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February 2009 | |
Well, things felt pretty wintery when I sat here writing the last newsletter but at least I wasn't surrounded by snow with a blizzard outside ! This is the one of the coldest (and now snowiest) winters in quite a while; does this mean we're in for a cracking summer to balance it out ? Let's hope so. |
Update ... what has happened in the club since the last newsletter | ||
Christmas Party 2008 |  | |
Our Christmas party was once more held at the Lookout at Durlston and was possibly the best yet ! We had a great turn-out, with three generations of IPSAC members in attendance, from our founding members Bob, Jon and Dutch right through to our new trainees Scott, Hadley and Fiona. As ever, Sally and her team did us proud with great service and delicious food. The main entertainment for the evening was the Golden Helmet Awards presented by Nick, including this year a new high-tech presentation ! A really good laugh was had by all, thanks to everyone who came along and helped make it such a memorable evening. More photos of the evening are in the Gallery section. | ||
 | New Year's Day Dive 2009 | |
It was freezing cold, and with easterlies for several days beforehand, we feared the IPSAC tradition of getting wet on New Year's Day may be broken. But never fear ! These conditions did not deter Nick and Terry, who were willing to jump in whatever the weather or conditions ! Apparently the vis wasn't as bad as previous years... well, that's their story ! For the more sane members who came along to watch, Jon, Jo and Dutch were at the ready with hot drinks and mince pies to warm us up; thanks to them, was much appreciated. |
January Monthly Meal |  | |
We tried somewhere new for January's meal; the Castle Inn in Corfe. Co-incidentally, it was also their 'Italian Special' evening, so pizzas & pasta all round. A good turn-out, we took over most of the pub ! |
 | Star Gazing Evening | |
Despite much anxiety on the part of yours truly, watching the forecasts all week & being convinced we would 'lose the sky', by some amazing stroke of luck, the clouds disappeared and we had a great evening at the new observatory at Durlston. We all took turns looking through the telescope to see amazing views of Venus, the Moon and various stars including the Orion Nebula. In between, we warmed up with hot soup and jacket potatoes and watched an informative presentation by Alan Jefferis of the Wessex Astronomical Society. A very successful event, which we may run again sometime. Thanks to Robin for suggesting it and helping with the organisation of food (amongst other things!). Also a big thank you to Jeremy for washing up all the soup mugs! |
Dive Coordinator Evening |  | |
Chris is running a series of 'How to be a Dive Coordinator' evenings and the first took place last week, with 3 members in attendance. I understand it was very informative and as a result some new, unexplored dive sites have been added to the dive plan, so why not test out our new coordinators and book yourself on them ? Chris is planning further sessions, so please contact him if you're interested. |
Up and Coming ... details of forthcoming events | ||
 | February Monthly Meal | |
The dining club continues with a visit to the Old Brick Pizza in Swanage (the replacement for the old White Lotus on the High Street) on Wednesday 18th February. Please e-mail me by Fri 13th if you'd like to come along. | ||
Visit to HM Coastguard |  | |
We have been in contact with Portland Coastguard (now based in Weymouth) who were more than happy to arrange a visit for us on Wednesday 4th March at 7.30pm. We'll get a tour of their facilities, biased specifically for us towards diving. Because of the distance involved and the timing, I'm not arranging any dining to accompany this, but I'm sure there will be some fish & chips available nearby! |
 | March Monthly Meal | |
For our March dining out event, I thought we'd try the Cock & Bottle in Morden. The pub does excellent food, if a little pricier than some, so if you fancy a treat, why not come along? Pencilled in for Wednesday 18th March; feel free to book with us now although I will send a reminder out nearer the time. |
Another Try Dive Evening |  | |
As per Chris's recent e-mail, we're considering holding a second Try-a-Dive evening on March 7th which won't be advertised but is for any family/friends you may know who may be interested. Its not aimed at anyone just 'wanting a go', nor is it for teenagers; we're hoping to recruit some long-term members who will stick with us and contribute to the club. So if you know of anyone, please direct them to the club site where they can follow the link on the front page to read more information and how to contact Chris. |
 | Web Site Update - Dive Calendar | |
A new feature has been added to the Dive Booking area of the web site, 'View Dive Calendar'. This displays all the planned dives in a monthly calendar format, with the same colour coding as on the main Dive Plan (red (cancelled), orange (provisional booking), yellow (reserve), green (confirmed booking)). This gives you a more manageable view of what's planned each month, and its easy to see what you've booked yourself on. Note that you cannot book a dive from the calendar, this all remains on the main Dive Plan as before. Springs and neaps are also shown. We hope you find this added feature useful. |
Full Face Mask at the Pool | |
The full-face mask, part of DWT's underwater camera and comms kit will be available at every pool session from now until the end of April. The plan is that members can become familiarised with the equipment in readiness for the Under the Pier Show. Chris will bring the mask and a spanner, you need to bring your dive kit (jacket, regs, bottle and a hood) if you'd like to have a go. Please note that you must be buddied if you want to try this out. |
April Events | |
Just a taster of events planned for April; full details will appear in the next newsletter: |
Dates for Your Diary ... a summary of what is planned | ||
18th February - February Meal, Old Brick Pizza, Swanage | ||
Pool Sessions | ||
The pool at Purbeck Sports Centre is available to club members on Saturdays, 8.00 - 9.00pm, up to and including 25th April, except 28th February, when there's a gala. Cost is £2 per person. | ||