By Eleanor Partridge

Clidive’s Heinke submission

We can all agree that 2020 has not been the best of years, but last week Clidive got some rare good news when it was announced that we were the winners of this year’s Heinke Trophy!

Three times a winner

For those not intimately familiar with the wonderful world of BSAC, the Heinke Trophy is awarded every year to the club that that has done the most to further the interests of its members and BSAC. Winning this year makes us one of just two clubs to have won the award three times; and being recognised for the jam-packed year of activities we held to mark our 50th anniversary is an extra nice touch. Our previous wins were just before our 30th anniversary and the year after our 40th – any volunteers to put together the submission for 2030?!

…an extensive training programme

The judges were particularly impressed by:

• Our extensive training programme (big thanks to the training team, and the army of instructors at all levels – from Assistant to National – who make it all happen)
• Our wide range of diving activities, with something for everyone, from training trips to expeditions
• Our commitment to developing our members through the main BSAC courses, specialties and experience (that’s thanks to all of you – from our freshest trainees to new First Class Divers).

And finally, of course, there was special mention for the high-quality content and layout of the submission itself – for which very big thanks are due to Nick Barter, Nick Toyas and Elaine Hendry and everyone who contributed content, dug out stats and shared their Clidive stories and photos.

The edited highlights

The full submission is available here, and is well worth a read. But for those with a little less time on their hands (and particularly those for whom Clidive and diving might prove to be more of an armchair activity this year) – here’s a recap of the highlights from our trophy-winning 50th anniversary year…

Phil Page & Gillian Bell

New FCDs: Chris Wilson & Nick Barter

Lots of qualifications

We achieved between us a whopping 125 diver and instructor qualifications, including FOUR new First Class Divers (that might not sound like a large number, until you see what it involves…).

Lots of diving

Seabirds on the safety stop at Handa, by Marysya Rudska

We planned 25 dive trips, not too many of which got blown out. And we completed between us 983 dives, including: diving a flooded quarry in the Lake District; safety stops with seabirds at Handa Island; expeditions to Scapa Flow to mark 100 years since the German fleet was scuttled there, as well as to Normandy to dive D-Day wrecks in the 75th anniversary year.

Some of us got up at 5am to dive Hatt Rock on a bank holiday weekend, and it was every bit as good as it’s made out to be. Those of us with a taste for warmer climes enjoyed great diving in the Red Sea, Sardinia and Croatia. And of course (never to be forgotten) we went to St Abbs to dive with a whale.

Lots of driving

Orange and Yellow off on one of their many trips

We (OK, not really ‘we’ – the heroic few know who they are!) towed Clidive Yellow an incredible 3,000 miles around the UK (and beyond), not counting all the miles done by Clidive Blue. We achieved most of that with our beloved Clidive Orange van, which lasted almost the whole dive season, against all the odds and minus a gear or two.

On the subject of boats, we spent many chilly hours zipping about on the Thames in our RIBs, gaining lots of hours of boat handling experience and some new qualifications.

Lots of socialising

We put on a great calendar of social activities, including our lecture series where we learnt all about sharks, ghost fishing, underwater photography and wrecks.

Were going to need a bigger cake!

In a less formal setting, we also spent many an enjoyable Thursday evening at the Britannia Pub. Unfortunately no-one was counting the pints so that’s not among the many stats recorded in our Heinke submission.

And of course, we held our 50th Anniversary party, which brought together Clidive members past and present to reminisce, pass down nuggets of wisdom, make speeches and eat Clidive Yellow cake.

These are only the potted highlights – there’s plenty more in the full report to keep your appetite for diving keen while we wait for normal service to resume. So pour yourself that 2020 socially distanced pint or cuppa, pat yourself on the back for being a member of the UK’s best dive club, put your feet up and enjoy!