Last Wednesday (July 19th) was a special night, once of those times when everything just comes together to make a great night. You couldn’t have had a better night if you had planned for it.  
 
The email from Fiona said Wednesday night dive, Howth, 7.00 pm ready to go. When Fiona is the DO, 7.00pm ready to go means everyone sitting in the boat, all the gear stowed, pulling away at 7.00pm and God help you if you aren’t ready you will undoubtedly be left behind to wave to us as we depart. However, the evening was warm, the mood was relaxed and the crew was in good form. A couple of phone calls to say that people were delayed by traffic would usually be met with a blunt tough, they should have left earlier, but not on this occasion. And so it was that at 7.30pm, the fleet departed with a full crew, including the latecomers and set sail for Lambay. (more…)

There is a rescue course on this Saturday 29th July. If you are interested in attending this course please contact Mike Whitty asap.

There will be a regional rescue test on saturday 26th of august.

Anyone that attended the rescue course earlier this year and would like to be considered for this test should email Mike Whitty for more details.

Is it the Marie Celeste or perhaps a photograph of Endurance taken during Shakleton’s ill-fated Antartic expedition?  In fact its a shot of the Jeanie Johnston taken on Wednesday night (July 19th) as we returned to Howth from the mid-week dive - click the image for a larger shot.  Jeanie was moored off Ireland’s Eye at the time.  Many thanks to Peter F for this super photograph.  More information regarding Jeanie Johnston can be had from the official web site.  Alternatively, thanks to those crazy guys down at Google, you can learn more about Jeanie Johnson (no relation) here. 

Report from Northside People.

I hope they had a licence!

FOUR Coolock diving enthusiasts uncovered a rare find last week when they managed to pull what they believe to be a 120-year-old anchor from the sea off Lambay Island. In a two and half hour operation, the divers, Kevin Darling, Johnny Hogan, Robert Murren and Derek Doolin, managed to slowly drag the anchor from the seabed up to Malahide Marina.
The origins of the anchor are still unclear, although the divers say they have narrowed it down to one of two possibilities.
Kevin Darling told Northside People: “We believe it is most likely from a ship called the ‘Strathtay’. If not, then there is the possibility it is from another ship known as the ‘Shamrock’.
The ‘Strathtay’ was a Scottish ship that was built in Glasgow in 1883 and sank off the north east coast, near Lambay, two years later.
“They are the only two ships that read more…….

 

Dublin 1-15 Offaly 0-9

Dublin became the first team to retain the Leinster SFC title in 11 years as a commanding second half performance saw them out-muscle 14-man Offaly for a 1-15 to 0-09 victory at Croke Park.

A bustling crowd of 81,754 watched Jason Sherlock bring back memories of 1995 - he smashed home a late goal right in front of Hill 16 - and a confident Mossie Quinn tally up 0-07 as Paul Caffrey’s side took advantage of the fading Faithfuls.

East Pier Howth,
Sunday 16th July,

Cliff Rescue Techniques 1pm.
Search & Rescue Display 4.30pm (RNLI & Irish Coast Guard). 

Howth Coast Guard station is also open all weekend for tours with safety information & equipment on show.

Ever a glutton for punishment, Les is organising a trip for this upcoming weekend to St. John’s point. Weather looks good so we hope to see more pictures like this.

Just back from Downings, what a week, brilliant weather, amazing diving and great fun was had by all. Basking sharks, wrecks, loads of life, 100m gullies, two boats in top form, rasher sandwiches and rabbits, what more could you ask for? Plenty of pictures and a report here. Thanks to all who made it  a great week.