Welcome All,

Last weekend being Eid Al Adha, there was plenty of scope for some diving and we took advantage. Allen describes the first day of Eid.

Thursday 
Given the weekend that was in it (Eid al Adha) and the relative inability to head out of the country we decided to get as much diving in as possible for the long weekend of 4 days off. First up Thursday.
We had a motley crew of shock-horror Paul (who would dive 8 days a week), Rod, myself and 2 more newcomers in the shapes of Alex and Saman who had been former DSDC members many moons ago.
The plan was to dive Jumbo followed by Nasteran. After checking boats, GPS and gear we set off from Al Khan which we made in good time with relatively nice seas.
 
When we got to the wreck site and switched to echo sounder we were shocked to find that it was not working – it seems to be becoming a thing now for these reports. Instead we put the boat over the coordinates and threw over anchor and buoy. First down the line were Alex, Saman and I where we found the anchor just a couple of metres off the main wreck. After a quick secure of the line we enjoyed lovely viz of 5-7 metres, nice swim throughs, and the usual shoals of fish and life. There was a little bit of a current but nothing too heart stopping.  Alas it was one of the few times not to catch a glimpse of a ray or two.
Once up the line and into the boat Paul and Rod were swiftly down the line. They did however cut their dive short as Rod was feeling a little under the weather. It is that time of year where it’s nice to have flat seas when underway but incredibly hot and uncomfortable when stopped. As Nick points out, at this temperature you don’t wait for the thirst, you drink to stave it off. After successfully getting both back on board we headed in the direction of the Nasteran and discussed options with Rod. We all agreed that the seas nor wrecks were going anywhere and continued past Nasteran and headed for home.

We got back in good time with thanks to Paul and headed for the club. I think we were all happy to have some cooling beverages & AC and knowing Rod was all good.
-------------------------------
Friday 
Day 2 of Eid saw us back in the water and welcoming back our treasurer, Peter, who was making his first dive following a long lay-off. How we’ve missed those dreadful puns and the fines for the slightest misdemeanor and…OK but nice to see him anyway.
Actually, I couldn’t complain about the fine I incurred before I even got in the water. Loading up the boat in the yard, I helped out loading everybody’s dive bag into the boat. Everybody’s that is apart from… yup – you guessed. My tanks went on board so it wasn’t a big disaster but thanks to Angela (fins) and Allen (BCD, reg and mask) for saving my day.

The first target was the Mariam Express, a cargo ship that went down in 2005. The echo sounder was still non-operational but the coordinates are pretty good so we sent the anchor down on a buoy at the zero point and Allen, Cara and Angela went down to look for the wreck. This they did fairly swiftly and Paul and Saleem followed them down. Getting on to the buoy was easier said than done as there was a strong surface current but we all managed to get there in the end with varying amounts of finning.

Peter and I were last in the water. Peter clearly showed that his diving skills were intact despite his long absence from the water. Intact, that is, once he’d remembered to put on his weight belt. Ten dirhams, sir.
Actually, it was a pretty good dive, around the wreck, through the hold and back to the stern where a friendly turtle came out to see us.

The second dive was a short distance away on Karen’s Dhow. This is the remains of a wooden dhow, not extensive by any means but very scenic in good visibility and full of glassware. The viz was fair rather than brilliant but we came back with a few plates to the despair of those who share flats and villas with us.
After that it was back to the club for a few refreshments.
​
Thanks to Angela for the pictures.
----------------------------------------
On Sunday, Brian, Paul, Jim, Pravin and Vincent took a trip to the Nasteran. This is an upturned landing craft which has been breaking up for some time now. Some of the old swim throughs have been squashed flat but some new ones are opening up. Brian described the dives as “awesome”, but I don’t have any more details.
In summary, a very productive Eid weekend and a very warm welcome to Alex, Saman and Pravin who were making their first dives with us. Many more to follow we hope.
---------------------------------------
The virtual club night will be moving to a monthly schedule with the next one due on Sunday at 5pm UAE time (2pm UK). If you want to participate, contact Robin.
-----------------------------------------
On Saturday, a few 406 Exiles met up for a drink or two in Wapping. A good time was had by all accounts.
----------------------------------
Joining BSAC:
New members to BSAC can join Sharjah Wanderers Diving Club via the website, https://www.bsac.com/membership/select-branch/ . If you enter Sharjah, the club appears. Existing BSAC members can renew by logging into MyBSAC or using this link, https://www.bsac.com/membership/rejoin-today/

Join BSAC and claim your free dive! (406 members only).
----------------------------------
BSAC general website: https://www.bsac.com/home/
Remember also:
DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home
----------------------------------

The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.

See you there.

.Welcome All, 

Again, we had boats out Friday and Saturday of last weekend. Thanks to Allen (Friday) and Paul (Saturday) for their accounts below.


Friday’s seas were looking lumpy from early in the week and unfortunately it did not settle with time. We still hoped that things were not quite as advertised and planned for Jumbo but really figured it would be more like Vic Star for 2.
We had a full manifest of 8 divers for Friday’s trip. After the obligatory paperwork for our 3 newest divers Lucas, Ywona and Mike we loaded up SP 125 and hit the road in hope. It didn’t bode well when I made extremely tough work of pulling into the petrol station. No one would have thought I’d done it a hundred times before. After ample petrol, food and embarrassment we made it to Al Khan with no further incident.

Alas the forecasters were right and the seas were up. Not enough to call the dive but alter it to plan B it did. We made it to Vic Star in good time thanks to Paul. After convincing Lucas that a long 3mm wetsuit would really not be needed on the west coast he, Ivona, Cara and I were fist down the line. The sea state as it was and with Lucas losing his integrated weight made the entry a little trickier than usual. Eventually down we went only to find the viz on the watery-pea-soup end of the visibility scale. Nevertheless, it was quite a nice dive and even retrieved the freediving weight pocket. 

The Vic Star is a nice wreck for new wreck dives. It sits upright, looks like a wreck and provides some nice easy swim through's in the wheelhouse. The top of which often has an abundance of light and life which it did on these dives. The Prop provides for some darker deeper diving at 24 metres.

The seas had picked up a little more while we all had our dives and made the boat ride back a tad more uncomfortable. Cara relinquished the reins stating she didn’t like driving in those conditions to which the response was ‘no one does dear’. We made it back surfing the occasional wave with less spray and splashes than in previous weeks.

Once back at the club I again decided to make tough work of putting SP 125 to bed but got there in the end. With only being out to Vic Star we were back a little earlier than usual. Unfortunately, there was a birthday party in full swing in the Dive Bar which displaced us to the compressor room for a few mins. In all honesty we were quite happy there as it was the coolest place in Wanderers with 2 AC units.

We eventually headed to the Sports bar for some food, fluids and conversation while others prepared for Saturdays diving by filling tanks. All in all, a good days diving despite the conditions. It was great to have new divers on board. They can’t have been too turned off as there were serious discussions about signing up to 406.  We hope to see you on board again soon.
-------------------------------
Saturday 
Saturday - A Fine day to Dive...
The only thing that could not be described as fine was the weather, or so we thought.

Our day started off just fine, tanks topped up, mixes verified and boat loaded all in time for the 06.00 departure. A quick head count revealed we were one diver short and being in fine spirits we decided to give the benefit of the doubt to the late diver. 
Very shortly after departing the club an incognito street sign (disguised as a bush), threw itself at the starboard side of the trailer causing the mud guard to rub on the wheels bringing SP125 to a lurching halt. (the Kenny Rogers song "You picked a fine time to leave me Loose-Wheel echoed in my mind"). Luckily for us we had a fine mechanic driving and were soon underway again to Al Khan. 

With Capt Angela at the helm, the ropes off and engine at full revs we departed Al Khan and very quickly determined both Poseidon & Neptune had conspired against us; and so it was to be or rather not to be, the "planned" trip to the Zainab was deferred for another day. The wreck isn't going to sail off into the sunset and the 5 remaining divers were fine with the idea of deferment. 
Dive 1
Finally we arrived at the wreck of choice, a seldom dived
​Dhow due to visibility issues, Dhow 12 on the Garmin, sits in 20m. First wave divers, Angela, Alex and Saman in fine spirits kitted up and rolled back. First wave reported back that viz was "Dehli Belly" with a little current but lots to see. Brian and I, the 2nd wave rolled back and quickly confirmed the conditions were as described; the viz  was like being on a night dive inside a wreck and your torches fail. Not great.

We swam around the dhow remains and cargo spillage, sifting  topside finding nothing but construction tools that had seen finer times.  After a pointless or rather futile exercise in trying to fined (deliberate) the anchor we blobbed up and were quickly retrieved by 125.
Dive 2
Vic Star - We were in the area so why not. We tied off behind another dive boat, first wave rolling back in instalment's, clambered around the unknown boat to the Anchor line descending to the wreck. During the dive the other boat left which meant our 3 in water divers came up on DSMB and were easily retrieved.  2nd wave now with our own anchor firmly hooked in, rolled back and descended. Better viz than the Friday dive with slightly less tidal surge meant a broader scope for exploration. Things were going just fine, engine room, accommodation then rudder room. In Brian's words "First I saw a hand then two hands appear, so I swam further into the wreck... realizing Paul was not behind me I returned to the hatch to see his fins sticking down... How did that happen... a 180 in the hatch... then finally he (Paul) squeezed thru... I wish I had a camera." 

A fine end to a fine days diving and with a few choice words and opinions being aired SP125 was safely nestled into her cradle and extracted from Al Khan, divers and kit safely stowed the return road journey passed without incident until the incognito street sign that almost ruined our day earlier in the day, had morphed itself into a kerbstone hidden by a traffic light, this time attacking the port side of SP125 trailer resulting in a 2" shift & a list to port.
The remaining journey to the club was uneventful though I respectfully request the club elders give some serious consideration to widening the gate before someone does so with a boat.
Eat, sleep, dive repeat... 
Brian has contributed the following:
Boat Officer thought of the day: “I wish people would stop breaking thin…” crash bang boom.
Exclamation of the day: “Who planted a street sign in the bushes?”
And more importantly, how did I miss that with the car? 😊
----------------------------------------
The virtual club night will be moving to a monthly schedule with the next one due on Sunday  at 5pm UAE time (2pm UK). If you want to participate, contact Robin.
-----------------------------------------
Joining BSAC:
New members to BSAC can join Sharjah Wanderers Diving Club via the website, https://www.bsac.com/membership/select-branch/ . If you enter Sharjah, the club appears. Existing BSAC members can renew by logging into MyBSAC or using this link, https://www.bsac.com/membership/rejoin-today/

Join BSAC and claim your free dive! (406 members only).
----------------------------------
BSAC general website: https://www.bsac.com/home/
Remember also:
DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home
----------------------------------
The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.

See you there.

​