Ye Amphibious Ancient Bathing Association
Founded Broughty Ferry 1884 

Ye Amphibious Ancient Bathing Association have been in existence for 122 years in Broughty Ferry and are still going strong.  The emphasis and purpose may have changed since those far-off days in 1889, when the Associations original promises were opened on the Broughty Pier.  Owned at that time by the North British Railway Company, and sited in the shadow of the locomotive and carriages, bringing people to the ferry-boat, which plied it’s way across the estuary to Tayport, it was nothing for 60 or more swimmers to appear on a morning for their regular “dook”, always providing the steamer was not docking at the time.

From then until now, what has changed?  Well, the railway and ferry are long gone, so indeed are the swimmers in such numbers, devotees now to more modern pursuits; but the risk to the swimmers welfare still prevails with the high-powered boats using the harbour, with scant regard for the speed restrictions imposed.  The numbers may have dwindled but the enthusiasm and dedication remain; and the Club’s premises too survive, albeit rebuilt on the same location, to cater for their needs.  Interestedly and a tangible link with the past, are the descendants of D & W Coullie, the contractors for the first building who are still actively associated with both club and business today.

Across the years, the purpose of the Association has been to foster and encourage the sport of open water swimming and though the emphasis today is much more competitive, because the sport has broadened it’s horizons, there is still the basic enjoyment of the challenge and the personal satisfaction in achievements and ambitions realised.

We wonder if a certain John Barrowman knew what he was starting when he accepted the office of first Chief Ancient, (President to the uninitiated), back in 1889, a post he held for 25 years until his death at seventy-nine.  He and his committee have certainly a lot to answer for.  Certainly they knew they were trail blazing in 1899, when John Shaw and Bob Macmillan made he first crossing of the River Tay, and Bill Blair when he swam over and back in 1905, the first Double; or indeed Miss Topsy Johnson, the fist lady to make the crossing in 1906 in 42 mins 34 secs.  Did they think however that easily a thousand or more would do it after them?  Seventy years on and the Double Double was achieved by William Bennet. By now the pattern was changing and swimmers eyes were cast further afield, for fresh challenges.  In the next fifteen years the Association could boast of two Channel swimmers, who with others were to conquer Scotland’s premier Lochs, Ness and Lomond as well as Loch Tay, Rannoch, Tummel, Earn and in England Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston, Morecombe and Torbay, to mention a few.  Even the Suez Canal was to see the “Phibbies” in pursuit of their sport.  With competition developing, came at least for some, international recognition and media adulation, with Robert Saunderson swimming Lake Zurich, and after ninety years he was to set the Treble, Double plus One, or a seven way cross Tay without a break.  To present, with Ian Hunter, Pam Short, Frank Chalmers and Kim Dellanzo joining Robert, Kevin McIntosh and the Fife connection, super Andrea Gellon, in conquering the Tay on Millennium One – brilliant, very, very, courageous, and as Ian said, something we’ll always remember with pride.

In between there have been countless others, the greats, the plodders, the brave and the characters who have helped to make this club, not just a Ferry institution, but hopefully respected throughout the country.  Far too many here, but if we could single out our life President Netta Spence, former Tay swimmer and an excellent mediator, her predecessor George McLaren, who gave a life time of service; Phyllis Sullivan who won the B.L.D.S.A. Pilot Lifesaver Trophy, and her late husband Denis, who to many epitomised the Club in his time;  Russell Gordon a retired Master-Mariner, who can build as well as sail then; Kevin McIntosh who thrived on the “big ones”, the channel, Loch Ness, Lommond, and Windermere Two-Way, all completed in a prodigious record of achievement; and Alex Duncan, Gus Smith and all the rest who kept things together when the bottom fell out of the sport some forty years ago.  All have played their part.

We have also been privileged to have recently had the charismatic enthusiasm of Ms Carolyn Whiting from Australia in our midst.  What a difference that year made, and with our new coach’s busy with the youngsters, things are looking good.  There’s a buzz in the training sessions and under Pam.  Joyce and Brian’s teaching, the Junior Gala at Easter is eagerly awaited.

The Club is unique in a sense, as it is the only one of its kind left in the country.  It has to be conceded that open-water swimming is a minority sport, but its popularity is at the moment on an upward spiral.  Recognition by FINA, the sport’s governing body, has led to World and European Championships being held annually at venues worldwide.  It has also led to a change in concept, putting fresh demands on he swimmers, especially at the top levels of competition.  The Club is affiliated to the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association and the British Long Distance Association, running an extreme programme of open events annually on the Tay and further afield which attract a fair proportion of English OW swimmers and overseas visitors.  Currently, we have become accustomed to having twenty or more swimmers in our open events and recently the Kirkton of Balmerino swim was televised and featured in a Sky Watersports Programme.  Quality fields of course mean top class back up.  This can bring headaches because each swimmer must be accompanied by a rowing boat with pilot and lifesaver, and finding 24 boats and cruise can present problems.  We must express our thanks therefore to Big Al, Stewart, the Two Ronnie’s, Jim, Stephen, Greta, Mick the Greek and Euan, for without their loyalty it would have been mighty difficult to carry things out, and to a further nameless host who, have worn the “wellies” well down the years.  The Clubs equipment and manpower are also available to assist in national and district championships as required.  We run boat-handling courses, encouraging our members to go for technical training, coaching and life saving certification.

You can appreciate that the increasing participation has meant a drastic rethink as to the Clubs role in the future.  Under the energetic leadership of our first lady chief, Joyce McIntosh we have extended our premises on the

Broughty pier to give us the best facility use possible.  A new boathouse had become essential, to avoid deployment of equipment, and although hot water and toilets may have been considered an unnecessary luxury by our fore fathers, health and safety, if for no other reason, decree it today.

The Dundee City Council in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise Tayside have refurbished and landscaped the pier and surrounding areas, in a most attractive manner.  Hopefully our remondernised premises will provide a suitable centrepiece.  Hopefully too we would like to say that the completion of this project, which has been years in the talking and a pipe dream to many, will shortly be a reality and the Club could then look forward to going from strength to strength.

This then is the Phibbies today.  Still encouraging people to swim in the waters of the Tay and of course we have our Club within the Club – the indoor sessions twice weekly and the University and Lawside Academy pools from where we hope a few will graduate to the less warm waters of the open sea and lochs.  The years 2000 – 2006 have been very vibrant with recorded times with the river crossings becoming faster.  Dee Llewellyn (life member) has encouraged an influx of youth from the south.  Her own performances have seen her win championships year after year on the river.  Age is no barrier to our swims and in 2005 we welcomed Lotti Muller to our shores at the age of 72.  She completed the double in just over an hour.  Another newcomer is Libby Findlay who won a first for the Club by winning the Bridge to Bridge.  The Blue Riband for the Club was Frank Chalmers Channel swim in August 05.

The Broughty Ferry raft race, after 20 years, has regretfully passed into folklore, as rafting popularity waned but he Triathlon will hopefully replace it.  Bag packs, quiz nights, bingo and the odd coffee morning are other remunerative sidelines.  Fund raising is inevitable for survival and we are indebted to the Foundation for Sport and the arts, not once but twice, and Scottish Enterprise Tayside, for major funding towards our building.  We must also acknowledge the Dundee City Council, Dundee Oil Venture Group, Broughty Traders Association, Dundee Football Club, Colmac, The Doctor J. McIntosh Patrick, David Goodfellow and our own Michael Brown, for their significant contributions towards our welfare.  Finally we commend the efforts of John Black not least for his fur lined appearance, fag tightly clenched at Ne’er Day Dooks in recent years, but more for his New Years raffles which have raised thousands of pounds for this Club and local charities.  John is life member and true friend.

“Is there a man among ye?” comes echoing down the years from those Victorian days but we are sure the ancients of old would have applauded the 120 intrepid soles who turned up at the harbour on Millennium One, for the baptismal dip and thereby kept up the traditions behind this great Club.

We also think that they would nod appreciation at the endeavours oft their modern day counterparts, though holding up their hands in horror at the costs involved in keeping it going – the price of progress, but we would be doing our countless members, both past and present, a great disservice if we did not stick to the task.