CLUBFOCUS
Archive image from September 1984, showing the recovery of the cannon from Lamorna Cove
Taken the Kitten charter boat out at Porthkerris
Then what happened?
In the late 1980s, membership dropped to just nine. By 2001, a new 5.3m RIB fitted with a modern electronic sonar fish finder and GPS was enabling some more adventurous diving at sites not previously accessible, such as the Eddystone Lighthouse, 10 miles off Plymouth. In 2004, junior membership was introduced, to get some younger members. In 2010, after lengthy consideration, the club moved to BSAC.
Things ticked along for the next few years with camping and diving trips and club expeditions. Recently, we recognised the need to redevelop the core of the club; young divers under the age of 35 have become an
32 important group for us. We see them as the future and promotion has remained key. We recently welcomed our 50th member.
Where are you based?
The club is still in Bromsgrove in the landlocked West Midlands. Every Monday we meet at the Sports and Leisure Centre from 8pm to 9pm for a pool session followed by a drink at the Golden Cross pub.
Who are your members?
There are six snorkel members, eight Ocean Diver trainees, six Ocean Divers, five Sports Divers, 12 Dive Leaders and four Advanced Divers. We also have 10 social members.
Andrea H, Andrea S, Steve and Xubing on their Boat Handling course
Ages range from Sophie, the youngest at 11 years old, to Ian, Mick, Julie and Steve, who are all collecting their pensions.
How does the year start?
Everything begins in January with an annual awards evening, social get together and annual general meeting with good pub grub at the Boat and Railway Inn, by the water on the Birmingham to Worcester canal.
At the end of the evening, at our dive planning meeting, we put in place dive trips for the year based around neap tide weekends. All qualified members are encouraged to plan a trip and organise campsites, find someone to tow the boat and agree a dive manager, all under the guidance of our Diving Officer Phil.
And then …
We start the season by taking the club RIB to the sports centre one evening before a pool session. New trainees get to see the boat and are introduced to boat etiquette. Seeing the large orange RIB in the car park also attracts attention from other sports centre users. Older members get enthusiastic about the season too. Then we go training and diving. We take the RIB out once or twice a month from April to October and organise hard boat trips. This year, our Chair Julie arranged for the club to participate in Menai Boat Run for the first time. It was a fabulous way to start the season and brought out smiles in all the members who participated.
Tell us about the club boat
Our RIB is truly the beating heart of the club’ s activities; an essential platform that enables members to experience thrilling