Camping and Diving in August
Here's a dive trip with a difference! I thought it would make a nice change to organise a camping dive trip, I can think of a better place or time of year to try this. Now, I know camping isn't everyone's cup of tea, so read on for other accommodation options.
CAMP DIVING is a three day dive trip over the August Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 25, Sunday 26, Monday 27 August 2012 with Porthkerris Divers http://porthkerris.com/, a family run dive centre based on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. I've booked us on the Celtic Cat, a 45ft catamaran with a double diver lift for all three days, including two boat dives per day http://porthkerris.com/category/facilities/boat-diving/. Click on the following articals to review dive magazine articals about Porthkerris.
This is a wreck and reef recreational dive trip to a maximum depth of 40M. From memory, most of the dives here are in the 20M to 30M range, they include the Mohegan, Carmarthen, Volnay, City of Gwent, Citrine, Hera, Veritas, the Manacles,Vase Reef, Lowland Point, Chynalis Point and we can go scalloping in the Halford River, I found these wreck tours on the divernet site:
Shore diving. Porthkerris has one of the best shore dives in Britain, Drawna Roacks nestles under high cliffs, and is protected from all but East Winds. The beach drops away quickly towards a fringing reef at the northern end of the cove, that breaks surface no more than a fifty metres offshore, even at high water. Behind these visible rocks, a submerged reef arcs out for a further two hundred metres or so, accessing depths of 18 to 20 metres, depending on the state of the tide. So you can explore everything from the shallow inshore reef to deeper waters all within a three hundred-metre swim.
Getting below the kelp line reveals garlands of jewel anemones, tunicates, sea cucumbers and sponges. Don’t ignore the sea bed as this is home to all sorts of bottom dwelling fish, crustaceans, tube worms, anemones, sea urchins and, in the spring and summer months, hordes of juvenile cuttlefish. You'll also find marauding Pollack, the occasional bass, ballan and corkwing wrasse, cheeky cuckoo wrasse that peer right into your mask, and more unusual species such as red gurnard and John Dory. Don't be too surprised if you meet something bigger than yourself out in the bay during the summer months! From late April through to August, basking sharks cruise within a hundred metres of the beach and a pod of dolphins make regular visits so you can never tell what might turn up along with occasional seals looking for a "Playmate".
Camping at Porthkerris. A small number of camping pitches are available in the beach area, a few steps away from the water and Drawna Rocks, electric hook ups are available for caravans or vans by prior arrangement. There are showers and toilet facilities available on the beach in a block, dish washing sinks, a kit wash, and you can recharge torches and computers in the class room situated in the dive shop.
The Porthkerris Galley Beach Cafe opens daily from 9 am and is situated on the beach next to the compressor room, serving hot and cold drinks, Porthkerris burgers, fresh baguettes, jacket potatoes, panini's, cream teas, milkshakes and much more! It is an ideal place to warm up with hot drinks between dives and to satisfy the post dive hunger pangs. Catering for group events can also be provided, including a BBQ, fish & chips, pig roast, subject to prior arrangement.
The camping area is only a short scenic walk from the nearestest village – Porthallow, where you will find a lovely freehouse ‘The Five Pilchards’ serving good food and drinks and St Keverne is only a 5 minute drive away where there are a couple of pubs and a restaurant as well as a Londis, butchers and newsagents.
Accommodation options. You can choose to stay in a bunk house style log on-site or I can book you into a local B&B in Porthallow or St Keverne, if camping isn't for you - just let me know. If you'd like to camp but don't have a tent, let me know and I can sort that out for you as well.
This trip costs £225 for club members or £245 for non club members, it includes three days hard boat diving, two dives per day, lunch on board the Celtic Cat (sandwiches, crisps, fruit, chocolate, tea & coffee), FREE shore diving (usually an extra £5 per dive), FREE parking (usually an extra £2 per day), three nights camping fees (based on single occupancy), Fishing from the shore, but not about the Drawna Rocks (usually an extra £2 per day), on Friday 24, Saturday 25, Sunday 26 August 2012. If you're planning to share a tent, it's £5 per extra person, per day, so two sharing will cost £7.50 a day, reducing the trip cost to £220 for club members or £240 for non club members. Why not travel down early on Friday and get in a FREE check dive on Drawna Rocks, before boat diving on Saturday.
It excludes the cost of getting there (diving the 291 miles from SW19, South West London is the most ecomonical option, we'll sort out car sharing arrangements nearer the time), gas fills, all meals, drinks and general spending money. Air, Nitrox, O2 fills and a dive shop are all available on-site and we'll organise car sharing for those who need it or want to share petrol costs nearer the time.
Gas prices:
12ltr & 15ltr air fills per cylinder - £4 each.
3ltr air fills per Pony cylinder - £3 each.
12ltr & 15ltr cylinder hire, including first air fill - £7 per day.
12ltr & 15ltr Nitrox cylinder hire including first 32% fill - £10 per day.
12ltr twin-set air fills - £6 each.
12ltr independent twin cylinder air fills - £7 a pair.
12ltr manifold twin-set 32% Nitrox fills - £10 each.
12ltr independent twin cylinders 32% Nitrox fills - £13 a pair.
12ltr & 15ltr 40% Nitrox fill per cylinder - £ 7 each.
12ltr & 15ltr 70% Nitrox fill per cylinder - £8 each.
12ltr & 15ltr 100% Nitrox fill per cylinder - £10 each.
O2 is - 1.5p per ltr - to be confirmed.
Trimix & Helium prices, available on request.
Rebreather fills, available on request.
Sofnolime & Sofolime fills are currently not available, best bring with you.
Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres, and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some recent boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving, Deep Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents, will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch, having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended. Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 50 dives. If this is your first trip with the organiser, you will be asked to provide evidence of your certification and experience, remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.
To book a place on this trip, a £85 deposit is required, the balance is payable 8 weeks (56 days) before the trip, that's Saturday, 30 June 2012.
Booking and cancellation policy. Deposit refunds for cancellations made in advance of the balance due date can only be given once the trip is full and another diver has taken your place. For cancellations made after the balance has been paid, no refund can be given until your place is sold to another diver. If we are successfull, you will receive a full refund, minus any reduction agreed between you and the buyer of your place. In the event of adverse weather conditions or "force majeur" causing cancellation of the arrangements, your payment for that part of the booking will be refunded after the trip. This only applies to day boat charter fees, it excludes accommodation, admission fees and liveaboards, unless specifically stated in the trip details.
Health and saftey on the trip. It is important you listen carefully to all safety briefings while you are on this trip and follow the instructions you are given at all times, both in and out of the water. Make sure you dive within the limits of your dive certification, experience and comfort level. If you experience a dive related problem, make others aware of it immediately. Familiarise yourself with each dive site where possible and agree a dive plan with your buddy. In an emergency, you are reminded you have responsibility for the first actions to effect a successful rescue, without endangering yourself.
Please note. Care has been taken to ensure the information about this trip is both a fair and accurate representation of what you will receive and the magnitude of cost you will incur. Neither Dive Wimbledon or the trip organiser accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes which may result in an increase in cost and/or changes to the itinerary. By booking a place/s on this trip, you accept that Dive Wimbledon and the trip organiser have no duty of care to you or others on the trip and understand we are merely facilitating the hire of the boat and accommodation.
For more information, diver training courses and to hire dive gear at competitive rates:
Contact Roger and the team at Dive Wimbledon on 020 8540 6874