From a military point of view, Gosport has quite an extensive diving history through the submarine base, HMS Dolphin. The Escape tower is a major skyline feature of the town even today although it closed down a few years ago.
I’ve just been looking at my photos and am surprised to find that I don’t have any outside of the museum. I find that surprising because the outside area is a minor extension of the museum, with some interesting equipment on show. It is the one museum which we have not visited, and I am determined to in the next few weeks.
I understand that there is a connection between Gosport and Diving, but I couldn’t help wondering if there was something about the history of the town that justifies the town hosting a diving museum. Please note that I am not criticising the museum one little bit, just wondering. Unlike the submarine museum where the link is strong with submariners or the explosion museum, the history of Naval Firepower, given the towns link with history. What is it thast causes the existence of the museum here, in this place?
Of course, you only have to look at where we are on the map, this must be one of the most active maritime areas in the world. There are very likely ships that pre-date The Mary Rose (that’s a story in its own right) which sank in the Solent in 1545. There are many D-Day wrecks that are explored by divers, including as training for the Royal Navy.
I wonder what else is in the museum? I can remember many years ago reading about the descent of the bathyscaphe Trieste to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. There’s only one way t o find out.
Bills Posts 