Boston’ s powerhouse
SOME 45 YEARS AGO, A SMALL GROUP of enthusiastic Boston-based scuba divers got together and formed Boston Sub Aqua Club, BSAC 1200, a club that is still going strong today. The reason we’ re still around is probably due to one particular member. In 1985 a very much younger Arthur Johnson joined Boston and started on a journey that is still going strong to this day.
Arthur worked his way through the BSAC grades all the way up to First Class Diver; he has also attained a number of additional qualifications including Advanced Instructor, serving as Regional Coach for a number of years and playing a pivotal role in forming the Lincs Association of Sub-Aqua Clubs.
Arthur has dedicated 40 years to help train, encourage and promote members of Boston SAC, plus trainees from other clubs. There are hundreds of people who have benefitted from Arthur’ s help and support over the years.
He is always one of the first to come forward to organise trips, training events
IN THE TOWN OF THE BARD, SEVERAL generations of divers gathered to celebrate the 50-year milestone of Stratford-upon- Avon Sub Aqua Club. Founded by six original members back in 1974, we were delighted to have two founders with us for the party. Keith Bond, one of the founders, has been actively swimming in the stamina lane since the start – a true test of stamina indeed.
The club is actively involved in training, try dives, and open water excursions. This year, members have been diving in the Red Sea, Plymouth, Falmouth, and the Maldives, with more dives planned well into
and social gatherings. He was instrumental in setting up Club Business, a short briefing at the end of every club night to inform all members of upcoming trips and events; he also introduced our annual awards system.
He organises trips to suit all grades and as well as the club’ s famous annual Wash BBQ & RHIB Trip( We cruise out to the sandbanks in the Wash, moor up as the tide drops then have a BBQ and play games until the tide comes back up). He is always there helping and supporting members who want to organise their own trips too. In short, whatever help and support you need as a club member, Arthur is always there / Arthur is Boston Sub Aqua Club, which is why he was awarded the honorary title of Club President. In recognition of Arthur’ s service, the club decided to put on a social event to recognise, celebrate and thank him for his unwavering support and dedication to the club and its members over the years.
In September we celebrated 40 years of service alongside Arthur’ s 70th birthday, holding a social evening at the Jakemans Stadium in Boston. It was very well attended and a great night was had by all. It was especially nice to see members from the club’ s past attending to help celebrate Arthur’ s milestone. Long may he continue. ANDY OSTRIDGE, Boston SAC
Stratford-upon-Avon, diving haven
next year. The equipment has changed a fair bit over the years, but the camaraderie and folklore are every bit as prevalent with each generation of divers. The dives get deeper and darker, and the fish get bigger with every telling.
The club’ s cake was a work of art, which looked amazing but was soon devoured by the 70 members who attended. The forward bookings for try dives will keep us busy throughout the winter nights.
Here’ s to many more active, BSAC diving years to come. NIGEL MARIS, Chair, Stratfordupon-Avon BSAC
Remember the Avenger
ON 16 JANUARY 1945, THE CREW OF the Grumman Avenger Mk2 JZ390 were on a night navigation exercise over the Irish Sea. In poor weather conditions the aircraft flew inland, hitting a rock face close to Great Gully above Wastwater, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members. The aircraft broke up, scattering wreckage down the slopes some of which fell into Wastwater.
In 2023, a group of Southsea Sub-Aqua Club divers, supported by West Cumbria branch, searched for the remaining wreckage in Wastwater. We found both the engine and part of the fuselage. Last week we returned to mark the 80th anniversary of the crash, to lay flowers in remembrance of the three young men who died. JENNY WATKINS, Southsea Sub-Aqua Club
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