News
Heinke Trophy – could you be BSAC’s new Adjudicator?
BSAC’s longest standing award is looking for a new adjudicator.
George Brookes, a renowned Heinke team member for many years, is stepping down from the panel and BSAC’s Phil Harrison and Tony Marshall are now looking for a new person to join them in judging the award. The closing date for applications is 28 February 2017.
The Heinke panel are looking for a person who:
- Knows BSAC
- Has attention to detail combined with sound judgement
- Is enthusiastic about how the Heinke Award can be used to help clubs and recognise their achievements
- Is willing to dedicate time over the months May to July to assess entries
If you are interested in joining the Heinke panel, please send a short email – no more than one page – explaining why you fit the bill, to heinkeadjudicator@bsac.com
Applications should be received by 28 February 2017.
Heinke Trophy 2017 – there is still time to register!
Do you think your club has what it takes to be a Heinke Trophy winner? Then there is still time to let BSAC know.
Registration for entries for the 2017 Heinke Trophy will close on Tuesday 31st January 2017 so if your club would like to enter then you need to register for the 2017 Award as soon as possible.
BSAC’s premier award, the Heinke Trophy is presented each year to the club considered to have done the most to further the interests of their diving and BSAC. Entering the Heinke Trophy is a fantastic way to put the spotlight on your club’s achievements over the past year and showcase the impact you are having on the growth and enjoyment of recreational club diving today.
Once registered, clubs will need to submit a full report on their club’s activities by 31 May and the winners will receive £1,000 and be presented with the Trophy at the BSAC Diving Conference in October 2017.
More information and to register your club
For more information about BSAC visit www.bsac.com.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 3
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 2
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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