A brief summary – to be expanded at a later date.

Seven members of Bury SAC joined forces with eight from Sub ‘C’ sub-aqua club from Leigh, an Advanced Instructor Mentor from Chaumont SAC (Ashton) and a non-diver, for a completely self-sufficient expedition to the Summer Isles, from 09 – 16 July 2011, staying on Tanera Mòr, an island with only 6 inhabitants and no mains electricity. Each expedition member paid the full cost of £450 per person. The major problem to solve was getting a compressor across to the island, aboard a RHIB, so we could fill the cylinders. Expedition members organised the hire of vehicles suitable for transporting all equipment and towing two RHIBs, hire of the compressor, Skill Development Courses and food.

Meetings were held monthly starting in September 2010 with a debrief meeting a week after our return. A final report will be completed and sent to BSAC a month after completion of the expedition.

Courses various expedition members attended in preparation:

  • Oxygen administration – DT2-DT7 (organised by Bury SAC) – 21.11.10
  • Risk Assessment (organised by Bury SAC) – 30.01.11
  • Chartwork and Position Fixing (organised by Bury SAC) – several dates between 06.03.11 and 02.07.11
  • Seasearch Observer (organised by Sub ‘C’) 09.04.11 & 17.04.11
  • RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate (inc GMDSS) (organised by Sub ‘C’) – 01.05.11.
  • Compressor Operator (organised by expedition mentor, Jim Donbavand) – 08.05.11
  • First Aid for Divers (organised by Sub ‘C’) – 05.06.11

During the week on Tanera Mòr one diver from Sub ‘C’ continued his Sports Diver training, whilst 4 from Bury SAC carried out Shot Recovery (DO4) and Rescue Management Scenarios (DO5) towards their Dive Leader qualification. DL trainees from both clubs also undertook Dive Planning and Dive Management alongside an Instructor. All boathandlers increased their experience of navigation and use of the echo-sounder, acting as Cox’n and Deputy Cox’n on more than one occasion.

The diving was a mix of Wreck and scenic, with the scenic catering in particular for the ‘Seasearch’ part of the expedition, surveying areas which had not been surveyed for 30 years or more. The wrecks dived were the Boston Stirling – a trawler which sank in October 1985, the Jambo – a single-hold general cargo ship which sank in June 2003 and the Fairweather V - a modern fishing trawler which sank in 1991 and sits upright and incredibly intact in just 25m (so good we dived it twice).

Good diving, good weather, good company, lots of midges!!