SCUBAHUB
PHOTO CREDIT: RHYS PLEMING
Another blast up the Menai
DIVING CLUBS FROM ACROSS THE northwest and beyond descended on the Isle of Anglesey to take part in 2025 Menai Boat Run.
Held in March as a pre-season‘ blast’ for club RIBs, the event included 130 members and 24 boats from 17 different branches, raising a total of £ 1,400 for the RNLI’ s Beaumaris lifeboat.
The annual Menai Boat Run was started by East Cheshire back in 2007, before Dave Parry of Chester Sub-Aqua Club took over the running of it in 2019.
The BSAC clubs taking part this year were Chester, Hartford, Bradford, Southport, Shrewsbury, Roundhill, Sandwell, Vale Royal, Octopus Divers, Wrexham Seals, Buxton, Trafford, East Cheshire, Rhosneigr, Leicester Underwater Exploration Club, Merseyside and Potteries.
There was also a special guest in the form of the Blue Peter 1 RIB, brought along by Adrian Bloor. This boat was originally bought by BBC viewers of the children’ s programme for the RNLI in 1996, before it was eventually sold to a private owner.
After the traditional fish and chip lunch in Beaumaris, participants gathered by the RNLI boatshed to present a cheque to the Beaumaris RNLI Launch Authority and shore crew.
Speaking after the event, Stephen Dorricott, BSAC North West Regional Coach thanked everyone who took part.
“ The Menai Boat Run is a great day out, in a beautiful part of the world supporting an amazing charity. Huge thanks to the organisers and clubs who came along.”
‘ Go for it’: Advice from a young Instructor
A 19-YEAR-OLD BSAC DIVER WHO HAS gone from trainee to Instructor in just over five years hopes he can inspire other young people.
Morgan Jones, who had his first try dive at the age of 12 while on holiday in the Maldives, is a member of Lincolnshirebased Boston SAC. He started his diver training aged 13, qualifying as a Dive Leader at 17 before turning his sights on becoming an Open Water Instructor( OWI).
Having passed the final hurdle – the Practical Instructor Exam – in March this year, Morgan has become one of BSAC’ s youngest OWIs.
Now instructing within his club, Morgan believes his own experiences of learning to dive as a teenager helps him to train others.
“ I especially enjoy teaching the younger trainees as I can remember myself in their shoes and enjoy reassuring them. And the more‘ younger people’ we can encourage and inspire to join, the healthier and more sustainable the future of our sport will be.”
Morgan said Boston SAC treated him like an equal from the start.“ I couldn’ t have got to where I am now without their
enormous support and encouragement, every step of the way,” he added.
Currently studying photography at Lincoln College, Morgan, who is also a lifeguard and a swimming teacher, clearly has an affinity with the water. Once he finishes college this year, Morgan has set his sights on working overseas as a diving instructor.
“ I’ m proud of how far I’ ve come – I used to be very quiet and shy, and I am also dyslexic, which has made every theory exam extra challenging. Achieving this qualification has made me realise how much I’ ve grown in confidence. To other young people thinking of learning to dive or instruct, I would say‘ go for it’, age should not be a barrier.”
BSAC CEO Mary Tetley congratulated Morgan on his new Open Water Instructor qualification.
“ Morgan’ s achievements just go to show that with commitment and dedication, as well as supportive club training, you can achieve your goals. We wish Morgan all the very best in his instructing and his future diving career.”
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