Oct
23
2011
Night Divers
Well done the Mannion family on successful completion of their PADI Night Diver Specialty course. The final dive of the course involved planning and conducting their own night dive, and it all went swimmingly!
We also had our PADI Advanced Open Water Course night dive last night, and our Divemaster trainee gaining experience in leading divers after the sun goes down.
Oct
15
2011
Open Water Diver Course this afternoon
Sunshine greeted our six new students this morning for day one of their PADI Open Water Diver Course. Any pre-dive anxiety was quickly replaced with excitement as soon as they saw where they would be training! … our beautiful sheltered cove. All were eager to get out there, so the first classroom session ‘Module One’ was dealt with thoroughly, and then it was off to explore the shallows in beautiful Atlantic water, all under the direct supervision of PADI Insrtuctors Cillian and Andrew.
Their first impressions? ….’Wow, loads of marine life!’…. ‘Toasty warm!’ …’clear, clean water’… ‘I’m starvin!’
‘This is the way to learn to dive!’
Sep
18
2011
The winners of our 2011 Photo Competition were announced at our Annual Gala Dinner lastnight. A big thank you to all who helped make the competition possible, Mark Evans, Editor of Sport Diver Magazine for judging the winners, the equipment suppliers and local businesses for sponsoring the prizes and Tom for the website. Congratulations to the lucky winners and thanks to all who entered. We look forward to getting started on the 2012 Competition next year.
Macro Category Winners
'Cuckoo - Fanore' by Kieran Tolan
In 3rd place, Kieran Tolan won a voucher for Dinner for 2 people in the Bard’s Den, Letterfrack with this shot of a Cuckoo Wrasse
'Jewel Anemones' St John's Pt by Joe Hyland
2nd Place went to Joe Hyland for this beautiful shot of Jewel Anemones. Joe wins an IST T-100 Dive Torch
'Sputnik' by Jimmy Griffin
The winning shot was Jimmy Griffin’s vibrant photo of a Dahlia Anemone taken on the Inish Turk Dive Safari. Jimmy received a Suunto D4i Dive Comuter with Dive Manager.
Wide Angle Category Winners
'Laurentic - Gun' by Joe Hyland
3rd place was awarded to Joe Hyland for this shot of a diver and gun on the wreck of the Laurentic. Joe wins an Annual subscription to Sport Diver Magazine.
'UC 42, where 27 lie' by Tom Brett
Tom Brett took 2nd place with this stunning shot of the UC 42 sub in Cork. Tom will be toasty warm all winter in his new Fourth Element 3 piece Arctic Thermals, well done Tom.
'John Dory, Girl Arlene Wreck' by Ivan Donoghue
Ivan Donoghue took 1st place with his shot of a diver and John Dory on the wreck of the Girl Arlene. Ivan receives a Scubapro Mk17/C300 regulator.
Above Water Category
'Inishbofin Gul' by Colin Philips
3rd place goes to Colin Philips for this simple shot of a young seagul on Inishbofin. Colin wins a voucher for a massage and seaweed bath at the Connemara Seaweed Baths.
'Dolphins' by Matthew Hutchinson
Matthew Hutchinson’s beautiful shot of Dolphins takes 2nd place. Prize – Dinner for 2 people at the Maol Reidh Hotel, Tullycross
'Good Morning' by Brendan Nolan
The winner of the Above Water Category is Brendan Nolan for his photo of an early morning scene in Connemara. Brendan receives a voucher for a mid-week break for 2 people in the Renvyle House Hotel.
Sep
12
2011
Ciaran O' Murchu, 2010 competition
Hairdo by Martin Keily, 2010 competition
Excitement is mounting about this Saturday’s GALA Dinner. Many of you have already signed up to this great night out. We have already been made aware of some rather interesting charachters that will be attending! Well it is the ‘Ted Fest’ after all! Tickets are still available and cost €35. This includes a 3 course meal and drink’s reception. Don’t forget we will also be announcing the winners of our 2011 Photo Competition on the night, and showcasing some of our favourite entries. A full schedule of boat diving will also be in action, with 10am and 2pm boat departures on Saturday and Sunday. Give us a call for your ticket, and we can also advise you on accommodation for the night; the Maol Reidh Hotel still has some rooms available, and at a special rate for divers. There are also plenty of other accommodation options available, and we will arrange a taxi service on the night. Call us now so you don’t miss THE night out of the year!
Sep
2
2011
Click above link for map and details, and below for further information at
http://ironmanireland.com/local-info/
The ironman 70.3 Galway, Ireland. Sunday, September 4, 2011
1.9-km swim / 90-km bike / 21.1-km run!
Traffic access to and from Connemara and Galway on Sunday 4th September is restricted to the Maam / Cong/ Headford route from 7am to 2pm, so if you are travelling from Galway to Connemara on Sunday morning, go via Headford, Cong , Maam, Leenane and avoid the N59.
Good luck to all the Ironman competitors!
Sep
1
2011
Our 2011 photo competition is free to enter, at www.competitionssdw.com with great prizes…..
This Year’s Prizes
The Best of Ireland Underwater, Macro Category Prizes
1st 1st prize – Suunto D4i Dive Computer including Dive Manager software
2nd prize – IST T-100 Dive Torch
3rd prize – Voucher for dinner for 2 people in the Bards Den, Letterfrack
The Best of Ireland Underwater, Wide Angle Category Prizes
1st 1st prize – Scubapro Mk17/C300 Regulator
2nd prize – Fourth Element Arctic Thermals (3 piece set)
3rd prize – Annual Subscription to Sport Diver Magazine
The Best of the West: Connemara Overwater Category Prizes
1st 1st prize – Voucher for a mid-week break for 2 people in the Renvyle House Hotel
2nd prize – Voucher for dinner for 2 people in the Maol Reidh Hotel, Tullycross
3rd prize – Voucher for a massage and a seaweed bath in the Connemara Seaweed Baths, Leenane
Scubadive West thanks all of our generous sponsors for their contribution to this competition.
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Here are the winning photos from the 2010 competition.
3rd Place: Connemara Above Water ‘Unicorn near Lough Inagh’ by Bogna Griffin
Prize: Dinner for 2 in the Maol Reidh hotel
2nd Place: Connemara Above Water ‘Sunset near Leenane’ by Mike Barry
Prize: Scubadive West Discover Scubadiving for 2 people
1st Place: Connemara Above Water ‘Kylemore Lough’ by Eric Grundy
Prize: Renvyle House Hotel Weekend Stay for 2 people
3rd Place: Ireland Underwater Wide Angle ‘ The Eye, Inis Turk’ by Tom Brett
Prize: £100 Oonas Diver holiday voucher
2nd Place: Ireland Underwater Wide Angle ‘Spirit of the Sea’ by Kate Hamsikova
Prize: Fourth Element Ozone Outer Layer thermal system
1st Place: Ireland Underwater Wide Angle ‘Three’s a Crowd’ by Ciaran O’Murchu
Prize: Suunto Vyper Air Computer & Transmitter
2nd Place: Ireland Underwater Macro ‘Seahare Carraroe’ by Joe Hyland
Prize: Scubapro UWATEC Tec 2G Dive Computer
3rd Place: Ireland Underwater Macro ‘Hairdo in Doolin’ by Martin Kiely
Prize: Scubapro Twin Jet Max fins
1st Place: Ireland Underwater Macro ‘Rainbow Torpedo at Scubadive West reef’ by Patrick Rooney
Prize: Scubapro MK25/A700 regulator
Aug
29
2011
Deep dive at Llechog Preachan
Great dives at 10am and 2pm this weekend
Sunny out to sea.
