Rideout to The Diving Museum

GWC-Members only

Gosport has a claim to being the ‘home’ of the global diving industry. In 1832 the Deane brothers (the inventors of the diving helmet) carried out the world’s first commercial dive just off the coast of the Isle of Wight. John Deane subsequently moved to Gosport to continue working on local wrecks. Their invention suddenly made underwater exploration possible and the new ‘art of diving’ was soon practised all around the world. The prototype helmet which the Deane brothers used to perfect their diving helmet is currently on display in the Diving Museum.

Although it is small, the museum has a wide range of diving equipment including diving bells, chambers and atmospheric diving suits. Every kind of diving is represented – recreational, military, scientific, commercial and even breath-hold diving. And every era from ancient to modern. There is something for everyone in this fascinating museum.

The Historical Diving Society was founded in England in 1990 with the aim of promoting and co-ordinating research into the history and development of underwater exploration and the preservation of associated archives and artefacts.

The motivation for the Society’s foundation was the heightened interest in, and awareness of the history of diving – the perhaps inevitable result of the explosive growth in commercial, military and amateur diving which followed the end of the Second World War.

In 2011 it opened a museum in Gosport, Hampshire. It is the only museum dedicated to diving in the UK.There is a café and car park next to the museum

Admission: Adults: £5.   Seniors and Kids (5-16) £4

Meet at Chippenham Services 09:00hrs for a 09:30 depart. Full tanks please. The ride in total is approximately 170miles, with comfort breaks and a fuel stop at 95miles.