Photo credit: © Mark Wright
Two North West BSAC clubs recently looked to the skies on a boating assignment with a difference.
Kendal BSAC and Burnley BSAC provided safety cover for this year’s Wings over Windermere event, which saw a replica of the first successful British seaplane, the Waterbird, fly over the iconic lake. The original Waterbird took its first flight across Windermere back in 1911and its replica is still the only one of its kind. Joined by a modern-day seaplane, the Aviat Husky, the Waterbird performed a flying display over two days for crowds gathering on the lake shore. It was coordinated by the charity, the Lakes Flying Company to raise awareness of the seaplane’s history.
The charity invited the two dive clubs to support the event with their club RIBs and act as water marshals to keep the lake clear and safe for the aircrafts’ flyover. Ian Gee, from the Lakes Flying Company said it was the first time a BSAC dive club has been part of the spectacle:
In order for the replica to carry out a flying display from Windermere we needed to obtain permission from the Lake District National Park Authority. And without the vital help of the boats and marshals we would not have been able to proceed.
Jim Henshaw from Kendal BSAC said the clubs jumped at the chance to be part of a alternative boating weekend:
It was a very different use of our boating skills. Instead of concentrating on dive plans and underwater conditions, we were watching the lake, keeping a constant lookout for what was happening around us — and above us.
The Kendal BSAC RIB was crewed by Julia Salisbury, Andy Higham, Piot Kasavar, Rick Fry, Paul Fry, James Henshaw and Eloise Henshaw, with Paul Fry as skipper.
Burnley BSAC provided a second RIB, with James Dennett as helm, together with Leon Nesbitt-Hancock. The two club RIBs formed part of a nine strong marshal boat flotilla. Jim added:
There was something quite special about sitting in a BSAC RIB on Windermere and watching Waterbird take to the air. Not quite our usual BSAC weekend!
