Dive club RIB part of Jubilee flotilla

A group of Leicester scuba divers took part in the historic Thames flotilla for the official celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Members of the Leicester Underwater Exploration Club (LUEC) played a proud part of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, which involved more than 1,000 boats led by the Queen.

Her Majesty was aboard the Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, with close members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

The LUEC divers were in their bright orange Rib boat - Vixen - and were part of a fleet of vessels which followed behind.

LUEC’s place was secured by the club’s diving officer, the appropriately named Adam Waters, who first heard about the event on the radio more than a year ago.

Speaking from the boat itself, on the day, just as they sailed past Battersea Power Station, he said: “We are surrounded by boats in every possibly direction and everyone is having an absolutely fantastic time and we are feeling very happy.

“The atmosphere is carnival like and there are just thousands and thousands of people here cheering us through. It is like the feeling when you surface from a fantastic dive - it is completely exhilarating.”

For more information on Leicester Underwater Exploration Club, visit www.luec.org.

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