Aquanauts is pleased to announce the start of a new Archaeological and Conservation project team to work on projects important to our local marine environment. Run by our Instructor, John Mellor, we will be diving every Tuesday evening throughourt 2012, with our boat departing from Aquanauts at 6pm.  If you are interested in joining the group please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   You will need an interest in the local marine environment, and the willingness to learn new skills through Seasearch and the Nautical Archeology Society. Please be aware though that there are some prerequiste skills required to join our main project team, however we will train you up and costs are absolutely minimal, as courses are sponsored by ProMare.

Projects:

We have teamed up with Promare to work on the Liberty 70 Project, a study of the US Liberty ship James Eagan Layne beached in Whitsand Bay in 1945. We plan to help document and record all aspects of this important shipwreck, see the project web site. We will first be completing a biological survey of the wreck followed by detailed survey and mapping allowing us to produce a 3D model using accurate marine archaeological methods.

Once the team members are trained and experienced in underwater survey and recording techniques we will move on to more difficult tasks. The team will also be working with shipwreck expert Peter Holt supporting the work of the SHIPS Project  more information is also available on their facebook page . Plymouth has a long maritime history stretching back to the time when people first arrived in the west of England.  The remains of our history lie scattered on the seabed of Plymouth Sound and the rivers that surround it, so the aim of the SHIPS Project is to record, document and publish the remains of shipwrecks, aircraft, hulks, lost anchors and any other man-made objects on the seabed.  Geophysical surveys in the area have identified hundreds of targets that need to be located, investigated and recorded by divers; there is a lot to do so we need your help.

The Aquanauts project team will also be working with the Stop Dumping In Whitsand Bay group to help provide evidence of the widespread damage that the dumping of debris in Whitsand Bay is causing.  We will be performing underwater surveys of the debris field, and show how items are being moved by the currents to the local reefs. We will perform biological surveys of the areas as well as record silt depths where appropriate and make visibility recordings. All of this will provide data to show the differences throughout the year when dumping is and is not occurring, and provide key information to help get the dumping ground relocated to a less sensitive area.

Notes and kit requirements for archaeology diving:

• Price Of Dive: £15
• Divers must be qualified and competent to dive to 30m
• NAS introduction qualification preferred
• Competent in circular search
• Suiltable slate

If you are interested in helping or have a project that you would like the team to look at please email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 2012 Archaeology Boat Plan

TENERIFE CLUB HOLIDAY 19th - 26th October 2012

Aquanauts club holiday for 2012 will be to the beautiful volcanic island of Tenerife. This is a ideal destination for both divers and non divers alike as there is so much to do both in and out of the water.

Tenerife has a selection of dive sites of differing depths and difficulty levels, something to suit everyone. Many sites have dramatic volcanic rock formations such as basalt walls, swim-throughs or caves. Others are simply abundant with marine life, such as shoals of roncadores, sting rays, angel sharks or resident turtles. More information is available on the Events section of our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/AquanautsUK

PORTHKERRIS WEEKEND 8th - 10th June 2012

We're back to Porthkerris again for our annual club trip on the 8th - 10th June 2012.  We have booked the Cat and the Kitten for 2 dives on Saturday 9th June, with shore diving taking place on the Friday night and Sunday morning.  The cost is £40 for the boat plus camping fees payable to Porthkerris, there are still a few spaces left so get your name down and your £20 deposit in soon.  For more information please visit our facebook page or speak to the shop for Derek, the trip organisers contact details.

PREVIOUS TRIPS AND HOLIDAYS

Gozo offers some of the best diving sites, not only in the Maltese Islands, but to some extent even in the world. There is a wealth of marine life and the island's coast displays a variety of bays, coves and sea inlets with natural caves of all shapes and sizes.  The striking topographic structures continue under the water with an abundance of caves, chimneys and swim-throughs. These include the dramatic Azure Window and the Blue Lagoon, the vast Cathedral Cave which is illuminated by an alluring spectrum of blue and the spectacular Double Arch forming the entrance to a deep grassy canyon.
 

WEYMOUTH SUBMARINE TRIP 2nd - 3rd July 2011

This is a deeper wreck trip for the more adventurous club members.  The plan is to dive the famous M2 and Sidon wrecks both in depths of around 35m.  The trip is running out of Weymouth and there are options to camp or stay in a B&B.  Cost is £40 per day for the boat and this should be a very popular trip, ask Kirsty for more details.

PORTHKERRIS WEEKEND 25th - 26thth June 2011

Porthkerris's Little Kitten will be booked for 2 dives on the Saturday, with shore diving taking place on the Friday night and Sunday morning.  Cost is £40 plus camping fees,  for more information please vistit the forum or speak to the shop for Derek, the trip organisers contact details.

LUNDY ISLAND WEEKEND 31st July - 1st August 2010

Another fabulous trip for the Aquanauts club. Lundy lies off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic ocean meets the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America, a granite outcrop, three and a half miles long and half a mile wide. In the hubbub of the modern world it is a place apart, peaceful and unspoilt.The Lundy trip still has spaces, so get booked onto this popular weekend.  The boat will be leaving on Saturday morning for 2 dives around Lundy and will then drop us off on the Island for an evening of camping.  We will then be collected from Lundy the following morning for another 2 fabulous boat dives and possibly the chance to see a seal or two before we head off home, see Derek for details of this trip. 

 Red Sea Liveaboard 26th Nov - 3rd Dec 2010

Come along and join us on Aquanauts 2010 Red Sea trip on the luxury Liveaboard M/Y Blue Horizon. The itinerary we have selected is North and Brothers which will allow us to dive some of the most infamous wrecks in the Red Sea.  We will be based on Blue O Two's award winning vessel Blue Horizon which is one of the largest most luxurious liveaboards around.  With space for 26 guests all accommodated in en suite, air conditioned cabins, each with state of the art tv, dvd and cd players and mini bar.  More information can be found on the forum and is also available in the shop. Alternatively why not visit Blue O Two's website for more details on this amazing holiday http://www.blueotwo.com/  

SWANAGE WEEKEND  MAY 27th & 28th (2009) £85 + camping
up to 30m deep wrecks, The Kyrra, Betsy Anne, Aeolian Skye and a drift. Click here for more details 

RED SEA Liveaboard, JUNE 1st-8th (2009) £949
A remarkable itinerary allowing divers to experience the most notorious wreck sites in the Red Sea, including the S.S Thistlegorm, the Salem Express, the Giannis D and a couple of wrecks on the infamous Brother Islands. Click here for more details

THAILAND, DEC 2008 10 days £1200
TBA We're looking to take a 4 day liveaboard around the Similan Islands for some Manta and Whaleshark spotting, and then dive day boats from either Koh Lanta or PhiPhi with other activities available like free diving, rock climbing, paraseiling etc. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you're interested in coming along, and Watch this space!