity to need to be qualified for the depth, an Sean and Gearoid Moran put a post
get to the Skelligs is never guaranteed active diver and dived up, as well as on Facebook and started recruiting via
- a warning of “weather permitting” insured through CFT or DAN. e list WhatsApp. ey weren’t long filling
meant safety was a priority in the dive of interested divers came from various up several boats. e price was a
Action shot of boats. Photo by Mike Orth.
10 SubSea Spring 2018Jedi Night Dive
donation, set at a humble 50 euro.
is included two dives and between-
the-dives breakfast at e Moorings
for everyone. is was a bargain for
sure when you consider the boats from
“Skellig Michael Boat Trips” were
organized including experienced dry
coxswains.
As the divers assembled bleary eyed
at around 2am in front of the new
marina pontoons, they were welcomed
and briefed by Nigel Kelliher and
checked in by John Coyle. Steve
O’Sullivan was around helping direct
gear to the correct boat for the 30+
divers, this was a real team effort. I
was lucky enough to get passage on the
brand new luxury Skellig Walker, so
the rough trip out was done in
comfort. Two ribs went out ahead with
our gear loaded aboard and Sean kept
the dive plan running smoothly on-
site. A real test of his skills which
made great prep for the Leading Diver
he planned to do in September!
e dive itself was started in
complete darkness, a real Jedi Night
Dive for sure. When it was time to
come up the sunrise greeted the divers
as did the looming jagged heights of
the great Skellig rocks. Everything
went smoothly on the day, with
everyone delighted to take part and
support such a worthy cause. is is Optional Pic of Skelligs later in the day. Photo by Mike Orth.
the second year running the event for
in dive calendars for next year! ◼
the lads - no doubt it’s already marked
Sponsors and Clubs that supported
the Dawn Dive in aid of Kerry
Hospice:
Ballinskelligs Inshore Rescue
Bridge Bar, Portmagee
Kerry Atlantic Homes
Kerry Solar Heating Ltd
Mannix Point Campsite
Murphy Marine Services
Skellig Michael Boat Trips
Trisec Training, Tralee
Inbhear Sceine Kerry
Shannonside S.A.C.
Wicklow S.A.C.
Limerick S.A.C.
Aughinish S.A.C. A cheque for €3,130 proceeds from the Inbhear Sceine SAC Dawn Dive at the Skelligs was presented to
Dundalk S.A.C. the Kerry Hospice pictured here front l-r; Gearoid Moran, Trish O'Sullivan (Iveragh Group Kerry Hospice),
South Coast Divers Nigel Kelliher, Mairead Lynch (Iveragh Group Kerry Hospice), Sean Moran, back l-r; Steve Lynott
(Ballinskelligs Inshore Rescue), John Coyle, Johnny Coffey, Sue Weatherill & Stephen O'Sullivan.
South West Divers Photo by Ann Landers.
SubSea Spring 2018 11Children in our Sport
ere are enthusiastic and active junior e DLP should have a knowledge of Designated Liaison Person Workshop
sections in many of our clubs. Young categories and indicators of abuse, attend (Safeguarding 3) – Sports Ireland
members take part in snorkelling and the DLP training workshop, and be Designated Safeguarding Children
diving and we need to ensure they are familiar as required with CFT reporting Officer course – Sport NI
participating in a safe environment. As an procedures. e DLP should be ratified
adventure sport, we need to allow our on an annual basis by their Club.
Safeguarding Refresher Online Course
young members take part where risk is e Club Chairperson automatically
Sport NI safeguarding e-learning refresher
managed appropriately. assumes the role of DLP unless another
module available under Online Courses
Irish Underwater Council is committed person is chosen and ratified to undertake
at:
to safeguarding young and vulnerable the role.
http://www.sportni.net/resources/
members and to ensuring our
safeguarding practice, procedures and Club Mandated Person e Sport Ireland workshops are available
guidelines reflect statutory e Children First Act imposes a statutory locally through the Local Sports
responsibilities, as well as complying with obligation on the Irish Underwater Council Partnership network and the Sport NI
best practice of Sport Ireland and Sport and clubs, to appoint a Mandated Person training is available through a number of
Northern Ireland requirements. whose role shall be to report child approved trainers:
On 11 December 2017, the remaining protection concerns over a defined http://www.thecpsu.org.uk/training-
provisions of the Children First Act threshold to Tusla and to assist Tusla, if events/
commenced in full. e Children First Act, requested, in assessing a concern which has
provides for the statutory obligations of been the subject of a mandated report. e
organisations that work with children, Mandated Person can be the Children’s Vetting
including mandatory reporting of concerns. Officer, Designated Liaison Person or In accordance with vetting legislation, all
Organisations have until 11 March 2018 to another person on the club committee. persons who have a regulated role with
have policies and procedures in place. Also, children, (i.e. instructors, leaders,
Garda Vetting legislation came into effect parents who regularly assist) must be
on 31 December, 2017. Safeguarding Statement vetted under the Vetting Act by 1
Clubs with children and/or vulnerable Each club needs to provide a safety January 2018.
adults need to ensure the appointment of statement to show how they provide a If a person, who has not been vetted,
key child safeguarding officers including positive environment for children and continues to act in any of the above roles
Children’s Officer, Designated Liaison vulnerable adults and the principles and after 1st January 2018 they will be
Person and a Mandated Person. Clubs procedures observed ensure, as far as breaking the law as may their Club, for
need to prepare a Child Safeguarding practicable, that a child availing of our offering or facilitating such a role.
Statement. It is mandatory that adults sports is safe from harm. e Irish Underwater Council Vetting
working with children need to have Sport Ireland will issue guidelines to Policy states that once vetted, an applicant
completed vetting and attend child support clubs to comply with the needs to be re-vetted within a five year
safeguarding training. regulations. period. Vetting documents are available
on COMS for the National Vetting
Child Safeguarding Training Bureau and AccessNI vetting.
Club Children’s Officer
Each club with children should have a All adults working with children
Children in Sport Awareness Workshop All of these requirements apply across
Children’s Officer as part of the club
(Safeguarding 1) – Sports Ireland the island of Ireland.
committee. e Children’s Officer ensures
the club operates within all Irish Safeguarding Children and Young People
in Sport – Sport NI Further information can be found on the
Underwater Council safeguarding policies
tusla website and the Child Protection in
and procedures. He/she ensures children
Sport Unit, or contact Fidelma Carroll the
the activities are conducted in a safe Children’s Officer and Designated National Children Officer. Sport Ireland
manner.
Liaison Officer also have an app Safe Sport which has
clubs. ◼
Club Children’s Officer Workshop all-Ireland safeguarding information for
Club Designated Liaison Person (DLP) (Safeguarding 2) – Sports Ireland
Each Club must appoint a Designated
Liaison Person (DLP) who
Links:
shall act as a resource, and is responsible
http://www.tusla.ie/children-first/organisations
for ensuring that reporting procedures
within the Club are followed. ey will
http://www.sportireland.ie/Participation/
liaise with the Irish Underwater Council’s http://www.sportireland.ie/Participation/Code_of_Ethics/Code-Of-Ethics-App/
Mandated Person as required. e DLP http://www.thecpsu.org.uk/
should record all concerns brought to childrensofficer@gmail.com
their attention and the actions taken. nco@diving.ie
12 SubSea Spring 2018Ten go to Cuba
by Andy Fitzsimons
Busy day on the reef. Photo by Fiona Lane.
In the small hours of a cold November morning the Ten (Seven Divers 3 Non divers) met in
Terminal 2 Dublin Airport. Our journey would take us to Gatwick and from there to Havana,
Cienfuegos, Isla de la Juventud and back to Havana
Our bags were checked in at Dublin by bags, negotiated security, negotiated due to a failure to follow instructions)
Aer Lingus, they have a bilateral passport control and presented our we stepped out into the balmy evening
agreement with Virgin Atlantic, all the Tourist Card (some presented twice air of Havana.
way through to Havana. Our flight
from Gatwick to Havana using Virgin
Atlantic would take approximately 10
hours. e weight allowance is 23Kg
for checked in baggage and 10 kg for
carry on. In light of the ever changing
practices of airlines in terms of baggage
I would always recommend bringing a
non-diving loved one. I always tell my
darling wife Elaine that I cannot bear
to be separated from her for any length
of time and her baggage allowance just
strengthens our relationship.
Our flight to Havana was uneventful
apart from the lack of red wine which
apparently was consumed in vast
quantities by those of our group sitting
in front of us
On landing in Jose Marti
The Crew – after a week on the isle of Youth looking very much the younger for it.
International airport, collected our
Photo by Neill Bannon.
SubSea Spring 2018 13Ten go to Cuba
Trumpet Fish. Photo by Neill Bannon.
Many vouchers later, (you go down Highway 1. We arrived at 8.30 Cienfuegos “e pearl of the South”
nowhere in Cuba without a voucher) in the evening at Hotel Faro de Luna is situated, not surprisingly, on the
we boarded a bus for Cienfuegos and where the first of many mojitos was southern coast roughly in the centre.
Hotel Faro De Luna a modest 260km consumed. e hotel Faro de Luna is located
approximately 18km outside
Cienfuegos and overlooks the
Caribbean Sea. e dive centre is
literally a stone’s throw from the hotel.
Our itinerary provided for two days
diving here before we moved on. We
had planned tentatively to go on a day
trip to Trinidad from here but time did
not permit.
e boat trip to the dive site was 15
minutes.
We did the following dives: Los
Cabesos, Tres Amigos, Camaronero 2
and Los Palos
An usual feature was the narrow
coral channels which were home to
barracuda, lobster, groupers and
more species of coral than you could
shake a stick at. The colours were
Sunset at Faro de Luna. Photo by Neill Bannon. amazing.
14 SubSea Spring 2018Ten go to Cuba
La Isla de la Juventud
We left Cienfuegos and headed back to
Havana for our flight to the Neuva
Gerona on the Isle of Youth. is an
internal flight for which we had prepaid
and had the necessary vouchers.
Interestingly the baggage allowance is
now 20kg. After much queuing we were
presented with a voucher for being over
our baggage allowance. Unfortunately
the office for payment was closed , gone
to lunch or possibly just too busy, so we
were ushered through to security for
the final once over before we departed.
e flight to Neuva Gerona takes about Yellow tail Snapper. Photo by Fiona Lane.
35 minutes.
On arrival at Neuva Gerona we had
our temperature taken …..not sure why
but we all passed, which begs the
question how hot do you have to be to
fail the temperature test bearing in
mind you have been hanging around in
an airport lounge with no air
conditioning for 40 minutes in 30oof
heat and humidity.
The isle of Youth
Fortunately most of our bags arrived as
well, only Roisin’s bag failed to make it.
A forty minute drive had us in the
Colony Hotel where the search for
Roisin’s bag would continue apace.
e hotel “El Colony” was built by Sleepy Ray. Photo by Fiona Lane.
Meyer Lansky and Co, of mafia fame,
on the shores of Siguanea Bay and
opened in December 1958. eir
timing could not have been worse.
Fidel Castro came to power and
Battista left on the 1st of January 1959
following six years of rebellion.
e hotel has changed little in the
intervening years and is a true
reflection of the era it was built in.
Austin Powers would not look out of
place in the Bar
We had only arrived when Neill
Bannon spotted George Ryder who
was also staying at El Colony. George
was the Examiner for Neil and John O
Connor’s M3 exam at some time in the
last century.
George has been returning to Cuba
for the past fifteen years and has dived
virtually all of the dive sites around
Cuba. e sites on the Isle of Youth
are amongst the best in Cuba Isle of Youth.
SubSea Spring 2018 15Ten go to Cuba
Georges diving gear had also failed
to make the journey across from
Havana
Each morning began with a routine
enquiry as to the likelihood of the
missing bags turning up. Phone calls
were made, additional vouchers
applied for and enquiries made.
None of us commented that Roisin
had worn the same outfit to dinner
more than once. Neill and Peggy
provided invaluable advice as to how to
reinvent the same set of clothes over and
over again being victims of the missing
bags dilemma on a previous trip.
Moray dining al Fresco. Photo by Roisin Mcardle.
e Dive Centre is located about
fifteen minutes’ walk from the hotel.
Alternatively you could take the bus
which collected us each morning and
dropped us back each afternoon.
We planned for five days diving
doing two dives per day. e dive sites
are all located on the south western
side of the Island which involved a 90
minute trip across the bay.
We did the following dives El
Mirrator , El Jardin de la Reina, Padeo
de Coral Negro , Sunken Ship, Cuevo
Azul , El Cabezo Solitario ,Valle
Blanco, El Reina del Sahara, Blue
Cave and one on an unnamed location.
e dives were all characterised by
fantastic coral formations. Black coral ,
Gorgonias, fan coral brightly coloured
tube and basket sponges, brain coral
and many more. e tropical fish life
included angel fish, moray eels, rays and
the all pervasive lion fish to mention
but a few. e drop off from the reefs
went down to 1500m so those looking
for depth were not disappointed.
Royal gramma fish. Photo by Roisin Mcardle.
Ploughing the Beach isle of Youth…… God only knows why. Prison on Isle of youth where Fidel Castro was detained.
Photo by Peggy Bannon.
16 SubSea Spring 2018Ten go to Cuba
Havana
We arrived back in Havana with all our
bags and checked into our hotel in the
Old Part of Town, La Habana Vieja.
Our hotel , Hotel Tejadillo, was three
houses linked together to create a very
comfortable and well run hotel in the
centre of the old part of town. Roisin’s
and George’s bags having arrived just
in time for the flight back to Havana.
One of the best ways to see Havana
is to take the free walking tour which
lasts about three hours and is done at a El Cristo and Che, Havana. The other great Cuban hero is Jose Marti who ranks alongside
leisurely pace. Christ and Che Guevara in the pecking order of Cuban heroes.
e most notable feature of Havana
is the Crumbling Baroque style houses
and the American cars from the fifties
alongside the Ladas. e cars both
American and Russian are a tribute to
Cuban ingenuity and the engineering
skills of Detroit’s car makers.
A taxi drive in a Lada is a must, not
uncommon for the doors to open
during transit and the car is invariable
started by hot wiring it.
An extensive renovation and
reconstruction program is underway in
Havana where Tourist dollars are
reinvested in reconstruction
We spent a cultural afternoon in the
Floridita Bar sampling cocktails and
Mojitos as Ernest Hemmingway would
have done on a daily basis. We carried
out a critical appraisal of his works for
several hours as he would have done. It Downtown Havana. Photo by Neill Bannon.
is a miracle he managed to write
anything at all.
A visit to the Partagas Cigar factory
is a must and an eye opener. You see
the whole process from leaf selection
to the finished cigar at the end each
rolled by hand. e cost of the tour
was 10CUC but note you cannot buy a
ticket at the factory. Tickets can be
purchased at the Hotel Nacional or
Hotel Telegrafo. You find this out when
you arrive at the factory.
At the end of the tour you will be
brought to a locker room and offered
“under the counter cigars” heavily
discounted and wrapped in newspaper
for added effect
e night life is something else.
Virtually every bar has live music
playing afro Cuban jazz, rhumba and
salsa. Mix that up with a few
Bucaneros and Mojitos add in a whiff
of cigar smoke for good measure and LADA taxi with an Irish Connection ……what are the chances.
SubSea Spring 2018 17Ten go to Cuba
Museum of the revolution with Detroit’s Dowagers out front.
you have a great night out. Dancing Old world meets the new, Time warp locals but freely available to the
shoes are optional in Hotel El Colony, the music and the tourists in hotels . The super markets
It was one of the truly great curragh bars, e company( goes without are far from super. You would hate to
trips and I for one would certainly go saying) and Reserva Rum ( Neill) and see Tourism destroy the charm and
back of course the cars. If you go, take a character that is Cuba. It is unlikely
I asked my fellow travellers what trip around Havana in a soft top Chevy you will travel anywhere and meet
were their abiding memories and in Bel Air or Plymouth Belvedere or more friendly and sociable people
short they were the relaxed warm Pontiac Bonneville who have survived austerity for such a
water diving, blue clear visibility on I would recommend it to anyone, long period of time and actually risen
canyon cave and wall dives, clandestine diver s and non divers. If there was above it
meetings in the everglades for the just a niggle it would be that certain
transfer of the lobster lunches, Havana foodstuffs are still rationed for the
The TEN
Organiser in Chief John O Connor
Cathy O Connor
Paul Walsh
Brain Holland
Neill and Peggy Bannon
Andrew and Elaine Fitzsimons
Roisin McArdle
Fiona Lane
Many thanks to Fiona, Roisin, Neill
and Peggy for the Photos and of course
Elaine and Peggy tour Havana as one should our leader JOC
18 SubSea Spring 2018Ten go to Cuba
Some Key Facts
about Cuba
Cuba is the largest of the Caribbean
islands and has a population of 11m
If you visited Cuba more than ten years
ago you will be surprised at the
changes, generally all for the better.
Roads have improved, ten years ago
not a mobile phone to be seen, now
everyone has one.
Internet access is available ETECSA
WIFI cards giving one hour access can
be purchased for 2CUC. You then
need to find a WIFI hot spot and go
from there. Connection speed is
Sunset Isle of Youth. Photo by Fiona Lane.
generally poor. Don’t try and download
anything substantial. WIFI is available
in large towns and cities.
You will receive a tourist card from
your travel agent. Read this carefully,
Currency
ere are a lot more cars and evidence when filling it out, fill it out once and ere are two currencies in Cuba e
of personal wealth primarily as result do not cross anything out. You need to local currency Peso(CUP) which is not
of changes to the laws allowing private present this on entry and on leaving. traded internationally and is used by
individuals to run small businesses. the locals.
Remember the US Embargo is still in
Certain Foodstuffs are still rationed for
place, so if you were thinking of When you convert Euro’s you will be
the local population.
booking say through Booking.Com , a given convertible Peso’s (CUC)
Everyone in Cuba has a job, US Company your booking will
initially be accepted and then rejected Convertible Peso(CUC) 1
accordingly there is a bureaucracy
as US companies are not allowed to do euro=1.2CUC or thereabouts
second to none. Couple that with the
traditional Caribbean laid back attitude business in Cuba without special ere are ATM’s in Havana and most
of “if you can do it today, you can do it license. big Towns and Cities
tomorrow so why bother rushing ” and
you will get a flavour of the way of life. Hotels will also exchange money for
you
e country has a strong catholic Diving equipment
tradition and is a socialist republic American bank credit cards may not
where Che Guevara is god. You can hire everything, however this work. You should check with your
is the country that has taken recycling bank before you travel
and repair to a new level.
ere are about 24 to 25 Peso’s to a
Getting there We brought all our own gear. Convertible Peso
We booked our holiday through Scuba Water temperature 27-28oC So a
en Cuba (talk to Diana) who were most
professional and helpful in organising
shorty or 3-5mm wet suit will be fine.
Ten years ago I dived in a Tee shirt.
Health
our itinerary. Details: Scuba En Cuba, 7 Ten years later I am now temperature Nothing to be particularly frightened
Maybank Gardens, Pinner Middlesex sensitive. of.
HA5 2JW UK 0044(0)1895624100,
diana@scuba-en-cuba.com Cylinders at our dive centres were ere are no compulsory vaccinations
aluminium 12litre with both Din and required however Hepataitis A,
We booked flights separately through International pillar valves. Typhoid and Tetanus are
World Travel 43 Pearse St D2 (01) recommended on some websites.
4167095
ere are plenty of insects, mosquitoes
Electricity included that bite or in the case of the
Aer Lingus Dublin to Gatwick Virgin
Deet is recommended. ◼
Atlantic Gatwick to Havana Bags 110V some hotels have 220V generally writer feast on human flesh. Plenty of
checked through to Havana 23kg American style plug two flat pins
SubSea Spring 2018 19THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER
Local man and member their sought-after tailored
of Wexford Sub Aqua dry suits. ere is a
Club, Ivan Donoghue was growing and friendly
recently awarded runner rivalry between the
up in the wide angle British and Irish
category of the British communities, who have
and Irish Underwater each seen their
Photography photographers taking high
Championship 2017 honours in previous years.
In its third year, over is year UK
sixty underwater photographer Trevor Rees
photographers from all was awarded the title
over the UK and Ireland 2017 Champion after
dived on 27th August, took submitting a beautiful
pictures and submitted image of a Jewel
them on the same day to a Anemone set against a
panel of judges. sunburst. It also won the
Organised by the British best close-up category.
Society of Underwater Best newcomer was Brian
Photographers in memory Kelly with a delightful
of Peter Scoones, one of picture of a Fan Worm
its founding members, the and the other two
competition is a major categories were won by
test of a photographer’s Kirsty Andrews for a
logistic, diving and stunning wide angle
photographic skills, as picture of a Blue Shark,
everything has to be done and Vicky Paynter who
within 24 hours. used a compact camera to
Ivan’s entry was taken at win the restricted camera
Hook Head, and shows category with a delightful
fellow club member image of a seal.
Balazs Bauer enjoying the British Society of
underwater scenery while Underwater
two visitors look on from Photographers Chairman
above. e picture and lead organiser Paul
missed out on top slot by Colley said that, “e
just one point. competition goes from
Ivan explains that “the strength to strength.
image is known as a split- More people are taking
shot, where you aim to part every year and many
capture what’s happening of the images submitted
above and below the now would have won the
surface at the same time. competition outright only
Technically there is a few years ago; the
several things working against the picture before I do and we work standards just keep climbing.”
photographer including different light, together as a team on these pictures.” You can see the full list of
reduced contrast, particles, different e competition enjoys excellent photographers, images, sponsors and
depth of field, divers bubbles and support from generous sponsors awards at www.biupc.org and for more
trying to hold a camera at the right including Carpe Diem, a Maldives- information about scuba diving in the
angle in a wave to capture above and based company that offers an amazing south east, please visit
below.” £1650 voucher to the winner for a trip www.divewexford.org
“I’m lucky to photograph with a top on their superb dive boat. O’ree
divewexford@gmail.com ◼
class diver, Balazs Bauer. He has a have sponsored the competition from FURTHER INFORMATION
unique ability to be envision a potential inception and each year provide one of
20 SubSea Spring 2018DUNDALK’S DARKEST DAY
By Don Baldwin
100 Years after its tragic loss, Don Baldwin recalls the sad fate of the ‘SS Dundalk‘, and remembers a
momentous dive by Dundalk SAC, to the ship’s final resting place, in the depths of the Irish Sea.
The SS Dundalk
A chill October wind swept across the sum of £40,000. At her first trials on the sight on both sides of the Irish Sea, as
moonlit deck of the ‘SS Dundalk’ as she Clyde on the 24th of June, she made a she plied her trade. Transporting
steamed steadily for home, oblivious to commendable 15 knots, before arriving whiskey to Scotland, pelts and animal
the torpedo which raced towards her in Dundalk to become the flagship of hides to England and fatefully cattle, or
with unerring accuracy. The date was the Steampacket Company, the veritable ‘meat on the hoof ‘ to Britain as an
the 14 of October 1918. The torpedo jewel in their crown. e ‘S.S. Dundalk’s’ integral part of their war effort, as the
smashed into the doomed vessel sleek outline soon became a familiar world staggered through the inhumanity
amidships, violently splitting the ship of the First World War.
asunder as the savage explosion Merchant shipping was of course not
erupted into the night sky, illuminating immune to predation from the German
with cruel clarity, the hellishness of the U Boat wolf packs which prowled
brutal scene. With grim military Britain’s coast. e ‘S.S. Dundalk’ had its
efficiency the German U Boat first hostile encounter with a German
commander surveyed the torpedo’s sub on the 16th of December 1917 when
mangled aftermath of angry flames and on a regular sailing to England, it was
twisted metal from the conning tower attacked in the war zone. Captain
of his surfaced Sub, ignoring the O’Neill called for full steam ahead and
screams of the injured survivors who with a zig-zagging manoeuvre, the
fought to stay alive. Content with his canny Irishman brought his ship into
bloody work, the U Boat Captain the safety zone off the Isle of Man,
ordered his sub to dive, stealing a final escaping his German aggressor. e U-
glance at the remains of the tenacious boat had fired over fifty shells but only
Irish ship, which had evaded him for one was on target and it had utterly
the very last time. demolished one of the lifeboats on deck.
e ‘S.S. Dundalk’, a twin screw e ‘S.S. Dundalk’ had been fitted with a
steamer, was built for the Dundalk and deck gun and bravely returned fire, but
Newry Steampacket Company in Captain Hugh O’Neill the shots fell short of the submarine. It
Ardrossan in 1899 for the handsome Skipper of the SS Dundalk was certainly due largely to Captain
SubSea Spring 2018 21Dundalk’s Darkest Day
small amount of tobacco to sustain
them. e rigors of the constant rowing
and bailing throughout those seventeen
hours, to avoid sinking on a bitter
October day, took its toll on the sorry
survivors, and before they were
eventually rescued they suffered bitterly
from pains inflicted by the intense cold.
When asked later if he had seen the
submarine Mr. Higgins replied: “Not
until she struck us - when we were
drifting around in the small boat the
submarine remained on top for about
five minutes then drifted away. I never
saw the ‘Dundalk’ go down”. While they
remained at the devastated scene they
spotted another of the ‘Dundalk’ boats,
and he believed that there were seven
men in it, but in the darkness they
Dundalk SAC before dive to place plaque. drifted apart and he never saw it again.
At about 4.30pm on the following
O’Neill’s tenacity and courage, that the apparent that all the others on board the afternoon, a seaplane flying over Mr.
‘Dundalk’ survived to sail another day. ‘S.S. Dundalk’ had perished with the Higgins’ boat noticed their signal. e
So skilful was his seamanship that only ship. trawler ‘Stormcock’ came to their
the one enemy shell managed to land on John Higgins of Broughton Street was assistance shortly afterwards and took
target. In recognition of Captain acting mate on the ‘Dundalk’ on the 14 the survivors on board.
O’Neill’s valiant efforts, he, his officers of October 1918, taking the place of his Another survivor, Patrick Kearney a
and his crew received testimonials and ill brother. John said that they had left young married man from Dowdallshill,
reward for preventing the death of their Liverpool at 5 p.m. and everything went was asleep in the deck cabin with four
passengers and the destruction of their well until 11 p.m. at which hour he was others and was awakened by a
ship. Alas, fate continued to stalk the going to his cabin, having been relieved tremendous noise. Wearing only his
‘S.S. Dundalk’ and on a cold October by the Captain on the bridge. Just then shirt and trousers, Kearney rushed to
night as she sailed from Liverpool out the ship was hit in the engine room on the deck and found the vessel split in
into the Irish Sea, tragedy struck. the port side and began sinking two and sinking fast by the head. While
e torpedo struck the ship immediately. Mr. Higgins and another running on deck he observed Captain
amidships, exploding in the engine crew member got into one of the O’Neill on the bridge but never saw him
room and blowing away the whole lifeboats, and having cleared the steamer again. He and his companions in the
centre part of the vessel, practically they began picking up the remaining deck cabin, Frank Deery, Joe Fox, James
breaking her in two. It is probable that survivors from the frigid water, Tuite, and J. Mulqueen all rushed to the
the Captain who was on the bridge, and following their cries for help. lifeboats. By the time Kearney had
the engine room staff, who were on duty e perilous plight of Mr. Higgins and reached the lifeboat the deck of the
at the time, were instantly killed. is is the six other men in the small boat can stricken ship was under water.
also probably true of those who were in scarcely be imagined. For seventeen While in the lifeboat Kearney had
their berths at the time, including Mr. grueling hours they barely kept afloat, heard the cries of the survivors and
S.J. Cocks who was then the general rowing constantly and continuously managed to pull two men into the boat,
manager of the Steampacket Company. bailing out their damaged boat which who had been clinging to floating
So sudden and unexpected was the repeatedly filled with water. ey had no wreckage for dear life. One of the men
attack that none of the survivors could food, precious little fresh water, and a had been laid up with influenza and was
give little more than a confused account seriously sick. He was only wearing
of the horrible event. underclothes and suffering very badly
Immediately the ship was struck, the from the cold when he was hauled
men on deck instinctively rushed to the helplessly into the boat. “ e submarine
lifeboats, and it appears that two of then came alongside only about thirty
these boats were successfully launched. yards away from us,” said Kearney. “ I
Two men got into one of the boats and could see a man standing near the
picked up five others from the water, conning tower and one of our crowd
and the second boat got away with four shouted at him, asking him to save our
or five men. Both lifeboats remained in lives; he paid no attention, never spoke
the vicinity for some time hoping to and in a short time went down into the
One of two portholes reclaimed for the
pick up other survivors, but it was County Museum in Dundalk. submarine”.
22 SubSea Spring 2018Dundalk’s Darkest Day
When the ‘Dundalk’ went down the
sea surrounding the area was covered
with wreckage; they rowed around
searching for survivors but did not hear
or see anything. Both Higgins and
Kearney were in the same boat and at
times they were up to their knees in
water. One of the sick men who was a
gunner managed to keep them on
course with a compass, even though he
was very ill.
Patrick Byrne of Quay Street was on
watch with Captain O’Neill, William
McKeown, Patrick Melia and P. Noonan
when the vessel was struck. He had just
had his tea and was on the port side of
the bridge, the Captain being on the
starboard side. He described the
explosion as being terrible and his eyes
were temporarily injured by the cinders Memorial plaque placed on the wreck of the SS Dundalk.
and the ashes blown up from the
stokehold. e following evening behalf of the people of Dundalk. rough dive vessel the ‘Endeavour’ at the Isle of
(Tuesday) the ‘SS Douglas’ picked up the extensive local media coverage relatives Man, then proceeding south with five of
five men in the second boat: omas of the deceased were contacted, wreaths his most experienced divers to the site
Fitzgerald, Hugh O’Neill, J.Mulqueen, P. and mementoes collected. Each family of the ‘SS Dundalk‘.
McCourt and P. Noonan. ese men recounted a poignant tale, as they It is always with a deep sense of
also suffered greatly from the effects of proudly displayed medals, faded respect that a diver descends to the
their long cold vigil in the open boat. newspaper cuttings and old photos of ghostly remains of a wrecked ship. When
e emotional impact on Dundalk those they had lost. ey were delighted the lives of fellow townsfolk have been
was deep felt, compounded by the loss at last to be able to bid a dignified lost there, that respect is tinged with
of the ‘Leinster’ four days earlier. farewell to their lost relatives and heaped reverence and a sense of duty, when
Immediately after the disaster, a fund blessings upon the proposed dive entrusted with the prayers of the
was launched in the town for the expedition. relatives. Split asunder and barely
dependants, the Steampacket Company So it was with preparations complete perceptible in the gloomy light, the
contributed 500 guineas to the fund. A and a rare stable weather window, that remains of the ‘SS Dundalk’ are now no
public meeting was held in the Town six divers from the Dundalk SAC more than a mangled memory of the
Hall to launch the fund and numerous gathered early on a cool September sleek vessel of yesteryear. Nevertheless, it
fund raising activities were commenced; morning in 2009, as a golden sun full of was with a great sense of pride and
a total of £2,000 was donated at the promise hung low in the eastern sky. honour that the Dundalk Sub Aqua team
opening meeting. Our diving gear, wreaths, and plaque, placed the brass plaque and sealed
A special stained glass window and looking strangely out of place among the container of mementoes on the stricken
plaque in memory of those who died in fish boxes and lobster pots stacked on ship. Reclaiming in turn, two brass
the disaster was erected by the Dundalk the quiet Clogherhead Pier. From where, portholes for the County Museum in
and Newry Steampacket Company and we got quickly underway to cross the Dundalk. Finally, with a simple prayer
can be seen in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Irish Sea on the fine cruiser ‘Clogher which caught in this authors throat, we
Dundalk. Dawn’, captained by the jovial Aidan laid the wreaths on a calm sea, quietly
Today the wrecked remains of the ‘S.S. Sharkey, ably assisted by Mark O’Reilly. recalling all those who had lost their lives
Dundalk’ now lies at its final resting place Transferring in turn to Steve Cowley’s on that tragic night. Hopeful that our
fifty six meters down, seventeen miles efforts might have in some small way,
southwest of Langness off the Isle of brought healing and a sense of closure to
Man. Originally the brainchild of Finbar all those touched on that fateful date.
Dillon (Diving Officer) and Paddy Today, those two polished portholes
Agnew, the former Chairman, it had long hold pride of place in the County
been the desire of the Dundalk Sub Aqua Museum in Dundalk, a very tangible
Club, with the involvement of the reconnection with the ‘SS Dundalk’ in
families, to pay tribute to those who this centenary year; a symbolic link to
on Dundalk’s darkest day. ◼
tragically lost their lives on that fateful the townsfolk who were tragically lost
night. Dundalk County Council were
quick to come on board the project,
sponsoring an engraved brass plaque on Sealed container of mementoes. Don Baldwin. Dundalk SAC.
SubSea Spring 2018 23BOOK REVIEW
The Rediscovery of the UC-42 (When Cork was under attack by the Germans)
Book Review by Martin Baillie-Johnston
I recall driving down to As well as describing the
Cork on a wet, windy night plan and methods used to
in 2012, the sole purpose of rediscover the U-Boat. He
which was to dive on the also goes into some detail
UC-42 U-Boat the next around the invention and
morning. As I got nearer to development of the
Cork the weather got Submarine as well as the
worse, I recall lying in bed history of Naval and
that night, as the rain and Submarine warfare in the
wind battered off my Hotel First World War. After the
room window, trying to kid U-Boat sank it was first
myself that the wind would dived by Royal Navy divers
blow itself out that night, hence “Rediscovery” in the
you are right it didn’t. The title. e Book includes
dive was cancelled and I copies of admiralty files
drove back to Wicklow. My around the sinking of UC-
friends dived it the 42. It also contains many
following week. I had other pictures from the Author as
plans and could not go with well as a copy of a sketch
them. They put some made by the divers who
fantastic photos on discovered the U-Boat.
facebook, I almost cried. e Rediscovery of the
Four years later I was in UC-42 is available from
Castletownbere for the June Lettertec Book priced 12.99
Bank Holiday with my Euros.
Club, the Curragh SAC.
After diving on Saturday https://www.lettertecbooks.
and Sunday, I left Sunday com/shop/local-
evening to spend Monday history/rediscovery-uc-42/
at home with my family.
My diving buddies stopped
off on the way back on
Monday and dived the UC-
42. More photos, more
tears!
Dive with OceanAddicts
So it was with great
interest that I saw the story
of the rediscovery of UC-42
had been published, its
author Philip Johnston was
kind enough to send me a
copy.
Explorers, history fans
and Divers will enjoy this
book. Philip takes us on a
journey, from his first
hearing about a U-Boat lost www.oceanaddicts.ie
Oceanaddicts is an IDEST Accredited Test Centre
outside Cork Harbour, to graham@oceanaddicts.ie
committed to Top Quality Customer Service.
finally being one of a local anne@oceanaddicts.ie
We can arrange to collect & deliver your cylinders,
group of divers who providing a transparent service in our modern Graham 087-2744992
rediscovered the lost U- workshop Anne 087-7903211
Boat. VIP’s Hydros Valve Service O2 Cleaning www.facebook.com/oceanaddicts
24 SubSea Spring 2018Trade
Hosts: Limerick SAC Exhibitors
& Aughinish DC
Speakers:
Paul ‘Duxy’Duxfield
Ken O’Sullivan
Dive
Ireland
Nick Blake
Barry McGill
Cathal Mullane
Yvonne Lynch
EXPO
Simon Berrow
Stewie Andrews
Paraic Slattery
Tom Doyle
Rory & Tony
O’Callaghan
and more!
Radisson Blu Limerick | March 3&4, 2018
More Info: diveireland.ie
facebook.com/DiveIrelandExpoPROGRAMME
LOCATION
SATURDAY
TIME Shannon 1 Shannon 2 Portroe Dromineer
10.00 Melanie Croce - Seal Rescue Paul Duxfield - FUNdamentals of
Cathal Mullane - Cave Diving
10.30 SeaSearch UW Photography
Yvonne Lynch - Journey to the Lusitania: Tom Rossiter - Come Hell or High
11.00 Nick Blake - Working with Natural Light
becoming a rebreather diver Water: Mapping Irish Seaweeds
IUC TO/DO Dr. Kathryn Schoenrock - Kelp
11.30 meeting me if you can: Kelp forest
Panel discussion on the use of Barry McGill - Shipwreck Photography,
Stewart Andrews - Jutland
12.00 citizen science in the marine a practical guide to capturing
- WWI's Greatest Sea Battle
environment, chaired by Richard underwater landscapes
13.00 David O'Sullivan - Infomar Thorn PhD
Launch of Seasearch Ireland's annual
13.30
report for 2017
13.45
14.00 Ken O'Sullivan - Ireland Deep Atlantic
Paul Duxfield - Less is More: the
15.00 Paraic Slattery - Helicopter S&R, interaction with divers Mirrorless Revolution and the rise in
PADI instructor forum
popularity of the super compact
Tom Doyle - An introduction to jellyfish, Ivan Donoghue - Vincent O'Brien
16.00
ambassadors of the marine environment Memorial
LOCATION
SUNDAY
TIME Shannon 1 Shannon 2 Portroe Dromineer
Underwater Photography Workshop
10.00 IUC AGM PADI instructor forum - Show your pictures for constructive advice
from the experts
Pertti Arvonen - Underwater navigation Simon Berrow - Irish Whales and
13.00
with the new technology, UWIS Dolphin Group
Barry McGill - Exploration & Discovery in the
14.00 IUC Search & Recovery Áine Purcell–Milton - Clean Coast
North Atlantic, A Tale of Liners & Battleships
Derry O'Donnell - Plastic pollution in the
15.00
oceans
Technical Diving Key Speakers Environment Organisation Search & Recovery UW Photography
National Search & Recovery Conference open to all SAR teams and members
This year at the Dive Ireland Show, once again navigation and communication system leveraging in 2016 and presented to a packed audience of
CFT will host a National Search & Recovery 3D underwater tracking by satellite GPS. SAR volunteers from all over Ireland. “We look
meeting open to all SAR dive teams operating in Did you know that since May 2016 the Clubs in forward to a progressive working relationship
Ireland (whether CFT members or not) to gather CFT and The Irish Coast Guard have a Service with CFT long into the future. I believe this is a
and listen to speakers from The Coast Guard and Level Agreement enabling certified Search and very good day for search and recovery in Ireland
Garda Síochána on SAR topics and to meet other Recovery divers to volunteer when “asked to and will help bring closure to the loved ones of
teams from across the country. There is a guest task” by the IRCG in SAR operations? Chris those that go missing in our waters.” – Chris
speaker this year from Finland showcasing a new Reynolds was a speaker at the Dive Ireland Show Reynolds, Director of the Irish Coast Guard.
The Vincent O’Brien National Underwater Photography Competition
This underwater photography and videography is to showcase the underwater world as seen wide angle, macro, foreign water, split shot and
competition was set up in memory of diver, through Irish eyes. snorkel. There was also a dedicated category for
Vincent O’Brien. The Limerick dive show will see Beginners and Experienced users were catered video entries.
the presentation of awards and prizes to the for and people had a chance to enter their Huge thanks go to the people who entered,
winners and runners up in each category. Its aim favourite images of 2017. Categories included and to the sponsors for their generosity.
7th Annual CFT Underwater Photography Facebook Group Roadshow
Announcing the seventh Annual CFT • Galway Library center, libraries, community center, Tourist
Underwater Photographers Facebook • Spike Island, Cork Information Centers, local festival, just about
Exhibition for 2018. The exhibition will be • Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival, Wexford any community based location or event you
launched at Dive Ireland and will again tour • Science Week, Sligo Institute of Technology can get. The added bonus for you is that you
the country with your support. This year we • Dublin City University, launch of The Water can use it to recruit for your local club and to
hope to again accept 99 photographs from Institute, research institute based in DCU promote the CFT Underwater Photography
members of the CFT Underwater Photography • DCU Library Facebook Group. Dive centers are also
Facebook group for the exhibition. • Dun Laoighre, Co Dublin, The Lexicon Library welcome to host the exhibition; we welcome
• SE Dive Rally CFT all opportunities to promote underwater
The exhibition has toured the following photography and scuba diving for all.
locations in previous years… We want members/participants/exhibitors to
• Dive Ireland take the exhibition to their own part of the For more information contact
• Wexford County Council country, to a local swimming pool, sports Brian.Stone@DCU.ieYou can also read
