We are the Stratford upon Avon branch of the British Sub Aqua Club, (BSAC). We are a friendly, active scuba diving club based in Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire.
Club members c.1976, recovering parts of a WWII bomber
The Club was founded in 1974 and one of the 6 founding members, Keith Bond, is still a member. Currently, membership hovers around the 65 mark, of whom about a third are women. This makes us one of the larger BSAC branches in the country. Our youngest member is 14 and our oldest now over 80. Although not diving now, he is still going strong!
The club owns 2 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) which, when not in use, are kept in Lyme Regis. We are an active club and each year club members do around 1,200 to 1,500 dives. These are both around the UK and on overseas trips. In the last couple of years we have visited, The Azores, Cuba, The Red Sea (several times), Lanzarote, Gozo, Oman, Thailand, Alexandria, Curaçao, Antigua, the Philippines, Mexico and more.
As well as our own boats we have a portable compressor, which has greatly increased our flexibility when choosing dive sites in the UK. We also have a large collection of equipment that can be hired by trainees.
Members out in one of the club’s RIBs
We have an active training programme, with many members working towards various instructor qualifications and diver grades. We also promote and encourage additional training for such things as gas mixing, boat handling and radio procedures.
Our very active committee comprises a mixture of both more experienced and newer members and we actively encourage all members to get involved in the club’s activities.
When and Where We Meet
We meet every Thursday at the Stratford Leisure and Visitor Centre, Stratford, Warwickshire, where we have the pool from 8pm to 9pm. This is where we do the basic training for new divers, while others may be trying out new equipment, doing stamina training or just going for a swim. After the pool session we move on to the bar at Stratford Town Football Club, where we are corporate members.