History

The Octopus branch of the British Sub Aqua Club was formed in 1978 as a City of Cardiff Transport social club, under founding diving officer Terry Welsher and chairman Phil Joseph. Pool meetings were held at Guildford Crescent Baths, off Churchill Way, while dry meetings were at the City of Cardiff Transport Social Club in Bridge Street. In the early eighties, the club moved to the Empire Pool which, being over four metres deep, was better suited to aqualung training. Unfortunately the Empire Pool was demolished in the late nineties (for no better reason than to make way for a rugby pitch!) A search was made for another pool. The three metre pools in Cardiff are usually fully booked, or only have time at weekends, while leisure centre pools are so shallow that if some divers stand up in the "deep" end foreheads break surface. No deep pool will be built in Cardiff in the foreseeable future. The club now uses the St Martins Comprehensive School pool, which is two metres deep.

In common with most sub-aqua clubs, a series of venues have been used over the years for dry meetings. When the City of Cardiff Transport Social Club was demolished, the Cardiff Octopus Club had to move from the Cameo Club to the Cross Inn at Gabalfa, to the Electricity Club, to City of Cardiff Yacht Club, back to the Cameo back to the Electricity Club and now the Ffynnon Wen for dry meetings on Wednesdays at 9pm.

Over the years the club has owned a series of boats. The first was a Zodiac inflatable, followed by an Avon inflatable purchased from club life member Dr. Gordon Lloyd. Wear and tear take their toll, and the next boat was a RIB, christened "Celtic Diver". In time this was replaced by our present boat, thanks to funding from SportLot.

The club carries out a varied diving programme- in the past it was awarded the Welsh Association of Sub Aqua Clubs "Club of the Year" award. Dives take place in the UK and abroad; in the past, club diving holidays have been taken in the Scilly Isles, Oban, and most recently the Red Sea.

Mike Hooks