News
SCOTSAC support lifeboat station campaign
A campaign to save a picturesque harbour’s lifeboat station has won the backing of divers who fear it could put their lives at risk.
More than 4,200 people have already backed a petition to save the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) service operated from St Abbs in Berwickshire from being moved four miles away to Eyemouth.
Now the Scottish Sub-Aqua Club (SCOTSAC)’s 1,300 members have been urged to support the fight. Chairman Edna Ewan warned it would mean a loss of local knowledge meaning it would take longer to respond to incidents in waters popular with divers.
Ms Ewan has written to RNLI chief executive Paul Bossier outlining her concern. There is also concern the charity’s review, which prompted the decision to close the station, was carried out without local consultation.
The organisation’s national diving officer Gordon Young said: “We received messages on our own Facebook from members asking if the club, as the national governing body for scuba diving in Scotland, had written to the RNLI chief executive requesting an overturn on his decision.
“Before that point we had wanted to keep out of it but then our board of directors began communicating with each other saying that it was wrong to take that stance and that we should speak up because we have 1,300 members in Scotland who dive down at St Abbs, which is without a doubt the busiest diving area in Britain.
“There have been lots of incidents there where the crew at St Abbs have been called out and without them there could have been lives lost.”
The campaign’s supporters included the broadcaster Monty Halls, The National Trust for Scotland, South Scotland MSP Paul Wheelhouse and Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP Calum Kerr.
The lifeboat crew thanked SCOTSAC for their support.
Crew committee member Euan Gibson said: “The RNLI has an opportunity here to change their minds.
“It is not a case of saving face, there is a chance here for them to reverse this decision and come up smelling of roses because they are getting a fair amount of heat.”
An RNLI spokesman said: “Research conducted by the British Sub-Aqua Club indicates that 70 per cent of diving incidents are potentially avoidable.
“The RNLI already educates sea users in order to prevent accidents and drownings through our community lifesaving teams who use comprehensive action plans to tackle specific issues in specific areas.
“We will continue this work in St Abbs, alongside the community, to provide a service that helps divers stay safe.”
“The process involved in the decision to close an RNLI station is a long, comprehensive and carefully considered one.”
Source: www.heraldscotland.com
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.
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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