70YEARSON
Merseyside
In June 1954 , three guys from London No . 1 came to talk to divers on Merseyside , and thus Branch Five was formed . The club was remarkably successful , very quickly , and by October there were 64 members . Back then , divers on Merseyside were mostly referred to as ‘ frogmen ’, a term that would prove divisive in the coming years . The boats were quite different , including an old lifeboat and a C-craft . At one point , Merseyside had a catamaran , until eventually small boats that could be inflated on the beach and would take four or five divers were introduced .
Long-term member Alistair Reynolds , who joined in 1969 , remembers drysuits were not available , so you bought neoprene in sheets , with a pattern from a dive company , and made your own wetsuits held together with glue and tape . Training was quite different back then , he says , not as structured as it is today . You had to rely on more experienced divers to teach you , and the training varied from person
A Merseyside diver from the 1950s
Unveiling the RIBs , Si Senor and Seal Team 5 to person . This changed over time and by the early 1980s the club had four National Instructors among its ranks , a boon for training .
A proud moment was winning the Heinke trophy in 1988 . The club was also proud to be involved in a project on Charles II Royal Yacht Mary . Club divers found the wreck , just off the Skerries in Anglesey , along with Chorley branch , and they worked together to recover unique and unusual artifacts , which were displayed in the Liverpool Museum .
Today , the club is thriving , truly fortunate to have more than 120 members and growing . Members have weekly access to a training pool , plus a clubhouse and bar . There is also a boat shed that houses two brand-new Humber RIBs and a new compressor with full nitrox and trimix blending facilities . The outstanding training team and committee are dedicated to ensuring the club continues to grow and provide happy , safe diving . To celebrate its 70th in style , there ’ s a plan afoot to get 70 divers to dive the Missouri in Anglesey for a photoshoot . If local clubs want to join in the activities , they just need to get in touch .
Sir Ian Fraser , Merseyside ’ s first Chair
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