January… Belated New Year’s wishes!
Well we’ve hit the ground running in January with snorkeling starting the first day of the year. A good turnout followed by hot tea’s and coffee’s for all. We also had a number of Try-a-Dive sessions and our latest batch of trainee’s have begun their training and we hope to pull in a few more new members also.
Planning of weekends has begun and it looks set to be another bumper year of diving, all going well. Paying of the fee’s has also begun so don’t hold back. Our equipment is being serviced, competitions organised and the social calendar is being populated. Competitions and social events are in the piping!
Cheers
Colm
Chair@CSAC.ie
You’ll have noticed that the committee are now using the new official mail addresses for all business so please make sure you use them in all communications.
To contact the committee please use the following mail addresses for the roles.
Club email addresses:
Chairman: Chair@CSAC.ie
Club Secretary: Secretary@CSAC.ie
Clubhouse Officer: Clubhouse@CSAC.ie
Competitions Officer: Competitions@CSAC.ie
Diving Officer: DO@CSAC.ie
Equipment Officer: Equipment@CSAC.ie
PR Officer: info@CSAC.ie
Social Secretary: Social@CSAC.ie
Training Officer: Training@CSAC.ie
Treasurer: Treasurer@CSAC.ie
Wreck Diving
For anyone interested in wreck diving there is an interesting article on the Ocean Exploration and Research site about new advances in 3D Sonar Technology. If it makes it to this side of the world and Infomar takes it up we could see our own wrecks in a whole new light. The new modelling is 30 times more detailed than conventional sonar scanning and the level of detail is unrivalled. Worth checking out – https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/development-partnerships/18kraken/photolog/photolog.html
The Training Officer
The new Training Officer in the shape of Paul has hit the ground running. Already each Sunday is a frenzy of activity in the pool. We have a number of courses being lined for the year so look out. If you have a fancy for any particular course then drop Paul a line and he’ll see what he can do. The trainee weekend at Easter is booked for Killary in Galway so you will see notice for that closer to the date. Its one of the busiest weekends and very popular with the club and we’ll be based in Portfinn Lodge, Leenane. I can’t wait! Training@CSAC.ie
The Equipment Officer
Dave O’C has stepped into the breach and already hit the ground running taking on the Nitrox compressor. He’s looking at fixing the analyser on our compressor which should see it easier to get the mix you want. The trailer will be looked at as we have a broken light and we’ll have the boat boxes overhauled before the start of the new season.
Reach out to Dave at Equipment@CSAC.ie
IF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING BROKEN, CAN YOU FLAG IT TO DAVE OR A COMMITTEE MEMBER?
The Diving Officer
Already the dive planning has begun with the various weekends being planned for the upcoming year. It looks like some cracking diving is on the horizon for the year. For anyone who hasn’t to make a weekend, generally the organiser will send out a notice a few weeks in advance and a €50 deposit secures a bed! March – Paddy’s weekend Kilkee – Laura Easter – Killary – Paul R. May – Killala – Mark S. June – Clare Island – Dave M. June – 21st – 28th Inish Boffin – Neill B. July – Tory Island – Jean K. August – Portmagee – Andy W. August – Scapa Flow in Scotland – Marty – This full up with I believe there is a waiting list already Remember that we’re always snorkelling on a Saturday morning so pop down, sign in and start getting wet. Meet at 9.30 and in the water for 10.00 am. Don’t forget if you complete your pool fitness to let Colin know and CC your ‘witness’ so he knows you aren’t making it up! Will be running the compulsory CPR lectures shortly as well so look for details for when they are announced. Any queries or questions you can reach out to Colin at DO@CSAC.ie
The PRO
Gar is weaving his magic and running our social media campaigns to entice new members in. We have two very successful Try-a-Dive nights all ruin via Facebook and its great to see the new members that it’s pulling in. If you have any idea’s feel free to reach out to Gar and he’ll see what he can do – info@CSAC.ie
The Clubhouse Officer
Handyman Dan has filled the role of Clubhouse Officer and is busy tipping away in the background. The sticky sea door was fixed with special thanks to Dave (McGyer) Moore who took the locks apart and cleaned them down with military precision… almost like he was stripping a Kalashnikov. We’re hoping to get the boiler serviced in the near future so that there is no disruption to our hot showers!
Flag anything that needs fixing/replacing to Dan at Clubhouse@CSAC.ie
The Social Secretary
Laura has teamed up with Michelle to bring us two great nights in the Spring. The first which is being planned is a night of bowling in Stillorgan, the date is to be fixed but it should be a great craic. We’ll have a number of lanes and no doubt teams so the competition will be high. Afterwards we may just adjourn to a local public house for bowling debrief… On March 31st, we’ll be running the annual ‘Pool n Pizza’ night which should be a bit of fun. The competition was very tough last year but great fun was had by all, so make sure to stick that date in your calendar. This will be the last pool session for the season. We’ll also have a few more ‘Sausage Saturday’s’ over the Spring so watch out after the snorkels!
You can reach out to Laura at Social@CSAC.ie
The Competitions Officer
Michelle has taken up the torch from Laura as Competitions Officer and the first of them may well be a non-related activity! We’re hoping to have a bowling night for the club in Stillorgan, donned in club clothing and split into lanes/ teams it should be a good laugh. No doubt the spirit of competition will come to the top! Look out for the details.
We’re also organising our annual ‘Pool n Pizza‘ bash on March 31st which was a great night last year. The night involves pool training with a slant, timed exercises underwater, complete scuba gear swapping with a buddy and other fun activities. Afterwards we head around to Slattery’s pub were we have pizza and a pint. Last year was a great night so no doubt this one will be even better!
If you have any ideas for a competition then reach out to Michelle at Competitions@CSAC.ie
‘Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey’
As it’s February and bloody freezing I thought that this phrase was apt for this time of year. In Napoleonic times a limited number of four cannonballs was stored on a ship next to each gun so as to be ready for immediate action. The balls were stacked in pyramid fashion on a brass plate (the monkey) which incorporated three rings into which the balls were stacked, with the fourth ball sitting on top. When in extremely cold weather, the brass tray would contract faster than the iron cannonballs, the weight of the top ball would push the lower three off the plate sending them rolling across the deck. This was a worrying prospect considering that a ‘First rate Ship of the Line’ carried 100 guns!
