Category: Dive Reports

​    As I suspected, the party this week was smaller than the previous week with people leaving and others engaged elsewhere. However, we still managed to get a boat out and we headed for the Jumbo, which we have dived regularly but not in the last couple of months.
    There was some doubt as to whether we’d make it as the predicted sea state was less than optimal but once we were on our it wasn’t as bad as all that and we persevered, albeit a bit more slowly than would be possible on a flat sea. The anchor scored a hole-in-one and wrapped itself around part of the bridge section, close to the stern.
    The sea might have been a bit rough but under water was a different story with next to no current and reasonable viz of 7m or so. The Jumbo usually has decent fish life and there was a big shoal of jacks on the way down as well as snappers, batfish and on the bow, an anemone and clownfish (yes, that’s one week after I said the Dara was the only place these were found on the west coast). Angela and I had a very nice dive, swimming in and around the wreck and later on, Peter and Marc had a similar experience. On the way up the line a particularly friendly batfish tried to eat my fins.
    The sea state was picking up by this time so we decided against hanging around this far offshore (30km) and we headed back to the Victoria Star for the second dive. The fish life was less than the Jumbo but the viz was similar and the current still negligible.
​All in all, a very worthwhile trip. 

A few words on recent developments:
Brian has sorted out the oxygen tanks and Allen has fixed them up in the equipment room. Some more work and training is needed before we have nitrox back but the project is moving.

In parallel with this, Polly has started revamping the website. This is early days and still a work in progress but it can be accessed via the link below. Any comments would be welcome.
http://bsac406.com/​
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Chris Head writes:
Whilst writing I’d like to give you all advance notice of a one-day-dhow we’re running on the 21st September from Dibba up to the Musandam. This is for the DSDC anniversary and should be an excellent day out and a great Musandam introduction if you haven’t dived it before.
I’m assuming he won’t mind us muscling in on this provided there’s space.
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DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home
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The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.
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See you there!
 

    We had nine divers including Jess who was making her first non-training dive, hence two boats were needed. The coastguards these days tend to notice if you’re trying to take out more than the stipulated maximum number of people.
    The original intention was to go to Karen’s Dhow and pick up a bit of glassware but it soon became clear that the sea state wouldn’t allow this so we aborted to the Victoria Star which is closer inshore. When we got there, we weren’t the first to arrive. Already on station was a fishing boat skippered by Paul and Audrey, who have dived with us a couple of times in the past and were doing some rescue drills and skills. They were already hooked into the wreck so we tied up behind them. This meant a long swim from the last boat just to get to the anchor line. This caused a problem for me when my mask started flooding half way along but with some assistance from Paul and the guys on the fishing boat I got there. Cheers! With the mask re-adjusted, it was actually a lot calmer underwater than it was on the surface, although the viz wasn’t the greatest and the fish life a bit sparser than it is sometimes. Never mind, we had a decent dive.  
    Towards the end of the day, the sea state was getting up even more. The three of us left to go in for the second dive decided to forego the pleasure and get back to the club. There was no attempt to talk us out of this and I think we were all happy to get back on land. There followed some refreshments in the Dive Bar.
    Congratulations to our star Jess on completing her first proper dives with us very successfully. I hope she realises the sea is normally calmer than this – when we take a boat out at least!

Chris Head writes:
    Whilst writing I’d like to give you all advance notice of a one-day-dhow we’re running on the 21st September from Dibba up to the Musandam. This is for the DSDC anniversary and should be an excellent day out and a great Musandam introduction if you haven’t dived it before.

DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home

The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.
See you there!

There were twelve divers last Friday, meaning that we had to take both boats out again. Whether we can keep this up remains to be seen, particularly with the Land Rover temporarily out of action but it was good to have a large party. Out with us for the day were Paul and Adri, who we met last weekend at the Vic Star. The day didn’t get off to the most auspicious of starts as we set off for the slip without the boat keys. Fortunately, Brian noticed the problem and Mike rectified it before we left the petrol station.
The target for the day was our old friend, the Dara. The sea state was a bit choppy but nothing to be too concerned about and we made it out there in reasonable time. The anchor landed just above the lower entrance to the cathedral, making it fairly easy to find on the way back although one or two, diving the wreck for the first time, used SMB’s to ascend. The wreck is broken up and can be confusing for those unfamiliar with it. The story of the sinking can be found at the link below:
The viz wasn’t the greatest I’ve seen (though not the worst) and there were a few batfish to keep us company amongst other fish including some clownfish with anemones which I’ve never seen on any other west coast wreck. The current was minor except around the stern so we were able to swim the full length of the ship.
On the second dive however, both the sea state and the current had picked up significantly so we stayed in the lee of the current around the stern section and in the cathedral. To go outside of this and swim against the current was very hard work. After that it was back to the club for some well-earned refreshments.
Although we’re the British Sub-Aqua Club, we’ve always tended towards the cosmopolitan and Friday was a case in point. On board were divers from South Africa (Brian), Ireland (Denis), Germany (Connie), Netherlands (Paul), Hungary (Adri) as well as Brits: Ian, Mike, Polly, Peter, Angela, Allen and Jess. It’s a pity Rayan didn’t come!
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Chris Head writes:
Whilst writing I’d like to give you all advance notice of a one-day-dhow we’re running on the 21st September from Dibba up to the Musandam. This is for the DSDC anniversary and should be an excellent day out and a great Musandam introduction if you haven’t dived it before.
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To Andy and Emily and Whitney and Katie and other Americans who have crossed our path from time to time, we wish you all a very happy Independence Day!
 
The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.
See you there!

Wendy writes from Australia:
Today I went on a viewing north of Hervey Bay about 20 km off the coast of Bundaberg to witness the sinking of an old navy warship being sunk for the sole purpose of being a dive site. It’s in about 25 m and I hope when the weather warms up to be able to go diving on it. Really interesting to watch. It was filled with water slowly but then took on a mind of its own  and instead of going straight down decided to list to the left and sank in about 20 seconds!!
Please see the photographs taken by Wendy below. We all wish Wendy safe diving in Australia. 
 

We arrived at the Dibba-Fujeirah marina at 8.30, to meet Michelle on the jetty at the dive boat. There were no facilities close to hand, so a quick return was made the ADNOC  service station at the entrance to the harbour to use the restroom! We then changed.

Our first dive began as a video dive for Steffen’s training, but my camera was not seated correctly inside its housing so no control of colour balance. Just enjoyed very good viz, first around back of the rock, then up and into the Aquarium. Water temperature was around 32 degrees, but still with some distinctively cool thermoclines at 27 – we felt the difference, especially in skins only. A shoal of Indian mackerel close up showed their silver reflective gills perfectly when they opened their mouths wide. A dead ray on the bottom was beginning to become fish-food. Final highlight of a 60 minute dive were two cuttlefish in the shallows where we were unsuccessfully seeking sharks. Shy, and displaying a variety of phosphorescent colours, they seemed to be a mating pair.

For our second dive, my camera was checked and re-checked, before we rolled into the water. The viz had deteriorated to 5-6m, but still pleasant enough. Connie and I were joined by Soline, while Steffen completed his last qualifying training with Michele. We soon found a small moray, a group of lion fish, and a larger shoal of Indian mackerel. Connie and I both managed to get punctured by sea urchins – unfortunate for Connie as she has an allergic reaction. Again strong thermoclines, and increasing current. We shared our enthusiasm for the site with Soline, on her first instructor-less dive, pointing out all the usual suspects, and she pointing out some to us! We surfaced at 49 minutes, with no boat in site and drifting away from the far side of the rock. A lone full-mask snorkeler approached u slowly. We waited and waited for a boat, which then was tied up beyond the north end of the rock – we were now south of it! The snorkeler came closer, and we heard him/her crying out. We swam across and found a very frightened and tearful young French boy, maybe 10-11 years old, name of Joseph. He had become separated from his parents, after being caught in the current. We waved and were spotted by a nearby cruise launch, who in turn waved down a Divers Down boat, which we able to get him on board. Joseph was lucky that we were close by. We assume the family were later safely reunited. Eventually we too were picked up, and then collected Michelle from the same Divers Down boat still with Joseph on board! While somewhat unimpressed by the quality of boat handling shown by our driver, once all were back on board, we duly celebrated Steffen’s qualification as a Padi diver, with Soline, Michele, in a photo with our BSAC406 flag.

At the marina, we changed as discretely as possible into our dry clothes on the boat, said farewell to Michelle about to take out her next group, and returned to use the ADNOC facilities – very clean by the way! Back at the Club, Ian and Richard were keeping the bar warm, later soon to be joined by our SP312 divers. 

Peter Jackson

The forecast was less than promising for last weekend but Mike D optimistically posted a dive just in case the weather improved. It didn’t. Come Friday morning the high winds and waves made any kind of boat launch impossible. Peter and Connie made it over to the east coast from which came the following report:

With strong winds and high waves predicted off Sharjah, and not significantly better conditions expected on the East coast, Connie and I did not expect to dive this weekend. I use the YachtWeather App, which has proved pretty reliable over the last year or two. So, after a well deserved Friday morning lie-in, with a clear blue sunny sky beckoning, and much lower wind and waves forecast for Dibba, I gave Rosie at the Dive Centre at the Radisson Blu a call, just as they were sending a boat out to Sharm Rocks. We decided to chuck our gear into the car, and drove across to join a slightly delayed 12 noon dive. We changed quickly and waded out to the boat, waiting to take us to Dibba Rock in lightly choppy waters, led by Dive Master Spencer, only to find ein grouper of Germans and Austrian Instructor Susanne off for AOW exercises. Deciding it would probably be better not to mention the war [Ian’s note: after diving, Peter’s second favourite hobby is marrying German ladies], I rolled into 9m of fairly murky water, with my new buddy Connie joining from the other side of das boot.

Viz at the bottom was not great, especially without a blue sky, and it wasn’t warm either, but we immediately found a small shoal of batfish under a rock. Connie showed me she had been given a tank with only 180 bar, but with zero current it was a very relaxed and effortless dive, which we comfortably stretched out to 50 minutes, ascending after half an hour to the 3-5m shelf on the landward side of the Rock. The fish life was good, all the usual suspects, with a solitary long-spine porcupine fish, many small hamour, groupers and larger hind, beautifully colourful parrotfish and untidy broom tail wrasse, letting us get close in the low viz, without disappearing. There were quite a number of scorpion fishes often squeezed into crevices – which in retrospect might have given a hint of what would come. It proved very gentle and varied, ideal experience for Connie on her first post-qualification dive.

We were second group out of the water, which by now was somewhat rougher than when we entered. We had to wait a further 10 minutes before the AOW training group surfaced, and by which time conditions had deteriorated. Captain John was urging everyone back on board as quickly as possible, but it was soon clear it was now much to rough for us to land back at the hotel. It took us an hour running north, parallel to buffeting onshore waves to reach the shelter of the breakwater at Dibba-Fujairah port – not very far away, by which time we were rolling and pitching heavily, the bow dropping right into soaking waves. Mind you – not nearly as much as a tourist dhow with twelve or so aboard, initially keeping up with us to our starboard, but heaving wildly to a 45 degree angle each side as it tried to outrun the waves. John and Spencer received loud applause from us all as we slipped into the lee of the breakwater, and headed towards the floating small boat quay. As John steered us into a vacant slot, he was advised that the quay was being evacuated of all boats, at the same time as we saw three ambulances on the main quay wall with all lights flashing. There must have been an accident – John (who was telephoning to shore) said the dhow had sunk!

Spencer advised we would wait for calmer conditions for 20 minutes or so in the shelter of the breakwater, and dropped anchor as close to it as he safely could. We sat there shivering and soaked until it became clear that this wasn’t going to happen. Then tanks were removed from BCDs, with fins and all our gear then collected together, and a line was thrown to a staff member waiting for us on the breakwater. We climbed back into the water, and swam carrying our light kit to the rocks, Spencer swimming over with our BCDs and weights. We hauled ourselves carefully up to the rocks to appreciate the full dramatic fury of the gale and waves crashing and foaming against the breakwater and beach beyond. Manager of The Dive Centre, Mohammed was waiting for us with a couple of vehicles to take us back to the hotel, and explained the ambulances were waiting for us and the dhow coming in!

Back at the Centre, Connie and I told Rosie that we would prefer to give the second dive a miss! She was very good though, and didn’t charge any extra for the rock climbing experience. After a long warm shower and coffee, we began the drive home; over the pass just north of the hotel we saw cars parked at the roadside, and there was the dhow again, off Rul Dibba, or rather ON Rul Dibba !! (Photograph attached). Its engine had flooded and failed, and it was blown onto the rocks. All its passengers had been safely rescued and were later discharged from hospital without injury.

To go back a few days to last Tuesday we had an unexpected talk and discussion of a closed circuit rebreather. This was given by David Street of Dive Systems UK. David had been to DSDC the night before and had been pointed in our direction by Brian Lugg. Very interesting it was. David also chatted about the diving opportunities in Malta where he has an operation. 

It was also nice to see Marc De Ruyter, whose travels have currently taken him to Kuwait. He signed up to go diving on Friday but better luck next time.

There was no diving at the weekend thanks to the sandstorms blowing through the region. Peter and Connie attempted to go to the east coast but even this was aborted. 

Last Tuesday was the Dive Club AGM which was well attended this year. The minutes will be circulated but it’s worth repeating Chairman Mike Dalton’s thanks to all those committee members who have put the work in to keep the club going. I would also add our thanks to Mike himself. A couple of items to highlight: Firstly, I am stepping down as Diving Officer this year in favour of Geoff Patch. I’ve done it for a few years now and it’s time for a change. Geoff is more than capable and as a son of Ilford will maintain the claret and blue heart of the club (which admittedly might be disputed by some). Secondly, Mike Anthony’s huge efforts as Boats Officer over 17 years were recognised by the award of Honorary Life Membership. Well deserved sir! And it was the eve of a very special birthday – photos below.

The 2015 committee is:

• Chairman – Mike Dalton
• Diving Officer – Geoff Patch 
• Social Member – Richard James
• Equipment Officer – Brian Larkin
• Boats Officer – Mike Anthony
• Treasurer – Peter Jackson
• Training Officer – Janette Elphinstone
• Membership Secretary – Cathy Terry
• House & Grounds – Ian Hussey 

PJ’s report of a successful day’s diving at Dibba:

Janette led a group of five of us with the Dive Center at the Radisson Blu and  Dibba for Friday dive practice for Tim and Connie, joined by Maureen and myself. Connie having sat and passed the Padi Open Water exam on Tuesday evening, only had to satisfactorily complete her last two open water dives.

We arrived for the 12.30 boat out to Dibba Rock, as the early boat was destined for the Inchcapes. Maureen just made it having first succesfully completed the RAK marathon – what enthusiasm! There were no waves and no current. The first dive was fine, plenty of fish to enjoy including a pipe fish, though I managed to dive under-weighted, which was rather hard work, especially with an ali tank. At least I should have known better! Viz was 4-5m and the water temperature 23C. After 10 minutes Maureen and I managed to lose the student team – both of us filming.

The second dive saw the five of us get on the boat, and then another 14 local divers appeared, both men and women; to say there was not much space on the boat is an under-statement, especially when trying to kit up. However, once in the water, it proved a great dive. Our team stayed together this time, and saw plenty, including a large shoal of baracuda, a  couple of morays, and a number of Moses soles. When it was time for Tim to signal 60 bar and ascend with Janette, Connie still had sufficient air to be able to join us for another 10 minutes or so. Together we further explored the raspberry corals, finding shrimp gobys and their burrowing crustacean partners, a large sole, and within a large shoal of fusiliers a shy cornetfish. Being Valentine’s weekend I demonstrated to Connie the art of underwater osculating, unfortunately caught on camera by Maureen. Back on the surface we had to wait a good 10 minutes or more while the boat picked up its full complement. Connie finally climbed aboard as a qualified Padi diver, then duly celebrated with anti-dehydration fluid at the pool bar.

I was in transit last Friday so thanks to Mike (again) for the following words:

With the re-registration of SP312 finally achieved – thanks Cathy – we were able to go to sea last Friday with the big boat. As it happened the sea conditions were almost dead flat and an easy run was enjoyed to the Ajman Glory. There were five of us so the first three were Mike D+Robin+Mike A. The anchor was on the main deck just forward of the bridge so that was swiftly transferred to a depth of 21.5m on what is left of the navigation bridge. We had a swim round to the bow and returned to the bridge where Mike A had a grovel and unearthed the ship’s flares and an Icom radio. But sadly after more than 25 years there is little chance of these being useful again. The second pair were Dearbhla and Geoff. Nothing too exciting in the way of fish apart from some curious bat fish near the collapsed rigging and moorish idols around the bridge area.

Next we ran at almost 70kph back the 15kms to the Tek. We cleared this wreck completely of nets a while back but once again the fishermen have been busy losing their gear and it was heavily encrusted. Mike A spent his time net cutting at the bow whilst Mike D + Robin were doing similar on the roof. We cleared away quite a bit but there is much more work to be done. We have to go back to find Mike’s big torch which is somewhere near to the bow perhaps under clumps of nets. There were many fish on the wreck clouds of small grey things. A cowtail ray was spotted early on near to the anchor.

And so back to the Club where a convivial session round the pool was had with much discussion regarding ‘50 shades of divers’ and to how we could get more people to join the club. Recruit more fit young men was the suggestion from Dearbhla and then the girls will follow! Currently we are seen as a club of old men – which is true unfortunately.

This is being written in my parents’ living room as I contemplate the remainder of my leave. Having been at Upton Park watching Man Utd grab a lucky injury time equalizer, I now have a few days pulling weeds out of my driveway in Wales. But life goes on in the real world – Mike Anthony describes last weekend’s diving:

An intrepid quartet of Mike Dalton, Brian Larkin, Dearbhla O’Conner and your scribe set off with the small boat having first checked important things as oxygen cylinders etc.

Launched the small boat at Mamza and proceeded to sea, a 12km run into the short wavelength waves up to 4ft height which made life very difficult. So we zig zagged in the manner of a sail boat to be able to make some progress. Arrived to find that Sanaf and six from DSDC were already on the wreck so we tied on the back. The viz was not much better that 2m I suppose and it was a bit boring down there. The DSDC divers had already been swimming around the ships internal spaces so the viz inside was about as bad or worse than the outside. 

Brian and I ended up on the bow where we had been told that there were some barracuda but we did not see them. There was a large fishtrap on the forc’stle area trapped in some nets. DSDC were cutting out the trap when we arrived so I swam inside and encouraged the fish to leave before we cut it out of the net and heaved it over the side of the ship. And with a bit more net cutting in the same area we called it a day to find Mike D and Dearbhla on the line plus some DSDC. As I was last up and upon surfacing could see that things were not getting any better with the sea state I asked DSDC if they wanted the anchor removing which they did and so I pulled it out of the hold and folded it and put it over the side into the sand.

On the way to the Victoria Star the port side engine cut out and I gave up struggling with it as we were making progress anyway. On the way back I did not bother and ran back at up to 40kph just on one engine surfing as we went. Not a pleasant day, truth to be told, but we got wet and then had a convivial afternoon at the pool with the Jacksons joining us.

As Mike mentions in his report, DSDC were also on the wreck. Courtesy of Mr Chris Head, there follows a few words from the other side of the fence:

Here we expected perfect visibility as is usually the case… except someone had been in there before us! So we bimbled around for a while before exiting and investigating the rest of the wreck. We took the opportunity to follow the port anchor chain although after about 50m this petered out into the sand – I’m guessing she was at anchor when she sank but can see no damage to the hull indicating a collision. On returning to the bow we found a shoal of large barracuda and bumped into Mike Anthony from Sharjah 406 diving in a shorty wetsuit… in 22° water! Deciding that having such a raving lunatic in the water with us was probably not safe we finished the dive after a very pleasant 92 minutes on the wreck… gotta love rebreathers!

It appears Mike has been sussed out at last! Not sure how you “bimble” around a wreck though. I’ll have to quabble over to DSDC one day and ask Chris to explain.

While I’m still gallivanting around the sub-arctic UK, diving goes on in the warmer temperatures of Sharjah. Mike Anthony reports:

Quick report. Crew was Dearbhla, myself and the same named Andres, father and son. All the rest cried off. So whilst the troops charged tanks I fitted the batteries and checked over the motors. Both started so things looked hopeful. We left for Hamriyah with my truck towing. Launched, port engine a bit reluctant to start and keep running. Technique discovered by Andre senior was to run the boat with the starboard engine. Start the port engine, then put it into gear. (I am here talking about SP125).

Got to the Dara, no problems, ran out on a flat sea at 51kph. Threw in the hook although the echo sounder screen has really had it. It is working but is very difficult to read. As the Andres had not dived the Dara before I went first to find where the anchor was. Took young D down with me. Anchor was in the sand but only about 10m away from the wreck on the starboard side almost at the stern. Laid a line to the wreck. Took D round the stern over the rudder into the cathedral. Viz outside was barely 1m and inside not much more than 3m. Emerged out of the cathedral and encountered two new nets (amazing how the word has not spread amongst the fishermen). 

Started cutting. Was a reasonable current and I was a bit worried about D being in the wrong place. Also no knife or scissors. So I gave her my knife. But she still in the wrong place relative to the net. Scissored my way right through a net ascending as I did so. Cut it off. Descended again. Shit! No D. Searched imagining her caught in a net and panicking. Could not find her as viz so bad. Surfaced and saw only the Andres in the boat and it about 100m away. Saw bubbles. Big relief, she is still breathing. Followed the bubbles and found her hanging on a net at 6m. Surfaced in good order but she very shaken. Apparently she had become caught in a net. Panicked, even screamed. Said afterwards she could see me but could not get to me. (I was obviously not seeing her although I could hear her breathing) Anyway she calmed down and cut herself out with my knife – bet she does not leave her knife behind next time! she came up with 50 bar!

The Andres went down. They turned right at the reel attachment point and also became entangled in a net. Son cut father out – he is the one with the commercial ticket. But that they enjoyed it. Apparently the viz in SA is even worse, they said.

Usual fish, but right at the start as I was swimming away from the anchor with the reel in my hand I almost had a collision with a grey coloured cowtail ray about 800mm diameter. It just missed me.

After this decided to hit Cathy’s Barge as I knew that was simple, upright and hopefully no nets. 8 kms later we were there and the hook as it turned out, was in the sand 15m away from the stern. But I found the wreck easily and tied off the line. D and I did a 20+ minute dive and a 3minute stop. It is 24m to the bottom. She surfaced with 60 bar so I had timed it about right (I had 120) Barge is upright, 2 decks at rear, open hold and a vestigial mast just forrard of the hold. No engines or props. The Andres dived and said they enjoyed it. Back to the Wanderers for a couple of beers. D none the worse for her experience.

I think the lesson here is Keep Your Eyes On Your Buddy!