Sheephaven Sub Aqua Club Notes:
Sheephaven Sub Aqua Club was proud to host a regional Search & Recovery (SAR) course over the weekend, welcoming divers from Sheephaven, the Rosses, Donegal Bay, and Inishowen dive clubs.
The course began on Friday evening with a series of lectures covering the theoretical foundations of SAR diving. Topics included diver safety, search environments, and the protocols surrounding underwater recoveries—essential knowledge for any diver involved in search operations.
On Saturday morning, candidates and instructors gathered at Portnablagh Pier for the practical, in-water portion of the course. They were joined by additional members from Sheephaven and Inishowen who were participating in a compulsory club training session. These ongoing sessions are vital in ensuring our volunteer SAR teams remain ready for call-outs at all times.
The weather was ideal, with sunshine and excellent sea conditions. However, the low tide presented a challenging environment—perfect for realistic training, as SAR operations must be effective in all scenarios. Throughout the day, participants completed various exercises, including line searches, compass diving, and two-diver rope searches. All participants passed with flying colours and will now go on to support their home clubs’ SAR teams, helping to strengthen the invaluable voluntary diving services throughout the county.
Training continued on Sunday, albeit in wetter and windier conditions, for those who were unable to attend on Saturday. They were joined by snorkellers and divers for the club’s regular Sunday morning outing. Water temperatures remain at 10°C, with visibility continuing to improve. Divers and snorkellers reported an abundance of marine life, including several spider crabs of varying sizes.
A special moment of the weekend was the presentation of a framed copy of Anna McLaughlin’s article, “Snorkelling into a New Life,” featured in the Autumn 2024 edition of Subsea, Diving Ireland’s magazine. Anna shared her inspiring journey from kayaker and sea swimmer to fully trained snorkeller with Sheephaven SAC. Her dedication culminated in an incredible snorkel from Tory Island to Magheraroarty with her fellow club members, covering 15.1 km in 5 hours and 3 minutes—an extraordinary feat for someone who only took up snorkelling a few years ago.
All in all, it was a busy and rewarding weekend for Sheephaven SAC. A huge thank you goes out to all the instructors who generously volunteered their time and expertise—your commitment keeps these essential skills alive and thriving.
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