We enter our 50th Anniversary Year after a year like no other, and with a deal of uncertainty remaining about the year ahead of us.   But we will be hoping and planning for a summer of diving and a fitting celebration of our Club’s long history.  Who remembers those ABLJs and wetsuits?  

November 19th and the committee gathered again on zoom for decisions on the AGM and planning for the year ahead with hopes of some good diving. 

Diving in a lake in September where the temperature and visibility plummeted into darkness at around 4m deep, but it was a wonderfully sunny day and just great to be out diving with friends again! 

Masked up, spaced out, and out on a boat again – to dive the Outer Mulberry off Selsey Bill.  Even the less-than-great vis didn’t dampen the mood!  

This week there were a few decisions to be made, so we were back on Zoom, discussing surveys, enquiries, AGMs, sailing trips, allotments and purple beans.  

Sadly, social distancing isn’t really feasible on the club boats, so they remain confined to barracks in the boat shed – but both engines were purring in a run up exercise in the shed’s water tanks during this week’s Thursday club night activity.  

HSAC’s first dives for 2020, and Giles’ first ever UK sea dive!  A cuttlefish appeared under the pier at Swanage, and there was even a little blue sky as well as the forecast rain!  

Finally, we’re actually planning a real dive in the real sea – Saturday 25th July under Swanage Pier.  The weather forecast could be sunnier, but several members are heading off for the coast in beautiful Swanage, with two types of face mask, new risk assessment, socially distanced buddy checks and great eagerness and anticipation to have a look at the life below the pier.  

This Thursday evening deep stop tables were the topic, with time for a chat in advance of diving in Swanage next weekend – venturing out for the Club’s first dives of 2020 under new social distancing rules.  

July 2020, a regular Thursday evening gathering on zoom, and we were transported back in time by a video of a sunny day out on the club boats diving the Mixon Hole in 2002.   Mike talked through the action, from launching the boats down the Bracklesham slipway, testing the engines, motoring to site, kitting up, buddy checks and rolling back into the water.  This sparked a discussion about what extras a new diver should remember to take out on the boat – woolly hat, sun cream, lunch, hot drink, tools, spares . . . . . .