Here at Liverpool University Sub-Aqua Club, or LUSAC, we pride ourselves on our annual trips to Cornwall. As the largest and longest running trip in the clubs’ history (34 years) it provides an excellent opportunity for trainee divers to have their first diving experience in the sea, for the old hands to impart some invaluable scuba and boating knowledge and for up and coming dive leaders like myself to get some experience in planning dives (organising 28 divers, 3 boats within the natural time limits of the tides is more complicated than it looks people!)
The Easter 2011 trip was my third down to Cornwall, and for several reasons I think it has been the most enjoyable so far.
Firstly, the weather was beautiful. We were blessed with a bright sunshine that allowed us to indulge in numerous ice-creams and flaunt a (possibly slightly unsexy) tanned hands and pasty body combination. We loaded the kit onto the boats in the company of seals, and those who stayed later in the week even spotted a basking shark! Furthermore, because Easter was so late the tidal flow was minimal, allowing us to get to some of the more exposed and difficult dive sites.
The dive time was equally enjoyable. For the first time in my three year experience, we were able to dive the famous Runnel Stone, named by Divernet (and Wikipedia) as one of the UK’s best dive sites, and famed for its beautifully coloured anemone gullies and numerous wrecks. This site is one of the reasons that this area is so great for diving, and is particularly exciting for the new trainees: we are normally only able to complete the dive once or twice a year, but this Easter we were able to dive it five days in a row.
I am currently doing my dive leader training with LUSAC, so this trip provided me with the chance to take a more active role in dive planning. This included helping to decide who should launch and drive the boats, designating dive buddies and taking levels of experience into account and signing off our novice divers as Ocean Divers. I also helped to decide upon the dive site, taking the weather into account; a process that was particularly tricky without the internet since the BBC weatherman has an unfortunate habit of standing in front of Cornwall!
So this Easter trip saw twenty-two LUSAC members head to St Just, slightly North of Land’s End, with two of the club’s rigid-hulled inflatable boat’s (RIBs), and an additional boat that belongs to six of the club’s experienced members. For our new club boat, Ginger, it was the first big outing, and chance for eight of our newly qualified diver cox’n to take her for a spin.
Our smaller yellow boat, big bird, was driven to and from dive sites by some divers who had recently attended boat handling courses and so were able to practice the newly taught theory.
LUSAC is a great, cheap way to learn to scuba dive, offering time in the pools, long weekend and short holiday trips both around the UK and further afield, and a sociable and fun atmosphere in which to enjoy it. Unfortunately the 2011 fresher’s fair this September clashes with our dive trip to the Farnes- the UK’s top diving site for seals- so we shall be unable to attend. However, you can get involved by logging onto www.lusac.org.uk or coming along to the University pool on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Come and find us and let’s go diving!