Bandanna Club
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Bandanna Club
Dive Club
(English)
Company description
The Bandanna Club was formed in October, 1995, by Dave (Tosh) Thomas, Andy Patterson and myself (Phil McKenzie), while on a diving holiday in Malta, back in 1995.
We met through the Sealed Knot Society, where we are all members of the same Royalist Regiment,
Sir Marmaduke Rawdon`s Regiment of Foote. Tosh and Andy were members for a number of years, but I was the new recruit.
As a joke, Tosh and Andy purchased three Nike Bandannas from a local sportswear shop, while we were waiting for our diving instructor to turn up. The Bandannas quickly became our ``colours`` and we wear them with pride whenever we get together as a group and our friendship has gone from strength to strength.
Our partners and friends have also joined in the fun and we have had some wonderful times together. Then, last year Andy and Trina were blessed with a bouncing baby boy, who is a treasure to us all and who represents the future of the Bandanna club as the next generation!
We`ve had a lot of fun over the years, doing all sorts of things and visiting all sorts of places. Our adventures are separated by following categories:
Abseiling - in Malta and closer to home in Portsmouth, UK with our resident abseiling expert Andy.
Ballooning - an excellent way to spend the day. Up Up and Away....
Climbing - our intrepid exploits up and down mountains in Scotland and Snowdon; including the time we nearly had to call in mountain rescue! Also information on some of the more leisurely (and less dangerous!) trips we have done, including a recent visit to Cornwall.
Diving - our adventures in the `Big Blue` and beyond... in Madeira, Malta and South Africa. Coming soon - diving in Hawaii and California. What could be next... the Great Barrier Reef?... Who knows!
Good times - what we get up to when we aren`t risking life and limb. Just chillin` out man! Includes Amsterdam, a traditional Maori banquet (Hangi), Glastonbury Festival and much more!
For those of you who have never tried diving, I strongly recommend you have a go at this - perhaps next time you are on holiday in the Med or a similar location, where you have the time and the inclination. Many diving clubs at various holiday resorts offer a ``Try a dive`` option, which allows you to at least get a taste of what the sport is like, by taking an hour`s dive in a sheltered bay where the waters are very calm and shallow, under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor (make sure the dive shop or club you select is properly certified and ensure that your travel insurance provides proper coverage prior to travelling). Once you`ve had a taste of it, I am sure you`ll want to do more!
There are a number of different course and qualification options, offered by a number of organisations. Two of the largest and most widely recognised recreational diving schools are PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) - the US standard, and BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club). Both training methods and qualifications are recognised throughout the world and both offer in-depth and intensive courses, with a strong emphasis on diver safety.
If you plan to do most of your diving in the warmer tropical waters of places like the Med etc, then the PADI option is probably more suitable. However, if you are planning to dive in the cooler waters of the Atlantic (particularly around the UK) then the BSAC plan may be more suitable.
The nicest thing about recreational diving is that the more you relax, the more you enjoy it! The feeling of weightlessness is wonderful and the first time you achieve neutral buoyancy in the sea gives you a real feeling of accomplishment.
If you are interested in learning more about this incredible sport, I suggest you join or contact us.
Location description:
Here is an example of our page about adventures in diving:
In 1995, I was invited to attend a Martial Arts Seminar in Malta. Since the seminar was only for a day or so and I was going to be in Malta for a week, I spoke to Tosh and Andy about the idea of learning to dive, while in Malta. They were both keen to have a go and Andy suggested the possibility of doing some abseiling while we were there also.
So, in October, 1995, weighed down with luggage, abseiling gear, my Martial arts stuff and some sense of trepidation, we hopped on a 4-hour flight to St. Julians Bay in Malta. The night we arrived was Tosh`s 25th birthday and we celebrated with a pint or 20 in the local Hard Rock Cafe (You can`t pass up the chance to drink in a bar that has a sign on the door reading: `No drugs or nuclear weapons allowed inside`)
In the wee wee hours the three of us staggered back to the hotel, singing at the top of our lungs...until a local cop stepped out of the shadows and hitched up his belt in a manner that suggested that we would very soon become very familiar with the local constabulary if we didn`t shut up. Fortunately we kept moving and after a few seconds I think he re-evaluated the situation based on the amount of paperwork he would probably have to complete and decided to retire to his comfy seat in the corner with his paper and a smoke. Thank heavens for small mercies!
While the lads slept off the worst of their alcoholic after-effects, I was forced to sweat mine out by being repeatedly used as a throw-dummy onto a marble floor at the seminar I was attending the following morning (something I still haven`t forgiven them for!) but by around 2:00pm the worst had past and that afternoon, after hiring a small Japanese jeep with dodgy brakes and a knackered starter motor (the only way to see Malta), we sorted out the diving and prepared to begin our PADI open-water course the following morning.
We did our PADI course with a company called Divecare, who are based in St. Julians Bay in Malta. They offer competitive rates and the 5-day course that we signed up for was very in-depth and a lot of fun.
As an introduction to diving, Malta takes some beating. The waters are calm and visibility is pretty good. The sea life is not bad, but some of the waters have been heavily fished out. Nevertheless it was a fantastic experience; so good that we came back in 1996 with new Bandanna Club members to do our Advanced Open Water Papers.
As well as the diving, we had also checked out Malta a bit more this time around, including a trip to the Capital Valetta and had a fantastic meal at a small restaurant in a tiny fishing town, right over the other side of the island!
more stories on our club.
Website:
http://www.bandannaclub.com/
A small group of fun-loving UK people who share an adventurous spirit and love of the great outdoors, including scuba diving.
Contact information:
Street Address:
United Kingdom
Spoken language(s): English
Open:
from 09-00 till 17-00
Local time:
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) London, Edinbourg, Lisboa
Note:
No guarantee is made to the accuracy of these details.
If you are a representative of
Bandanna Club
, you may update your options or details in our scuba diving directory. Please use
contact form
or email us at info@divingfinder.com.
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