Diving Programme & Activities for 2009

The Branch has an active diving and event programme - consisting of diving, training and social activities.

There are many underwater interest groups within the Branch, including photography and video, marine biology and archaeology, and maritime history.

Diving

A number of diving trips have already been placed into the diving programme for 2009. Members are encouraged to plan dives and expeditions with the support of the Branch. Already planned for 2009 to date;

Wreck and Reef Survey on the North Coast of the Lleyn Peninsula
Two seperate week long trips to Aberdaron & Bardsey Island on the Southern Lleyn Peninsula
Two Anglesey 'Wreck Tour' weekends in July & August
Two Liveaboard Vessels booked for diving the German Fleet at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands
Weekend in Oban, North West Scotland

Also in the pipeline is a summer holiday to the Azores and The Princess Alice Bank, a U-BOAT weekend on the South Coast, and a long weekend at the Farne Islands or St Abbs on the North East Coast.

Seasearch

During 2008 many of our members completed the Seasearch Observer & Surveyor courses. During 2009 we are not only carrying out Seasearch dives while researching the wrecks and reefs of the North Lleyn, but we are also planning on carrying out Seaserch surveys on our adopted wrecks off the coast of Anglesey (see wrecks section). Carrying out these surveys will add a new dimension to our diving for 2009 and help Seasearch monitor the species living on and around these important underwater habitats.

Nautical Archaeological Society (NAS)

Also in 2008 many members completed the NAS course 'An introduction to Marine and Foreshore Archaeology'. Again, we intend to carry out surveys on our adopted wrecks to monitor their deterioration over the years.

Special Projects

We have identified a number of special projects we'd like to undertake during 2009, from the adventurous, to the down right barmy! Firstly we are hoping to carry out a number of beach surveys on the Southern Lleyn to monitor the number of jelly fish that are washed up. This is part of the Irish Sea Leatherback Turtle surveyproject. We are also planning to take the Branch RHIB's out into Tremadog Bay to look for, and hopefully dive with, the huge Barrel Jelly Fish, and hopefully spot a leatherback turtle, a sunfish or the resident dolphins too.

We are also planning on taking out the RHIB's into Tremadog Bay to see if it will be possible to film UK shark species - we are hoping we may be able to attract blue sharks to the surface, and hopefully film and record them.