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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Big Freeze
Great clear conditions but no-one able to travel to beautiful white Baltimore on ungritted roads - we went out looking for whales & dolphins the other day on flat calm seas, brilliant colours, wonderful sunshine but helas no whales. However, we did have loads of dolphins just a couple of miles south of the Beacon and went on to the Fastnet for a for a coffee break (no we didn't disembark, but just slowed down to enjoy a picture perfect moment), travelling back through Roardingwater Bay with a magnificent sunset behind us overlooking the islands.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Seeking the sun - between Christmas & New Year we'll be heading to Marsa Alam for a week's liveaboard followed by a 7 or 8 day landbased adventure with OonasDivers. All details available on our website and the holiday package has got better with good exchange rate, so why not join us if you can.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Congratulations to Tadgh O'Driscoll on completing the PADI Deep Specialty with dives on the Kowloon (twice), Whale Rock and Lough Hyne - all beyond 30 mtrs and using different equipment configurations. Well done.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Halloween spooky weather - forecast has changed somewhat since we started tracking it for planning dives Sat 30 and Sun 31 Oct. Perhaps some night diving in the calmer waters of Lough Hyne (we have the permits after all) and a Thai evening meal afterwards to warm up from the inside out might be good! We'll get an extra hour sleep too.....

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Forecast for bank holiday weekend shows W-NW for Saturday and NW for Sunday so good for the U260 if anyone is interested. Viz last weekend was 10mtr+ and water tempeture 14 degrees.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Looking forward to good diving conditions and calm sunny weather this weekend 16-17 October and certainly planning to dive the Kowloon and Whale Rock (great spot for sightings of octopus over the last couple of months). Join us before the dramatic temperature drop forecast from next week onwards !

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Diving on Sunday, 26 Septeber on the U260 departing 11:30 (so check-in at Aquaventures Dive Centre for 11 a.m.). Please call Rianne to book on 087-7961456
CFT Leading Diver Exams - good luck to the students in Baltimore this weekend with their test and hopefully all will enjoy the whole experience. Great weather - always helps.....
Great Red Sea holiday over New Year with 7 days live-aboard + 1 wk landbased (either option or combined 2 wk trip). See www.aquaventures.ie/trip_abroad.htm for prices and details.

Friday, September 17, 2010

18-19 Sept - Looking forward to a busy weekend with 24 divers hoping to do the Sub and Kowloon - good forecast with light winds predicted.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The winds this Saturday are again very light and we have neap tides. Good for exploring new sites perhaps? Winter will be fast approaching, so enjoy the good conditions whilst these continue. Give Rianne a call to book your place on the boat.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sightings yesterday included 2 or 3 risso dolphins (near Fastnet), a small number of harbour porpoises (south of Sherkin) and a minke whale (Gascanane Sound / Illaunbrock.
What a day! A trip out to the Fastnet in beautiful sunny conditions, diving the rock with brilliant viz & teaming with life/colours plus a seal to provide a little interaction. Then we rescued a rhib that got propped followed by providing a hardboat for helicopter exercise and finally a dive with at least 5 octopus..... and all with a nice bunch of diving friends.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Fastnet Lighthouse dive on Friday 27 August - good forecast with light winds (subject to suitable surface conditions/no swell).

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Great day with both boats dropping divers on the Kowloon Bridge today. Viz was affected by the stormy conditions earlier this week, but still a good 10 mtr to enjoy this enormous wreck. Sub tomorrow for 24 divers - forecast predicing a nice sunny day and light winds.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Brilliant forecast for this weekend (Sat 21 and Sun 22 August), wind 1 to 3 knots only! Therefore planning Kowloon Sat morning and U260 Sun morning. Few places still going - call to book.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Weather permitting, this week's dives with spaces still available: Monday am Kowloon Bridge / Tuesday am U260 / Thur or Fri pm Fastnet Rock.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Dolphins in large numbers are spotted in the Roaringwater Bay(approx 500) South of Baltimore harbour (approx 20). Hardboat trip to the U260 tomorrow morning (Sunday) departing at 8:15 and only a couple of spaces remaining.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Diving on Whale Rock and the Kowloon Bridge this Thursday (12th August) and some spaces still remaining. Great forecast and viz so call to book your space(s).

Monday, August 9, 2010

Are you suitably qualified and dived up? We have spaces on the hardboat for Sat/Sun 14 & 15 Aug to dive the Kowloon and U260 plus other non-slack dependant sites with good forecast and great viz.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

With very light winds forecast on Sunday morning, we're hoping to dive the Fastnet and there are still some spaces available. Weather permitting we could also try for the Kowloon on the afternoon slack.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Great viz, great company and great diving (Kowloon twice, Fastnet Lighthouse, U260, Whale Rock, Gascanane Sound and the Kedges) plus of course the pods of dolphins all helped to make it a great August bank holiday diving weekend. Thanks for all the individuals who helped with the chopping, shopping, cooking and eating - we look forward to seeing you again soon. Well done to Derek on completing the PADI Deep Diver specialty.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Snorkelling Tour tomorrow afternoon (Monday 2 August) with chances of seeing dolphins and minke whales as well as swimming with seals. Call to book your space(s).

Friday, July 30, 2010

Great diving conditions on the Kowloon Bridge today, but more changes to the wreck with collapsed sections of bulkheads. Viz around 10 to 12 mtrs and temperature the same! Wonderful pods of dolphins (200+) at lunchtime coming back from the Kedges.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Diving spaces for bank holiday w'end still available - hoping to dive Fastnet, Kowloon & U260 for suitably qualified divers, call to book your space. Also diving Fri 30th July if anyone is arriving early.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Tuesday 13th July - boat spaces still available for diving morning & afternoon with both wreck and scenic dives around 18 mtr depth. Call rianne make a reservation.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Half-day guided snorkelling tour - suitable for children from age 6 upwards - this weekend, including all equipment and hot drinks afterwards. Adults Euro 40 and Children 30. Call to book 087-7961456
Diving the U260 - still a few places available for this Friday departuring harbour at 8:15 - to book pls call Rianne 087-7961456

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Three more people successfully completed the PADI Deep Diver specialty - congratulations to Connor, Sarah & Richard. Despite a change of weather and more challenging conditions, not to mention a drop in water temperature to 10 degrees at depth, they performed all the tasks really well.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Diving the U260 - there are still a few places available for Tuesday 6th July planned dive to the Sub. Call Rianne to book 087-7961456 or email rianne@aquaventures.ie
Rescue Course - day one completed with skills practice including some very interesting search patterns performed by the 3 students. Water temperature was 18 degrees (but of course we stayed shallow to do all the exercises in only 3 or 4 mtrs of water).

Monday, June 28, 2010

Whale-Watching eco tour tomorrow afternoon - still some spaces available on the "Wave Chieftain", departing Baltimore Harbour at 2 p.m.
Sightings this week included killer whales, basking sharks, harbour porpoises, dolpins & seals.
Cost €40 adults / €30 youngsters under 16 & hot drinks provided. Call Rianne to book your space(s) 087-7961456 or info@aquaventures.ie

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Congratulations to Graham Waters & Richie Cahill on successfully completing the TDI Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures. Nice dives too on the Kowloon, Illyrian, Alondra, Arches, Spain & East Kedges and a basking shark during the surface interval outside Barlogue yesterday. Well done lads.

Friday, June 25, 2010

The TDI advanced nitrox and deco procedures is progressing well. The lads have done their theory and 2 of the 6 dives (with the exam this evening). Tomorrow's dives will include the Kowloon Bridge and Sunday's the U260 (weather permitting).
Jerry took a couple of professional photographers to the Fastnet lighthouse yesterday evening for some stunning pictures of the sunset and full moon. Check them out on http://ping.fm/Nthhs

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

TDI course starting tomorrow. Still some spaces on the boat this weekend email: info@aquaventures.ie

Monday, June 21, 2010

Diving the West Cork wrecks in superb conditions

Saturday morning's early sunshine promised another fine day of diving with light winds forecast. Everyone enjoyed a great breakfast with home-baked breads and a leisurely timescale to get the gear set up for diving the Kowloon Bridge on the noon slack. The viz was great at 12 to 15 mtrs, plenty of life but the most surprising element of the dive was the water temperature - a balmy 16 degrees (really!). Not so for the Sunday morning dive on the Submarine.

Again a good forecast and very pleasant boat journey out with a 7 mtr basking shark near the Sherkin breakwater. We didn't have time to jump in however as we had to hit the slack for the U260. The temperature going down the shotline dropped quickly from 16 at the surface to 12 at the bottom (around 40 mtrs) but with good viz and a relatively short bottom time of 15 minutes this didn't seem to bother anyone, including those in semi-drysuits. Every one enjoyed the dive, which is so special when you can see the whole wreck (66 mtr long and 5 mtr wide) in one go including the conning tower, open hatch, periscope, df aerial, propellers, gun mounting, ballast tubes etc etc. Also note-worthy was the fact that all 12 divers came back onto the boat with 100 mtr plus bar in their tanks so a safe dive profile for all.

The other 2 dives were a drift along the south Kedges on Saturday afternoon with beautiful gullies and walls covered in sponges and anemones with the occasional conger and crayfish watching us, and the Sunday afternoon on the Arches where a seal finished off another great weekend in Baltimore with Aquaventures.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Dolphins

Dolphins were spotted in Baltimore harbour this morning, both from the ferry and other boats as well as from the shore. A great sign of active marine wildlife close-up with sightings of basking sharks continuing too. The good weather will be with us for a little while longer as high pressure surrounds us. Long may it last........

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Another lovely dive on the Kowloon Bridge today with a group from Dive In Scuba (Joe & Audry Pryme) with sunny conditions and basking sharks on the return journey near Trafraska. The afternoon dive was on the colourful "Spain Reef" - a wall with jewel anemones, large lobsters, congers and blennies which everyone enjoyed. After a couple of drinks in the square everyone returned to the centre for a BBQ (cooked superbly by Prue = a true Aussie who says that's the only way they cook at home) followed by apple & rhubarb crumble. We're all looking forward to tomorrow's diving......

Friday, June 11, 2010

Guided Snorkel Tour


The Ballincollig YMCA came on a guided snorkelling tour yesterday and the rhib "Vagabond" headed out to the Kedges, hoping to catch a glimpse of some wildlife along the way. The sun was shining and the views of Sherkin Island & the Baltimore Beacon were breathtaking - as always you are reminded of the raw nature of the coastline, with no houses or man-made structures except for stone walls that were probably built over 200 years ago.
The boat navigated around the Kedges to look for the calmest spot and we ended up in the northwestern point - what we call "The Arches" - where we were joined by about 25 seals including with the group, even nibbling a fin here and there for the very calm amongst us (make a sudden move and they're gone). Somehow you lose track of time when snorkelling or diving but after an hour and a half everyone was ready for the entry back into the boat and a hot cup of chocolate, tea or coffee and a cruise back to the harbour.
We didn't spot any basking sharks or dolphins but everyone enjoyed seeing the seals, urchins, anemones, starfish, wrasse, pollack and big kelp leaves moving gently in the gullies.
Anyone interesting in a guided snorkelling tour - you have to be in good general health, be able to swim and all equipment is provided including diving wetsuits (very warm), mask, fins & snorkel, booties, gloves and snorkelling vest (buoyancy aid) and the guide is in the water with you for extra safety and pointing out interesting marine life. Minimum age is 6 and suitable for families and groups of 4 people or more. Give Rianne a call for further details or visit http://www.aquaventures.ie/snorkelling.htm

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

June bank holiday - Got wrecked !

The bank holiday weekend provided us with much better weather than the forecasters had predicted. We had very calm but overcast conditions on Saturday and dropped 22 divers on the Kowloon Bridge. Viz was between 14 and 18 mtrs and a number of divers had never dived it before - this is one super big wreck (920 ft long) and needs to be dived a number of times to get acquainted.
The afternoon dive was on the Alondra for the hardboat and the Arches for the rhib. Wave Chieftain on Sunday did the U260 (great sunny weather although wind picked up in the afternoon)and the pinnacle or 78 Rock (beautiful scenic dive for those who can't/don't want to dive to 40 mtrs) and the East Kedge on the return leg. The rhib did the south Kedge and Spain Reef. Monday's weather started "soft" and windy but still gave us a nice trip to Crab Rock in the Gascanane Sound, and a couple of us did an Advanced Open Water Diver course in the afternoon with navigation skills and a night dive. Great weekend overall and thank you to all who dived with us for your support and great craic.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Festival

This weekend head on down to Baltimore for the Wooden Boat and Seafood Festival. Build your own boat with prizes for design, floatability and yes - sail it in the race! Traditional boat races, parades, kids crab fishing competition and the wonderful food market selling the best that Cork has on offer. Music in the square and free plates of seafood with Guinness products.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Wreck Diving Ireland

Next weekend (June bank holiday) for those interested and dived up, we're planning on doing the Kowloon on Saturday and the Sub on Sunday. Slacks are good around neap tides and there are still spaces on the rhib"Vagabond" sorry - "Wave Chieftain" hardboat is fully booked). Contact rianne@aquaventures.ie or call 028-20511 to book.

Monday, May 24, 2010


Basking sharks were again spotted just south of Baltimore's harbour entrance today - if you walk up to the Beacon you should be able to see them there tomorrow as well, particularly with a light north-westerly wind forecast tomorrow.

Night Dive

Anyone interested in a night dive tomorrow (Tue 25 May), meet at Aquaventures Dive Centre for 9 p.m. You'll need a torch - please book by phone or email today (rianne@aquaventures.ie).

Sunday, May 23, 2010

ISA Diver Coxswain Course

Congratulations to Liam Keohane, Dan Hartnett & Paddy Finn on completing the ISA Diver Cox'n course over the last 2 days. It was a pleasure to have you with us and we wish you and all the members of Limerick Sub Aqua Club happy "boating" and diving with "Plassey Bird". You missed a sighting of basking sharks at the harbour's mouth after you'd gone home!
Jerry & Rianne

A beautiful bright blue sky woke us yesterday morning and we could look forward to a sunny day on and in the water. Two boats went out with divers. One to Tonelunga Rock on the north side of Cape Clear, just beyond the harbour entrance, the other to the northwest side of Kedge Island - a dive site we call the Arches. The visibility was better here than around Cape and the sandy bottom between walls, gullies and reefs reflected the light well. We had a couple of seals following us, showing off their agility and keeping an eye on what we were doing and where we changed direction. The second dive was East of Spain Point, again with gullies and reefs teaming with fish and pretty colours on the walls (anemones, urchins, starfish of all sizes including the purple and orange bloody henry, sponges and deadman's fingers galore). The lads with me were doing a few buoyancy skills as it was their first dive of the season. Despite relatively low temperatures we did two dives of just over 40 minutes and 18 to 19 mtr depth including our safety stops. Baltimore harbour is still relatively quiet with few boats, but it will no doubt fill up quickly, particularly next weekend with the Wooden Boat Festival and Sea Food Festival activities.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Diving this weekend


Boat Diving
There are still a few spaces available for boat diving tomorrow (Saturday 23rd May). Please call Rianne at Aquaventures to book. Depth will be around 15 to 20 mtr and forecast is excellent.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Diver Cox'n Training



This weekend Aquaventures will be on the water more than in it - as Limerick Sub-Aqua Club have acquired a nice new rhib and three of the club members are doing their ISA Dive Coxswain course with us. We'll be dropping some divers in the water too, as part of the skills practical and assessments on typical dive sites including a drift dive. The forecast is good and although there are classroom lessons involved too, a lot of the "work" is practical based so we look forward to perhaps spotting some basking sharks and dolphins around Sherkin and Cape Clear.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Night Diving

Last night's sky was littered with stars, no rain or wind and perfect for a night dive in Trafraska. Temperature again was 12 degrees and with low tide, we snorkelled out to gain a bit of depth and dropped into 6 metres for our descent. The visibility was excellent and there were a couple of huge spider crabs. One was just enjoying his dinner when our lights obviously disturbed him. He gave us an angry look, then took off from his perch on the wall and absailed, legs wide apart which must have measured at least half a metre, landing like a space craft in front of our faces. We reached one spot where there were loads of fish whilst other areas were totally deserted except for all manner of crabs. All cracks and holes in the wall had life inside peaking out such as smiley tompot blennies, gobies and baby conger. There were the usual urchins, common starfish, bloody henry and dahlia anemones. We had a pleasant 34 minute dive with maximum depth of 7.7 mtrs (nice and easy). Unfortunately there was no moon, hence no phosphorescence. Our UKC8 torches were wonderful and bright and we didn't need our back-ups. I love night diving but it does get too late in the height of summer when it doesn't get dark until after 11 pm

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Social Media

We're learning .................... and have set up a proper facebook page for Aquaventures Diving & Snorkelling (as well as the personal facebook pages for Jerry and Rianne - please become a fan or friend.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Diving in Lough Hyne

Despite fine settled weather, there are few divers around. We therefore resorted to getting permits for Lough Hyne to do some PADI specialty training (new drysuit for a dive buddy). The viz was around 8 to 10 mtrs and water temperature 12 degrees with plenty of fish life and a good variety of creepy crawly animals on the silty bottom and rocky walls. We spotted plenty of scallops of all sizes and the small ones were "flapping" or swimming around when starfish got too close for comfort - always a nice sight.
The one thing that stood out though was the presence of nudibranch eggs everywhere, on rocks, walls, shells - truly amazing in colour and shape (and more than I have ever seen). Of course this was a dive where I didn't have the camera - isn't that always the case!
We've enjoyed light northerly winds for a number of weeks now which meant the locations west of Baltimore were all good for easy shore dives and good viz. The hardboat will get back into the water for the June bank holiday and we'll look forward to doing the Kowloon Bridge and U260 that weekend with excellent neap tides. There are still some spaces left if anyone is interested.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Basking Shark & Orcas

Divers had a great time over the Easter weekend with favourable weather. Surface conditions were calm on the south side with NW winds, the sun was shining and despite stormy conditions earlier in the week the viz had recovered to 8 - 10 mtr. Those in wetsuits wished they'd been in drysuits though as the water temperature was only 8 degrees C.

Whilst dropping divers on the Illyrian Jerry spotted a small (3 mtr) basking shark very close to the shore. By the time divers surfaced it was still feeding and cruising around gently. We kept an eye out too for the 5 orcas that were seen between The Stags and Cape Clear the previous weekend but there were no further sightings of them.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

St. Patrick's Day

Congratulations IRELAND, on St. Patrick's Day - with mild temperatures and no rain, it surely is a day to be enjoyed relaxing, visiting a Parade nearby (Skibbereen at 14:30) and meeting up with friends.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Early Bird offers

For those on a tighter budget, Aquaventures now offers room only packages as well as B&B in The Stone House for divers this summer - subject to availability and prebooking. Check www.aquaventures.ie for further details.

PADI 5* Resort Centre

Aquaventures has upgraded to 5* Dive Resort status, formerly Gold Palm Dive Resort. PADI 5* Dive Resorts excel in providing divers with memorable scuba diving experiences, customer satisfaction, diver safety and underwater environmental awareness by providing professional and outstanding service.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Humpbacks and Dolphins

A lifeboat crew from Baltimore took the relief ALB Tyne to Kilmore Quay on Thursday and were blessed with fairly calm conditions. They spotted loads of dolphins along the whole southcoast trip and closer to Kilmore Quay saw other boats, hoping to catch a glimps perhaps of the humpback that featured on RTE news last Monday and Tuesday.
Check it out on http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1064981 as well as the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group website http://www.iwdg.ie
As soon as we have sightings closer to home (typically our area covers Galley Head to Mizen Head) we'll be running trips.

Group trips summer 2010

Anyone thinking of organising a group package with diving and accommodation there's currently 20% discount available on the website: http://www.aquaventures.ie/special_offers.htm (certain conditions apply).

UK divers - we can also offer tickets with the new Fastnet Line (M.V. Julia - Swansea to Cork overnight) and Stena Line on their routes.