Time is on our side
I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE NOVEMBER issue of SCUBA , marking the 70th anniversary of BSAC . On similar lines , I recently had an email from BSAC ’ s CEO Mary Tetley saying that I am one of the longest serving instructors in BSAC , having passed my first instructor exam in February of 1985 .
I loved the interview section of the anniversary issue [ BSAC Decades ]. There is a picture in Sophie ’ s 1990s section at Capernwray that includes Jamie Heptonstall , her husband . Jamie joined our club , Trafford 584 , when he was 16-years-old and doing his GCSEs . Normally for members younger than 18 we required an adult , maybe parent or guardian to join as well , but he seemed to join and be enthusiastic all on his own ! I trained Jamie at times and he stayed with Trafford for several years . We had a great trip to Galapagos with him and memorable dives in Norway a while ago .
Best of all for me was the double page spread about Jem Walton . A year ago exactly we shared the Clasina , in Scapa Flow , with the six ‘ experienced ’ divers from Nottingham
shown in a picture in the interview . Six of us from Trafford were also on the trip , and for several of us this was our 13th or 14th visit to dive Orkney and the experience level was mainly a few thousand dives recorded .
Bob Anderson , the skipper , had assured us that the divers from the University of Nottingham would be all very sound . This turned out to be true , but we were quite worried when we learned that for all six of them it was their first trip to Scapa Flow .
BSAC does such great training that we all got on extremely well . They were very competent and in no way limited the diving possibilities . Also great fun , the craic was quite special considering that three of our divers were in their seventies , and our youngest was approaching 60 . Jem herself was open , friendly and certainly up to the task at hand .
Jem Walton ( centre right ) with friends from University of Nottingham SAC
Bob Anderson is an excellent skipper with a very high wheelhouse , so we were able to dive the Flow in worse conditions than certainly we would have done in my first visit in 1983 . There was white water at times and on one particular day , after I surfaced a wave picked me up and surfed me back to the boat lift ! I commented as I got back onboard that I bet not many 73 year old ladies would be doing that !
Diving with BSAC has been a real pleasure . I keep fit enough to rescue and tow a diver in difficult conditions . The bonding and friendship with fellow divers over the years has been life enhancing ; how wonderful that Jem is just starting along that road . May she have as many happy years as I have enjoyed and maybe feature in a BSAC 100 years Anniversary JEN SCARSBROOK , AI 1382
Presentations at Capernwray
BSAC ’ S ANNIVERSARY PARTY SAW A NUMBER OF AWARDS TO CLUBS AND individuals at the evening dinner . Chair Edward Haynes was on hand to make the presentations . Certificates were handed to four clubs that celebrated their 50th anniversary this year : Chester SAC ; Bury SAC ; Trafford SAC and West Lancs SAC . In addition , Kathryn Fowler of Discover Diving , Isle of Man and Stephen Dorricott ( who masterminded the event ) were formally congratulated for passing their First Class Diver examination .
27