The Club held it’s AGM on Friday and so again a new year begins and some faces within the Club committtee.
A number of members who could not make the meeting offered their apologies, even Mike Hynes trying to make the ferry from the Isle of Jersey. Hope you got home safely.
Overall, thanks to all that attended. Great meeting and incoming committee are:-
Chairman – Mike Orth, also announcing a hope to obtain a position on the CFT committee. Good Luck.
Diving Officer – Martin Bowes
Secretary – Eimhear O’ Brien
Treasurer – Frank Hopkins
Training Officers – Peter Walsh, Brian O’ Leary
PRO -Child Liason Officer – Teresa O’Connor
Equipment Officers Team – Dave Keane, Noel Hickey
Search & Recovery Diving Officer – Richard Roche
Well done to all.
Here is the Diving Officers report for 2011.
The Stats
Club Membership Grades comprise of
5 * Instructors Grades,
5 * Leading Diver Grades
6 * Rescue Diver Grades,
8 * Club Diver Grades
14 * Trainee Diver Grade: Of the trainee grades, one due for test very soon with a potential 4-6 candidates for test early 2012.
6 * Snorkel Diver Grades,
7 * Search & Recovery Diving Grades
14 * DFR Grades,
14 * Coxswain Grades within the membership also.
This year produced 6 * DFR grades, 1 S&R grade and 1 * Club Diver grade and 4 * Nitrox Divers with another 3-4 Club Diver candidates for test very soon.
In summary, the Club membership logged over 662 dives – Refer to Stats. Despite the poor weather conditions the availability of Portroe Dive Centre has served to provide diving opportunities in times of poor weather or where diving responses have not made it worthwhile to pursue Diving at sea. In all 289, Dives were logged @ Portroe Dive Centre.
The Club away outings to Dingle, Portmagee, Miltown Malbay and Hook Head were generally well supported and offered some very favourable diving and great Club social enjoyment.
Finance
The cost of transferring boat to a dive site must and should continue to be a consideration. The numbers interested in availing of diving have for the most part made it worthwhile to run dive operations compared to previous years.
Towing
Towing resources continued to be a problem. Available options were diminished with the unavailability of towing vehicles and yet again,
A Club Towing vehicle should be considered the absolute must priority to provide flexibility of diving to a larger population of drivers.
Training and Lecture series
With the surge of Trainee numbers last November, the dilemma of conducting training was managed with the support of a number of Club Diving grades and leveraging the association with Aughinish Sub Aqua Club.
A great debt of thanks is due Aughinish Sub aqua that supported and managed the lecture series and helped with the expense of the pool session costs. All arranged through our Chairman Mike Orth.
Thanks especially to Dave Ryan, Frank, Johnny, Mike, Ciaran, Dave K and so many more throughout the year, who sacrifice their personal Pool training interests to support the lecture & pool training sessions.
Dive summary 2011
36 Club members completed 662 dives, credit is due to Noel, Eamonn, Bill, David and Kieran as new trainees for 2011 and all have been making good progress with their dive training throughout the year.
Well done to Eimhear on passing her Club Diver test 2nd October.
The week long period of Diving in Portmagee continues to be very successful, so I would hope that the tradition will continue. The membership have benefited from the good year of diving and have able to push boundaries of diving experience, particular seen with higher grade attainment, course participation and generally a clear demonstration of greater dive skills.
Fortunately, the August Bank Holiday for once allowed Diving in Miltown Malbay, the opportunity to dive in Doonbeg and Miltown Malbay by the Club membership was well received.
The trip to hook Head was also very enjoyable.
I must take time out to recognise Frank Hopkins, Dave Keane and Martin Bowes who in particular have facilitated dive support of the trainee population in Portroe. The Club membership, in particular, the trainee grades owe them a debt of gratitude for making themselves available to dive with and learn from their skillset and experience.
Incidents 2011
Thankfully, few incidents to report to CFT, again thanks to all members for been safety conscience and vigilant with dive behaviours throughout the year.
Free Flow incident in Portroe
Comments
Divers are asked to prepare well in advance for diving. Dive operation schedule should not be compromised by failure to have adequate air supply or equipment issues prior to diving. Divers are reminded to be aware, adhere & respect CFT rules & recommendations. Always prioritize the safety of ones diving buddy’s above the needs of personal dive goal’s. It would be advisable to get used to ones own gear & upgrading diving skills before new optional equipment is obtained.
All diving activities and incidents should be reported to the Diving Officer. Divers should make the D.O. aware of intention to dive prior to dive and obliged to report back upon dive completion.
Ensure Bottles filled from Club Compressors are within VIP & Hydro dates. Please feedback issues on diving to Diving officer at all times please.
Persons notable on Dive sites
I must commend Teresa, Emma and Eimhear who gelled the Club membership together with the onsite picnics & (BBQ in Portmagee) at the back of whatever vehicle served to offer a suitable table space to oversee the ritual nattering sessions and slagging sessions.
Noel Hickey with 50 dives for a trainee grade, amazing stat for the year and always helps club dive operations.
Dave Ryan always dependable to help and makes dive organisation simple relaxed and is an example for all members.
Eamonn Moloney, the Video clips have served to be a welcome and dismayed addition to the club profile. Great blogs and archive material for the Club.
Martin Bowes whose help, support, advice, encouragement and banter have made running dive operations relaxed, safe and very enjoyable. The Club Blogs speak to a great and very enjoyable safe year of diving.
Overall the help and support advice provided by you, Frank Hopkins and Dave Keane have elevated the skillset of the trainee membership.
Note
The Diving officer should be alerted to all Diving activities prior to taking place.The Instructors grades would encourage all members and grades to Always strive to be a better diver! Respect & support your fellow Diving members!
Development
Wearing my Instructor hat, I have seen the Club grow from a club struggling to dive & support an imbalance in Trainee numbers. That has changed over the years, thankfully, but, need to continue this development.
An emphasis on Coxswain development, encouraging Leading Diver and Instructor grades from within the membership is a recommendation going forward. For the 1st time in years, I can feel confident that the Club can recommend divers for the upper grades and easily excel and represent the club with ease.
Meeting’s attended
CFT AGM
S&R Regional review – Indicate Issue to highlight in new Committee
Weekly club get together in Locke bar.
Thanks
Overall as Diving Officer, it’s been very successful and rewarding time served as D.O. for 2011. I like to thank all the Club membership for their help & support throughout the year.
Thanks especially and as always to the equipment officer’s team for ensuring the boat and trailer are available for diving which is an ever more difficult task as the years roll on. A major over haul to the Club trailer will be required for 2011 and will need to be considered by the incoming EO team.
Thanks to all who helped with the organisation and support of the Children Of Chernoybl BBQ. It was a very well organised and enjoyable event. Credit is due to KBSR, Killaloe Coast guard , Frank Corr and all those who helped on the night to make it a very enjoyable and safe event.
I’d like to thank John Breen for relaying CFT and Club related communications.
With that, I hope that I will be allowed to finally step down as Diving Officer for Limerick Sub Aqua. I will continue to help & support an incoming Diving Officer and membership of Limerick Sub Aqua for 2012.
I hope that Limerick Sub Aqua will continue to grow, develop, diving grades, leading divers and Instructors Grades and have enjoyable and safe dives going forward.
Yours in Diving,
Brian O’ Leary.