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| This site has been designed to provide a small insight into Appledore Sub Aqua Club. ASAC Club Members will be able to view pictures of past social events and dive trips, and will be able to find out what's planned during the forthcoming dive season. |
ASAC BACKGROUND Established in 1971 by a small group of workers from the Appledore Shipbuilding yard in North Devon, ASAC has grown steadily over the years to now include a membership total of 55. Age ranges between 16 and 65 ensure a variety of experience and knowledge. Some changes have taken place over the years which include the acquisition of dive boats, membership to the SAA (membership no.35)  (Sub Aqua Association), travels abroad and an increase in club membership. There are original founder members who still regularly participate in diving and social events, and who play an active part within the club. |
ASAC DIVE TRIPS
(Click image to go to the Lundy web site)Various diving trips around the North Devon and Cornwall coastline are organised during the diving season, which for us is generally beween March and October.
These include two week long stays in the Isles of Scilly (taking Compass Rose).
Weekends camping and diving in Penzance, using club members Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), and the trips to Lundy Island most weekends.
A week on the Isle of Mull each year makes for a long drive for most members but the crystal clear waters off the Scottish coast make the journey worthwhile.
Each year the club books a weeks diving holiday to the Red Sea staying on a liveaboard boat. Depending on numbers, this can be solely ASAC members on board
or sharing with another club. Either way a great time is usually had by all. The warm water and clear visibility being the main attractions. |
IN THE BEGINNING...  In 1971 the Appledore Shipbuilders Sub Aqua Club was born. Pictured right are some of the original founder members, celebrating the clubs 25th anniversary, which was held onboard the MS Oldenburg, Lundy Islands own ship.
(click picture to enlarge)Located in North Devon, initially the only criteria needed to join the club was:
Oh yes, you also had to be an employee of Appledore Shipbuilders. In the early days pool training was carried out in the shipyards own outside pool (probably in the middle of winter)!! |
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 (click picture to enlarge)The height of diving fashion at this time was a black rubber suit. It has been said that some members still like to try on these suits, (for nostalgic reasons I'm sure ;-))) on special occasions in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.
THE EARLY YEARS One of the first "ambitious" projects undertaken by club members involved a search for half a million pounds worth of gold which apparently was onboard an aeroplane which crashed into the sea in 1946 shortly after take off from St Mawgan in Newquay, Cornwall. Funnily enough no one knows the outcome of this daring salvage operation! By the end of the 1970's the club had acquired a significant new piece of equipment, a hard boat. The Osprey, BD 103 (a former ships lifeboat) was acquired in 1978 and so began the club tradition of all hands on deck for the routine winter boat maintenance programme.  (click picture to enlarge)The club has always had a strong interest in conservation, and it's no surprise, as the favoured dive site is the first statutory Marine Nature Reserve, Lundy. Situated 12 miles due west of Westward Ho! Lundy is owned by the National Trust.
In 1982/83 the club looked at the possibility of creating an artificial reef in Bideford Bay. The plan was to sink a line of scrapped cars in the Bay in the shape of a crescent. Unfortunately the Devon Sea Fisheries Committee could not support the idea as it feared the strong tidal currents would end up moving the cars into fishing grounds resulting in the damage to fishing nets. It's often wondered what the reef would have looked like so many years on, if it had gone ahead. (above info from 25th anniversary newsletter)Jumping to May 1st 1992, The Osprey was traded in for The Compass Rose and she has been with us ever since. Formely an angling charter boat, the 32ft Compass Rose has proved to be an excellent dive boat. Once a year 'Rosie' is taken to the Isles of Scilly for a two week holiday (with divers of course!). The diving around this area is extremely good, with many shipwrecks and marine life to be seen. More information on diving in the the Isles of Scilly can be found here. |
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