Juan Torras

Juan Torras

President of HDSES

Welcome!


A small group of veteran divers, some professional divers, others sports divers, with hundreds or thousands of dives experience, united by this love of the Sea and the adventure of that unknown, discovered the HDS societies that held exhibitions with very, very old diving equipment. Contacting them we saw that under the acronym HDS Historical Diving Society they had something in common, despite being from many different countries around the world.

Do you want to join the HDSES?

Founding Partners


Juan Ivars Perelló, Juan Bta. Torras Casamitjana, Juan Genovés Azpeitia, Pere Fullana Oliver, Julio Pernas García, Rosa Flecha Barrio, Federico Malagelada Benapres, Antonio Badias Alonso, Enrique Dauner Tapias, David Figuerola Aboy, Jose Luis Bertrand, Gonzalo Ivars Perez, Japp Stenger, Eduardo J. Connolly de Pernas, David Sanesteban Maceira, Fabio Vitale, Francisco FraileTorras

Honorary Members


Luis Jose i Villa, Juan Ivars Perelló, Mercedes Vilanova Ribas, Roberto Diaz Prat, Christian Petron, Federico Malagelada Benapres, José María Zapata Casaño, Alexander Siedkov, Eduard Admetlla Lázaro, Fernando García Sanchez, José Mª Treviño Ruiz, Manel Gil Garcia, Centro of Diving from the Navy CBA, Carmen Portilla Fernández


Correspondents


Fabio Vitale (Italy), Jaap Stenger (Belgium)


Governing bodies

Board of Directors

Currently formed by President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and five members.

General Assembly

The meeting will be convened at least once a year and on other occasions when necessary. It will be announced by e-mail with sufficient notice indicating the day, time and place, together with the Agenda, which may be modified by members up to five days before the day of the Assembly.

Board of Honor

Formed by honorary associate members. They may suggest any decision or proposal, but cannot vote.

Vintage Diving


One of the activities that we can do is organize vintage diving days, where we can practice diving with old equipment that has been checked and is in perfect condition. A unique and different experience that takes us back to times when, at least the sea, was infinitely better.

NEWS

HDSES Talks


The Gospel has a message for everyone, of every age, and in every language. Exposing your child to the Lord's path when they are young gives them guidance, hope and strength that lasts a lifetime. To learn more, be in touch with one of our Pastors. 

CONTACT US

Board of Directors


Honor Diver

This is a full-body figure of a classic diver, cast in bronze and made by the artist and sculptor, Jordi Minguez Cuevas, son of the painter Manel Minguez.

Mr. Eduardo Admetlla y Lázaro (Honorary Diver 2015). Pioneer of diving in Spain, and world record holder for depth in a scuba diving suit (-100 metres on 30 September 1957), author of numerous books dedicated to diving (The Call of the Deep, My Friends the Fish, Deep Sea) and populariser of the underwater world with television series (The Call of the Deep).

Mr. Juan Ivars Perelló (Honor Diver 2016). Combat and Damage Diver. Deep Sea Diver with air and Helium-Oxygen mixtures. First Class Diver with air and mixtures (118 m) of the US Navy. Diver and Professional Diver Instructor with five Specialties. Recreational Diving Evaluator/Certifier Instructor at Scuba Schools International (SSI). Certificate of studies on gas mixtures, handling of hyperbaric complexes and turret immersion systems, at the Underwater Research Unit in Panama City (Florida) USA, where he took part in one of the experiences at 487 m depth, carried out in the aforementioned unit. Co-author, together with Tomás Rodríguez Cuevas, of the work (History of Diving, its development in Spain 1983 and 1987).

Mr. Federico Malagelada Benaprés (Honorary Diver 2017), Lawyer, diver, underwater historian, specialist in the study of shipwrecks, treasure hunter, bibliophile. He has the best library in Spain on underwater subjects, with more than 2,500 volumes. Talking to him about the shipwrecks of the "Magdalena", the "Guisa" or the "San Pedro de Alcántara" is like taking a trip to the past and submerging ourselves in the waters of history to uncover their secrets.

Mr. Cristian Petron (Honorary Diver 2017), one of the great directors in the field of underwater cinematography. Director of photography in "The Big Blue" and "Atlantis", hired by James Cameron for his project "Deep Rover", technical director of the filming of the "Titanic" for Discovery Channel... The list would be immense. He is also a true expert in everything related to underwater cameras and there is no device that escapes him. Excellent person, lover of life, passionate about the sea and always with new projects in progress. He will never cease to surprise us.

Ms. Mercedes Vilanova Riba (Honorary Diver 2018). The first female diver in Spain, she completed the Diving course with the CRIS club in 1954, diving to this day. She has a long academic record, professor of Geography and History at the University of Barcelona, and was also a professor at the University of Boston. She received the Creu de Sant Jordi in 2005. A long life dedicated to research and teaching, in which she has always occupied an important place.

Mr. Manel Gil García (Honorary Diver 2019). In 1993 he created the production company GILMARSUB, in charge of filming underwater videos in chapters under the name THE AQUARIUM SEA OF THE WORLD. Navy combat diver, inventor and creator of all types of underwater housings. Painter of the seabed in 3D.

Navy Diving Center (Honorary Diver 2020). Since 1787, heirs to the oldest tradition and the first diving schools in the world. Always in constant renewal and adaptation to the times. Participating in the rescue of ships sunk by aviation in ports and shallow waters. In 1959 the Diving School changed its name to the Diving Instruction Center (CIB), and in 1970 it moved to the La Algameca Naval Station, creating the NAVY DIVING CENTER. Since its inception, it has been the most important reference for diving in Spain. It is the first institution to receive the Honorary Diver distinction.

Ms. Carmen Portilla Fernández (Honorary Diver 2022). For her extensive career in the practice of diving, a pioneer especially in the speleology-diving modality, and as a disseminator, coordinator of the TVE program "Al Filo de lo Imposible" (1985-2008) and as its director (2009-2013). She started diving in 1975. Her specialty from the beginning was speleology diving. Acuc instructor, Fedas instructor, Nitrox instructor and Trimix diver. She has participated in the explorations of the most important caves in Spain.

Ms. Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa (Honorary Diver 2023). Prolific writer, journalist, inventor and adventurer. One of the first diving instructors to serve on board the training ship “Cruz del Sur”. He participated in the difficult underwater recovery of victims of the Ribadelago Catastrophe in 1959. Author, among many others, of the cult novel among divers based on his own experiences: “Under 7 Seas”. It is a privilege to be able to present him with the aforementioned award.

"We are waiting for you."

Together we will be able to advance our passion, preventing the past from falling into oblivion and being lost to future generations of divers.

This is a non-profit association, which is supported by contributions from sponsors, regular membership fees, and the sale of books, photos, and other items donated for this purpose by its members or friends.

Through these lines, we would like to invite you to join us. If you practice or have practiced any type of diving, if you are attracted to the sea, you are welcome.

Within the HDSES, we wish to form different sections for collectors: diving helmets, regulators, books, cameras, waterproof boxes, etc. We also wish to have with us the best diving specialists in all its facets.


I want to be a member of HDSES
See the interactive map

Location of HDSES partners

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