Naval Air Command Sub Aqua Club
Encyclopedia
The Naval Air Command Sub Aqua Club (NACSAC) is an organisation within the Royal Navy
that oversees sports
and technical diving
training activities for naval aviation and fleet units. Today it has branches at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) and RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron). Both bases provide training, and club members regularly dive in their local areas on weekends. Diving instruction, from beginner to advanced level, is offered under the auspices of the British Sub Aqua Club
.
In the early 1960s a group of Chief Petty Officers from the Naval Air Command decided to form amateur diving
clubs and mounted annual expeditions. These clubs were first based at the naval air station
s of Portland (HMS Osprey), Culdrose and Yeovilton and conducted diving under the auspices of an umbrella organisation which became known as the "Naval Air Command Sub Aqua Club" (NACSAC). The club's first chairman was Lieutenant
Roy Graham (1924–2007), an engineer officer who had begun his diving career aboard the aircraft carrier
HMS Victorious
. Whilst in Gibraltar
, he was in charge of diving training on this ship. Following a shallow water diving course with 24 entrants and only himself and a Royal Air Force
medical officer finishing the rigorous training, Graham became the only Fleet Air Arm
officer with a naval diving qualification. One of the club's first projects was to send a team of divers to the Isles of Scilly
to find an historic Royal Navy ship, like HMS Association, a 90-gun ship of the line
lost in the great naval disaster in 1707
. In 1964 about ten NACSAC members - including the shipwreck expert and writer, Chief Petty Officer Richard Larn
- arrived on Scilly, believed to be only the second group of divers to visit the area. Their initial dives began a series of navy visits that continued for four years. In 1964, 1965 and 1966 the
divers could only access the Western Rocks
, but barely around the Gilstone Ledge, where a later expedition managed to locate the wreck of HMS Association in 1967. The rediscovery of the site also led to more government legislation, notably the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
, passed in an attempt to preserve British historic wreck sites as part of the maritime heritage.
The annual expeditions, organised to promote diving as an exciting sport, have become a key focus of NACSAC activities. Despite changes to the Royal Navy Fleet command structure, the club has retained its historic title and continues to advocate sports diving activities.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
that oversees sports
Recreational diving
Recreational diving or sport diving is a type of diving that uses SCUBA equipment for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. In some diving circles, the term "recreational diving" is used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of the sport which requires greater levels...
and technical diving
Technical diving
Technical diving is a form of scuba diving that exceeds the scope of recreational diving...
training activities for naval aviation and fleet units. Today it has branches at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) and RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron). Both bases provide training, and club members regularly dive in their local areas on weekends. Diving instruction, from beginner to advanced level, is offered under the auspices of the British Sub Aqua Club
British Sub Aqua Club
The British Sub-Aqua Club or BSAC has been recognised since 1954 by the Sports Council as the governing body of recreational diving in the United Kingdom....
.
In the early 1960s a group of Chief Petty Officers from the Naval Air Command decided to form amateur diving
Recreational diving
Recreational diving or sport diving is a type of diving that uses SCUBA equipment for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. In some diving circles, the term "recreational diving" is used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of the sport which requires greater levels...
clubs and mounted annual expeditions. These clubs were first based at the naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
s of Portland (HMS Osprey), Culdrose and Yeovilton and conducted diving under the auspices of an umbrella organisation which became known as the "Naval Air Command Sub Aqua Club" (NACSAC). The club's first chairman was Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Roy Graham (1924–2007), an engineer officer who had begun his diving career aboard the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
HMS Victorious
HMS Victorious (R38)
HMS Victorious was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939...
. Whilst in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, he was in charge of diving training on this ship. Following a shallow water diving course with 24 entrants and only himself and a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
medical officer finishing the rigorous training, Graham became the only Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
officer with a naval diving qualification. One of the club's first projects was to send a team of divers to the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
to find an historic Royal Navy ship, like HMS Association, a 90-gun ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
lost in the great naval disaster in 1707
Scilly naval disaster of 1707
Scilly naval disaster of 1707 is an umbrella term for the events of 22 October 1707 that led to the sinking of a British naval fleet off the Isles of Scilly. With four large ships and more than 1,400 sailors lost in stormy weather, it was one of the greatest maritime disasters in the history of...
. In 1964 about ten NACSAC members - including the shipwreck expert and writer, Chief Petty Officer Richard Larn
Richard Larn
Richard James Vincent Larn, OBE is a retired Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, a businessman and maritime history writer who is widely regarded as one of Britain's leading historic shipwreck experts.-Career at Sea:...
- arrived on Scilly, believed to be only the second group of divers to visit the area. Their initial dives began a series of navy visits that continued for four years. In 1964, 1965 and 1966 the
divers could only access the Western Rocks
Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly
Western Rocks is a group of uninhabited islands in the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom.They are located south-west of St Mary's, with Annet and St Agnes immediately to their north-east and Bishop Rock to their west. The larger islands in this archipelago are, from north to south: Great Crebwethan,...
, but barely around the Gilstone Ledge, where a later expedition managed to locate the wreck of HMS Association in 1967. The rediscovery of the site also led to more government legislation, notably the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides protection for designated shipwrecks. Section 1 of the act provides for wrecks to be designated because of historical, archaeological or artistic value. Section 2 provides for designation of...
, passed in an attempt to preserve British historic wreck sites as part of the maritime heritage.
The annual expeditions, organised to promote diving as an exciting sport, have become a key focus of NACSAC activities. Despite changes to the Royal Navy Fleet command structure, the club has retained its historic title and continues to advocate sports diving activities.