News
BSAC Club that brought scuba diving to South Wales marks its 60th
A BSAC club responsible for inspiring generations of diving enthusiasts in South Wales is celebrating 60 years of underwater adventure.
Newport Sub-Aqua Club was formed in 1956 – the same year Elvis made his first national TV appearance and released ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ – and was the very first club to be launched by BSAC in South Wales.
To celebrate six decades of history, the club has released a gallery of historic photos from an anniversary exhibition depicting its diving adventures then and now.
Over the years, the club’s members have travelled across the globe. Exploits have included taking an active role in research projects on historic wrecks and helping recover a sunken boat at Llandegfedd reservoir.
The club has in the past assisted the Severn Area Rescue Association in providing marshalling and safety boat cover for Newport’s waterfront festivals. Members have taken part in countless diving expeditions to the Red Sea, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, The Canaries and Malta to name but a few.
Former members have also recalled memories of the club’s early diving exploration when divers were tasked with making their own wetsuits and the closest thing to a drysuit was a wartime submarine escape suit.
Among those to feature in the anniversary celebrations was former member and renowned author, treasure hunter and wreck diver, George Edmunds. As one of Newport SAC’s earliest members, George has fond memories of its inaugural underwater explorations which he credits for sparking a lifelong passion for wreck diving and coastal history.
“When I joined the club in the late fifties they still called us frogmen, it was a throwback to the war years,” said the 75-year-old retired engineer, who grew up in Newport and ran a vehicle electrics business there.
“We had to make our own suits in those days. You couldn’t buy diving suits, you had to make your own suit out of a sheet of neoprene. You cut it out like a tailor suit.
“The only drysuits were submarine escape suits in bright orange. I paid 15 shillings in old money for one which is about 75p.
“Our first boat was a 10ft Avon dinghy with a 15 horsepower engine. It was very small and rudimentary but we went out in all weathers and didn’t worry about the currents or tides at that time.
“They were great days when I think back. There was lots of sea life to see. We used to go out from a cove in Martin’s Haven where we’d collect scallops and sea urchins. In later years, we would go further afield.”
Newport SAC trains at Dyffryn Comprehensive School’s pool for shallow training, and for deeper diving they use Monmouth Pool and the National Diving Centre in Chepstow and other dive sites across West Wales. Members are keen to encourage young divers into the sport and promote marine conservation to help the younger generation gain respect for their environment.
The club’s current Diving Officer, diving instructor Dave Summers, has been a member for more than 35 years after joining in early 1980s as a 28-year-old.
“There are still a lot of people who learn to dive and want to belong to a club,” said the 68-year-old retired quantity surveyor, “I would recommend anyone giving it a try.
“Diving is one of those sports which you just have to do. And once you start, whenever you see water you just want to be on it or under it. It’s so enthralling, you can’t think about anything else. It’s a completely new world, a serene environment, and everyday life vanishes.”
The diving instructor said the club was proud of its history and was firmly focused on securing its presence for another 60 years.
“It’s a great achievement to reach 60 years. We were the only club in South Wales at one point and kicked off diving in South Wales. Our history is the history of diving itself in South Wales.”
Mary Tetley, chief executive of BSAC said: “Newport SAC is among the oldest in the UK and so it’s a huge achievement to celebrate 60 years of diving.
“It’s been wonderful to hear some of the stories from the club’s history and the exhibition photographs offer a lovely insight into diving through six decades.
“We wish all the members the best for the future and hope they will continue to inspire future generations of divers to join the BSAC family.”
Newport Sub-Aqua Club is always keen to sign up more members. For more information visit www.newportbsac.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
-
News3 months agoHone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Gear Reviews2 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit