DECEMBER 2005

 

CLUB NEWS

RECENT GOSSIP & HIGHLIGHTS

 

TRAINING IS VERY BUSY!

The Sports Diver Course ran in the second & third weeks in September well done those that took part.

 

The Dive Leader course is currently running.

 

The next Ocean Diver course is planned for Jan 2006 with the open water sessions in Kapalai.

 

We are hoping to run some short courses in the monsoon season on O2 administration, Boat Handling and Practical Rescue Management.  Watch out for e-mails on this.

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO…

Niall Horan on finishing his Dive Leader Qualification, and to Evert Moes, Niall Horan, Paul Harrison, Doug Bell, Christoph Zerbst and Dave Outhwaite on passing their Diver Cox'n assessment.

 

COMMITTEE CHANGES

You probably know J Peer left us mid November and is now back in London.  Dale Chenery is off at the end of the year to the same location and Doug Bell will be off to Sakhalin (take those thermals and dry suits) Q1 2006.  So changes are afoot.

 

We have some early volunteers for these positions with Stan Groff stepping up into a general Equipment Officer role covering the boat and dive equipment.  He has help though in the form of Jim Bray, Evert Moes and Jason Taylor.  We’ll keep you posted but if you are interested in any positions please ask a committee member.

 

END OF SEASON BBQ

This will be held 3rd Dec (I know a lot of you are busy).  6pm onwards at the beach shelter come by for a chat if you're out for that early evening run!

 

PSAC NEWSLETTER

Committee members:  Doug Bell, (Chairman) Mark Tuttle (Diving Officer), John Elder (Environmental Officer), Dave Outhwaite (Training Officer), Paul Harrison (Secretary), Shona MacDonald (Treasurer), Dale Chenery/Justin Peer (Equipment/Boat Officer outgoing), Stan Groff (incoming with help), Kath Silva (Social Secretary)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT

You saw it here first but the Jubilee Prize was mentioned in the Borneo Bulletin.  Want a copy of the DVD of Life Beneath the Platforms? Contact Shona (work) 3373407 (home) 3333586 or Anna Elder (3333559).

 

 

Now the safety stuff…

 

Well it’s probably the end of the dive season but if there’s good weather don’t worry the Marshall’s will be sending out dive e-mails still.

 

However a few things for you all to think about in the off-season are;

 

·  the state of your dive kit,

 

·  how you store it,

 

·  do you need anything servicing,

 

·  are you fit to dive.

 

In addition to your annual self-certification, PSAC requires that you have a valid UK Sport Diver Medical Certificate. These are valid for 5 years if you are under 40, 3 years for those aged 40-50 and 1 year for those over 50.

 

Panaga Health Centre can carry out this check for you if you book ahead. Contact any of the committee for the relevant forms to fill in.

 

You will not be allowed on the boat to dive if your medical is not current.

 

For the interesting local wildlife bit, see below:-

 

 

30th October 2005:  Chironex fleckeri spotted at AMRJ-01

 

"Chironex fleckeri, the deadliest of the box jellyfish, was observed swimming vigorously by one of the bracings of AMRJ-01 out towards the open ocean. Depth 16 - 18 metres; weather, slightly choppy, partially cloudy. Length of bell 10 cm; length of tentacles 30 – 40 cm. This sighting was impressive and scary. We were swimming only a metre from this jellyfish and my buddy drew my attention to it."

This jellyfish has caused more fatalities at sea than any other creature. Deaths are reported annually from Queensland and North Australia where people are prohibited from entering the water at certain times of year. Fatalities also occur in Sabah and Labuan, and in 1982, a child died 10 minutes after being stung at Luak Bay south of Miri.

These box jellyfish are not common, but present in the water column, and occasionally get washed ashore. Dr. Holloway (1998) found a  Carybea atata grandis on the Panaga beach. These creatures sting even when dead; detached tentacles also.

The author has encountered the Carybdea sp., at 6 metres over the Toho Maru in 2003, at 20 metres on AMDP-27 in 1994 and on the Panaga beach the same year.

"19th February 1994. Example of Carybdea alata grandis swimming horizontally at AMDP-27 (10 n. miles offshore). Depth 20 metres; weather calm and sunny. Length of bell c. 20 cm; length of tentacles c. 3 - 4 metres. One tentacle was much more extended than the others (> 5 metres ?)."

 

The sheer quantity of tentacles coupled with a devastatingly virulent toxin makes this the deadliest jellyfish.

 

PREVENTION: Wear a full body covering, such as a stinger suit. Children are more at risk than adults due to their large skin area / body mass ratio.

 

TREATMENT:  The tentacles will contract and adhere to the skin. Vinegar is extremely effective at stopping the remaining cells from firing. Remove the tentacles with some object but do not get stung yourself. The victim will become irrational with the pain that spreads throughout the body. The poison is denatured at high temperatures (46 C). Be prepared to give artificial ventilation and get the victim to hospital immediately, for without the anti-venom, recovery may be difficult, even impossible.