Splash-In 2026
Report by Tim Allen
Torbay Splash-in this year took place on Saturday, 13th June. This was the tenth year in a row that the Torbay branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) had organised this underwater photography competition. The photographs had to be taken on the same day and within the Torbay area. There were four categories of entry: Beginner, Compact Camera, Wide-angle, and Close-up/macro, as well as a Popular Vote prize.
Fifteen competitors registered and submitted a total of 43 photographs. As usual, the standard of photography was very high, with the judges recognising ‘Highly Commended’ entries, in addition to the First and Second Prizes in each of the categories.
In the evening, a presentation dinner was held at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, where all the photographs were shown, and a Popular Vote held to select a 'people’s favourite'. The judge this year was award-winning, underwater photographer Dan Bolt, ably assisted by Jo Rabineau, who took over judging duties from the legendary Peter Rowlands. Dan and Jo provided useful and helpful comments on all the winning and commended photographs.
This year, the competition again attracted sponsorship from some generous donors, with O’Three and Teign Diving Centre donating prizes.
Splash-In 2024
Sponsors: 
Report by Tim Allen
Torbay Splash-in this year took place on Saturday, 29th June. This was the eighth year in a row that the Torbay branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) had organised this underwater photography competition. The photographs had to be taken on the same day and within the Torbay area. There were four categories of entry: Beginner, Compact Camera, Wide-angle, and Close-up/macro, as well as a Popular Vote prize.
Seventeen competitors registered and submitted a total of 54 photographs. As usual, the standard of photography was very high, with the judge recognising some ‘Highly Commended’ and ‘Commended’ entries, in addition to the First and Second Prizes.
In the evening, a presentation dinner was held at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, where all the photographs were shown, and a Popular Vote held to select a 'people's favourite'. Judging was conducted anonymously by Peter Rowlands, editor of Underwater Photography Magazine, who provided useful and helpful comments on every one of the submitted photographs.
This year, the competition again attracted sponsorship from some generous donors, with O’Three, Teign Diving Centre and Dr Paul Naylor donating prizes.
Splash-In 2025
Report by Tim Allen
The Torbay Splash-in underwater photography competition took place this year on Saturday, 13th September. Organised annually by Torbay BSAC 0008, the competition is open to all and attracts talented photographers from all over the Southwest. Photographs must be taken in the Torbay area and within a 19-hour period. There are four categories of entry: Beginner, Compact Camera, Wide Angle, and Close-up, as well as a Popular Vote prize.
Fourteen competitors registered and submitted a total of 50 photographs. Tim Allen, Torbay’s Diving Officer, noted that strong westerly winds forced most competitors to go around to the more sheltered areas in Torbay, notably Babbacombe and Anstey’s Cove.
In the evening, a presentation dinner was held at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, where all the photographs were shown, and a Popular Vote held to select a 'peoples’ favourite'. Judging was conducted anonymously by Peter Rowlands, editor of Underwater Photography Magazine, who remarked that the images were very impressive, given the difficult diving conditions on the day.
Red Sea 2023
On Thursday 10th August 2023 seven members of the Torbay Sub-aqua Club flew to Hurghada to board the Blue Pearl, a live-aboard run by the Blue Planet on a trip organised by RegalDive. They returned on Thursday the 17th after averaging between 18 and 21 dives in the Northern part of the Red Sea and on a number of famous wrecks.
During the course of the diving the following sites were dived on one or more occasions.
Off Hurghada the shake down dive was made at Poseidon’s Garden at El Gouna. Before venturing out on to the Straights of Gubal where several sites were dived, including The Barge at Gubal Soraya.
The Barge was well broken up but offered plenty of fish life, two huge Moray Eels, of some age and the chance for a drift dive.
Malta trip 2024
Between 11 and 18 September 2024, members of the Club ventured to Malta on a trip organized through Dive Worldwide by the Training Officer, Simon Jackson. Diving was arranged in Malta with Maltaqua who provided all transfers, cylinders, and weight/weight belts.
Accommodation with Half Board was taken at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel in St Paul's Bay in preference for the self-catering accommodation offered by Maltaqua. The Gillieru proved very adequate, and the divers could breakfast at 7am before being collected.
On arrival there were strong North Westerly winds, and diving was restricted to the Southeast. Fortunately, there are plenty of sites in Malta on which to dive Later, the weather moderated and the divers were able to dive Comino and Gozo as planned.
In total, 13 dives were made, all of which were shore dives, except for the two dives on Comino. Details of the dives are shown below. There is probably little doubt that diving the Um El Faroud was a highlight. The dive was a shore dive to 36m and included the swim out through midwater from the shore.
Splash-In 2023
Sponsors: 
Report by Tim Allen
The seventh annual Splash-in underwater photography competition run by the Torbay branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) took place on Saturday, 3 June. A Splash-in competition is one where the photographs must be taken on a single day, and sometimes within a certain area (in our case, Torbay). There were four categories of entry: Beginner, Compact Camera, Wide-angle, and Close-up/macro, as well as a Popular Vote prize.
Unfortunately, the weather conditions this year were challenging, so although it was warm and the sun was shining brightly, easterly winds had been blowing into Torbay for a couple of weeks, resulting in extremely poor water visibility. Consequently, the decision was made to relax the geographic location requirement and competitors were informed a couple of days before Splash-in day that they could take their photographs outside of Torbay, as long as they handed in their entries on time in Torquay. Sixteen competitors registered and submitted a total of 49 photographs. The standard of photography was again very high this year, with the judge recognising two ‘Highly Commended’ entries in each category, in addition to the First and Second Prizes.
On the evening of Splash-in day, a presentation dinner was held at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, where all the photographs were shown, and a Popular Vote held to select a 'peoples’ favourite'. Judging was conducted anonymously by Peter Rowlands, the well-respected photographer and editor of Underwater Photography Magazine, who provided insightful and useful comments on all of the photographs.