AGM

Don't forget the club's AGM is on this coming Sunday 3rd Decemeber at 3pm in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel. This is a big event for the club where a decision on the club becoming a company will take place. Also anyone interested in taking up a position on the committee should make themselves known to any senior member of the club so they're name can be put forward, and if you know of someone that is interested in taking a position then again make their name known to some senior members.

The meeting is open to all.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Remember this is a chance for your voice to be heard.

You have dived the U-260 now try the U-861

Dive Site: U-861
Location: Malin Head, Donegal, Ireland
Description: WWII Deadlight Submarine
Length: 87.4 metres
Depth: 43 metres
Visibility: 15 + metres average
Only 30 of the U861's type were built. It sank during "Operation Deadlight" and broke into three sections at a depth of 43m. Slack water dive only.

Lovely dive in the same location as the Laurentic, well worth a visit in 2007, I took these photos in October.
Rgds,
Ger C.

new gear for trainees

Many thanks to John Malone for giving up his Sunday morning and coming over to the Clubhouse to furnish our new members with the gear they needed to start their training in earnest.The advice from our own members was also on hand and much appreciated, like wise during our pool session, seasoned divers were generous with their encouragement and instruction.The Lectures will be starting on Sunday 26th November at 10.00a.m sharp in the Clubhouse, please bring a note book and pen.Trainees will be able to purchase their Starter Pack this Sunday at the Clubhouse, which will enable them to get their Medical Forms & logbooks signed by their G.P.s. the cut off date for submission of your medical is Dec 3rd 06.
Keep up the Good work !
June..

t.v programmes of interest

Hi new members,
welcome !if I have not had the pleasure to meet you yet. If you get a chance to watch t.v.this will give you a taste of whats to come. As we get our training underway, the season to head off to the coast will quickly be upon us.
b.b.c.1 n. ireland @ 8.00 p.m. "water world" wednesdays, with the exception of this week as they are covering the match.This programme will be of interest to anyone taking up diving/ snorkeling as it covers some dive sites in n.ireland.. The flora & fauna are what you will encounter as you progress to open water, it also features some interesting points on the effects the elements / tides have on diving.
b.b.c. 2.@ 8.00 p.m." coast"thursdays. The u.k. coast line its history and other interests based around our sport features, with Miranda Krestovnikoff.

John Malone (diving gear)is to be at the club house this sunday before pool, 11.00a.m.approx for anyone who needs to purchase basic gear.
Should you require directions give me a call or text. 087 2941838.
Looking foward to seeing you all at the pool on Sunday.

June Robbins.
Deputy Training Officer

Gas Blenders now available in ASAC

Four club members successfully completed the CFT gas blending course last Saturday in Mullingar SAC. It was important to get this done as Nitrox diving had been put on stop due to the lack of gas blenders in the club. Liam Sherringham, Robert West, Aiden Henry and Ger Craven completed the course. The club has all the necessary equipment for blending, a filler whip with digital gauge, O2 analyzer, personal filter and O2 bottles in the clubhouse. Any qualified Nitrox diver with O2 clean bottles are welcome to approach the above to get their bottle filled. We need and welcome the practice.

Well Done

Well done to all who passed there water fitness test on Sunday. Now your training will begin. Make sure you have Fin masks and snorkel for next Sunday. John Malone from Midland Water Sports, will be over in our club house next Sunday at 11 o'clock, so you can purchase the gear from him then if you don't already have it.

The Medical Form can be downloaded from the Irish Underwater Council website. Go there by clicking on the link on this page. Then go to the menu on the left hand side and click on "Document Download". Then click on the folder "General Forms" inside here you will find and can download a copy of the Medical Form.
Please take some time to browse the Irish Underwater Council website as you will find a lot of information about Scuba Diving in Ireland.

Defibilator Training Course

The club will be running defibilator's training courses before and after christmas, so any club member who is interested in been trained in using this life saving equipment should ring or txt the club phone and leave you details (086-8216670).................

Try a Dive

Todays Try a dive brought a great turn out. Next for our new members is the acceptance test, this is a simple test on your water fitness. It consists on doing 8 lenghts or 200 metres of the pool on your front, and 2 lenghts or 50 metres of the pool on your back. You can do any type of swim stroke you like. Then within 5 minutes of doing these lengths, you have to hold your breath underwater for 30 seconds. So get practising in the pool during the week and we'll see you there at 12.30 next sunday.......

New Members buying gear

Dont rush out and buy all the gear yet. Wait and see if the sport is for you. Instead just buy the basic equipment. This gear should be bought A.S.A.P in order to start training.

Basic Equipment:

(1) Face Mask (Tempered Glass Only)
(2) Snorkel
(3) Fins (With Strapes)
(4) Booties
(5) Weight Belt (Optional for pool training)

This gear can be bought from: John Malone, Midland Watersports, Mulingar. 087 9180470.

Kilkee Search

The bank holiday weekend was our last dive trip away for this season. Ger and Noel had a night dive on the friday and a dive to Bearaty Mor and another night dive to chimely bay was had on the saturday. Unfortuantly about 8 miles south of Kilkee on Sunday, two Polish men were washed off rocks into the water at a place known as 'Tullaig Point' with the result of one of the men loosing his life. We were approached by the 'Kilkee Search and Rescue Unit' and asked would we carry out a underwater search for the man early on Monday morning, as the weather was due to get bad that afternoon. So at 07.30hrs on Monday, the Athlone R.I.B along with Lough Ree Sub Aqua Clubs and Kilkee Search and Rescue boat left the slip at Kilkee. Liam, Derry and Noel travelled on the rib while our divers travelled by road. This proved to be a good idea as the seas were rough, with 3 to 4 metre swells. It took about 50 minutes to get to the search location, the Shannon based helicopter was also on location when we arrived carrying out an arieal search. We proceded futher south to a place called 'Rosses Bay' and picked up our divers, who by now had arrived by road, and returned to 'Tullaig Pt.' Due to the bad weather and rough seas diving was only permited in one loacation, so in a team effort with the other clubs all divers were put in togeather in a line. The divers from A.S.A.C were Ger Loughnane, Ger Fogerty, Colm O'Reilly and Derry Mc Mahon, The dive lasted for approx 30 minutes. Unfortuantly the body of the man was not recovered and due to the falling light we were all forced to return to Kilkee. This just proves the the Athlone Sub Aqua Club can be at any time called apon to carry out 'Search And Recovery Operations' be it at sea or on the inland waterways. We will be carrying out Search and recovery training this winter for any two star or snorkeller thats interested in taking part..........