News
Hereford Sub Aqua Club goes underwater quackers for their 40th
Hereford Sub-Aqua Club in the UK has just completed an underwater cycle ride and duck race as part of the Hereford River Festival.
The club was looking for something different to do for its 40th anniversary year and this is what they came up with. Here’s what Chairman Mike Bailey had to say about the celebrations…
“The race took place on Saturday 3rd May. Three riders took part – Mike Bailey,Linda Evans and Russ Pryce. Each had a support diver and they were John Taylor, Tony Cook and Steph Kerridge. The idea was to ride bikes along the river bed, which is not much of a spectator sport in itself, but with the addition of large inflatable ducks attached to each bike, it made more of a spectacle and enabled us to have a duck race using pedal power.
“The club used standard scuba gear, but carried extra weight to compensate for the water’s natural buoyancy and for the fact that they were pushing down on the bike pedals. As far as the club knows they are the only ones to have ridden down any river in the UK, probably in Europe and maybe the whole world! The bikes are standard bikes, which were donated by Mastercraft Cycles of Hereford, although we weighted them down a bit, to ensure they sink easily. The bikes were auctioned off for charity after the race and combined they raised £140.
“The visibility was very poor (at times we could see about 6”) and it was difficult to tell which way was up, down, left, right, forward or back. Because the visibility was bad, balance also becomes an issue and we were all unseated at times, sometimes more off the bike than on it, especially as we had to deal with moving water too! The river can be a hazardous place, as there are many obstacles to overcome, including non-moving items such as shopping trolleys, tree roots, concrete blocks and the uneven river bed, but also because floating objects get washed downstream and there is always an issue with surface traffic – canoes, kayaks etc, plus much more.
“The winning pair of riders / divers was myself, Mike Bailey (rider), and John Taylor (support). The support divers help with balance and direction and were there just in case there was a problem. As winners we received a cheque for £50, which was donated by Linda Prenter (one of the club’s members) but this was then donated again to a charity called Village Water – they provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene for projects in Zambia. The winners also got a small trophy of a diver with a duck attached.
“We may have another go next year, but might change a few things based on the experience gained this time.
“Hereford Sub-Aqua Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The club has been diving to many places, including Pembroke, Scapa Flow, the Orkneys, Shetland Islands, Gibraltar, Spain, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Maldives and the Red Sea, but many other places too. We have about 35 members, men and women, young and old, from all walks of life.”
To find out more about Hereford Sub Aqua Club, visit their website: www.herefordsubaqua.org.uk.
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News
Santa Divers take the Plunge for Charity
Ho Ho Ho! Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 15th December 2024 for another round of festive fundraising frivolities. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes, this ever-popular annual fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for these two very deserving charities.
Divers of all levels are invited to grab their Santa outfits – and as much festive cheer as they can muster – and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset for a mass sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment for a final festive dive before the Christmas and New Year break. Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers with 188 divers taking to the waters donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten to this day!
Vobster Santas isn’t just about setting records – it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Vobster Quay encourages all divers to get into the spirit of the season to raise much-needed funds for two very deserving charities – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes.
Through individual sponsorship and online donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to plunge into the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in full festive finery. Since the very first Santa dive in 2007, the event has raised over £52,000 for charity. “It’s been over 17 years since the very first charity Santa dive took place at Vobster Quay and every year the event just keeps getting bigger and better” enthused Vobster Quay owner, Amy Stanton.
“Vobster Santas is a great way for divers to say a massive thank you to the both the RNLI and Help For Heroes – two very deserving charities close to our hearts. We’re immensely proud of all that Vobster Santas has achieved and hope that even more divers will join this year’s event on Sunday 15th December. I’m confident that we can make Vobster Santas 2024 the biggest yet!”.
Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at
www.vobster.com/event-vobstersantas.php.
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