News
Tyneside scoop coveted BSAC Wreck Award 2015

The 2015 BSAC Wreck Award winners have just been announced – with Tyneside Branch 114 and their impressive report on the Gun Rocks project scooping first place.
The BSAC Wreck Award was launched in 2014 and aims to celebrate Britain’s underwater heritage by using BSAC members and clubs’ first-hand experiences to bring their favourite wreck sites to life.
Tied for second place in the 2015 Award are Southsea Branch – Mulberry 70 and Pilgrims SAC – A7 Survey project.
Also receiving a special commendation are iDive (Ipswich SAC) – the Live Bait Squadron; Ilfracombe and North Devon branch – the South Australia and Trafford SAC – Scapa Flow.
Wreck Award adjudicator and BSAC Underwater Heritage Advisor Jane Maddocks said that while the standard of entries for the 2015 award was extremely high, the Tyneside entry stood out.
Tyneside have spent decades researching an area known as the Gun Rocks Cannon Site close to the Farne Islands. Led by Diving Officer Nic Faulkes (pictured with other club members), the club’s comprehensive Wreck Award 2015 entry outlined the work members have put into researching the cannons that lay on the bed of the North Sea.
Jane said: “I would like to thank all the BSAC clubs who submitted an entry for the 2015 Award, it was a pleasure to read all of them and I found the whole initiative really inspiring.
“It was a very close run thing as some other entries were also excellent. But Tyneside’s was just special and showed how they had worked with experts and got the whole club involved over many years. The report that was produced was remarkable and it shows what can happen when a BSAC club invests a great deal of time and effort into a project.”
Tyneside Branch 114 will be presented with their Wreck Award 2015 trophy by Jane Maddocks in the near future.
But in the meantime, you can read Tyneside Branch 114’s winning entry, the Gun Rocks project – along with the other 2015 entries – here.
Wreck Award 2016 – could your club be BSAC’s next winner?
BSAC’s Wreck Award will shortly be returning for 2016 and full details on the initiative and how your club can enter will be released soon.
But in the meantime, if you think you or your club could compile an engaging, inspiring and innovative report on your favourite wreck site, then you can start preparing now. You can use the coming dive season to take photos and video of your chosen site or start researching its history.
Ahead of the 2016 Wreck Award Launch, Jane Maddocks has also revealed a few creative report tips.
“While some previous entries have had an academic feel about them they don’t have to be academic. The Mulberry 70 project, as well as the South Australia entry, show how different ways of telling us about the project are lively and good to read and the 2014 winner added seafood recipes and even sea shanties to their entry!”
News
Introducing the all-new PADI Dive Guides: connecting divers worldwide with local expertise

The new PADI Dive Guides™ make it easier than ever for divers to discover, explore and plan their next adventure by providing the tools needed to research and book dive experiences or training anywhere in the world. PADI Dive Guides are the go-to resource whether planning a local dive or seeking inspiration and information about far-off destinations.
“Dive destination information has been integral to padi.com for years,” says Lisa Nicklin, Vice President of Consumer Marketing for PADI Worldwide. “This next evolution provides more detailed guides that will continue to grow in global coverage and bring unprecedented value to PADI Members and divers alike. Leveraging new system capabilities, the guides combine PADI’s global expertise with the immense local knowledge of PADI Members around the world. PADI Dive Guides enable divers to plan and book adventures near home or wherever their future travels may take them – all through one convenient platform.”
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Dive Training Blogs
Why Every Diver Should Be A Rescue Diver (Watch Video)

Why Every Diver Should Be A Rescue Diver! I’ve got three reasons why every diver should take a Rescue Diver course. The world would be a better place!
Rescue Diver is mine – and a lot of my Instructor buddies’ – favorite course to teach. A well-run Rescue Diver course should be heavily practical and feature realistic scenarios. It expands your vision to include situational awareness and give you the knowledge and skills to react should an accident occur.
Think resuscitation is hard on land? Wait until you’re given rescue breaths in water whilst towing the victim! It’s a fantastic confidence booster, especially for divers who are more naturally anxious or nervous.
Thanks for watching! D.S.D.O James
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