PC ANDY THOM

from the

Metropolitan Police Marine Unit 

http://www.met.police.uk/marine/

 Adventure Clubs Social Evening at the Blue Lagoon on

Thursday, January 26th…2012

Topics include….

 The Role of the Police Diver, Andy’s commercial diving course and some interesting high profile crime dives he has recently been involved in.

On show will be some of the “artifacts” recovered from crime scenes and get to try and breath from a full face commercial dive mask..

A 90 minute informative and sometimes lighthearted look at Andy’s job in the Met…

Andy is a well known local diver along the south coast and can often been seen diving from boats along the south coast…. Andy is recovering from Bowel Cancer and when not working or diving, raises money for “the Beating Bowel Cancer charity” by running marathons and doing varirous talks…

http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/

Come and meet this remarkable guy and help raise money for his chosen charity

Doors and Bar open at 18.30, Talk starts at  19.30..  £3.50 for club members and £6.00 for non club members all money raised to go to Andy’s charity..

A well attended Blue Lagoon saw a presentation by Gary Stroud from Southern Cylinders on how to maintain and look after our kit…  Gary went through the whole spectrum of topics.. First Stages, Second Stages, Regulators, Gauges, Hoses, BCDs, Drys suits and wet suits…. and an in depth look at Nitrox cleaned equipment…

There were variuos bits and pieces from Garys “museum” on display…. Some good examples of poorly maintained equipment..

There were a mixed group of experienced divers from Open Water to Instructor and I believe every diver present learnt a thing or two…

Thank you Gary for coming along and giving up your time to help our club and to raise over £90 for cancer research

A good turn out for the Selsey bill shore dive on Sunday morning meant some of us were disappointed… After a week of unseasonal southerly winds (in November) meant the viz was really bad…. So the dive was called off and after a coffee in Mulberry divers shop we headed for a beer in the Lifeboat pub.. It was here the plan was hatched for a trip to Vobster…

So an early start on the Friday to miss the Salisbury traffic we headed up to spend the day in Somerset… a couple of really good dives..

 Dive one was a classic example of good navigation… Dropped down the shot to  the blockhouse and headed for the opposite side via the boat, the wheelhouse the caravan and then pick up the fishing boat on the oopposite side… Turning around and swimming by compass only and hitting the Armoured personal carrier….

Dive two.. we decided to stay around the airplane and the crushing works to get those atmospheric shots…. Water is starting to get colder but this means the viz is getting better.. Looking forward to our next trip dressed as Santa…

Try Canoeing 12/11/2011.. write up by our on the spot report Kiera

At the start of the session all seven of us were dry, by the end of it only Sam managed to stay dry, the rest of us?…………..  Soaked.

Setting off in our pairs, we learnt how to go forwards, backwards, sideways and how to turn around in circles.

  Then came the challenges, now this is when things got really exciting,….. and wet.

1. Use the paddle the wrong way around?… simple enough, after a little race, the clear winners were, Sara and Graham. Yay
2. Standing up while paddling? the first time, of many, for Martin and Fred to fall in.  I know its evil, but we had to laugh, couldn’t help it really, I’m sure you would have laughed too.

Swap ends of the canoe? this wasn’t so simple, different techniques, between the three of us, yet again Martin and Fred managed to fall in

Stand on the gunnels!! Now this was the end to Graham’s dry streak, once successfully standing onto the gunnel’s, his balance goes and into the water he went, but managing to not get Sara soaked in the process.  So with three down there was only three to go.

1. Stand on the gunnels and bob up and down, it nearly had Sam in, so we knew that a very high level of skill would be needed to complete this challenge successfully.  As it was, George, Fred and Martin, all lost it. 

Next came the challenge where all of our skills were needed, let me just tell you this, Martin and Fred went in, as did George and I!!! After completing the challenge, we moved too quickly causing the canoe to flip.  It was a sad moment for us all…

So, after a great try canoeing session, we’re all looking forward to our next canoeing challenge!  Thanks again to everyone who came, it was a brilliant session and I hope to see you on the water soon J xxx

“Thanks to Kierra for her excellent report on a great day… a big thank you to Sam for giving up his time to come and show us how to be safe and have loads of fun on the water… cheers guys”………….. The Chairman

I recommend this session to everyone, fantastic fun

Would you like to be santa for a day

sunday 18th december charity day in aid

of the RNLI.

Adventure club plan to see

how many santa’s we can add to the party.

Have a look at the link at the bottom of

this post or check out the vobster website.

use the link and sign up will be a good start

to xmas week.

Gary Stroud

From Southern Cylinders of Fareham

A presentation on Dive Kit Care and Maintenance

One again we have a great presentation for the November Social.. Gary is a BSAC and SAA instructor….. Gary has been diving and in and around the diving industry for over 40 years.. First as a Royal Navy Ship’s Diver and now with many years in local BSAC branches in the Portsmouth area…. Gary is an extremely experienced Dive service engineer, servicing all makes of kit for the industry…

•   Ever wondered what the inside of your regs look like?

• What does the inside of your cylinder look like after getting water in it?

• how does you SPG work?

• how to care for your BCD?

Come listen to Gary and have a look at some of the dive kit that didn’t pass????

Bar opens at 18.30 talk starts at 19.00

£2.50 for Club members and £5.00 for non members….. Raising money for Gary’s choice of Charity CANCER RESEARCH

It has been said that every body has that one dive

you may have dived it you may want to.

but you all have that one.

must do dive site.

At Adventure club we want to make it happen, now is the time to plan for next year, as has been said Adventure club is yours, so this is an appeal to all members current and future.

Tell us where you want to dive next year?

We plan over the winter to create a data base for the club, the information we are after is.

1. Your name

2. Your current certification.

3. Your dream dive site UK and worldwide.

4. Your future dreams and aspirations in diving.

5. Any other information you may want to give to make YOUR CLUB better.

6. Your email address.

All information provided will be used only within the club to help exceed your diving dream.

Bring on next year its going to be fab!!!!!!

Please email me at martin.lewry@sky.com or message me on facebook or through the club facebook page.

pay online  http://www.adventurecollege.co.uk/shop/category.php?id_category=2221881

• Bring as many guests and  Friends to the clubs Christmas Party… everyone is welcome…..

• We have a full evening of fun and dancing…

• Three Local comedians to start the evening with a laugh.. 

• Buffet Style Food (menu to Follow)

• Dancing till midnight….

• Full bar available

• Only £15 a ticket, available from The Adventure College.. please call or pop in to get your tickets…..

I thought it was time I said hello, most of you will have seen me around the club and collage. I have been a club member for some time but work commitments have kept me away from most of the club socials.  Some time ago Graham asked me to become more involved in club activities, So i  have agreed to join the club committee, as Club safety officer. My plan as with all of the committee is to promote and provide, fun safe diving. And if Sam gets his way he will have me paddling around on top of the water to.

Like all the club committee members i have a huge passion for diving, and the water in general. I am currently working through my dive master programme working towards a long term goal of technical dive instructing. While i enjoy nothing better than a visit to Swanage  pier (who wouldn’t) for me i like to enjoy the mid range wrecks along the south coast, 20 to 40 meters has some great diving to be offered. We will be trying to add some dives in this range in to the dive programme for next year. I am always available if anyone with the advanced and or deep qualifications but not the experience wants a buddy to have a go, And once I have finished my qualifications, along with adventure collage will be happy to offer training, to all who wish to try.

I am looking forward to meeting more of you in the near future hopefully as many as possible on the 6th November. Selsey lifeboat station dive. with all the tips you all got at the social the other night ( can i add my thanks to Maria Munn for a great night), looking forward to seeing some great photos.