Welcome to the Big Squid Newsletter for June 2015
Thirsty Squid night, our social evening, is on the 2nd June at the Railway Tavern in Clapham. We will be there from 7pm onwards. If you haven’t been before it’s very informal and friendly and you will be made to feel welcome.
Why Florida’s sea is full of tyres
Divers in Florida have started work at the bottom of the sea, to clear up an environmental mess made by people more than 40 years ago.
In 1972, authorities dropped 700,000 old car tyres into the sea.
Back then environmental experts thought that dumping them in the ocean would be good for fish and other sea life by creating an artificial reef for them to live in.
It also provided a handy solution the fact that rubber tyres couldn’t be recycled in those days.
But the plan didn’t work out. The tyres were washed across more of the ocean floor by currents and storms and started to damage the natural sea life rather than help it.
read more here
Coral exhibition
Jerwood Gallery Natrual History Museum running until 13th September
Coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse environments in the world and are home to almost a quarter of all marine species.
See more than 200 specimens from the Museum’s collection, as well as a live coral reef. Take a virtual reef dive and enjoy spectacular underwater photography.
See more
Portland 29th – 30th August
Our UK dive season includes a trip to Portland on the 29-30 th August
Whether or not you have experience of diving in British salt water you are welcome to join Big Squid on a weekend scuba diving trip to Portland.
We usually dive around Portland Harbour or Balaclava Bay. With 4-5 dives over two days on a mixture of dive sites comprising wrecks and reefs.
On Past visits to Portland we have spotted: Red Mullet, Turbot, Dogfish, Greater Pipe Fish, Lesser Sand Eel, Garfish, Tom Pot Blenny, Pollack, Mackerel, Cork Wing Wrasse, Cuttlefish. Trigger Fish, Giant Jellyfish and Spider Crabs,
More details here.
Stock Restructuring
We are continue to restructure the stock we hold and are clearing out items we have decided to no longer hold in store, this is resulting in massive discounts on such items as Lavacore, Fourth Element thermal clothing, Scubapro Fins, Aqualung Fins, Torches, reels and more. Stop by the shop before it’s all gone!
Pictures By Dan Charity
Dan Charity is a professional photographer as well as teaching for Big Squid and he has an online gallery of his pictures many of which are taken in UK waters. You can find them here
Meet Mike
If you haven’t met him already Mike Reynolds has joined the Big Squid team.
Mike is a PADI staff instructor and has been diving since 1999.
My favourite diving in the UK is at Swanage, Cornwall and Scapa Flow.
I love the freedom of diving and the feeling of gliding or ‘flying’. Its a new amazing world under water and always get to see and experience new things.
My advice to all divers new or old is to keep getting wet, experience and explore new dive sites but most of all keep practising those skills. Also remember to help keep our seas and waterways safe and clean – check out Project Aware.
Big Squid UK Trips 2015
Portland 29-30 August £199
Lundy 12-13 September £289 ( Trip Full)
Portland 10-11 October £199
Further details on all trips here
Upcoming Courses
Open Water Qualifying Dives 6th and 7th June
Refresher 10th June
Club pool night 10th June
Discover Scuba 10th June
Enriched Air Diver 15th June
Open Water Referral Course 13th-14th June April
Refresher 14th June
Club pool night 14th June
Discover Scuba 14th June
Emergency First Response 21st June
Refresher 24th June
Discover Scuba 24th June
Club Pool night 24th June
Rescue Diver 27th and 28th June
Open Water Qualifying Dives 27th and 28th June
Dry Suit Diver 28th June
Full course information is available here
Wraysbury Fun Dives
The Big Squid van will be headed down to Wraysbury on the7th June and again on the 28th June. Let us know if you wish to join us diving and we can pair you up with a buddy. We can provide full kit rental or just tanks and weights.