Loch Fyne at Easter with Andy, Nick, Simon and Jim
Karen Giller and Chris Short at Loch Fyne
Andy Shenstone is ready to dive ever need to remove a leg from an engine for maintenance, we are confident of being able to do so correctly, and of being better equipped to diagnose faults as they arise.
What does club life look like?
Most Thursday evenings, we meet up for pool and snorkel training at the Brio Leisure Centre in Winsford. We hire four of the six lanes for about 40 weeks of the year. We don’ t have a compressor or club house, but we do have a good stock of club kit including regulators, masks, fins snorkels and BCDs, enough to accommodate all sizes. Like many clubs, we find that some trainees struggle to complete training; not because they don’ t like the sport, but because of the cost in terms of time and money, especially when it comes to buying their own kit.
What do you bring to your community?
Over the past couple of years, we have consistently dedicated the last Thursday of each month to running Try Dive sessions. In 2025, we successfully delivered a total of 42 sessions, which is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of everyone involved both in water and helping poolside.
We also maintain a strong relationship with a number of local Scout groups. Each year, these groups return to take part in our activities, giving their members the opportunity to experience something different through scuba diving or snorkelling. These sessions not only introduce young people to the underwater world but also help build confidence.
We offer BSAC refresher sessions for qualified divers who aren’ t members and may not have been in the water for a while. These sessions are ideal for those looking to rebuild confidence, get back into diving or simply check and familiarise themselves with their equipment in a safe, controlled environment. They’ re also perfect for divers who want to keep their skills up to date through regular practice each year.
Do you do any projectbased activities?
Where we can, yes; most recently we joined other branches to support BSAC’ s first approved diving day to remove invasive plants from Lyn Padarn( a World Heritage Site in Eryri National Park). The focus of the clean-up was on two specific invasive species, Lagarosiphon major( curly waterweed) and Elodea nuttallii( Nutall’ s waterweed). Both plants can grow aggressively, threatening the delicate balance of the lake’ s natural ecosystem.
Editor’ s note: With shallow depths and straightforward conditions, the Parc Padarn Invasive Species Project is accessible to divers and snorkellers of all experience levels, but divers should note that dive permission must be coordinated through BSAC HQ as part of the agreement with Parc Padarn, which manages the Site of Special Scientific Interest. For more information on upcoming clean-up days and to get involved, email marinechampions @ bsac. com
Steve Collingwood( DO) and Steve Hopper( Chair) at Kernow Dive Festival
Ian Brown and Mike Baker
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