About Us
The S. Thomas’ College Sub-Aqua Club (STCSAC) was founded on the 06th of October 1993 to function as a satellite scuba diving club of the Sri Lanka Sub-Aqua Club (SLSAC).
The STCSAC was founded by two old boy diving enthusiasts Mr. Srilal Perera and Mr. Udaya Gunasekera and coordinator between the two clubs was Mr. Vimal Peiris yet another staunch old boy of our alma mater.
The first executive school boy committee of the club; President: S.P. Wickramasinghe, Vice President: R. Wickramasuriya, Secretary: N.R. Dabare and Treasurer: M.P. Bollegala credited these boys all of who were on the water polo team to be the clubs inaugural committee. We also recognise the support of old boy late Mr. Selvin Gunawardena, Master in Charge Mr. M.D. Maurice, the Sub Warden Mr. D.A. Pakiyanathan and the decision of the Warden late Mr. W.M.N de Alwis to inaugurate the club as without them it would not have been a reality.
In its infancy, to put the club on its feet, the late Mr Wilfred Wickramasinghe (Willa) who was on the executive committee of the Old Boys Association (OBA) was instrumental to getting funding to purchase our first set of scuba equipment.
The STCSAC before indulging in any open water scuba diving activities, required all members to present themselves for an examination conducted by the SLSAC and satisfy the Diving Officer Dr Malik Fernando on competencies. Dr Malik imparted to us the strict rules and valued traditions of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) of which we were not able to be a branch of due to the high cost involvement at the time.
In just over a year of inception school boys Ravin Gunawardena and Yohan Abeyesekera had the distinction of being the first scuba divers of the STCSAC on the completion of their maiden open water dive on the 23rd of October 1994 from Kinross Swimming Club.
For a detailed document on the history of the club you may visit "History of the STCSAC Since 1993".
Today we are a diver training school to be reckoned with, being the 1st BSAC Branch (# B2613) in Sri Lanka. We offer a training programme like no other to the general public. We are also the old boy support group to the S. Thomas' College Scuba Diving Unit (STCSDU), an extra curricular activity classified as a sport since February 2015.
Mr. Srilal Perera
Diving Officer - 1993 to 2000
Mr. Udaya Gunasekera
Training Officer - 1993 to 1995
STCSAC 33 1/3 Meter Training Pool in 1993
STCSAC Scuba Equipment 1995
Left to Right: Kishan Abeyesekera, Mr. Vimal Peiris, Romano De Silva, Ravin Gunawardena
Picture by Mr. Srilal Perera
STCSAC First Open Water Divers - October 23, 1994
Left to Right: Mr. Udaya Gunasekera, Ravin Gunawardena, Yohan Abeyesekera, Mr. Srilal Perera
Picture by Mr. Vimal Peiris