News
HRH The Duke of Cambridge takes the lead at BSAC
The Duke of Cambridge will follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather to become BSAC’s new President.
He has spoken of how he hopes his Presidency will inspire his little son George and other youngsters to explore the underwater world.
The Duke has taken over the lead from his father, The Prince of Wales, who took over the Presidency from his father, The Duke of Edinburgh.
And he has marked his new presidency by writing a foreword for the June 14 issue of SCUBA magazine.
In the June issue, which is out from the 12 May, The Duke wrote: “Just like my grandfather and my father, I am proud to say that I learnt to dive with BSAC, and share your passion for the sport and the underwater world.
“I hope that one day my son, George, will also experience the wonders that snorkelling and scuba diving have to offer.”
BSAC outgoing Chair, Clare Peddie, said: “This is a very proud moment in BSAC’s history to welcome The Duke of Cambridge after his father and grandfather before him.
“It comes just after BSAC’s diamond jubilee and having The Duke at the helm of our organisation as we move into a new era is a huge and special privilege.
“It is also a chance for us to say thank you to his father, Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, for the four decades of committed service he has given to BSAC.”
The Duke of Cambridge said: “The underwater world truly captures the imagination and broadens horizons.”
He stressed he was keen to continue his father’s determination to preserve and protect the marine environment, wildlife and heritage.
The Duke added: “I have been fortunate enough to have dived in some stunning locations around the world. Scuba diving really has opened my eyes not only to many extraordinary sights, but also to the responsibilities that we have as guardians of the underwater world. Which is why, as BSAC’s new President, I hope to continue my father’s legacy of striving to preserve and protect our precious marine heritage and environment for future generations.”
But he also spoke of his own goal as the new BSAC President and said:
“I look forward to working with BSAC to encourage even more young people into the sport, for they are the next generation of underwater explorers, pioneers and protectors. The skills and experiences gained through snorkelling and scuba diving can have a positive and lasting impact on their lives, giving them confidence and building their aspirations.”
To watch a video of BSAC Chief Executive Mary Tetley talking about the announcement and welcoming HRH The Duke of Cambridge to the Club, click here.
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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