Welcome All, 

​I've scrapped the newsletter style reports. It seems that the platform doesn't support the format and my IT skills are challenged at the best of times. We are back to the original style of Dive Reports. Lovely to see some coverage in the SCUBA Magazine. Stay safe, Polly. 

There was no club diving last weekend which is the first time I’ve said that in a while. In fact, since our 6-week hiatus due to Covid-19, we’ve been as busy as ever, perhaps assisted by the difficulties that DSDC have had in getting their boats back in the water. On Friday, however, a well-earned breather was taken and for me, back in the UAE after three months out, it was a chance to escape to Bab Al Shams with my good lady. It was tough but I could live with it.
Nick, semi-trapped in Abu Dhabi by the arcane and ever-changing rules and regulations took the opportunity for some local diving. He says:
Abu Dhabi diving is great. The sites aren't exactly challenging but it's great to see recovered reefs full of juvenile fish. I'll write a report. I'm diving there again tomorrow morning.
Getting out of Abu Dhabi is apparently easy at the moment but getting back in can be problematic with long delays and arbitrary fines for minimal offences. Nevertheless, we hope to see Nick again soon.
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The BSAC 406 history project continues to gather pace and this month we have some coverage in SCUBA magazine: see image above. 

This may be a precursor to a more detailed article later in the year but this obviously depends on the editor. Cross your fingers.
Thanks to all those who continue to send photos and documents from the club’s history. Today, as I write, I’ve received some documents from the 70’s from Peter King which make fascinating reading. The following from a committee meeting of 20th March 1976 is posted above in the picture gallery.
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Arising out of all of this and in parallel, Hazelle Page’s investigation into the history of the old Sharjah Airport control tower is also bearing fruit and I am grateful to Margaret Smallpiece for the photographs she has sent.
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Any further information from anyone would be gratefully received. I would be interested to hear from any of the founding members, in particular the original committee, Jeremy Bonnell, Richard Kerr, Blair Littlejohn, George Featherstone and William Cook. I would also like to know of any details regarding the precursor clubs in the region, BSAC 270 (Sharjah) and BSAC 257 (1st Foresters), both I believe, linked to the British military.
Hazelle Page of Sharjah Museums Authority would greatly appreciate any information and / or photographs of the old Sharjah Control Tower in the days when it was home to the Dive Club.
For anyone interested in what the site is like now, try the link below:
https://www.sharjahmuseums.ae/en-US/Museums/Al-Mahatta-Museum
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Last word to Alan Locker:
Work was very demanding at that time and family life was stretched to say the least and we still went diving every Friday of course. It was a period of time in our lives that will be etched in our memories forever and the many friends we made at that time remain good friends now, hence the popularity of the reunion I arranged in 2016. In view of that I have launched the idea of another reunion in 2021 the response for which has been incredible, it will be the weekend of 2,3, and 4 July next year if you would like to attend. It actually coincides with my 70th and whilst the weekend will be full on 406 the Saturday evening party will also include my wife and I’s family this time.
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Virtual Club Night:
Join Zoom Meeting - Please contact Robin for login details and virtual meetings for 406er's worldwide. 
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Joining BSAC:
New members to BSAC can join Sharjah Wanderers Diving Club via the website, https://www.bsac.com/membership/select-branch/ . If you enter Sharjah, the club appears. Existing BSAC members can renew by logging into MyBSAC or using this link, https://www.bsac.com/membership/rejoin-today/

Join BSAC and claim your free dive! (406 members only).
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BSAC general website: https://www.bsac.com/home/
Remember also:
DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home
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The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.
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See you there.

Welcome All, 

A few more blasts from the past have come forward over the last week; big thanks to Mike Fearnley, Bert Van Eyck and Simon Dove who have all been in contact. The following is Bert’s account of the “Dory incident”:
Carole, Joan and Graham were up from their dive and saw the boat coming from a distance, but with Mike and Barbara down on their dive and both outboard engines refusing to start they had to jump over the side and swim for their life. The cargo vessel collided
with the dory and ran over it. Once the dory popped up again the console was ripped off and the engines were flooded
At first it appeared the cargo vessel wasn't aware what happened because it continued its voyage for a while to stop and return to pick them up. The vessel was on its way from Dubai to Bandar Abbas, and the Captain offered to drop them off in Bandar Abbas.
With no passports, clothing and Iran being at war with Iraq this was not an attractive option, so Joan grabbed the VHF and called a mayday on channel 16 . This was picked up by one of the radio officers in our office, so once we knew the name of the vessel we managed to contact it's owners in Dubai  who agreed to return the divers + dory to Sharjah creek breakwater where they were picked up by one of our workboats. With the dory being a complete write off owners agreed to give the club money to buy a new boat and compensate the divers for lost or damaged gear. See photos below. 
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Any further information from anyone would be gratefully received. I would be interested to hear from any of the founding members, in particular the original committee, Jeremy Bonnell, Richard Kerr, Blair Littlejohn, George Featherstone and William Cook. I would also like to know of any details regarding the precursor clubs in the region, BSAC 270 (Sharjah) and BSAC 257 (1st Foresters), both I believe, linked to the British military.

Hazelle Page of Sharjah Museums Authority would greatly appreciate any information and / or photographs of the old Sharjah Control Tower in the days when it was home to the Dive Club.
For anyone interested in what the site is like now, try the link below:
https://www.sharjahmuseums.ae/en-US/Museums/Al-Mahatta-Museum
-----------------------------------------
Joining BSAC:
New members to BSAC can join Sharjah Wanderers Diving Club via the website, https://www.bsac.com/membership/select-branch/ . If you enter Sharjah, the club appears. Existing BSAC members can renew by logging into MyBSAC or using this link, https://www.bsac.com/membership/rejoin-today/

Join BSAC and claim your free dive! (406 members only).
----------------------------------
BSAC general website: https://www.bsac.com/home/
Remember also:
DAN insurance website: https://www.daneurope.org/home
----------------------------------
The Dive Club meets every Tuesday night in the Dive Bar.
​
See you there.


L Photo: Carole, Joan, Mike , Graham & Barbara
Middle photo: Carole, Joan , Barbara with Mike and Graham attending the dory at the stern of the workboat.
3R Photo: Damaged Dory