{"id":3300,"date":"2013-08-15T15:19:55","date_gmt":"2013-08-15T13:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/?p=3300"},"modified":"2019-04-24T11:55:47","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T09:55:47","slug":"glastonbury-founder-and-tv-presenter-name-new-scuba-diving-boat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/news\/glastonbury-founder-and-tv-presenter-name-new-scuba-diving-boat\/","title":{"rendered":"Glastonbury founder and TV presenter name new scuba diving boat"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLASTONBURY festival founder Michael Eavis named a new boat for a group of scuba divers who cooked up the funds to buy it by serving breakfasts for more than two decades at the world famous music event. <\/span><\/p>\n

He was helped by BBC TV presenter and qualified diver Miranda Krestovnikoff to launch the new rib boat, belonging to Street Divers, a branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), with a bottle of Somerset cider.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The naming of the boat, which previously saw service in the 2012 Olympics and cost more than \u00a340,000, was held at Clarks Village Outlet, Street.<\/span><\/p>\n

The naming of the boat, which is called Street Diver, was watched by a large crowd, said the club\u2019s publicity officer Kate Open.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt all went perfectly, and there was a big cheer when Miranda and Michael smashed the bottle. We\u2019ve had lots of interest from families and people have signed up for try-dives as well,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a thank you for supporting us we presented both Miranda and Michael with a bottle of the cider we used to name the boat and a club t-shirt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiranda had honorary club membership and open invitation to join us diving while Michael had a try dive voucher for him and his family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Every penny from the egg, bacon and sausages, plus gallons of hot tea and coffee, served to Glastonbury campers by Street Divers goes to support the club\u2019s underwater programme. <\/span><\/p>\n

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But one person who\u2019s never had chance to sample the club\u2019s breakfasts is Michael himself. He said: \u201cI\u2019m always too busy to stop and eat at that time \u2013 perhaps at the end of the day. As well as the music festival, we\u2019re a working dairy farm, so all the jobs still need doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the second time I\u2019ve been invited to name a boat for the divers \u2013 the last time was about 14 years ago. Mind you that was a lot smaller than this boat, which is very swish. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor this naming ceremony, we\u2019ve used a local cider, Burrows Hill, which is made by my friend Jim on his farm, from his own apples. We also sell it at the festival, and everybody\u2019s having a taste now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The 77-year-old dairy farmer is no stranger to life on the water, though he\u2019s never been diving. \u201cI\u2019m used to boats, as I was in the Navy when I was younger, plus I used to be in the rowing team at naval training college, on the Thames.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He and daughter Emily are busy signing up names for next year\u2019s festival, and revealed he\u2019d love superstar David Bowie to return to Worthy Farm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe younger ones sort out most of the music, but I like to book the headline names. I can\u2019t tell you at the moment who that will be as we\u2019re still talking to people. David\u2019s done it a couple of times before but I\u2019m sure he could come back again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

BSAC member Miranda co-presents BBC series Coast, and also films underwater items for the One Show and natural history shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

She said: \u201cToday has been amazing \u2013 I\u2019ve never named a boat before. I didn\u2019t think the bottle would smash but it did \u2013 and it was great that it was West Country cider, rather than Champagne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is wonderful that the club has been able to buy the boat by simply serving up breakfasts at Glastonbury – their hard work has definitely paid off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past week Miranda has been filming off the east and west coasts of the UK, on a chalk reef off the coast of Norfolk, plus in Cardigan Bay near Newquay, for the One Show, due to be broadcast later this summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Norfolk reef, which was only discovered a few years ago, was teeming with crabs, lobsters and a huge wealth of wildlife,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn Cardigan Bay we saw a spider crab migration – there were thousands of them. I\u2019m a big fan of diving in UK waters – it\u2019s really warm at the moment, around 18C and visibility is good. You don\u2019t need to go abroad to see amazing things underwater.\u00a0 It\u2019s\u00a0 all here in the UK.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From beginner to expert, BSAC provides extensive diver training and welcomes membership of divers trained by all other agencies.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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Mary Tetley, BSAC Chief Executive, said: \u201cStreet Divers should be very proud of their fantastic achievements and hard work saving up for this terrific new boat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBSAC club members are very dedicated not only to their branch but also to the sport of diving and while I have heard of many weird and wonderful ways of fundraising in the past, serving breakfasts at Glastonbury for 25 years is a definite first!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBSAC is marking its diamond jubilee this year and events such as this are a terrific way of celebrating our organisation\u2019s milestone anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would urge anyone in the area who is thinking of trying scuba diving or returning to the sport to contact Street Divers and become part of their fabulous adventures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The boat, along with all the navigational gear cost \u00a340,000. Made by Yeovil-based Ribcraft, it first saw service at the London 2012 Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\n

To learn more about Street Divers Sub Aqua Club visit <\/span>www.streetdivers.co.uk<\/span><\/a> or to learn more about BSAC visit <\/span>www.bsac.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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