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History Week 2011

History Week July 2009

The first History Week

The first History Week ran in July 2009 with good results : we achieved our objectives, we covered the historical ground and on the whole it was received well. A trip report was posted on YD by Gareth Lock. The trip report and photos can be seen here:

http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/trip-reports/93265-wreck-history-week-mv-halton-bob-anderson-kieran-hatton.html


While every week we run will be slightly different (due to people, logistics, weather etc) below is an outline of what we achieved:

 
Saturday                                                                                                                                                                  

Divers arrived at various times through out the day and, after being met on the boat, are left to settle in, fettle kit and get ready for the week ahead.
 
Sunday                                                                                                                                                                     

Dive 1:  Briefing then SMS Coln

Surface interval:  A tour around the old base at Lyness, looking at the role it played in both world wars, the salvage operations and taking in the museum.
            
Dive 2: Briefing then SMS Karlsruhe
             
We met during the evening to look at "Trafalgar to WW1" ship development and the political situation in Europe in 1914. Subsequent talks for the other days in the week were done during the steam back into port leaving people to use the evening as they wished.
 
Monday                                                                                                                                                                  

Dive 3: Briefing then SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm
             
Surface interval:  Walk up to WeaFee and the old underground oil tanks, great weather and stunning views!

Dive 4: brief then SMS Dresden

Spent the night in Burray so used the steaming time to look at the the defence of Scapa [blockships and barriers] then visited the Italian Chapel and barriers.  Group dinner in the Sands Hotel.
 
Tuesday                                                                                                                                                                  

Dive 5: Briefing then SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm [repeated due to popular demand and an excellent dive to "get your eye in" on a battleship.
             
Stromness for the lunch interval

Dive 6:  Briefing then Tabarka
              
Staying in Longhope for the night so used the steaming time to talk about the Role of Scapa and the early actions of WW1.  Cooked on the boat so we all ate together onboard.
 
Wednesday                                                                                                                                                            

Dive 7:  Briefing then SMS Markgraf
                   
A walk to the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Lyness
                  
Dive 8: Briefing then SMS Brummer
                   
Back to Stromness and used the time back to talk about the Battle of Jutland and the end of WW1.
 
Thursday                                                                                                                                                                

Dive 9: Briefing then SMS Konig
                   
Moored up in Lyness and left people to explore the elements they wanted to revisit, or sleep!
                   
Dive 10: Briefing  then SMS Coln [the beauty of revisiting the wrecks here is that you see so much more second time around they can look like a different wreck compared to the first day of the week].

Our final talk on the way home looking at the internment, scuttling and salvage of the High Seas Fleet.
 
Friday                                                                                                                                                                    

Dive 11: Briefing then SMS Markgraf [this was the most popular choice the final mornig dive, a good sign that the divers are understanding the battleships].
                   
A shorter surface interval today [but still 2 hours] as some folk on the 4.45 ferry from Stromness, moored up in Houton where people could get off if they wanted to or stay aboard and sort kit for the journey home.
                   
Dive 12: Briefing then SMS Karlsruhe, the final dive of the week, guys seem happy with the week and have been able to provide some really useful feedback.
                   
Back in Stromness some of the divers were straight on the ferry for those on the late boat to Aberdeen there was time to relax and enjoy a meal out in Stromness together.




Final thoughts:

 
Overall the week went well but the first we had run, it was always going to be a steep learning curve.  The general opinion was that it was generally about the right amount of info that was being passed across and that the talks were about the correct length, more visual aids would be useful [access to Gareth's photo's will be a big help here] and the addition of a second monitor to view the slides on was welcomed.  We have also decided that in the future the week will be run half board (ie with breakfasts and lunches provided) as with split groups this can cut down on the queue for the cooker and leave people with more free time to enjoy their holiday. 

We are hoping to run another history week in the 2009 season. Details will be posted on the website as soon as details become arranged, hope to see you on it.