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Bristol Aerospace Sub-Aqua Club BSAC 88 diving since 1958 |
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If you are new to diving or thinking of starting out, check out our Training section for more information on diver training and learning to dive. We are a family friendly dive club, active all year round both above and below the water! You can read more about us in the Our Club section of the site. Please contact us if you have any question that we can help with.
If you want to get in touch with us, our primary form of contact is email.
However, you can also come along and meet us at our club night but it's best to make contact first.
For any contact reason, please send an email it will be forwarded to the relevant person.
Here are some very useful links that have transformed what we thought were very mundane dives into ones we all wanted to do again.
And some other useful links also.
Pool Sessions
Monday nights from 8:10pm - 9:45pm Monday nights from 10:00pm - 11:30pm Please contact us before
coming along, and we will arrange to meet you.
Welcome to the Bristol Aerospace Sub-Aqua Club. We are a special branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC Club No. 0088) and are affiliated to the Bristol Aerospace Welfare Association (BAWA).
Our club night is on a Monday. We meet at Badminton School Pool, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS9 3BA, from 8.10pm until 9.30pm. Here is a map
if you need it.
After the pool session, from 10.00pm we move on to the BAWA Leisure Centre, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol. See the map here.
If you do come to visit us, please contact us beforehand, and we’ll arrange to meet you.
Our club was formed around 1959 primarily by and for employees of the local aerospace industries of Rolls-Royce plc. and BAE Systems here in Bristol. However, the club is now open to all and we welcome, and indeed do have many members from other walks of life.
We are an active club and dive all year round both in the UK and occasionally in some more exotic warmer locations. We currently have about 50 members. You can read more about our latest diving activities in the diving section. Our oldest active diving member, Frank is eighty something years young, and our youngest start at 14, which is the minimum age currently permitted by the BSAC for SCUBA diving.
We are a ’family’ club and aim to provide a good social atmosphere, where non-diving friends or relations can join in. These activities are aimed at improving the relationship between members, allowing people to get to know the people that they will be diving with.
Apart from diving, we organize various events ranging from the annual Dinner Dance to the Christmas Fun Night at the pool. All members are encouraged to attend these functions, as any profits go to boosting the club funds.
Above all, we are a club of its members for its members.
The club has a number of facilities which are open to members. A weekly pool session is held at Badminton School Pool for general use by members and their families. Activities range from a quick splash to swimming, members trying out new dive kit, training and even Octopush - If you dare! Pool sessions are held each Monday from 8:10pm until 9:45pm. See Contact Us for maps, addresses and contact numbers.
As the club is affiliated to BAWA, we have use of the BAWA facilities for the apres pool sessions in the bar. Here we chat over a drink and plan weekend or holiday diving, and plan other social events.
We even own our own wreck to dive on, the SS Bretagne She’s a single screw steamer of 1439 tons 231.6ft long, 35ft beam which sank along with her cargo of Welsh steam coal on the 10th August 1918 following a collision. She now lies upright on an even keel 18m to the deck, 25m to the seabed.
The club owns a wide range of equipment. At present this includes two 4.8m RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boat). Some members also own their own boats and these are often present at club dives to share the load, particularly on our weekends away.
The club also owns all essential safety equipment including Oxygen Administration kit, flares, VHF radios and GPS satellite navigation equipment.
We also have equipment to get new members under way with their pool training from day one. Masks, fins, snorkels, cylinders, regulators, BC’s (buoyancy compensator jackets), weight belts, etc. are available. The club also operates a hire scheme to assist established members who have equipment in for servicing etc.
In addition, the club purchases the latest tide almanac’s and a range of useful charts for use by the whole membership in dive planning activities.
Honorary President Dave Jago.
The club has an elected committee, which stands for a period of one year from the AGM, usually held late in October or early November.
The committee is currently made up of nine posts, seven positions being elected by the club membership. The others are co-opted by electepersonnel; Training Officer by the Diving Officer, Advanced Diving Representative by the Dive Leaders and Advanced Divers in the branch and Membership Secretary by the Treasurer.
The committee is responsible for the smooth running of the club affairs and finances and meets on the third Wednesday of each month.
Any club member is welcome to attend and be part of any of these meetings and we would be glad of any member’s involvement, but, sadly, is not entitled to vote on any topic.
To become a member of our club you must also join the BAWA social club, as well as becoming a member of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC).
Once you’ve joined, you will receive a copy of the BSAC Diving Manual and your subscription to BSAC also includes a monthly subscription to ’Dive’ magazine. The subscription to the BSAC has to be paid prior to starting aqualung training. Once you are a member of the BSAC, you are covered for third party liability in the unlikely event of a diving accident.
Our club’s primary source of information is the club notice folder which is present at our weekly meetings, as not all members may have regular access to the internet.
The nearest thing to underwater hockey.
We dive all year round in the UK primarily in the South & West of the UK (Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and West Wales). Throughout the year we organise many diving weekends around the Bank Holidays. These short breaks are always well attended by members and their families and offer a wide range of diving suitable for all levels. Our diving takes place primarily from our own boats, though shore diving is very popular especially in winter. Occasionally we may charter hard boats for the clubs use depending on the site. Looking to warmer climes there have been many club holidays over the last few years. Popular destinations with members include the Red Sea, Channel Islands, Ireland, Spain, Tenerife, Thailand, Cuba, Mauritius and the Maldives. Many of these trips can be read about in our Dive Reports section.
Any grade of diver can organise a dive expedition provided they have a Dive Leader or Advanced Diver to help organise and marshal the diving activities. In the past many trips have been organised by Ocean divers or Sports Divers. So everyone can play a part. If there is a dive that you want to do, why not organise it. A little basic research of the site, amenities, transport, and accomodation is often all that is required. Then issue a Dive On notice at our weekly club night and email the club mailing list to gather interest. Provided an experienced diver is available to Marshal, Dive On! Of course, all club dives should first be cleared with the Diving Officer for safety before the day. So, safe diving & lots of it for the future. |
 Picture of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from Leigh Woods side, no Bristol Club should be without one.  Tommy. Overall winner of 2009 Photo Competition and 1st in Natural World class, Mark Stinchcombe  Beautiful Risbecia nudibranch, Risbecia pulchella. Overall 2nd place 2009 and 2nd in Natural World, Bob Abbott  Pleasure of diving. Overall 3rd place and 1st in Spirit of Our Club class 2009, Mark S  Halfspotted hind, Cephalopholis hemistiktos. 3rd in Natural World class, Mark S  High-O Silver. 2nd in Spirit of Our Club class, Laurence Breeze  I'm sure they were there when I set off! 3rd in Spirit of Our Club class, Rob Boyes alpha bravo charlie delta echo foxtrot golf hotel india juliet kilo lima mike november oscar papa quebec romeo sierra tango uniform victor whiskey xray yankee zulu Try the colour mixer |
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