News
Divers swim distance of English Channel to raise charity funds
Billericay SAC, iDive SAC and DiveLine Diving Centre have recently completed the equivalent of swimming the English Channel underwater, all in aid of charity.
The distance was completed by a team of 27 divers, including event organiser Steve Barnes and BSAC Council member Dave Lock in just under two hours.
The event took place at Crown Pools in Ipswich and to cover the 20.6 miles distance the team needed to swim 1,326 lengths of the 25-metre pool. All the money raised by the team will go towards a £3,500 project to broaden the scope of the Suffolk-based ActivLives charity, which works to keep older people active for longer.
Steve Barnes, a member of Billericay SAC and is on the board of trustees for ActivLives, said: “It turned out to be a fantastic event and we actually did more than the required distance. We actually covered 1,350 which is fantastic.
“We are waiting to see how much we have raised. We do have a JustGiving page but a lot of divers who took part have secured their own sponsorship and are collecting the money in.
“It was just a wonderful team effort and I’m so please with the way everyone worked and pulled together to complete the challenge.”
The diving team also included newly-weds Anne Marie and Winston Grealy, members of both Billericay and iDive Sub Aqua Clubs who flew back from their Red Sea honeymoon just in time to take part. The pair met on a Red Sea scuba diving trip and had a diving-themed wedding this spring.
Anne Marie said of the fundraising challenge: “I did 54 lengths which wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be to be honest. The biggest problem was the shallow end and trying to stay below the water, especially when the cylinder was less full of air.
“It was a really lovely event and everyone just pulled together. To cover the distance we did is wonderful.”
Mary Tetley, BSAC Chief Executive said: “Scuba diving is enjoyed by people of all ages in our clubs around the UK, so it’s great to see our members getting involved with a unique charity event and helping to encourage more people to get active. Well done to everyone who took part!”
www.justgiving.com/Divetheenglishchannel
Photos: www.stephenwaller.com
Gear News
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Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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