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Some severe waves (16 – 20ft offshore) during last week led us to suspect the worst but by the weekend the sea state had calmed down enough for us to get out there. In fact the sea was calmer than advertised and the current was minor despite the spring tide. It was a bit chilly down there though – 5mm wetsuits (at least) are recommended for the next month or so.
Our targets were the two dhows that we go to regularly. These are neither huge wrecks nor massively challenging but they do have good fish life and it’s also nice to go to places that no-one else does. The first was the Bigprop dhow, so named for the unfeasibly large propeller that we spent several dives sawing off and the next 12 months trying to move back to shore. On this occasion there was a pair of batfish on the stern posing for photographs, a shy grouper, a large and unusually friendly barracuda and on the bow and some large silver fish now positively identified as minstrel sweetlips (thanks Peter). There was also a cuttlefish lurking in the timbers that gave Derek a squirt of ink when he tried for a photo. The curse of the banana struck PJ twice over. Having consumed the offending fruit on the way out, he then got up close and personal with a jellyfish on the first dive. Less painful for him but more entertaining for the rest of us, he proceeded to execute a backward roll entry that was perfect in all respects save for a crucial deficiency in the fin department. As club treasurer, he will no doubt be keen to donate 10 dirhams to club funds! The second dive was on Karen’s dhow, a couple of kilometers away. The viz was a lot worse on this wreck for some reason but we still saw some more barracuda and groupers. PJ also managed a close encounter with a turtle that wasn’t spotted by anyone else. He had his camera running so we can’t dispute his story! In the past when anyone claimed a sighting of whale sharks, manta rays or some other marine exotica, the response was always: “Show us your photos!” By implying doubt, one could keep the bragging within sensible limits and in the days when underwater photography was comparatively rare, this was an almost foolproof system. With the advent of inexpensive digital photography and video, anyone asking for photos now is likely to be shown not just photos but a 20 minute movie complete with opening / closing credits and a musical soundtrack! Oh well – it should be a good film. We look forward to the premiere tomorrow.
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    Some severe waves (16 – 20ft offshore) during last week led us to suspect the worst but by the weekend the sea state had calmed down enough for us to get out there. In fact the sea was calmer than advertised and the current was minor despite the spring tide. It was a bit chilly down there though – 5mm wetsuits (at least) are recommended for the next month or so. Our targets were the two dhows that we go to regularly. These are neither huge wrecks nor massively challenging but they do have good fish life and it’s also nice to go to places that no-one else does. The first was the Bigprop dhow, so named for the unfeasibly large propeller that we spent several dives sawing off and the next 12 months trying to move back to shore. On this occasion there was a pair of batfish on the stern posing for photographs, a shy grouper, a large and unusually friendly barracuda and on the bow and some large silver fish now positively identified as minstrel sweetlips (thanks Peter). There was also a cuttlefish lurking in the timbers that gave Derek a squirt of ink when he tried for a photo. The curse of the banana struck PJ twice over. Having consumed the offending fruit on the way out, he then got up close and personal with a jellyfish on the first dive. Less painful for him but more entertaining for the rest of us, he proceeded to execute a backward roll entry that was perfect in all respects save for a crucial deficiency in the fin department. As club treasurer, he will no doubt be keen to donate 10 dirhams to club funds! The second dive was on Karen’s dhow, a couple of kilometers away. The viz was a lot worse on this wreck for some reason but we still saw some more barracuda and groupers. PJ also managed a close encounter with a turtle that wasn’t spotted by anyone else. He had his camera running so we can’t dispute his story! In the past when anyone claimed a sighting of whale sharks, manta rays or some other marine exotica, the response was always: “Show us your photos!” By implying doubt, one could keep the bragging within sensible limits and in the days when underwater photography was comparatively rare, this was an almost foolproof system. With the advent of inexpensive digital photography and video, anyone asking for photos now is likely to be shown not just photos but a 20 minute movie complete with opening / closing credits and a musical soundtrack! Oh well – it should be a good film. We look forward to the premiere tomorrow.     After a couple of abortive weekends we managed to get wet last Friday. In fact the seas were as flat as a millpond enabling us to travel 45km out to Brian’s wreck (“Wreck X”), which we’ve tried to dive several times but never quite reached – usually because of the sea state. I didn’t get to see the whole wreck but PJ and Mike covered the whole length and report that it’s about Taha size (say 50m) but considerably older. It’s sitting in 35m of water making it deep by the standards of most of our wrecks which meant that without nitrox the dives were a bit short. Given a water temperature of 21˚C, this might have happened anyway. The wreck was home to a big shoal of the largest jacks I have ever seen. At the risk of sounding like the fisherman describing the one that got away and knowing that things appear larger underwater anyway, some of these fish were approaching a metre in length and were circling round like barracuda do sometimes. There were barracuda around as well and although large, they seemed less out of the ordinary. A return visit with a richer gas mixture seems in order when the weather permits. For our second dive we went to the Taha, about 17km back in the direction of home. Instead of the very big, here we found the very small – a vast number of tiny jacks and barracuda. PJ memorably described it as “like a cloud of sperm” and at one point I nearly swam off the wreck, being unable to see where I was going. All in all a very good day. Having let the boat slip off the buoy a few weeks back, Richard was observed securing the painter with knots that would have defeated Harry Houdini. I guess no-one wants to be caught out a second time! Saad writes the following: “Just wanted to let you know that I run a DSDC dive on the East Coast most Saturdays. We launch from the Fujairah Marine Club and go as far up the coast as Inchcape 1. This gives us access to all 3 Inchcape wrecks, plus Martini Rock and a few other reef dives. Max depth is 30m, but most sites are at the 20-25m mark. We meet up around 0730 and are back in the marina by 1700. The drive from Dubai is about 1.5 hours, although it will be a little quicker from Sharjah. Although some Saturdays the weather has held us back, most of the time the sea is quite calm - esp. when the West Coast is getting battered. We've had some nice days out there. So, if anyone from the 406 would like to join us, it will be a pleasure having their company onboard. Just let me know by Tuesday evening and I'll get their names on the roster. The boat carries a max of 8 divers - sometimes it's full, sometimes only half - so always worth finding out.” I  After a couple of abortive weekends we managed to get wet last Friday. In fact the seas were as flat as a millpond enabling us to travel 45km out to Brian’s wreck (“Wreck X”), which we’ve tried to dive several times but never quite reached – usually because of the sea state. I didn’t get to see the whole wreck but PJ and Mike covered the whole length and report that it’s about Taha size (say 50m) but considerably older. It’s sitting in 35m of water making it deep by the standards of most of our wrecks which meant that without nitrox the dives were a bit short. Given a water temperature of 21˚C, this might have happened anyway.
The wreck was home to a big shoal of the largest jacks I have ever seen. At the risk of sounding like the fisherman describing the one that got away and knowing that things appear larger underwater anyway, some of these fish were approaching a metre in length and were circling round like barracuda do sometimes. There were barracuda around as well and although large, they seemed less out of the ordinary. A return visit with a richer gas mixture seems in order when the weather permits. For our second dive we went to the Taha, about 17km back in the direction of home. Instead of the very big, here we found the very small – a vast number of tiny jacks and barracuda. PJ memorably described it as “like a cloud of sperm” and at one point I nearly swam off the wreck, being unable to see where I was going. All in all a very good day. Having let the boat slip off the buoy a few weeks back, Richard was observed securing the painter with knots that would have defeated Harry Houdini. I guess no-one wants to be caught out a second time! Saad writes the following: “Just wanted to let you know that I run a DSDC dive on the East Coast most Saturdays. We launch from the Fujairah Marine Club and go as far up the coast as Inchcape 1. This gives us access to all 3 Inchcape wrecks, plus Martini Rock and a few other reef dives. Max depth is 30m, but most sites are at the 20-25m mark. We meet up around 0730 and are back in the marina by 1700. The drive from Dubai is about 1.5 hours, although it will be a little quicker from Sharjah. Although some Saturdays the weather has held us back, most of the time the sea is quite calm - esp. when the West Coast is getting battered. We've had some nice days out there. So, if anyone from the 406 would like to join us, it will be a pleasure having their company onboard. Just let me know by Tuesday evening and I'll get their names on the roster. The boat carries a max of 8 divers - sometimes it's full, sometimes only half - so always worth finding out.” I am pleased to report that Derek is back with us and his son, Will, is discharged from hospital. Everything vital is functioning and although he faces a couple of months off work, a full recovery is expected. I regret to report another non-diving weekend. There couldn’t be much argument about this one – the forecast gave the sea state as 10 – 14 ft offshore and I think most people would agree to give that one a miss. Current wave heights as I write are 4 – 7 ft offshore but decreasing. Maybe we’ll be lucky this weekend.
Jutta has not been in the best of health lately but has managed to get the web site updated with some of the more recent reports. Some work remains to be done and some photos could do with being added but all in good time! Geoff has sent the following update about Derek’s son: Since last Saturday he has had 2 brain scans, an MRI on his neck and spine, he had had 40 odd metal staple / stitches removed, he has had his neck brace removed and had a walk. Today he faces stairs with the Physio. Could be discharged Monday. After getting a dive away the previous week, we weren’t so lucky last weekend. Names on the board were a bit sparse to start with and with the forecast looking unpromising we cancelled. As it happened, the predicted shamal was later than expected to arrive so we could probably have got out somewhere but you can’t call them right every time. It would have been a bit lumpy in any case.
As I write it’s blowing a gale outside and I only hope it calms down before the weekend. Early year diving can be a bit problematic here. In 2008 the first two months were wiped out by the weather and even March wasn’t that great. In 2009 by contrast we did our first dive on January 1st and barely missed a weekend thereafter. DSDC are doing a boat handling course on 2nd / 3rd March so if anyone is interested please let me know. Burns Night is approaching – the night of haggis, whisky, bagpipes, men in skirts and incomprehensible poetry. Both DSDC and SWSC are doing Burns Suppers this Friday 27th January and tickets are available for both at Dhs 150 a time. Buy your Wanderers tickets at the bar (or email me and I’ll do it for you). For Dubai tickets contact Nancy Wakeham or Alissar (if you don’t have details, I can forward). All together now… “Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Aboon them a' ye tak…” I regret to report another non-diving weekend. There couldn’t be much argument about this one – the forecast gave the sea state as 10 – 14 ft offshore and I think most people would agree to give that one a miss. Current wave heights as I write are 4 – 7 ft offshore but decreasing. Maybe we’ll be lucky this weekend. Jutta has not been in the best of health lately but has managed to get the web site updated with some of the more recent reports. Some work remains to be done and some photos could do with being added but all in good time! Geoff has sent the following update about Derek’s son: Since last Saturday he has had 2 brain scans, an MRI on his neck and spine, he had had 40 odd metal staple / stitches removed, he has had his neck brace removed and had a walk. Today he faces stairs with the Physio. Could be discharged Monday.  |
Authors-Ian Hussey and Dive Member Contributions. Archives
April 2021
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