Diving Officer

Steve Behan

Steve started diving in the mid 1980’s in Germany diving off the Baltic coast on sites around Willheimshaven and Keil, as well as some of the inland ‘SEE’ of Germany and Austria. Diving was then restricted to ‘Holiday diving ‘ for a number of years.

Memorable dives were on a Liveaboard around the Simlian islands (Thailand), a number of wreck dives in Malta, and the Zenobia (Cyprus).

Since joining the club, Steve has enjoyed diving both in the UK, and abroad, and qualified as an Open Water instructor in 2019. Steve enjoys all elements instructing, and particularly enjoys seeing students gain confidence & ‘grow’ with experience whilst learning to dive.

Steve is Now developing his own personal skills & is progressing through the Advanced Diver syllabus.

Equipment Officer

Roland Smith

Roland kind of fell into diving, one of his palls whilst boating abroad in 2005 suggested having a try dive after he complained about the amount of time he could spend underwater with a snorkel! On returning back to the UK, he had a try dive and signed up to do the Ocean Diver course with Stafford Sub Aqua Club. At that time the Ocean Diver was the only level of diving he considered as necessary, but strangely enough a few year later, he has now qualified as an Open Water instructor...

For Roland, time away and especially underwater is relaxing and stimulating. He enjoys the practical instruction element especially and gets a kick out of other people developing their skills and learning to Dive.

He dives both in the UK and overseas, with a particular affinity for the Medes Islands located off the shores of Estartit in Spain.

Secretary

John Baker

John had his first taste of scuba diving, in 2014, whilst on Holiday with his family in Egypt. He loved the try dive so much that he decided to go on and complete the PADI Open Water qualification during that same holiday.

Upon returning to the UK, John was determined to continue with his diving and so decided to join Stafford Sub Aqua club and continue with his training. Having successfully completed the BSAC Sports Diver qualification in 2016, John has now gone on to start the BSAC Dive Leader course and is loving the new skills and challenges that this course brings with it.

John’s favourite dive sites are not all located in warmer waters in Egypt, Malta, Tenerife, Lanzarote and other foreign countries he has dove. John says that some of the best, and most rewarding dives he has completed have been off the coast of our own fair isles. John says that Portland, Plymouth and St. Abbs have all provided spectacular wreck dives. The Farne Islands are his favourite for the fun dives with the local seals.

Ordinary Member

Jacqui Hodgkinson

Jacqui has been a member of the club since 2011. She decided that she needed to “learn how to do it properly” after experiencing a succession of amazing try dive experiences in Thailand, Egypt and Kenya.

Jacqui completed her Ocean Diver in 2012 and her first open water experience, after qualifying, was a trip to the Farne Islands. Diving with club member Steve Postles she experienced what she considers a “moment most people could only dream of” when she came face to face, quite literally, with a seal pup! She is currently the proud recipient of one of the club’s annual awards: the What Rock Award (don’t ask)… for the second time!

She is now working towards her Dive leader (but at her own pace) and enjoys every moment of her diving. Even when things don’t go quite to plan, after all there is always CAKE!

Past Committee Positions