Issue 3                                                                                                 February 2007

           Off-Gassing...

                                                      (Web Version)

Welcome to the third issue of our newsletter. 

There will be a DIVERS FORUM on the Tuesday 3rd April, at the Woodman Pub. Why not come along and make your views known? Everyone attending will get a raffle ticket, you could win a mystery prize.
A reminder from the Membership Secretary:- BSAC fees due 1st March 2007.
Remember, you are invited to contribute to the newsletter anything you think may be of interest.

Our congratulations go to Salli and Jason who were married on Monday 29th January.

Profile:- Phil Kinsman,  Diving Officer

 The Rez - Stoke
10th February

. Capernwray - Up North
24th February

NDAC -- Chepstow
10th March

MURDER MYSTERY
WEEKENDS
Please let us know if you are interested. Would probably sometime in September 2007. Open to over 16’s only.
.

Phil started diving in 1996, with PADI, while on holiday in Thailand. Phil was working in Hong Kong at the time so was ideally placed for some fantastic diving in Hong Kong, Philippines and Sipidan. As well as leisure diving Phil also completed extended range and cave diving. Whilst in HK Phil continued to the level of dive master, then it was back to “blighty” for some cold water diving!!

Phil joined BSAC and then looked for a local club with friendly, approachable people….PRIMA. It was a bit of a baptism of fire after HK - Phil’s first dive with PRIMA was in Blithfield in a 3mm wetsuit!
Armed with a dry-suit Phil continued diving and did his snorkelling instructor exam under the guidance of Al, then followed his advanced diver and open water instructor, then the fateful day arrived when Phil was “cornered” by Aggy and Al and asked if he would like to be the new D.O!
Phil has enjoyed his reign so far. His favourite moments include the dive planning & marshalling course, and looks forward to many more dives with PRIMA, the club he describes as “probably the best dive club in the world”

Advice – dive all year round, it makes you a better diver.

Cock-ups – too many to mention, but haven’t won the Brass Ass
 

National Dive & Activity Centre Chepstow

If you have not visited the National Dive Centre you have missed a treat. The diving area as a lot to offer in the way of attractions, depth and visibility.
When you arrive, there is a large car park, excellent amenities including changing rooms. Hot food and drinks. Its not over crowded and only takes 1.1/2 hours to get there. You board either a jeep or van that transports you and your kit down to the pontoons and back, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Attractions under water include, Amphibious Vehicle, Devon Aircraft, Troop carrier and swim throughs, and many more with a depth range from 0—80 metres. They are at present awaiting the arrival of a Jetstream Aircraft.
If you want to learn more visit their website at www.ndac.co.uk
The club’s next visit will be on the dive plan, early summer. Try not to miss it, it’s a good day out. 

Photo: Chris at NDAC
 

Animal of the Month

Editors Corner

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this months issue, and apologies for any mistakes.

Any further articles for next months edition would be appreciated, (any gossip, scandals, etc that’s printable) so let us know by 20th February.

Hope you enjoyed this issue.

Sepia officinalis  -  Cuttlefish
The European or common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis reaches a maximum length of 45 cm, although one individual has been recorded at 60 cm. The mantle (main body area above the eyes) houses the cuttlebone, reproductive organs, and digestive organs. A pair of flat fins span the entire length of it, and undulate when the cuttlefish swim. The head is located at the base of the mantle with a beaklike jaw in the centre. The jaws are encircled by eight pairs of arms and two longer tentacles that can be retracted completely into the body.

Cuttlefish can change colour due to structures  contained within its skin, which are filled with coloured ink which can be expanded and contracted to communicate with others or as camouflage against the landscape. These structures allow the cuttlefish to display numerous colours, and even change the texture of their skin.

The blood of a cuttlefish is an unusual shade of green-blue because it uses the copper-containing protein haemocyanin to carry oxygen instead of the red iron-containing protein haemoglobin that is found in mammals. The blood is pumped by three separate hearts, two of which are used for pumping blood to the cuttlefish's pair of gills (one heart for each gill), and the third for pumping blood around the rest of the body.

The name Sepia refers to the type of ink it houses within its body. This ink is used to deceive large predators when they try to attack the cuttlefish. When a predator is near, the ink is shot out into the water to confuse the predator, while the cuttlefish swims to safety.
Cuttlefish (Sepiida) are in an Order of molluscs that possess an internal shell called the cuttlebone.  The cuttlebone is made of calcium carbonate and plays a dominant role in these molluscs' buoyancy; it is divided into tiny chambers in which the cuttlefish can fill or empty of gas, depending on its needs. They are in the Class Cephalopoda which is the group that contains cuttlefish, octopuses, squid and the chambered nautilus.

The Cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, has been found in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic Seas. They are found in sub littoral depths, at around 200 m.

The camouflage of the Cuttlefish allow it to blend itself perfectly into the background, so it sneaks up on prey and shoots out its two long tentacles at lightning speed. It uses the suckers on these tentacles to hold its prey and bring it back towards its beak. The Cuttlefish eats crustaceans and fishes. Its primary predators are large fish like sharks, monkfish and swordfish. They are caught for food in Mediterranean, and East Asian cultures. Although squid is more popular as a restaurant dish all over the world, in East Asia dried cuttlefish is a highly popular convenience snack food