Continue reading »]]> Recently I was asked why the South West Regional Weekend is hosted in Cahirciveen every year, “Why Doesn’t it travel around instead?”. On the face of it, the question is sensible enough sure, but in reality when something isn’t broken there is no need to fix it. Not only is this a brilliant event every year, well attended by many clubs in and out of the region, it is expertly run without a hitch. The team at Inbhear Sceine make hosting look easy.

From Regional Weekend Cahirciveen

Hoping that our club might show in numbers this year, Brian Kearney and myself worked on recruiting members for several weeks. It falls so close to our annual trip to Portmagee on June weekend that it just wasn’t to be. I contacted Ray ahead of time to offer at least a compressor, but he was already sorted he told me. “Just let me know numbers expected and arrive early Saturday to register, dive brief at half ten” , the rest was taken care of he told me. Indeed it was.

Driving down from Limerick in a short 2 hour spin I began to wonder why we don’t head here more often. Once you hit the corner with the Donkey posing for tourists, you begin to realize you are not far now. When the road goes under the railway bridge, the next few turns provide incredible views of Dingle Bay. Passing Kells Bay you might be tempted to turn off and just jump in the gorgeous waters below – but we are close now so foot down, next stop the marina.

The village of Cahirciveen appears to be sleeping peacefully the hour we arrive, until we make sight of the camp forming near rivers edge. Sure enough the crowds were building and familiar faces were appearing all round. Just enough time to grab a coffee and start enquiring about boat space. We were made feel very welcome as were all stragglers – I think everyone had a spot before the dive brief was even finished. I was fortunate enough to get a spot on our friends from Aughinish’ boat – and headed out to Illaunnanask (Doulous Head) with a spirited crew.

From Regional Weekend Cahirciveen

Sun was shining brightly on our Dive spot and the water was calm enough that 3 boats operated easily from the one place, we were joined by Loch Derg and ULSAC as well. The sea swell normally present was absent this morning making attempts to swim through the backside of the small island feasible. I saw Paddy from ULSAC manage it and Aoife declared “Best Dive ever” upon surfacing the other side of sunlit jewel anemone walls. My buddy and I managed to enter the underwater valley, but at depth we missed the turn left. I think Dave was more interested in the incredible perfectly formed holes in the seabed, littered with broken mussel shells. Occasional crab nooks could be seen that were just big enough to house a single occupant. In the end we turned back to the South and did a very long stop right up against the rock face examining the tiny life present – plenty of evidence of nudi branch but none spotted by me.

Lunch was a homemade meal at a genuine Italian Restaurant in a surprising place, opposite the Super Market at the edge of town.  The Cappuccino with hot milk to start was a good sign of things to come and the Mozzarella Pork with Red Sauce proved a huge hit – will definitely head back to La Dolce Vita.

Back on site we negotiated spots with Loch Derg who were happy to have us on-board. They were heading to Basalt Cliffs to look for the promise of a cave located somewhere along the cliffs edge, possible on the left side. We were dropped mid wall about 50m from the Basalt and took a heading of almost due south. I had an idea that the sharp corner on the left side my yield a result. This dive, unlike the mornings, was chock full of life. As we swam across a sparse Kelp forest, we were often rewarded with drop offs. Here under the overhangs we found Pollock, Wrasse, Dogfish. Tucked into every crevice was a community of common crab, squat lobster, prawn and blennie and every wall was spotted with Devonshire Cup Coral. The final pay off came nearly too late, at 35 minutes we encountered a massive gully, narrow enough for single file and running the entire height of the 17m depth available. I could tell from Dave’s thumbs up the distance travelled was well worth it and we both knew we had to try to reach the end. Alas, the end of dive came too soon , we will have to try that again. Thanks to Loch Derg for being so welcoming. A tighter group of diving friends you won’t find on any dive slip and I look forward to their company again someday.

With a solid days diving under our belts it was time to sample what else was on offer in Cahirciveen. It has been a few years since I sat down for a meal there, but I knew from the passing talk that day – QC’s is still the best spot in town for seafood. In fact, if you don’t believe me, head over to their website at www.qcbar.com and you can read for yourself the numerous awards that have been heaped upon them recently, including the 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland! I knew from previous meals here I wanted to return, but I also knew from previous regionals that so did everyone else. This was THE spot and it was buzzing with a real New York vibe. Top divers from all across Ireland were dining here all night, tables of good diving friends filled the place. With no reservation in our possession we staked out two spots at the bar and arrived early enough to beat the crowds. It took longer for us to argue on what to order than to have it all arrive dish after dish. Sizzling Chilli Prawns, Crab Bisque, Calamari Frito and Scallops delicious with the Hunky Dory White. Desert? Why another share of Pan Fried Squid with Caramelized Onions, pint of Guinness to wash it all down.

We chatted to the locals all night long and were told every time how delighted they were to see people visiting the place and using the marina. It made us think about convincing our own club to trek down here more often if we could. It really is a spot you want to return to. Thanks to all at Inbhear Sceine for making it at least possible to do so every year in May, see you soon!

Continue reading »]]> The Philippines is rapidly becoming one of the most sought after diving destinations in Asia. Of the 7000+ islands that make up this archipelago, Oonasdivers have focused on two amazing resorts that provide some of the best and most diverse diving that these islands have to offer.  The two places are Atlantis Puerto Galera and the Atlantis Dumaguete.

http://www.facebook.com/oonasc1

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This is a 2,000 meter river swim – think of it as 80 laps of a swimming pool.

Continue reading »]]> It’s true. You have to be pretty amazing to win a People of the Year Award. That’s what makes winning one so very special!

Do you know a potential winner? Someone who has put themselves in harm’s way to rescue a person from immediate danger? A local hero who has made a big change in the lives of people in your community? Perhaps a campaigner who has selflessly championed a cause to right an injustice?

Then why not tell us all about them at www.peopleoftheyear.com!

2012 marks the 38th People of the Year Awards, organised by Rehab, and which will be broadcast live on RTÉ One on Saturday 15th September.

In addition to a number of People of the Year Awards, there are also specific awards for:

Young Person of the Year — an individual under 25 years who has been a real hero and role model for others

International Person of the Year — an Irish person who has contributed with distinction to the wider world, or a non-Irish person who has done something exceptional to enhance our lives in Ireland

Sports Person of the Year — a person or a team that has broken records, overcome the odds, caused the nation’s heart to skip a beat

Community Group of the Year — a community group that has stepped up to do something really epic

This is your chance to honour those inspiring people who change our world. All it takes is one nomination.

For further information, see www.peopleoftheyear.com or call 01 205 7268

Closing date for nominations: June 29 2012

Fancy mingling with heroes and stars at the social diary event of the year? To purchase tickets for this glittering gala awards ceremony, click here to find out how.

Continue reading »]]> Well it seems the visibility on the West Coast was the best in Ireland over the bank holiday. Vis was rated to be between 10-20 meters and the seas flat calm. This photo was taken by Martin Kiely of Declan O Grady on a safety stop in Doolin with Dusty, I bet hanging on for 3 minutes was no problem!

Did you have a good bank holiday weekend, if so let us know! Don’t forget we are on Facebook!

Continue reading »]]> Camels Often Sit Down Carefully Perhaps Their Joints Creak; a mnemonic.  In this instance one designed to help students of geology remember Geological Periods; Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous.   Geological Periods are divisions of geological time during which the earth record tells us that something very different was happening to that which went before and to that which came after.

Each of the geological periods is, through convention, generally assigned a particular colour on geology maps.  A geology map of Ireland shows a remarkable range of colours demonstrating that the rocks that make up the physical skeleton of our island span a wide range of geological periods.  But there is one standout colour – blue (and the olive green in the mid and south west on the map presented here).   In Ireland blue, and the olive green, represents rocks that belong to the Carboniferous period which spanned the time period roughly 350 to 290 million years ago.  It is hard to overstate how important the Carboniferous Period is and has been to Ireland.  Most of our important groundwater resources reside in Carboniferous limestone aquifers.  Some of our most spectacular landscapes are expressed through Carboniferous rocks – the Burren, the uplands and caves of south Fermanagh, for example.   Most of our most important mineral resources are hosted in Carboniferous rocks; Tynagh, Navan, Silvermines.

During the Carboniferous Period in Ireland a warm ocean flooded Ireland from the south east leaving the north west above water.  In the first stage of this ocean corals grew and eventually became the clean limestones we know from much of Ireland but as this ocean shallowed the corals were replaced by sandstones and shales that overlay the coral.  As the ocean shallowed still further swamp forest grew, died, decayed and gradually became compressed into coal beds.  Unfortunately shortly after these coals were formed the land rose and they were removed by erosion except for a few places such as Arigna in Leitrim and Castlecomer in Kilkenny.

The northern half of Clare is underlain by clean limestones that allow rapid drainage through swallow holes and directly into the rock and the formation of caves.  In contrast, the southern half of Clare, including Kilkee and its surrounds, is underlain by sandstones and shales.  Robert Lloyd Praeger in The Way that I Went wrote of this part of Clare that ‘the cliffs, on account of the rapid weathering of shales are almost plantless, black and forbidding’  From the sea Brian Wilson in Dances with Waves, the story of the first circumnavigation of Ireland by kayak in 1990, writes with equal awe when quoting Richard Lovett from 1880 that Kilkee’s bay is ‘…as ugly a ledge of rock as the most fastidious taste in that class of scenery could desire.’  Wilson, approaching Kilkee as the ‘..surf smashed manically on Lovett’s ugly ledge…’ eventually ‘…made one of the most homely and hospitable landfalls in the whole of County Clare.’

Kilkee (52.682835,-9.647055) is a magnet for divers from all over Ireland and it is easy to see why with its combination of dramatic under and over water scenery and the mix of accessible shore and boat dives.  There are a range of shore dives all of which are described in Underwater Ireland – Guide to Irish Dive Sites (Vols. 1 and 2) and two recent articles in Subseahere and here.

Doctors Rock on the southern shore of the bay that forms the centrepiece of Kilkee is one of the many shore dives.  The start of the dive  is via a narrow gap to the sea beyond which circumnavigation of rocky islets in depths up to about 15 metres is rewarded with some of the densest colonies of anemones and hydroids that I have encountered in a long time.

The afters were equally good.  Gooseberry cake, blueberry muffins coffee and very nice company. Thanks to all in Kilkee for making the  shore dive for Suzanne and I so memorable.

(For anyone interested in the history of geology mapping in Ireland Gordon Herries Davies’ Sheets of Many Colours published by the Royal Dublin Society in 1983 is a must read).

Continue reading »]]> Snorkeling weekend from 20th to 22nd July this year here in Burtonport, including  Try-a-Snorkel on the 21st July between 3 – 5pm. More details will be available soon however if last years event is anything to go by there will be fantastic  visibility, great craic and lots to see and do. Dont miss out. Watch out for updates!

Continue reading »]]> Congratulations and well done to Athlone SAC who completed a marathon 126 hours underwater at 6pm last Saturday 28th.  A team of 16 in groups of 2 undertook the record breaking exercise to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary and to raise funds and awareness of the club’s activities.    Thanks also to the Athlone Regional Sports Centre that accommodated the record breaking event and to all the visitors to the centre who showed great interest in the divers.  The team played Connect 4 and Draughts to keep themselves occupied as well as ensuring that the pool is now the cleanest in the country by regular hoovering; unfortunately the health and safety people would not let them do the ironing.