News
World’s Oldest Diver, Norman Lancefield, Has Passed Away
The world’s oldest diver has died at the age of 93, with tributes being paid to the inspirational great-grandfather.
Norman Lancefield was a member of the Barry Sub Aqua Club, who lived in Boverton until last year when he moved to Scotland to be near his family.
“Storming” Norman became an inspiration to older people all over the world when he came to global attention in 2010 as the oldest diver in the world.
Daughter Wendy paid tribute to her father. She said: “Our father was a hard-working man committed to providing for his family. He always enjoyed swimming and we all have memories of him in his brown woollen swimming costume on family camping holidays.
“Our dad used to enjoy diving in Scotland when visiting me. It was on one of these occasions in the mid-1980s that he fell while changing after a dive and fractured his skull .
“I well remember having to sign for his clothes at the hospital which they had removed following his fall, this included a pair of my mother’s black fancy tights which eased the pulling on of his wet suit evidently.
“This never deterred him from his pleasure in the sport and he continued with only a loss of his sense of smell as a reminder.”
Norman particularly loved diving in the Red Sea, of which he said: “It’s another world down there and I feel privileged to be able to see it.
“You can just turn up, sit on the bottom and stay there watching everything. You don’t need to hardly move or go anywhere.”
Norman was cremated in Scotland with his ashes being returned to South Wales to be interned with his late wife Joyce. There will be a memorial service on Saturday, March 1.
Russell Phillips, of the Barry Sub Aqua Club, said: “Norman was an ambassador for many, often saying you are never too old, just keep fit and go dive. You will be missed by many.
“Farewell to the world’s oldest diver.”
Source: www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk
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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