GLUG Log Book 2016
To help you complete your dive logs and to reminisce on those times underwater, we've also added dive sites details on a number of those trips. Dive sites marked with an asterisk * are linked to an external website (Divernet etc) where you can discover more details about the dive site.
Wraysbury Warm Up Dive April
Organiser and Dive Manager : Fiona
Wraysbury Dive Centre
After the success of last year's early season warm up dive, the hardy GLUGgies once more got together to zip ourselves into our dry suits to blow the cobwebs off dive kit and dive bodies, excitedly (?) hurling ourselves into the 8'C lake at our current favorite inland dive centre. All went well with most of us getting in not once but twice for a cool dip punctuated by cups of tea and hot chocolate (naturally!) The Wraysbury pike was there to meet and greet us as were the (American) Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) - a non-native species that pose a massive threat to our own smaller native White Claw crayfish but the good folk at Wraysbury, in an effort to control numbers, hold catch and BBQ events. Knowing the GLUG appetites we should head down there to help out as we'd probably wipe them out in one sitting! :-)
Wraysbury Dive Centre
After the success of last year's early season warm up dive, the hardy GLUGgies once more got together to zip ourselves into our dry suits to blow the cobwebs off dive kit and dive bodies, excitedly (?) hurling ourselves into the 8'C lake at our current favorite inland dive centre. All went well with most of us getting in not once but twice for a cool dip punctuated by cups of tea and hot chocolate (naturally!) The Wraysbury pike was there to meet and greet us as were the (American) Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) - a non-native species that pose a massive threat to our own smaller native White Claw crayfish but the good folk at Wraysbury, in an effort to control numbers, hold catch and BBQ events. Knowing the GLUG appetites we should head down there to help out as we'd probably wipe them out in one sitting! :-)
Malta May 2016
Trip organiser and Dive Manager : Martin
Dived with : DiveWise
Swapping our usual temperate Weymouth May weekend, the GLUG boys and girls jetted off to enjoy some much needed early season sunshine and (relatively) warm water, meeting up in the Med for a fantastic week of wreck, reef, cavern and night diving in the terrifically clear waters surrounding Malta and its smaller neighbouring islands. Basing ourselves in St Julian's Bay, we were impeccably looked after by Viv and all her team at DiveWise. The majority of dive days were shore-based trips (very nice change for those of us land-lubbers with horrific sea legs!) mixed in with this we also had an exceptional day travelling to Comino by traditional Maltese boat, starting with a wreck dive on the P31, then a lunch stop at the almost unbelievably pretty azure waters of the Blue Lagoon, followed by a spot of cave diving which was one of the absolute highlights of the entire week. The final underwater adventure for most of the group was an hour long night dive where we were treated to a showcase of marine goodies including two octopuses (or if you prefer 'octopodes', but never 'octopi'!), a solitary hunting barracuda, moray eel, sooty sea hares and DOZENS of their (frankly terrifying) cousins the spotted sea hare (Aplysia dactylomela) - think creamy white rugby ball sized aliens imprinted with brown, coffee mug stain like patches <shudders> All agreed it was a wonderful, relaxed and fun-packed week which will be talked about for ages, definitely one to do again, and again!!
Dived with : DiveWise
Swapping our usual temperate Weymouth May weekend, the GLUG boys and girls jetted off to enjoy some much needed early season sunshine and (relatively) warm water, meeting up in the Med for a fantastic week of wreck, reef, cavern and night diving in the terrifically clear waters surrounding Malta and its smaller neighbouring islands. Basing ourselves in St Julian's Bay, we were impeccably looked after by Viv and all her team at DiveWise. The majority of dive days were shore-based trips (very nice change for those of us land-lubbers with horrific sea legs!) mixed in with this we also had an exceptional day travelling to Comino by traditional Maltese boat, starting with a wreck dive on the P31, then a lunch stop at the almost unbelievably pretty azure waters of the Blue Lagoon, followed by a spot of cave diving which was one of the absolute highlights of the entire week. The final underwater adventure for most of the group was an hour long night dive where we were treated to a showcase of marine goodies including two octopuses (or if you prefer 'octopodes', but never 'octopi'!), a solitary hunting barracuda, moray eel, sooty sea hares and DOZENS of their (frankly terrifying) cousins the spotted sea hare (Aplysia dactylomela) - think creamy white rugby ball sized aliens imprinted with brown, coffee mug stain like patches <shudders> All agreed it was a wonderful, relaxed and fun-packed week which will be talked about for ages, definitely one to do again, and again!!
15 May
Ghar Lapsi (cavern and reef) Two Tugs Wrecks (St Michael & #10) * (wrecks) |
16 May
P31 (wreck) Santa Marija Caverns |
17 May
P29 (wreck) M.V. Rozi (wreck) |
18 May
Um El Faroud (wreck) Wied Iz Zurrieq Night Dive (reef) |
19 May
Cirkewwa Arch (caverns and reef) Blue Anchor / Popeye Eye Village (reef) |
Weymouth June 2016
Trip organiser and Dive Manager : Martin
Dived with : Tango of Weymouth
Our first UK dive trip of the year saw us back again in the South West, enjoying Dorset dive hospitality. Despite the weatherman confusing sun with cloud (we were eventually treated to some quite spectacular sunshine), GLUG divers and friends enjoyed fabulous flat, calm water, better than expeted viz and an abundance of metal and squidge. The M2 especially had us all beaming, festooned with life with sightings of five conger eels no less! Our Welsh based Seasearchers were in nudibranch heaven, recording a number of species over the weekend on each of the dive sites. A wonderful start to the GLUG UK trip dive calendar.
Dived with : Tango of Weymouth
Our first UK dive trip of the year saw us back again in the South West, enjoying Dorset dive hospitality. Despite the weatherman confusing sun with cloud (we were eventually treated to some quite spectacular sunshine), GLUG divers and friends enjoyed fabulous flat, calm water, better than expeted viz and an abundance of metal and squidge. The M2 especially had us all beaming, festooned with life with sightings of five conger eels no less! Our Welsh based Seasearchers were in nudibranch heaven, recording a number of species over the weekend on each of the dive sites. A wonderful start to the GLUG UK trip dive calendar.
04 June
Durdle Door (reef) Black Hawk (wreck) |
05 June
M2 (wreck) Gertrude (wreck) |