News
‘Frogman’ Reg leads on BSAC club’s 60th anniversary celebration
One of Hull’s original ‘frogmen’ – now aged 90 – has launched a search for fellow scuba divers to help celebrate a historic landmark.
Great grandfather Reg Thompson is appealing for past members of British Sub Aqua Hull, the club he helped found in 1954 to join in its Diamond Anniversary festivities.
Amazingly, Reg only hung up his fins three years ago at the age of 87.
“It broke my heart when I had to stop, but my legs are not up to it anymore,” said Reg, now an honorary life member of the British Sub Aqua Hull branch.
“It means I get in for free!” he laughed. “When we first started out it was sixpence a week to join, which was a lot of money in those days.We went by the name of Hull Frogmen – myself and five diving obsessed friends.”
Reg has a treasured collection of photographs from his diving days but would love to see any other club photos or souvenirs from former members.
Hull’s Diving Officer, Trevor Jones, of Beverley, was inspired by Reg to take up diving. He said: “Reg knows just about all there is to know about scuba diving and has helped bring along so many of our youngsters over the years. He is a great character.”
Reg, whose home in Flamborough overlooks the North Sea, recalls how he and the other club founders started out by making their own diving suits.
He said: “One of them lads, Bob King, would come over to our house for tea nearly every night and we would obsess about diving, experimenting with homemade gadgetry. We operated on a shoestring, with hardly any funds. We made our own suits out of rubber sheets which were used at the time to line babies’ cots. We would stick them together with glue.
“Eventually neoprene came along which was a lot better. I remember making masks too, using rubber tubing and calor gas valves converted with an elastic band.”Our methods were very unorthodox in the early days.”
British Sub Aqua Hull, which currently has about 38 members, is keen for as many past and present members as possible to attend a 60th birthday barbecue at the aptly named Ship Inn in Dunswell on June 28.
“We’d love to hear from former Hull divers and to see any old photos or divingmemorabilia they can bring along to share with us. As a club we must have had more than 1,000 members pass through our doors over the last six decades so hopefully some of them are still in the area and able to attend,” said Trevor.
For more information about the Hull BSAC club’s 60th anniversary barbecue on June 28 at 7.30pm contact Diving Officer Trevor Jones on +44 (0)1482 862818.
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Book Review: Shells of the World
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Gear News
Go anywhere with Stahlsac
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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