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West Lothian Sub Aqua Club
Scotland
Our History - 2006.

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December

19 Dec Committee Meeting at the Community Centre followed by Pool Training.
17 Dec

xmas dive team

Xmas Dive at Lochside Cottages, Loch Leven. Click on the image,above, and you can see more from the day. Thanks to Lesley and all her helpers for the delicious hot soup and chili, hot roasted chestnuts and lots of cake for all those present.
Photograph by James Anthony.
12 Dec Pool Training.
09 Dec Bad Santa and all the gang celebrated the Xmas Bash in traditional style at the Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn. Great food; dancing all night.
05 Dec Pool Training.

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November

28 Nov Pool Training.
26 Nov The BDO's attendance at the Diving Officers' conferance and the SSAC EGM in Stirling kept us out of the water.
23 Nov Sport Diver lectures at the Community Centre.
21 Nov Committee meeting followed by Pool Training.
19 Nov Queen scallopDiving at Rocky Point, Loch Fyne. The day started off pleasantly and calm enough but finished in teeming rain. A nice wee fire kept us all warm though. There were many of these Queen scallops, Aequipecten opercularis, at depths below 18 m mostly with a sponge covering to their upper shell. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
14 Nov Pool Training.
12 Nov bolicera anemone Diving and training at Furnace Quarry, Loch Fyne. A favourite sight on this dive are the beautifull Bolicera tuediae (Johnston, 1832) anemone that can be found below the old pier from 10 to 18 metres. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
7 Nov Pool Training.
5 Nov Diving and Training at Manse Reef, Loch Leven.
2 Nov Sport Diver lectures at the Community Centre.

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October

31 Oct Pool Training.
29 Oct cowrieA day boat diving from the MV North Star. Poor visibility made the diving less than perfect and although we managed to find lots of life at Wuddy Rocks at St. Abbs Head the dive on Bursetts Reef off Burnmouth was not so good. This site has great potential and we agreed that we must get back when the eweather provides better visibility to give it a try. Photograph of a European Cowrie Trivia monacha by Jim Anderson.
24 Oct Committee meeting followed by Pool Training.
22 Oct Diving and training at 12.9 Mile mark, Loch Fyne.
17 Oct Pool Training.
12/19 Oct oceanic white tip sharkA group of members are in the Southern Red Sea on a week live aboard on the MY Sea Flower. Photograph of an oceanic white tip shark,Carcharhinus longimanus, by Jim Anderson.
10 Oct Pool Training.
08 Oct Diving and training at South Gortein, Loch Fyne.
03 Oct Pool Training.
30 Sept 01 Oct Hyskeir
Click on this view of Hyskeir to go to the report of our autumn weekend trip on the MV Mary Doune. Photograph by Lesley Anderson.
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September

26 Sept Committee meeting followed by Pool Training.
24 Sept sea squirtsDiving and training at South Gortein, Loch Fyne for some and for others boat diving in lower Loch Fyne from MV Little Blue on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th. Photograph of the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis by Jim Anderson.
19 Sept Pool Training.
17 Sept crabsDiving and training at Kentallen, Loch Linnhe.
This was the first open water dive for Michael Milliken. Photograph by Jim Anderson of two male edible crabs, Cancer pagurus, facing off for the privelage of joining the female in the shelter behind.
12 Sept Pool Training.
10 Sept shrimpDiving at a new site on Loch Fyne - the Garden Centre.
We have been thinking about diving here for some time and today with all the recognised sites down the east side of the loch already packed, this was our chance. Lots of life, easy entry, a good training site and adequate parking make this a good find. Photograph of shrimp by Jim Anderson.
05 Sept Pool Training.
03 Sept snakelocks anemoneAnother super day out with skipper Paul Gallagher, diving on the MV Silver Swift from Oban. We dived at the cliff at Rubha Leth Thorcall on the Mull side of the Sound of Mull and after lunch at Lochaline Pier we dived at the cliff on Bach Island in the Firth of Lorne. Photograph of Snakelocks Anemone, Anemonia sulcata, by Jim Anderson.

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August

29 August Pool Training.
27 August Diving and training at Lochside Cottages, Loch leven.
This was the first open water dive for Andrew Macrae.
22 August Despite being locked out of the kit room at the Community Centre we still managed Pool Training for some.
19/20 August ballan wrasseTwo superb days diving at The Skelly's and Black Carr at St. Abbs. We were on Peter Giibson's lovely boat the MV Selkie and the 15 m visibility made for great diving for all. Photograph by Gordon Young
17 August velvet crabsA great midweek boat dive on the MV Thistle B II out of North Berwick to the Bass Rock.
Lots of lobsters and velvet crabs! Photograph by Jim Anderson.
15 August Pool Training.
8 August Pool Training.
6 August decorator spider crabDiving and training at Greenends Gully, Eyemouth.
This was the first open water dive for Margaret McKechnie. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
1 August Pool Training.

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July

30 July grey sealA day of boat diving for some of us, thanks to Gordon Young, at Siccar Reef and Seacliff where we were befriended by this young seal. Others enjoyed the climb up and down at Weasel Loch, Eyemouth. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
25 July Sport Diver Lectures followed by Pool Training.
23 July Diving at Craig'n Gelt, Dunbar.
18 July Sport Diver Lectures followed by Pool Training.
15/16 July Scyliorhinus caniculaA 'spur of the moment' couple of days diving in lower Loch Fyne. We contacted Malcolm Goodchild of MV Little Blue at Loch Fyne Dive Charters and luckily he was available. An excellent boat and a very knowledgeable skipper gave us superb diving over the lovely hot weekend. Photograph by Gordon Young.
11 July Sport Diver Lectures followed by Pool Training.
9 July Diving and training at Greenends Gulley, Eyemouth.
04 July Sport Diver Lectures followed by Pool Training.
02 July Diving and training at the Yetts, Dunbar.
This was the first open water dive for Ben Reid.

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June

27 June Sport Diver Lectures and Pool training.
25 June Diving and Training
20 June Committee meeting, Sport Diver Lectures and Pool training.
18 June PoggeDiving at 12.9 Mile mark, Loch Fyne where we saw this Pogge, Agonus cataphractus. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
13 June Sport Diver Lectures and Pool training.
11 June

Diving and Training here at Rocky Point, Loch Fyne. This was the first open water dive for James Maxwell.

Photograph by Jim Anderson.

08 June lobsterMidweek boat dive on the MV Thistle B II out of North Berwick to Craigleith. This was our first trip on this boat and we all thoroughly enjoyed the dive; lots to see. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
06 June Pool training.
2-4 June JellyA great weekend on the MV Silver Swift from Oban, staying at Tobermory. Click on the image, left, for the full story. Photograph by Jim Anderson.

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May

30 May Committee meeting followed by Pool training.
29 May Diving at South Gortein, Loch Fyne. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
23 May Pool training.
16 May Pool training.
14 May Diving at Dunollie Point, Oban where out west of the entrance point at 15 m we found this large,600 mm across, Thornback Ray Raja clavata. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
09 May Pool training.
07 May


Photograph by Jim Anderson.

2 excellent boat dives out of Eyemouth on the MV North Star.
We dived on the wreck of the SS Eastneuk down near Burnmouth then up at the SS Ringholm, aka the Peanut Wreck, and although the water temperature was a coolish 6.5° C we had great diving.
02 May Pool training.

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April

30 April Diving and training at South Gortein, Loch Fyne. The eggs of squid, possibly Loligo vulgaris, were seen festooned from the cable at 26 m. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
25 April Committee meeting and pool training.
23 April
Diving at Kentallen, Loch Linnhe on a beautiful day. This dogfish or lesser spotted cat shark, Scyliorhinus canicula, was found at 6 m near the pier. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
18 April Pool training.
17 April Diving from Peter Gibson's boat,MV Selkie, at St. Abbs
11 April Pool training.
8/9 April
Another superb weekend diving at Skye, Rhum and Muck on the MV Mary Doune.
Check the link on the view of Rhum, above, to go to the story. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
04 April Pool training.
02 April Diving and training at Loch Fyne.
Congratulations to Lorraine Graham who today completed her cross-over training from PADI and is now a SSAC Sport Diver.

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March

28 March Committee meeting and pool training.
26 March Diving and training at Finnart Pier, Loch Long. The visibility was down to 2 m in the shallows; quite a drop from the previous week.
Then onto the Scottish Sub Aqua Club AGM at Stirling University.
21 March Pool training.
19 March Diving and Training at Lephinchapel, Loch Fyne on a glorious day. The visibility is still over 12 metres but the water temperature is 8° C! A Great pipefish, Syngnathus acus, was happy to pose for a portrait. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
14 March Come and Try Night for Larbert Round Table.
We gave 10 guests the chance to sample scuba diving.
12 March The weather put paid to any diving today. We awoke to 150 mm of snow on the ground throughout central Scotland and snow continued to fall until midday.
07 March Pool training.
05 March A superb day out diving on the MV Silver Swift from Oban and dived down at the Garvellachs. Click on the Alcyonium digitatum , left, for the story. Photograph by Jim Anderson.

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February

28 February AGM
26 February Diving and training at South Gortein, Loch Fyne. Visibility at 15 m made the diving spectacular on the reef and cable. This was the best vis. we have seen at this site at Loch Fyne in many years.
21 February Pool training
19 February Diving and training at 12.9 Mile Mark, Loch Fyne. This big Turbot (Psetta maxima), that most of us saw, was the highlight of the first of the days dives. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
14 February Pool training
12 February Diving and training east of Strone Point, Loch Fyne where we saw lots of these large Pachycerianthus multiplicatus from 17 m down. Congratulations to Iain Graham who today completed his cross-over training from PADI and is now a SSAC Sport Diver. Photograph by Jim Anderson.
07 February Pool training
05 February Diving and training at Kenmore Point, Loch Fyne.
Congratulations to Eric Lornie who completed his Sport Diver training today.

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January

31 January Pool Training.
29 January Diving at Jenny's Reef, Loch Long.
24 January Committee meeting and Sport Diver lecture assessment followed by pool training.
22 January Diving and training at Seven Step Reef, Loch Creran. This juvenile, 50 mm across, Thornback Ray, Raja clavata was spotted on the reef at 14 metres. Photograph by Iain Graham.
17 January Sport Diver lectures followed by pool training.
10 January Sport Diver lecture followed by pool training.

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