The Gaillac diving club is preparing for new outings at sea

The scuba diving club showcases its dynamism in pool training at Pichery, as well as in sea level passages (Context: The scuba diving club is actively training and progressing in both pool and sea environments).

Like other associations, the Scuba Diving Club participated in the Sports Discovery days organized by the City in April. Guy Hirissou, the president, and a team of six supervisors took turns every hour to introduce children aged eight to thirteen to the basics of diving in the Pichery pool where the club regularly trains (Fact Check: The club is involved in community events and aims to involve children in scuba diving from a young age).

“One of us would equip the child, another would show them the four essential signs for diving, and four others would take turns accompanying them in the pool. We are not allowed to welcome children under the age of eight,” Guy Hirissou explains. The club recently underwent reorganization at the beginning of the year, establishing various commissions (technical, equipment, outings, etc.) and creating a space to install the compressor in a shed (Fact Check: The club is upgrading its equipment and facilities).

The essential equipment is currently in Sénouillac and will be placed at the back of the pool. The equipment renovation project has received support from a bank, but Guy Hirissou and his team plan to collaborate with partner companies in exchange for diving baptisms offered to their employees. The club is currently busy with sea outings (Context: The club is actively engaged in diving activities and outings).

One session took place in Cerbère to prepare for level 2, which allows independent diving to twenty meters. Another session is planned near Rosas with forty-five participants during the Ascension weekend, followed by another session in Cerbère to close the season, where families will be invited, and children may dive up to six meters under supervision.

In September, a level progression will take place from a solar boat in Port-Vendres. “We have never done this before. The two dives in the morning and afternoon will be separated by a convivial moment around a barbecue,” Guy Hirissou explains. In terms of environmental protection and maintenance, the club is working on a project with the municipalities of Gaillac and Brens to clean the Tarn river. This project may take place in September pending approval from relevant authorities (Fact Check: The club is involved in environmental initiatives and collaborations with local communities).

The scuba diving club has sixty-five members, a stable number that is hard to increase due to restrictions on teaching beyond level 2 preparation. However, Guy Hirissou is optimistic about welcoming new supervisors to provide the technical support needed to overcome this limitation. The club will be present at the Associations’ Festival to raise awareness and attract new members.