Sheephaven SAC Activity 28th Dec 2014

Jan 05 2015 Posted by Office Administraton


Sheephaven SAC’s Saturday morning dive was initially scheduled for the First Narrows on the entrance to Mulroy Bay, but the spring tide was still in the last hour of the flood and running too hard to dive this site. With predicted squally sleet showers on the way the dive party headed up Mulroy Bay to the alternative dive site at Pan Rock. Dive times of around 35 minutes where recorded, with a maximum depth of 30 meters being achieved.

Water temperature was 7 degrees Celsius, with reasonable in-water visibility of around 5 meters throughout the water column until the divers got to around 30 meters, where the visibility was very poor as the winter sunlight was eventually filtered out. As the divers were recovered from the water the predicted wintry weather rolled in from the northwest with sleet showers and a strong breeze, increasing the perceived cold to well below the 3 degrees Celsius air temperature

On Sunday morning the Sheephaven snorkelers were in the water at PortnaBlagh, getting the best of the calmest seas encountered for the last few weeks. It was a bright winter’s morning that had a bit of welcome heat in the sunshine, even though the air temperature was still close to freezing. The absence of the persistent wind of late made a huge difference to the comfort of the snorkelers both in and out of the water.

It was great to be out on the last Sheephaven activity of the year and we can now look forward to joining Doe Amateur Swimming Club for the first event of 2015, when their Annual Marble Hill New Year’s Swim takes place, with the run to the sea at 2 pm.

The registration fees collected from the swimmers are donated by the organizers to well deserving charities. So in addition to get a chance to burn off the holiday’s food and drinking excesses it is also an opportunity to get out and meet friends as well as making a contribution to the various charities supported by the organizers.

With the last club activities of the year now completed it is time to look at the statistics for the 2014 during which there were 93 club dives, just a shade above the average of 90 dives per annum over the last 7 years and well up on the last 2 years of 80 dives recorded on each year.

The average number of divers per dive this year was 6, with the largest number of divers on any particular dive was 16. The average depth this year was 20 meters, which is 1 metre less than the 7 year average of 21 meters. The average surface to surface was 33 minutes, 2 minutes less than the 7 year average of 35 minutes.

Of the 93 dives conducted last year 74 were boat dives, 13 were shore dives and there were 6 wreck dives.

The snorkelers had a very busy year also, in particular the Inishbofin Family Day attracted 21 club snorkelers for what for many was the highlight of the year. Of the 24 recorded club snorkel’s there was an average of 10 snorkeler’s per event; which does not include the Sunday morning snorkels from PortnaBlagh Pier throughout the remainder of the year.

It is heartening to see that the club continues with an upward path of activities as more and more Sheephaven SAC divers and snorkeler’s take to the water throughout the year.

Sheephaven SAC welcomes new trainees, lapsed members, along with divers and snorkeler’s from other diving affiliations, who can be assured that they will get into the water at some stage 52 weeks of the year. For further information on how to contact the club just check out the club Facebook page, Sheephaven SAC.

2014-12-17 Saturday Morning Pan Rock Dive Party 2014-12-28 Sunday Morning Snorkelers, PortnaBlagh, Co.  Donegal.