SCUBA Editor Simon Rogerson speaks to Jim Phoenix , an early BSAC Diving Officer who was present at the inaugural meeting
Memories of a diving pioneer
36
BSACDECADES
1950s
SCUBA Editor Simon Rogerson speaks to Jim Phoenix , an early BSAC Diving Officer who was present at the inaugural meeting
Four years ago , I learned that a friend of my family was an original BSAC member , one of the select group who signed up at the inaugural meeting on 15 October 1953 . While reading Reg Vallintine ’ s BSAC history , The Club , I came across various references to one ‘ Jim Phoenix ’, who had served as one of the early Diving Officers of BSAC .
Eventually , I made the connection between my mother ’ s friends , Jim and Marisa Phoenix , who live in North London . I re-introduced Jim and Marisa to diving historian Reg Vallintine [ two years prior to Reg ’ s death in July 2022 ]. Reg wanted to reconnect with his old friends , and at the same time speak to someone who had been present at the club ’ s inauguration . As it turned out , we had indeed tracked down a genuine founding member of BSAC , a missing section in the tapestry of our history .
I caught up with Jim earlier this year at his home , where we spoke of his experiences in the early days of diving . Also present during our conversation was his wife Marisa , still speaking in her beautiful Italian accent .
In the beginning ...
Now aged 94 , Jim Phoenix is softly spoken , but you can sense the underlying grit of the Second World War generation . He first experienced the underwater world while on National Service in Kenya in the late 1940s , where he saw a swimmer emerging from the Indian Ocean with a mask and snorkel . “ He showed it to me and invited me to give it a try . He just told me to put the mask on , then put my face in the water ... and after that I never looked back .”
The experience was on Jim ’ s mind years later in 1953 . Walking along Piccadilly in central London , he looked into a gun smith ’ s window and saw a notice advertising a meeting at the Waldorf Astoria for the British Sub-Aqua Club . At the hotel , he was greeted by none other than BSAC ’ s co-founder , Oscar Gugen , who Jim took to immediately . Oscar ushered Jim into the meeting room , where he was introduced to the other founder , science journalist Peter Small . At the meeting ’ s conclusion , he signed up for more information and joined the club shortly afterwards
There was no formulated training system in those days , so Jim ’ s introduction to the Aqua-Lung , at Chelsea Baths , was short and sweet . “ I remember standing beside Peter and asked him how to use the Aqua-Lung and he said ‘ put it in your mouth and breathe ’. That was it . That , and don ’ t hold your breath . I put it on , got in the swimming pool and breathed underwater for the first time .
“ I don ’ t think I was ever formally taught ,
This photo of Jim in an early drysuit appeared in Neptune magazine
but one of the tests we all had to complete was to put all the kit at the deep end of the pool , then you had to swim down on a breath and put them on , all alone , then surface . The first thing you needed to do was expel all the air from your lungs ... then you put the weightbelt in your lap , which gave you a firm base on the bottom of the pool . Then you picked up the mask and purged the water from the mouthpiece . After that , it was a question self-control and patience as you put on the rest of the kit .”
Jim ’ s first open water dive was at Laughing Waters , a lake in Kent , wearing a cardigan for insulation . He remembers managing 15 minutes underwater , then warming up afterwards with coffee and whiskey . Eventually he became Diving Officer for what was to become London No . 1 Branch . The club was populated with a diverse cross section of society , from bricklayers to investment bankers .
Jim recalls : “ Most of them were fairly individualistic , strong characters . I learned how to mix with different types of people , different types of character . I found that when you ’ re instructing divers , there ’ s a time when you have to ‘ go soft ’ and listen . But equally there were times when you had to assert yourself .”
He bought his equipment from the sports store , Lilywhites , but wasn ’ t overly concerned about its subtleties . “ It wasn ’ t a question of assessing its performance – it was an Aqua- Lung .... the question was did it work , or not , and was it comfortable ? If the answers are yes , then you win . I think it cost about £ 40 or £ 50 , which was obviously a lot of money back then , but it did include the bottle .”