So where are we now?

A question that has been asked of me many times this year and is especially pertinent now we are coming up to the AGM.

This is perhaps one of the worst years the Club has ever experienced. Most of you probably can’t remember when once before the Swimerama closed and we had to move to Acton pool for six months. The effect was devastating to the Club membership numbers and it took a few years to recover. Knowing this, I for one was expecting the worst.

One of the difficulties was to find an alternative pool that was suitable for teaching diving, that had a manageable time slots, and that we could afford. In addition, when the Club was surveyed, another “must have” came to light – a decent pub nearby.

By the time we seriously negotiated with Ealing Council, the options were very limited and hence we moved to Gurnell and then shortly after to Highgrove. This pool is even better than the Swimerama ever was; it’s cleaner, has better lighting, it’s deeper and longer – and the staff are friendly with good management. Once established, I successfully re-negotiated our time slot on the basis that we believed that this pool would be our home for years to come. Of course, the added advantage of this is that we now regularly frequent The Case is Altered – a pub with character, good beer and room to move (plus the chance that kids will be accepted).

So that’s the good news. On the down side, it’s been a lousy summer, lots of rain and not much diving. Scuba suffered engine damage on an early trip and is still under repair. The membership is down with just over 40 members, but I can confirm that the Club is financially sound and capable of weathering a downturn in numbers and fortune.

We do, however, have some areas of concern and I need your input:

1. The Club’s boats are a financial drain if they are not in constant use. Should we consider selling one or more of them?
2. If we sell, should we replace with something smaller, more cost-effective and easier to transport?
3. Should we give up RIBs altogether – or would the dynamics of the Club unacceptably change if we were to become a ‘hardboat only’ outfit
   

Clearly we need to recruit new members in order to establish stability in the Club and generate that enthusiasm to go diving again in UK waters. This means, at the very outset, making an effort to come down to the pool regularly. We also need you to talk to your friends and work colleagues and suggest a Try Dive. Try Dives bring in useful money and are a lot of fun.

Something else worth thinking about is that Harrow and Rickmansworth both operate with about 15 members. Should we consider an approach to merge or do we feel confident enough to go it alone?

We can survive this but only if we build on the desire to survive.

Nigel Ealand

Chairman ESAC

PS Did you hear the one about the two divers who watched the entire sea-rescue power of the south coast circle around their DSMB, whilst they comfortably got dry on the pier at Swanage? What’s Bubbling is still awaiting the article . . .