70YEARSON
Brighton ’ s first boat , Blue Dolphin
The Duke of Edinburgh visits in 1961
Brighton
The first meeting of branch number seven took place in the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , in 1954 . Scuba diving was a new sport and early members of Brighton BSAC were very much part of the exploration of this exciting undersea world , which included making your own kit and hiring fishing boats to dive . The first sea dives took place from the beach with two aqua-lungs borrowed from BSAC HQ , undertaken in jeans and sweaters . It felt like a time of exploration and adventure , expeditionary in the true sense .
In August 1954 , the BBC ’ s first two-way outside broadcast , by Raymond Baxter , came from Brighton Aquarium . An inaugural member obligingly dived into a large glass tank . Diving royalty were frequent visitors back in the day . BSAC President HRH The
Duke of Edinburgh visited the club ’ s second conference in 1961 . From 1966 , conference guests included Jacques , Philippe and Simone Cousteau , Arthur C Clarke , Jacques Picard and of course Hans and Lotte Hass .
David Bellamy ’ s inaugural speech was on pollution and sewage discharges . Apparently , he referred to dropping himself “ in the s ** t to swim through the motion ”: how much has changed in 70 years ? In 1955 , the club was asked by Worthing Corporation to survey offshore seaweed / kelp , which “ spoilt the beaches each summer ”. Today members are active supporters of the Seasearch citizen-science programme and work with Sussex Wildlife Trust to support the Sussex Kelp Regeneration Project . They are still surveying kelp and hoping for its return as the seabed is revitalised after a recent trawler ban and other regeneration initiatives .
Try dives for blind veterans
Members on the Black Pearl
The club is now based in Shoreham-By- Sea at the Sussex Yacht Club , where the 8m RIB and club compressor are housed . During Covid times , diving continued while observing social distancing by using multiple RIBs per outing . Membership continues to increase , attracting people from many backgrounds and other agencies . The club ’ s community outreach programmes bring try dive experiences to all , including young people and blind veterans . When the club reaches 70 , it wants to celebrate the culmination of many years of introducing people to the sport , training , holidays , expeditions and fun times . This is where the real fulfilment lies .
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Red Sea wreck dive
A lasting legacy
Today , these five clubs are still vibrant concerns . Seventy years on , they are still spreading the word about the wonders of scuba diving and the underwater world . Branches in the UK and across the world remain the backbone of BSAC activities in the club ’ s 70th year ; each giving divers a community of like-minded people to hang out with . Our thanks should go to all the members who are dedicated to running all BSAC clubs — by the members for the members — just as envisioned by the club ’ s founders in 1953 . �