SCUBAHUB
A tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh from the British Sub-Aqua Club
AS THE WORLD MOURNED THE DEATH OF HRH Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , the British Sub-Aqua Club paid tribute to an extraordinary leader who helped shape its direction during and beyond his term as Club President .
The Duke served as the club ’ s first President from 1960-63 , a limited period , which he believed to be appropriate for any presidency . However , his association with BSAC only became closer after those first
At Buckingham Palace with the 2012 Prize winners , Project HMS Invincible
three years had elapsed . It was a period of rapid expansion in scuba diving and club life ; the Duke felt strongly about the potential of the underwater world , in particular the role that diving could play in advancing science and our understanding of the sea .
His own fascination with the sea seems to have been instilled at an early age , possibly during his school years at Gordonstoun in northern Scotland . Also , the Navy ran deep in his family heritage ; his maternal grandfather had been the First Sea Lord , the Commander of the Royal Navy . His uncle Lord Mountbatten had command of a Destroyer while Philip was in training , inspiring him to become one of the Royal Navy ’ s youngest First Lieutenants .
The young Philip first swam underwater in 1937 , and recalled the experience while delivering his presidential address to BSAC in 1960 . “ I first put on a pair of goggles , or perhaps I should say a sub-aqua mask , 23 years ago ,” he said . “ Snorkelling has given me endless pleasure ever since ... and I am sorry I only met the acquaintance of aqualung diving rather more recently . I regret very much that I didn ’ t start a great deal earlier .”
In fact , the Duke had learned to dive under the instruction of BSAC member Ley Kenyon , a pioneering underwater filmmaker and author , who taught him in the privacy of the swimming pool at Buckingham Palace . The Duke clearly enjoyed diving and made sure there were two fully equipped Navy divers on the Royal Yacht to act as underwater escorts when he was able to go diving .
In 1963 , he relinquished the BSAC presidency [ the role transferred to the Earl of Granville ], but remained closely associated with the club and its members . The new category of Honorary Life Membership was accepted by the Duke , cementing a Royal association that persists to the present day . The Prince of Wales took up BSAC ’ s Presidency in 1974 , and it transferred again in 2014 to the Duke of Cambridge , the club ’ s current President .
BSAC training was incorporated into the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in 1960 , and in 1964 the club ’ s then Chairman , Colin McLeod , announced that the Duke had decided to present an annual award for scientific diving expeditions . The British Sub- Aqua Jubilee Trust was formed to administer the Duke of Edinburgh ’ s Prize , in addition to allocating grants to scientific diving projects .
For more than 50 years , commended and winning expedition divers were welcomed annually at Buckingham Palace to receive personal congratulations from the Duke , who spent much time speaking informally
The Duke enjoyed a lively chat with divers of all ages
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