1. Lyme Bay is located on the Jurassic coastline which stretches from Exmouth in the West to Old Harry Rocks in the East.  Geographically, it offers easy access to some of the excellent wreck diving you’d usually reach from harbours like Weymouth or Portland and more!   This is a weekend trip on Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 November 2013 with two dives both days from the Ruby J, a 10.5m Vigilante 33 hard boat built in 2007 and skippered by Keith Ferris & Neil Birdsall aka ‘Slim’ of West Bay Diving based in the picturesque seaside town of West Bay.  Ruby J has large kitting up benches, a stern mounted diver lift and on board toilet facilities, oxygen & first aid kits and the usual passenger safety equipment you’d expect to find on a dive boat, plus complimentary hot drinks and hot dogs between dives!  West Bay Diving is ideally positioned in the middle of Lyme Bay with access to over 60 wreck sites and many superb reefs with an abundance of incredibly diverse marine life and great scallop beds!

2. This is a recreational wreck & reef trip for 10 divers.  We’ll decide the dive plan nearer the time which will include a mix of wreck & reef dives and finish with an obligatory scallop dive.  If you see a dive site on the map above you’d particularly like to dive, let me know and we’ll try to fit it into the plan – it’s your trip, your choice!

3. Accommodation. We’re staying at the Durbeyfield House B&B, very close to seafront in West Bay and five minutes walk to the Ruby J. We stayed here last time we dived West Bay and the staff are very accommodating, beer and food is good. There’s free off street parking and the Durbeyfield is situated next door to the gas shop, so convenient.

4. Saturday evening I’ll sort out somewhere to eat later, the Durbeyfield where we’re staying is always a good choice, but I’ll offer a few other suggestions nearer the time.

5. Gas fills. Available in West Bay, we should have more than enough time to get fills sorted Saturday afternoon for Sunday morning. Nitrox is pumped at 55p per litre, so the following charges apply:

12 ltr cylinder Nitrox – £6.60, O2 clean air fill – £3.20
15 ltr cylinder Nitrox – £8.25, O2 clean air fill – £3.60
24 ltr twin-set Nitrox – £13.20, O2 clean air fill – £6.40

6. This trip costs £167, it includes two days hard boat diving with two dives each day and two nights accommodation on Friday, 8 & Saturday, 9 November 2013 and a cooked breakfast.  It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s approx. 145 miles from South West London – we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money.

7. A deposit of £45 is required to secure your place, the balance of £122 is payable four weeks before the trip starts, that’s Friday, 11 October 2013.  You can choose to pay by bank transfer - account name: diversonline sort code: 08-92-99 account number: 69513224  by cheque made payable to diversonline please contact me for the postal address, or by credit card using the diversonline PayPal account, please add £3 to the transaction value to cover PayPal charges, the address is ken@diversonline.co.uk

8. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits to a maximum depth of 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch – having a back-up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

9. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

10. Health and safety on the trip. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

11. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

12. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1. This is a recreational wreck diving trip out of Eastbourne Sovereign Marina aboard Steve Johnson’s fabulous dive boat, Channel Diver.  Weather permitting, I’ve planned with skipper Steve to dive two wrecks both days!  First dives will be limited to 1 hr to allow enough time to travel east to catch the slack water 90 minutes later.  The wrecks are still to be decided but the Cunard Liner Alaunia can be the first dive on Saturday.  The Alaunia is big enough to dive first on both days and there are plenty of other wrecks in the area to choose from, such as the Adventurine, Argonaut and Braunton, we can decide nearer the time.  I’m going to leave it to Steve to pick the second dives as these will be dependent on time and the distance we can travel to catch the slack further east.  That’s the plan!

The Alaunia  If you haven’t dived the Alaunia before it’s an top dive, and a pleasure for those that have.  This 13,405 ton liner was sunk by a mine on 19 October 1916 whilst carrying 8,000 tons of general cargo.  this wreck is remarkably intact with a maximum depth of 36/37m in the scour.  The bow section is almost complete and rises to about 28m, she is more broken towards the stern.  One of her best features is the huge anchor still hanging off her starboard side, it makes for a great photo with your buddy standing on it.

2. Dive Schedule
Saturday 5 October, ropes off 9.15 am, first dive 11.30 am, back around 5 pm.
Sunday 6 October, ropes off 10.15 am, first dive 12 noon, back around 6 pm.

3. Gas fills  Arrive with cylinders fully charged and ready to rock for both dives on Saturday.  Gas fills for Sunday can be obtained from Newhaven Scuba or if you are just after air fills Sovereign Leisure Centre, according to the Sovereign website, Nitrox fills are coming soon!

4. Dive one or both days!
It certainly makes my job easier if you come for the entire weekend, but if I have the odd place or two left on either day, you’re most certainly welcome – just let me know what suits you.

5. Accommodation  Eastbourne isn’t too far from London, so I propose we all dive down early Saturday morning so only need to pay for one nights accommodation.  If you are traveling from further a field, you’ll want accommodation on Friday & Saturday night.  I was planning on staying at the Eastbourne Travel Lodge, it’s located in Eastbourne Town and only 10 minutes dive time from Sovereign Harbour.  You can currently book a twin bedroom or double bedroom for £44.95, excluding breakfast.  If you pay an extra £1 for insurance, you can cancel the day before and get all your money back.  This will help keep the accommodation cheap for everyone!

PLEASE BOOK ACCOMMODATION YOURSELF

6. This trip costs £110, due to the distance we’ll be covering each day (up to 30 miles). It excludes the cost of getting there, accommodation, gas fills, something for lunch, drinks and general spending money.  A deposit of £40 is required to secure your place, the balance of £70 is payable four weeks before the trip starts, that’s Friday, 6 September 2013.

You can choose to pay by bank transfer - account name: diversonline sort code: 08-92-99 account number: 69513224  by cheque made payable to diversonline please contact me for the postal address, or by credit card using the diversonline PayPal account, please add £3 to the transaction value to cover PayPal charges, the address is ken@diversonline.co.uk

7. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience.   All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres, and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day.  Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful.  Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip.  Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch - having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea.  If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on the deep dives.  Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives.  If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will need to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

8. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

9. Health and safety on the trip. Listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

10. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

11. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1. This is a one day trip out of Eastbourne Sovereign Marina aboard Steve Johnson’s fabulous dive boat, Channel Diver.  Weather permitting, we are diving the Twins, seabed 45m on low slack water at 11 am, followed by the Oceana, seabed 27m at 3.30 pm, back to Eastbourne around 6 pm and a quick pint at the Juggs before the dive home.

The Twins offer a rare opportunity to dive two wrecks in one dive.  The wrecks are Ville de Bordeaux (a French iron cargo ship built in 1881), and the Irisbrook (a British steel cargo ship built in 1902), they collided on 25 March 1911.  The bow of the Ville de Bordeaux struck the Irisbrook on the portside close to the stern.  The two wrecks lie next to each other on the seabed at approximately 45m.  The Irisbrook is the larger of the two upright wrecks with the deck around 35m.  The visibility in this area is usually good enough to see both wrecks at the same time!

The Oceana is a 6,610 ton P&O liner that sunk 16 March 1912 as the result of a collision.  She lies at 27m to the seabed, making it an ideal second dive due to her relatively shallow depth.  There are plenty of scallops to be found here which can be found literally piled up in the scours around the boilers, lobsters too!

2. Gas fills.  Arrive with cylinders fully charged and ready to rock for both dives.

3. No accommodation has been organised for this trip.

4. This trip costs £55, full payment is required to secure your place.

5. It excludes the cost of getting there, gas fills, something for lunch, drinks and general spending money.

6. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience.  This trip falls within recreational limits and offers the opportunity for deep air and accelerated deco diving. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip.  Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch – having a back-up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

7. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

8. Health and safety on the trip. Listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

9. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

10. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1. Discover the Best of the Maldives from MV Orion, the first of a new generation of luxurious super cruisers.  The Orion itinerary aims to mix up BIG fish including whale sharks, black tip and reef sharks, manta, turtle, moray with scenic reef dives, hunting out the smallest reef fish and macro life that are all so abundant in these waters. 

This package includes 5.5 days fully guided diving, up to three dives each day, marine park fees, 12 ltr cylinder (15 ltr cylinder are available for an additional charge), weights, FREE NITROX and all meals, Orion is rebreather friendly.  The average water/air temperature is 28-30 degrees and visibility is up to 25m.

All diving takes place from a large tender Dhoni that follows us everywhere we go, so Orion is dedicated to living space.  There’s an extensive lounge and bar area with TV, ideal for relaxing and reflecting on the wonders you’ve seen during the day.  The upper deck has two jacuzzi’s and there’s a massage room.

The accommodation comprises of 12 cabins, some of the largest you’ll find on a liveaboard anywhere in the world, seven standard cabins, three mini suites, one junior suite and one executive suite with double or twin bed options.  All cabins benefit from air conditioning, plasma TV and spacious en-suit bathrooms with some of the best showers you’ll experience.

The Best of the Maldives does exactly what it says on the tin, you get to dive the best and most famous dive sites across Male and Ari Atolls in a week of sublime liveaboard luxury.

2. Scheduled flights with Sri Lanka Airlines from London Heathrow, there’s a £75 supplement if you prefer to fly from Manchester.

Outbound flight schedule:
Departing London Heathrow, 20.35 T4
Arriving Columbo 12.50, departing 14.05
Arriving Male 15.00
Transfers to and from Orion included.

Inbound flight schedule:
Departing Male 09.15
Arriving Columbo 11.15, departing 13.15
Arriving London Heathrow 19.45 T4

The hold luggage baggage allowance is 30kg and one piece of carry-on luggage measuring no more than 18 x 14 x 8 inches, weighting a maximum of 7kg.

3. The tour operator is Scuba Travel International, ATOL PROTECTED No. 5667

4. This package costs £2,085 based on two people sharing a cabin.  A £400 deposit is required to book your place and the balance of £1,685 is required by 25 August 2013.  The package price is subject flight price increases at the time of booking and airline fuel surcharges.  Supplement charges apply to non-standard cabins.  Upper deck mini suites £130 extra per person, Junior suites £250 extra per person and the Executive suite is £360 extra per person.

5. TRAVEL & DIVE INSURANCE ARE BOTH REQUIRED FOR THIS TRIP  It is your responsibility to insure yourself against the potential high cost of dive related medical treatment and associated costs by protecting your holiday investment.

6. Diver certification  All diving will be planned within recreational limits to a maximum depth of 30 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day.  Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some recent boat diving experience would be useful.  Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving will help you to get the most out of this trip.  Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch.  Divers must be over 21 years of age and have logged at least 35 dives.  When we board the boat, you will be asked to provide evidence of your diving experience, so please remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

7. Health and Safety. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

8. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary.  By booking a place/s on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation on your behalf.

9. Tour Operator Booking Conditions

10. To book a place or for more information:
Ken Powell on 07989 387792
Email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1. The Isle of Man is located off the north west coast of England in the middle of the Irish Sea, it offers some of the most spectacular and varied diving in the British Isles.  Mann has a tidal range of up to eight metres, this vast movement of water sweeps the island twice a day, bringing rich feeding for a vast array of marine life, the underwater visibility is generally superb and the dive sites outstanding.

2. This is a five day recreational wrecks & reefs trip for 8 divers, departing from Menai Bridge on Monday, 5 August, returning back to Anglesey on Friday, 9 August 2013.  The sea crossing takes approximately 4 hrs.  We’ll be stopping off for one dive on both the outward and return journey, and there’s a minimum of two dives a day (subject to weather conditions), around the Isle of Man on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from our base in Port St Mary.

3. I’ve chartered Scott Waterman’s boat Protector, a 38′ halmatic rib with all the diver comforts you would expect to find on a hard boat, including an hydraulic diver lift and enclosed heated cabin and covered area.  Scott is a experienced diver and published author on the wrecks and reefs to be found in the Irish sea.  He has made numerous trips to the Island of Man and has a deep knowledge of the best dive sites.

4. Accommodation. The cheap alternative is to stay in the self catering accommodation offered by Discover Diving which is in easy walking distance of Port St Mary. I’ve also looked into bed & breakfast accommodation at the Balmoral Hotel, about 2 miles away from Port St Mary in Port Erin, a small family run hotel with a great reputation.  If we decide the Balmoral Hotel is the way to go, we’ll need to hire transport to get our cylinders to the dive shop for fills and home, which adds to the cost.  If we go self-catering, the dive centre has agreed to collect our cylinders from boat and return them after filling.  Of course, this will make is harder to get around the island for sightseeing, but not impossible as there is a good bus service, particularly in the summer months.  Whatever the group decide, it can only be one or the other!

5. Gas fills. O2 clean air and Nitrox fills are available from Discover Diving based in Port St Mary, but a short distance from the harbour, the following charges apply:

12 ltr air fill – £4.00, 32% Nitrox fill – £9.50
15 ltr air fill – £4.50, 32% Nitrox fill – £12.50
24 ltr air fill – £8.00, 32% Nitrox fill – £19.00

6. Logistics  We will need to hire transport to get cylinders to and from the dive shop and to our hotel, and it will be nice to explore the Isle of Man above the surface while we’re there.

7a. COST OPTIONS!

SELF-CATERING COSTS £438, staying in Discover Diving’s accommodation, only a 10 minute up hill walk from Port St Mary.  This option includes 5 days diving (minimum of eight dives), four nights self-catering accommodation from Monday, 5 to Thursday, 8 August 2013.

7b. BALMORAL B&B COSTS £547, it includes 5 days diving (minimum of eight dives), four nights B&B accommodation from Monday, 5 to Thursday, 8 August 2013 and car hire. 

To book a place on this trip, a £150 deposit is required, the balance of either £288 (self-catering option), or £397 (B&B option), is payable 4 weeks (28 days) before the trip, that’s Friday, 5 July 2013.

8. It excludes the cost of getting to and from Menai Bridge, Anglesey (we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money.

9. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits to a maximum depth of 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch – having a back-up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

10. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

11. Health and safety on the trip. Listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

12. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

13. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1.  Visit the amazing waters of the Irish Sea around Anglesey!   This is a weekend trip on Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 August 2013.  I’ve chartered Protector again, a 38′ halmatic rib skippered by Scott Waterman of Quest Diving.  Protector has all the diver comforts you would expect to find on a hard boat, including an hydraulic diver lift and enclosed heated cabin and covered area.  If you’d like to know more about Scott, his boat and diving Anglesey, review the artical published in the June 2011 issue of Diver Magazine called ‘North Welsh Wonders‘ or the book ’Anglesey Wrecks & Reefs‘ written by Andy Shears and Scott Waterman - with over 1800 dives in the Irish Sea, Scott knows a thing or two about what’s down there.

2.  Protector is moored at St George’s Pier near the Menai Bridge, providing easy access to the fabulous dive sites around Anglesey and further out into the Irish Sea.  This is a recreational wreck & reef trip for 10 divers to a maximum depth of 40M.  Depending on weather, we will be hitting a couple of deep wrecks, sub 30M and shallow reefs in the 12-20M range, I’ll firm up the dive plan nearer the time.

3.  Anglesey wrecks include the Derbent, Albanian, Delfina, Kincorth, Dakota, Liverpool, Kimyalying, Segontium and Minerva to name a few.  I’ve dived the Derbent, Kincorth, Kimyalying, Segontium, and the Dakota, twice – all great wrecks.

Cat Briggs kindly wrote a trip report after our visit in May 2012.

4.  Accommodation, I’ve booked two doubles and three twin bedrooms at the Victoria Hotel in Menai Bridge, less than 10 minutes walk from St George’s Pier on Friday 9 & Saturday 10.  We’ll probably head out for a curry to ‘A Taste of India’ in Menai Bridge on Saturday evening, that dive trip tradition if everyone is up for it!

5.  This trip costs £180, it includes two days diving with two dives per day and two nights accommodation including a fine Walsh cooked breakfast.

6.  It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s 280 miles from SW19, South West London – we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money.  Air and Nitrox fills are available from Scott at Quest Diving.

7.  Gas prices:
12ltr air fills – £3.50 each.
12ltr 32% Nitrox fills – £7 each.
15ltr air fills - £4 each.
15ltr 32% Nitrox fills – £8 each.
12ltr manifold twin-set air fills – £7 each.
12ltr manifold twin-set Nitrox fills – £14 each.

8.  Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience.   All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres, and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day.  Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful.  Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip.  Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch - having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea.  If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on the deep dives.  Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives.  If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will need to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

9.  To book a place a £50 deposit is required, the balance of £130 is payable 4 weeks (28 days) before the trip, that’s Friday, 12 July 2013.

10.  Cancellation policy.  Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place.  For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver.  If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip.  This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

11.  Health and saftey on the trip.  It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water.  Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level.  If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately.  Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

12.  Please note.  Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur.  Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary.  By booking a places on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

13. To book a place or more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1.  This is a recreational wreck, reef  and seal trip for 12 divers, including 8 dives over 3 days and 2 nights B&B.

2.  Join us in this beautiful Scottish borders location to dive the clear waters off the Berwickshire coast which have long been considered special by marine biologists as they contain a fantastic abundance and diversity of marine life and spectacular underwater scenery.   The St Abbs & Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve (VMR) was established in August 1984 by David Bellamy, it was the first of its kind in the UK so not surprising divers have been coming to the area for decades to enjoy the inspiring, first-class diving to be found here.  Grey seals can be seen almost anywhere along the coast at just about any time of year.  Whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), can also be seen throughout the year but the summer is the time when there are most sightings.  The harbour porpoise is the species most commonly seen, but it’s also worth looking out for bottle-nosed and white beaked dolphins and minke whales.  See if you can spot the Wolf fish and Lumpsuckers or some of the amazing varieties of Nudibanchia!

Read the Eyemouth trip report from July 2012.

3.  This charter is booked with DiveStay aboard the excellent Wavedancer, a new purpose built dive boat.  Wavedancer has a wide beam which provides a massive and stable dive deck with ample space for 12 divers, she has two exit gateways and a fast hydraulic diver lift.  Her  skipper, Billy Aitchison has twenty-five years experience sailing these waters with the last ten as a dive boat skipper, so we can be confident Billy knows the best dive sites to be found here.  Loading takes place from the Eyemouth harbour pontoon.

4.  The Dive Plan:  Friday, 14th June  Drive up Friday morning arriving by midday for two local dives in the afternoon, probably the Glanmire (max depth 31m), followed by a scenic dive in the Marine Reserve at St Abbs Head.  If you’d prefer to drive up Thursday night, an extra night B&B can be arranged, just ask.  Saturday, 15th June  Weather permitting, a trip out to May Island for three dives: a wreck (probably not the Primrose), scenic and seal dive with a break for lunch ashore for some award winning fish & chips!  Sunday, 16th June  Three dives to be confirmed nearer the time, I’d like to mix it up so probably go for another wreck, scenic and finish with a seal dive.  We’ll stay closer to port on Sunday so we can get away by mid afternoon for the long drive home.

5.   Accommodation. We are staying at the Home Arms B&B for two nights, located at the heart of Eyemouth.  Each bedroom has tea and coffee making facilities, TV/DVD, radio and wireless internet and plenty of room to relax in comfort. This large house has spectacular panoramic views across the bay.  Gary who runs the place is a keen diver so there are drying facilities as well as ample free parking and secure storage, if required.

6. This trip costs £235, it includes eight dives across three days and two nights accommodation on Friday, 14 & Saturday 15 June 2013 and a cooked breakfast.

7. It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s approximately 375 miles from South West London – we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money.

8. Local O2 Clean 232 br Air fill prices:
3ltr to 7ltr cylinders – £4 each
10ltr to 15ltr cylinder – £5 each
10ltr & 12ltr manifold twin-set – £7 each

Nitrox fill prices: TBC
12ltr cylinder, 32% – £ each
15ltr cylinder, 32% – £ each
7ltr manifold twin-set, 32% - £ each
10ltr manifold twin-set, 32% - £ each
12ltr manifold twin-set, 32% - £ each

9. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch – having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

10. To book a place on this trip, a £75 deposit is required to confirm a place on this trip, the balance of £160 is payable 4 weeks (28 days) before the trip, that’s Friday, 17 May 2013.

11. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip.  This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

12. Health and safety on the trip. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

13. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

14. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

If you’ve dived the world-class wrecks in Scapa Flow before – how about this for something a little bit different!

1.  We’ll be diving the best of the legendary WW1 German High Seas Fleet and the fabulous Tabarka in Hoy Sound.  If you’ve not dived the James Barrie in Hoxa Sound, that’s an exhilarating experience and what about the other rarely visited wrecks scattered around the surrounding isles, like the Endeavour, HMS Zarefah, Cotavia and Tomalina under Westray lighthouse - you’ve got to see this to believe it!  Experience awesome scenic and drift dives like the Old Man of Hoy, get up close with grey seals at Sanday, maybe catch a lobster or scallops for lunch and sample north isles hospitality staying in a different harbour every night – just some of the highlights on this unique Orcadian dive adventure.

2.  Situated off the north tip of Scotland, Orkney is home to 19,000 people on it’s 19 inhabited islands. There are archaeological treasures to be found at every turn, from the oldest houses in Europe, the Knap of Hower situated on Papa Westray, to the neolithic village of Skara Brae and the standing stones and circles. For divers, it’s the Great Harbour that’s of most interest as this is the resting place for seven warships of the German High Seas Fleet, scuttled on the orders of Admiral Von Reuter at the end of  World War 1 – June 21, 1919, and joined by numerous block ships during World War which makes it the UK’s premier wreck diving location and ranked highly in the Top 10 wreck diving locations in the world – a must for all metal enthusiasts!

3.  I’ve chartered John Thorton’s boat MV Karin a 24 metre long by 6.4 metre wide trawler that used to work out of Hamburg in the North Sea, she handles well and provides a spacious and stable dive platform – just what we need. The Karin is conveniently moored at the South Pier in Stromness Harbour, opposite the NorthLink Ferry Terminal.  John has owned her since 1995 and over the years she has undergone quite a transformation.  She has two heads (toilets to you and me), a shower, drying room, one single and seven twin bunk cabins – all with proper sized mattresses.  The Karin is fitted with a heavy duty diver lift and carries all the mandatory safety equipment, there’s large kitting up benches and she’s fully equipped to provide air, Nitrox fills between 250-230 bar, and Tri-mix, by prior arrangement.  There’s a covered deck area with plenty of storage space for dive boxes etc and a day cabin with flat screen TV and DVD player where you can relax between dives, or go back to bed for a tactical nap!  Oxygen and first aid kits are strategically positioned around the boat and there’s 240 volt plug sockets and central heating radiators fitted throughout, and a tumble dryer for those drysuits that are more like wetsuits!  Tea and coffee are available all day on a help yourself basis.  What MV Karin lacks in creature comforts actually adds the expedition feel of this itinerary.

4.  A bit about our skipper, John Thornton  John along with Anthony Duncan who passed away in 2011 and the late Snipe Miller were the original pioneers of sport-diving in Scapa Flow back in the early 80′s.  As you can imagine, there’s not much John doesn’t know about diving in the Orkney’s.  John’s been described as the ‘Ronseal of Scapa Skippers‘ – you get exactly what it says on the tin.  John has a reputation for being a bit grumpy, but he’s refreshingly honest so you know where you stand with him.  Having lived, breathed and dived Orkney waters for so long, he knows what dive sites will be good and why, and he’ll tell you this – nuff said.

5.  Proposed Diving Schedule (subject to conditions on the day) based on arriving in Orkney Saturday, 14 September, boarding from midday onwards and being away the following Saturday, 21 September by 9 am.

Learn more about Scapa Flow and its historic WW1 wrecks

Saturday:
Dive 1. Carlsruhe 16 to 25 mts
Catch the 12.30 ferry crossing on Saturday and John will have you on the Carlsruhe in the afternoon!

Sunday:
Dive 2. Coln 16 to 35 mts
Dive 3. Tabarka 6 to 12 mts
Overnight in Rousay

Monday:
Dive 4. Freesia to 40 mts
Dive 5. Tomalina to 20 mts under Westray lighthouse
Overnight in Westray, spending the evening at the Pierowall Hotel

Tuesday:
Dive 6. HMS Zarefah to 40 mts
Dive 7. Endeavour to 22 mts
Overnight in Kirkwall, visit St Magnus Cathedral to see ships bell from the Royal Oak

Wednesday:
Dive 8. Cotavia to 40 mts
Good opportunity to dive with seals between these wrecks
Dive 9. UB116 27 to 30 mts
Overnight in Burray, good food and a nice bar make the evening slip away!

Thursday:
Dive 10. Kronprinze Wilhelm 15 to 38 mts
Dive 11. Brummer 16 to 36 mts
Dive 12. Gobinator Bories to 15 mts
Overnight back in Stromness

Friday:
Dive 13. James Barrie 33 to 43 mts
Dive 14. Bayern Turrets 32 to 37 mts
Return to Stromness Harbour in time to catch 4.45 pm ferry, if desired.

Seal & scallop dives can be fitted around most two dive days, just ask.

6.  This is a recreational trip for 12 divers with over half the dives between the 30m to 40m mark.  It runs from Saturday, 14 to Saturday, 21 September 2013 and includes 14 dives (YES, 14 dives) over six days, cooked breakfast, lunch, air-fills and live-aboard accommodation in twin-berth bunk cabins – all for £495 per person.

7. It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s around 725 miles from South West London – fly, drive or train are all options, we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), Nitrox and Trimix fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money.

8.  Scapa videos shot October 2010, on-board was a French videographer call Ludovic Bourscheidt, (LUDO), who shot these. The first movie contains clips from various wrecks http://vimeo.com/15948441 This second video http://vimeo.com/16818443 just features the Tabarka, a fabulous dive.

9. IMPORTANT: Pillows are provided, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN SLEEPING BAG & TOWELS FOR THE WEEK. 

10. Nitrox price list: To be provided.

11. Cylinder hire & weights. Use of 15 ltr cylinders is included, if you want a manifold twin-set, these can be hired for £50 for the week.  Weights are available free-of-charge, but if lost you’ll have to replacement the value at the prevailing cost per kilo, agreeable to the skipper.

12. Getting there. You can fly, catch the train or drive to Scapa.  Car sharing is the most economic way, it’s between 11 to 12 hrs drive time from London to Thurso and a 1.5 hr ferry crossing from Scrabster to Stromness on NorthLink Ferries. This year (2012) we’re leaving the cars at Thurso for the week and using Dangerous Goods containers supplied by the ferry company to transport our dive gear across to Stromness. As a result, we’re only paying £33.60 for the return crossing as foot passengers. The Karin is moored very near to where the ferry docks and we can use the containers to push our dive gear round to the boat for unloading, so it’s no bother when we get to the other side.  Not taking the car across saves £100!  Obviously, if you want to do some exploring while you’re on Orkney, having a car is useful but there are buses and taxi’s so it’s no problem getting around. You can also catch the NorthLink Ferry service from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, it’s another option but the arrival time and location isn’t as convenient as the Scrabster to Stromness service.

Other travel options include: the Caledonian Sleeper which leaves from London Euston on Friday evening and arrives Inverness Saturday morning, connecting trains and buses will get you to Scrabster for the ferry crossing. BA, Flybe and EasyJet operate services around the UK to various Scottish Airports where you can catch a connecting flight operated by Loganaire and Flybe to Kirkwall Airport on Orkney, then use local bus services to get to Stromness.  If you choose to fly or catch the train, you’ll need to consider how you’re going to get your dive gear there.

13. Getting back. If you’re catching the Stromness ferry back to the mainland, you can choose to leave on Friday afternoon on the 4.45 pm sailing or 9 am Saturday morning.  We’re trying something new in 2012, leaving Friday afternoon and driving to the Sound of Mull for two days diving (Saturday & Sunday), before heading home. The ferry gets back to the mainland at 6 pm and it’s a 5 hr drive to Mull which is on the way home (well almost), so not only is this a great location to break the journey, it’s an amazing opportunity to dive more top UK wrecks like the Thesis, Hispania, Rondo and more. Two days hard boat diving (six dives) and two nights accommodation works out to £150 each, subject to the number of divers.  John will give us Nitrox fills for our first dive on Saturday on the way in on Friday, we’ll be back at Stromness around 3 pm in plenty of time to catch the last ferry sailing back.

14. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch - having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deeper dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

15. To book a place on this trip a £150 deposit is required, the balance of £345 is payable 15 weeks before the trip – that’s Saturday, 1 June 2013. You can choose to pay by bank transfer - account name: diversonline sort code: 08-92-99 account number: 69513224 please reference your payment with your surname and KARIN.  You can pay by cheque made payable to diversonline please contact me for the postal address. Alternatively, you can pay by debit or credit card using the diversonline PayPal account, my address is ken@diversonline.co.uk

16. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful (you can help find another suitable diver to take your place), you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

17. Health and safety on the trip. Everyone on board defers to the skipper. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

18. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

19. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1.The Farne Islands offer superb diving in some of the clearest waters in the UK.  Situated just 10 minutes boat ride from picturesque Seahouses Harbour, the Farnes are steeped in nature, history and superstition.  They are divided into two groups (inner & outer Farnes) by Staple Sound, a 1 mile wide stretch of water and consist of some 28 islets creating a prominent feature off the coast of Northumberland. Here’s a couple of articles I found on divernet, called A Bit of Farne and Farnetastic … see what they did there!

“In many places the islands rise sheer from the seabed, their volcanic origins being responsible for such features as the Pinnacles, pillars of Dorerite, which rise skyward for over 8ft.  Reefs crowded with almost every known species of marine life found in Northern waters, diving seabirds, playful and inquisitive seals, and hundreds of shipwrecks make this the Mecca of the North for divers”

An extract from Peter Collins book, DIVE THE NORTH EAST COAST

2. This is a late season weekend trip on Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 November 2013. In case you’re wondering, the water temperature will be a bit fresh, circa 10 degrees – the sea takes a long time to cool at the end of the summer and it’s always a couple of degrees cooler up North than you find on the South coast. We are diving with the excellent Sovereign Diving, a small family run operation run by brothers Andrew, Toby & Ron who all have extensive knowledge of the dive sites and tidal flows around the Farne Islands and Northumberland coastline and able to provide us with the best possible diving experience. Sovereign also have a dive shop and run the local air station, so all your diving needs are well catered for. Our boat for the weekend is called Mara Mhor which means ‘Big Seas’ in Galic, although it’s name may have changed to Sovereign IV by the time we get there. It’s a Blyth Catamaran which makes for a large and stable dive platform, just the thing if it’s a bit lumpy!

3. This is a recreational trip to a maximum depth of 30m for 12 divers. Depending on sea conditions, we might get the opportunity to dive a wreck, either the Somali or Acclivity both situated along the coast. The rest of the diving will be in the Farne Islands, both scenic and drift dives with plenty of opportunities to play with the largest seal colony in the North Sea who are particularly friendly at this time of year!

4. Accommodation. We are staying at the Olde School House a quality B&B that has been recently refurbished and just a short walk from Seahouses Harbour, click here for pictures.

5. Saturday evening I’ll book the Links Hotel for dinner at 7.30, click on the link to see the current menu.

6. Gas fills. You’ll need to arrive with full cylinders and enough gas for two dives as we stay at sea for both dives each day.  Air fills are available (up to 300 bar) from Sovereign Diving’s air station – just a short drive from the harbour. 12 ltr & 15 ltr air fills are £4 each, 32% Nitrox is £7 for a 12 ltr or 15 ltr fill so that makes twin-sets £8 for an O2 clean air fill and £14 for enriched air.  Please note, Nitrox may not be available as it’s late in the season.

7. This trip costs £169, it includes two days hard boat diving with two dives each day and two nights accommodation on Friday 15 & Saturday 16 November 2013 and a cooked breakfast.

8. It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s approx. 345 miles from South West London – we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, other meals, drinks and general spending money. Car parking in Seahouses harbour is usually £4 a day, but it may be suspended for winter by the time this trip runs.

9. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits to a maximum depth of 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch – having a back-up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

10. To book a place on this trip, a £45 deposit is required, the balance of £124 is payable 4 weeks before the trip, that’s Friday, 18 October 2013.

11. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

12. Health and saftey on the trip. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

13. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

14. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk

1. Spend a week Saturday 14 to Saturday 21 September 2013 diving the historic wrecks of Scapa Flow from the Orkney’s largest and probably best liveaboard – M.V.Invincible.  Situated off the North East coast of Scotland, Scapa Flow is a large sheltered natural harbour and the resting place for seven warships of the German High Seas Fleet, scuttled on the orders of Admiral Von Reuter at the end of  World War 1 – June 21, 1919, and joined by numerous blockships during World War 11. Scapa Flow is the UK’s premier wreck diving location and ranked highly in the Top 10 wreck diving locations in the world – a must for all metal enthusiasts!

2. M.V.Invincible is conveniently moored at the South Pier in Stromness Harbour, opposite the NorthLink Ferry Terminal. She is over 25 metres long, licensed to carry 12 divers and 2 crew. Invincible has an enormous open deck with gear benches running along either side of the boat and is fully equipped to provide air and Nitrox fills on-board between dives to 350 br. There’s a covered deck area at the bow, ideal for drying dive suits and storing gear boxes, a large two person diver lift, 3 oxygen kits strategically positioned around the boat, the bridge is full of all the state-of-the-art electronics you would expect to find on a flagship dive boat. For convenience and comfort, Invicible has a 240 volt power supply throughout, full central heating, hot & cold running water and two shower rooms/toilets. There’s an onboard bar, that’s right – our very own floating pub, stocked with Orkney ales, a range of optics, soft drinks and a large plasma TV with DVD player. The galley is equipped with a gas oven and hob, fridge freezer, microwave and toaster, which we are welcome to use on a ‘leave it as you find it’ basis. Next to the galley is a dining area with soft furnishings and tea and coffee making facilites, you can use throughout the day.

3. Our skipper is Ian Trumpess, abley assisted by his ‘first mate’ Fiona. Ian has been diving since 1978 and taking divers out to the wreck sites of Scapa Flow for many years now. Ian’s background is that of a former commerical and Scallop diver. These days, he purely dives for fun and looks for any opportunity to get back in the water. Ian holds a Department of Transport Boat Masters Licence and a commercially endorsed RYA Boat Master Certificate.

4. Historic wrecks are what this trip is all about, although there are spectacular reefs and scenic drift dives here too. A ‘typical’ dive schedule for the week looks like this, subject to weather and sea conditions, it is possible to do more dives at extra cost, see 8. below.

Sunday – Dive 1. Brummer 16 to 36 mts - Dive 2. F2 + YC21 6 to 15 mts
Monday – Dive 1. Koln 16 to 35 mts – Dive 2. Karlsruhe 16 to 25 mts
Tuesday – Dive 1. Kronprinze Wilhlem 15 to 38 mts – Dive 2. Gobinator 15 mts
Wednesday – Dive 1. Markgarf 15 to 47 mts – Dive 2. Tabarka 6 to 12 mts
Thursday – Konig 18 to 35 mts – Dive 2. Doyle 15 mts
Friday – Bayern Turrets 32 to 37 mts – Dive 2. Dresden 17 to 36 mts

5. Scapa videos shot October 2010, on-board was a French videographer call Ludovic Bourscheidt, LUDO to his friends, who shot these. The first movie contains clips from various wrecks http://vimeo.com/15948441 This second video http://vimeo.com/16818443 just features the Tabarka, a fabulous dive.

6. IMPORTANT: Pillows are provided, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN SLEEPING BAG & TOWELS FOR THE WEEK. Boarding M.V.Invincible takes place from 1 pm onwards on Saturday and we have to be off the boat by 9 am the following Saturday, although some catch the last ferry back to the mainland Friday evening.

7. This trip costs £450, it includes six days diving (Sunday to Friday), two dives each day, air fills, shared liveaboard accommodation in twin-bunk cabins (Invincible returns back to Stromness Harbour each day between 2 – 3 pm, unless we stay out longer for a third dive), continential breakfast served on the way out to the first dive followed by a Scottish fry-up afterwards and homemade soup served after the second dive each day.  I understand Fiona has introduced an evening ‘pot’ meal which we heat up ourselves and I’ll let you know more details about how this works after the up and coming September 2012 but it sounds good and Fiona is an excellent cook.  Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available throughout the day.

8. It excludes the cost of getting there (it’s around 725 miles from South West London – we’ll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), Nitrox and Trimix fills, other meals, drinks (including bottled water, snacks and alcohol available from the on-board bar), and general spending money. To get to Orkney, you’ll need to catch the NorthLink Ferry (details below), adults passengers cost £16.80 each way and cars (under 6 metres long), cost £50.40 each way (you don’t have to take your car across, we can hire containers for the dive gear and travel across as foot passengers). Extra dives are possible at a cost £25 each including an air fill and are based on all twelve divers participating, a couple of notable dives are the James Barrie a cracking wreck outside the flow and the Old Man of Hoy, a scenic drift.

9. Nitrox price list: The normal practice is to have a Nitrox fill for the first dive each day, which is a deep one and a free air top for the second dive, view the Nitrox price list.

10. Cylinder hire & weights. Diving cylinders can be hired on-board, a 12L O2 clean manifold twin-set is £50 for the week, 15L O2 clean cylinder is £30 for the week. Weights are available free-of-charge, but if lost the replacement value is £5 per kilo.

11. Getting there. Car sharing is the most economic way, it’s between 11 to 12 hrs drive from London to Thurso and a 1.5 hr ferry crossing from Scrabster to Stromness on the NorthLink Ferry. This year (2012) we’re leaving the cars at the ferry terminal in Thurso for the week and using containers supplied by the ferry company to transport our dive gear across to Stromness and only paying £33.60 for the return crossing to go as a foot passenger. Invincible is moored where the ferry docks so it’s no bother getting the dive gear to the boat on the other side. Obviously, if you want to do some exploring while you’re in the Orkney’s, having a car would is useful but there are buses and taxi’s so it’s not a problem getting around. Not taking the car will save you just over £100!

Other travel options include: the Caledonian Sleeper which leaves from London Euston on Friday evening and arrives Inverness Saturday morning, connecting trains and buses will get you to Scrabster for the ferry crossing. BA, Flybe and EasyJet operate services around the UK to various Scottish Airports where you can catch a connecting flight operated by Loganaire and Flybe to Kirkwall Airport on Orkney, then use local bus services to get to Stromness.

12. Getting back. If you’re catching the ferry back to the mainland, you can choose to leave on Friday afternoon on the 4.45 pm sailing or 9 am Saturday morning.  We’re trying something new in 2012, catching the Friday afternoon and driving to the Sound of Mull for two day diving (Saturday & Sunday), before heading home. The ferry gets back to the mainland at 6 pm and it’s a 5 hr drive to Mull which is on the way home, so not only is it a great location to break the journey, it’s also an amazing opportunity to dive more top UK wrecks like the Thesis, Hispania, Rondo and many more. Two days diving (six dives), and two nights accommodation works out at £150 each, subject to the number of divers who want to do this.  If it works well this year, I’ll write in up the Sound of Mull details as a separate trip TBC.

13. Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver Speciality or equivalents, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch - having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended on the deep dives. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.

14. To book a place on this trip a £150 deposit is required, the balance of £300 is payable 15 weeks before the trip – that’s Saturday, 1 June 2013. You can choose to pay by bank transfer - account name: diversonline sort code: 08-92-99 account number: 69513224  By cheque made payable to diversonline please contact me for the postal address, or by credit card using the diversonline PayPal account, the address is ken@diversonline.co.uk

15. Cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successful, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or “force majeur” causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.

16. Health and saftey on the trip. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.

17. Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither diversonline or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place on this trip, you accept that diversonline and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.

18. To book a place or for more information:
Contact Ken Powell on 07989 387792 or email ken@diversonline.co.uk