How our branch celebrated BSAC's 50th......

[Lindsey Doyle]

Our plan was for 50 divers to dive the Baygitano (from 2 RIBs doing 4 shuttles each out of Lyme Regis)in one day.
However, due to an iffy forecast, at Thursday's club meeting we decided to change to The Countess of Erne in Portland Harbour.

We started at 9, finished about 3.30 and everything went well!

Admittedly we didn't get quite the full 50 (our branch is about 80+)but had half the branch there & some enthusiastic people went in for a 2nd to reach the target. We had a range of experience from a 1st class diver, Advanced divers with 1000s dives logged, 2 rebreathers, a new member who only joined 2 days before and a trainee on her first sea dive!

Positive posting! What's everyone else done?

Lindsey Doyle, DO Dacorum SAC 0713

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

Our plan was for 50 divers to dive the Baygitano (from 2 RIBs doing 4 shuttles each out of Lyme Regis)in one day.
However, due to an iffy forecast, at Thursday's club meeting we decided to change to The Countess of Erne in Portland Harbour.

We started at 9, finished about 3.30 and everything went well!

Admittedly we didn't get quite the full 50 (our branch is about 80+)but had half the branch there & some enthusiastic people went in for a 2nd to reach the target. We had a range of experience from a 1st class diver, Advanced divers with 1000s dives logged, 2 rebreathers, a new member who only joined 2 days before and a trainee on her first sea dive!

Positive posting! What's everyone else done?

Well, I was blown out on the 50 hours underwater earlier this year. This weekend I'm off to Ealing SAC for a "50 underwater sports" idea, I have no idea what they've got lined up for me - I've let them choose :-) I hope you've got some pictures Lindsey, there's been some great events and ideas from the clubs who have been celebrating in style - but mainly for the enjoyment of it, that's why we all do it really!

I hope that everyone has been letting HQ know what they are up to, we've been trying to keep a track of events all over the place. Send out some invites as well, invite other local clubs to join you.

So well done Lindsey, it sounds like you all had a good time. Thanks for the post as well, cheered me up a bit.

Regards

Keith L

[matt]

Positive posting! What's everyone else done?

Well I think we may have helped a couple of your club members to find the car park at Castle Town.

Four of our branch members dived the Countess on Saturday and one qualified as an OD, her first boat dive too. If it helps your target I can send you the dive details.

There were more than 50 divers on the Hood earlier in the day but judging by some of the buoyancy skills on display I don't think they were all BSAC members. The vis on the Hood was so bad we took our trainee off to some rocks about 10m seaward of the stern. We found a weightbelt marked DW but had no way to lift it so it is still there.

Talking of hoods and losing things. If anyone picked up a black hood with a repair at the chin from the Fathom and Blues RIB (Fathom & Blues) after the 12:30 HMS Hood dive, I would appreciate it back please (it has sentimental value ;-)

Well done Lyndsey.

Now I wonder if I can get BSAC 50 new members by the end of the year.

Regards
Matt

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

The idea behind this was to try and achieve 50 different sports underwater, the only criteria for the sport being that it must NOT be a normal underwater activity! Now you?ve got to be absolutely barking to attempt to do such a thing, so a suitable Council representative was requested and having readily accepted the invitation I found myself at Ealing pool on Saturday evening with pool kit.

I can?t remember the actual figures but the organisation was top notch, waves of divers entering the pool to try their allotted sports for ten minute periods, video and stills cameras to record the sports. Poor Anne ended up with the short straw and me on the green team, where I successfully participated in cricket (out for a duck), basketball (a contact sport, I?ve still got the bruises) and javelin (the special javelin went about 4m).

All in all ? they did it! 50 sports in around two hours. The cycling went down well (no, I?m not making this up) as did the 25m sprint and the relay race. All finished off with a fish & chip family supper at the local community centre. A brilliant evening and a great laugh, there are already rumours of an ongoing inter-club superstars type event next year.

My thanks to Ealing SAC for the invite and for making me so welcome. It?s always a pleasure to visit clubs and special events like this which involved the whole club are what the BSAC is all about. Well done to all, you certainly celebrated the 50th in style.

Keith L