Belated Sunday Catch Up!

Sorry we were late this week!

We had a slow start at the beginning of last week, so used this time to check and put away kit from the previous weekend’s dives. Gary was back in Basildon Academies for the After School Diving Club on Monday and also had the Basildon Academies’ BTEC Sports class’ last diving pool session on Friday.

On Tuesday, Gary went to the Children’s Support Service at the Jupiter Centre in Hadleigh. This is to run a PADI Open Water course and work with young people who have become disengaged with education system. The first day consisted of the first theory session, paperwork and an overview of how the course will be run. But, there was no pool night on Tuesday evening in Basildon, as Fred had another film shoot in. However, this gave us a head start to begin sorting out the summer kit! As we have just finished a long winter without many dives, all of our kit has to assessed before we can begin using it again. Gary and Janie made a good start with this process on Tuesday and Wednesday last week!

Last Thursday we had a very busy night in South Woodham Ferrers pool for the evening, where Gary was running the SEAL Team. Gill started a new open water course, whilst Rhonda and Dave continued with their current open water courses. And on Friday, Gary was preparing for the weekend just past.

Rhonda spent Saturday with Steve H. at Nemes to complete his Advanced Open Water course. Steve completed his first four dives in the Red Sea on the recent liveaboard trip, however there was no suitable location to do the navigation part of the course where the trip took place. Steve therefore finished this part of the course in the UK on Saturday with Rhonda! On Sunday, Rhonda went back to Nemes with Tony, Richard and Fernando, who are all newly qualified rescue divers, who after helping out as ‘victims’ on a recent rescue course, identified they would all like to become dive masters. Therefore, they spent Sunday with Rhonda logging up five dives, whilst also gaining more knowledge of the site, for future experience.

Gary is off to Cornwall this weekend to the annual Scuba Fest! Orca has been going to Scuba Dive Fest for the last four years and everyone always enjoys their time there! This year we will be diving at Porthkerris on Saturday and Sunday, in a boat called Kitten! If there are any questions about or prior to the trip, do not hesitate to get in contact and next week we will be posting a full review about the weekend!

Nick will be in the dive centre on Saturday this week if you need anything, but we will be closed on Monday due to the bank holiday! Next week, we will be back to normal in the pools on Tuesday and Thursday, so if anyone wants to jump in just give us a call!

Guest Blogger: Red Sea Liveaboard by Louise Kelly

Well what can I say... I don't think I have the words to describe how emotional and amazing this trip was! I was a nervous wreck on the way to the airport, and actually ended up getting upset when it came to leaving my family and heading off on my own. I had no idea what to expect, and not having a lot of experience with diving myself, I was very worried about what the dives would be like. I met a few of the people I would be staying with at the airport and they were all lovely. My emotions were everywhere and trying to keep calm with new people was very hard. But all the bad emotions soon went away when we finally reached the boat and got ourselves settled.

I was put in a cabin with another girl who was also travelling alone, so we were both in the same situation, which helped me a lot. The first night however, I couldn't eat or sleep and all the bad thoughts where racing through my head about how things could go wrong, how I would mess my dives up, and annoy people for being such a nervous wreck.

We were woken up at 5.30am the next day and I felt even worse, everyone was so lovely on board the boat and were so understanding about me feeling nervous, which definitely helped. Finally, I managed to get into my dive gear and go for my first dive! I have no idea why I felt so bad before, because the dive was amazing and beautiful and I was completely fine! I might not of been perfect, but nothing bad happened, although I needed to practice my buoyancy and breathing calmly more. But apart from that it went fine. Then after the dive all the worry and anxiety seemed to die away and everybody seemed to be so happy and relaxed. I'm not going to lie, at every dive briefing I was worried about what they would say and what the dive conditions were going to be like, but I think that's something you're always going to feel until you've had a lot of experience with all dive conditions.

Each day that went by I felt more relaxed, confident and happy. By day 4 my buoyancy had improved so much, and this was the day we also snorkeled with the dolphins and jumped off the top of the boat and had a really funny, happy day! Everyone's emotions where so high that day! Laughing, chatting, and feeling amazing really made me feel special too!

The whole experience has really helped me grow, not only with my diving, but as a person as well! I feel more confident and I'm definitely happier! Never let your emotions stop you from doing what you love, I know it's hard when you're feeling nervous and worried, but always take things at your own pace and never feel like you can't do it! I know first hand how anxiety and nerves can make you feel, and I managed to have the best experience of my life! I will have more moments in the future where those feelings will come back, but as long as I don't let them stop me from doing what I love, then they won't be a problem!

This really was an amazing trip, full of amazing people, and amazing memories. Liveaboard holidays are definitely something I'm going to carry on enjoying!

Sunday Catch Up

Gary was back to his role as mentor this week at Basildon Academies, as well as starting their after school club on Monday! But most of Monday and Tuesday was spent washing, drying and checking kit from our recent Red Sea, and we also took individual photographs for everyone’s certification cards. Although this is part of the paperwork people don’t like doing, making sure all documents are completed properly is very important and some people have come across various problems because of this.

However, after hours of uploading the video to YouTube, here’s the clip of our Red Sea trip!

On Tuesday night we were back in the Basildon deep pool for a busy and active session! Matthew, our documentary filmmaker, was doing a dry suit orientation ready for the upcoming weekend. Nick was running a rescue course with the help of some students who have just completed their own rescue course. We find this very useful for newly qualified rescue divers, as they get a different perspective and it reaffirms what they’ve learnt. We also had seven DSDs and two open water courses running in the pool as well. As ever, this would not be possible without the fantastic help of all our staff: Ian H., Carol, Paul D., Peter W., Rhonda, Nick, and our scholarship student, Nicole, who does a lot of running up and down the stairs sorting kit out!

This week we have also had Katie in the shop on work experience, who has had to work very hard as Janie is away! She has been learning how to sort and check equipment, as well as answering the phone and taking messages.

On Thursday night we were back in South Woodham Ferrers pool. Rhonda and Dave both took open water courses; Nadine was working with two DSD students; and Jamie started a new SEAL Team, which there is still time for anyone to join in with Jamie if they want to! Following the SWF pool night, there was meeting held regarding our next Red Sea adventure, which is with Writtle College students in July! Forward planning for any trip of this nature is very important and it gives all staff the opportunity to ask any questions and for us to clarify exactly how the trip will run. There will be more details about this trip closer to the time!

On Friday, Gary was back in Basildon Academies, working with BTEC Sports students who have nearly finished their confined open water and we are now starting to plan open water dates! One of the pupils on the course has already completed his open water course before with the after school club in a previous year; so when the rest of his colleagues are doing their qualifying dives, he will be taking his advanced open water! The rest of Friday consisted of getting ready for an open water weekend!

Jamie went to Gildenburgh on Saturday to complete Calum’s advanced open water course, and Steve went along as well to log up a few more dives with Joe working as dive master. At the same time, Rhonda was in Nemes with Matthew doing his qualifying open water dives. As it is still early in the season, Matthew was doing his open water course in a dry suit, after completing his dry suit orientation on Tuesday evening! And on Sunday, Rhonda was back at Gildenburgh to complete Matthew’s open water and dry suit course and she was also assisting Nick who was running the qualifying dives for the rescue course and everyone qualified! Well done!

In the upcoming week, we will be posting Ben’s photos of the Red Sea trip on our blog. Here’s a little taster of his amazing work…

Next week there will be no pool on Tuesday as there is filming in the deep pool. We will be in SWF pool on Thursday as per usual, so if you want to join the SEAL Team get in touch!

Sunday Catch Up

Having just got back from the Red Sea this morning, we will have reports on the trip next week! Suffice to say, everyone had a great time! Lots of divers came out for the first time, feeling anxious and nervous but came away confident, looking forward to their next trip. Young and old alike enjoyed the atmosphere on board The Sea Wolf Soul. Excellent food, fantastic staff and amazing dive sites all added up to a great trip for all!

Note from Gary:

"

There’s an old saying, all the gear, no idea – unfortunately I saw evidence of this on the wreck of the barge on a night dive. There were two divers on rebreathers with side slung bailout cylinders on a 14-metre night dive. As well as this, both divers had comprehensive camera units including long-arm strobes. Some would say that rebreather and side slung was an over-kill on a 14-metre night dive, but I understand logging up hours on a new unit is an essential part of training as well as logging hours with a camera unit is essential to know how the camera works properly in different situations. BUT!! Having all the gear and not being able to dive in a safe manner and being aware of the environment in which you are in, is a fundamental skill divers must earn. One diver used a steel rod and inserted it into the middle of coral head to steady himself while he proceeded to lay on top of other coral and used the side slung tank as a battering ram to smash the coral, which was to aid his new camera equipment to achieve the photo he desired. Having then asked the diver to ascend slightly so he was not in contact with the coral itself, destroying the environment we came to see, I received a blank look and the signal used above and below water to tell me to mind his own business! Unfortunately this happens all to often. I admit that I am not a perfect diver, and have accidentally made contact with coral in the past but reality says I will do it again in the future. However I always try to minimise the effect I have on the environment around me, and also teach this to my students at Orca.

At times it seems some people forget the very reason why we go diving. It is not to play with expensive scuba units, rebreathers, camera systems, etc. but to visit a part of our world that most people never see. We are privileged to have this opportunity and as divers, we have a responsibility to look after the environment we go into and preserve it for others. This is the first time I have been on a liveaboard out of Sharm El Sheik in the last five years, visiting many familiar dive sites which I have dived many times before. But I have noticed a marked improvement in the condition and quality of the reef there. One of the nicest things to see was many young Gorgonian fan corals returning to shallow waters. As a very delicate coral these can be easily destroyed. With the general downturn of tourism in the Red Sea, and fewer divers going there, the reefs are starting to recover. But if we continue to allow divers with all the gear and no idea, to destroy the very thing we go to see, it will soon revert back to the devastation that we caused before. This is something we will elaborate on in Orca, using this example and others, to help educate old and new students and how to preserve, help and understand the environment we dive in better.

"

While Orca were away for the week, Janie held the fort in England. Being a short week due to Easter weekend, we were closed on Monday, so Janie opened up bright and early Tuesday morning to tidy up the mess Gary left before departing for his trip at the weekend.

On Tuesday night there was a deep pool session, with Carol instructing an open water course. A few DSDs were also in the pool, which were being looked after by the dive masters and there was also a few divers in just to get wet! Nick was also working with Calum on an express rescue course. Thursday night at South Woodham Ferrers pool was cancelled as Gary and some of the staff were away on the Red Sea trip, and courses don’t start until 16^th April! The whole week was generally rather quiet with many people away on holiday due to the Easter break.

This coming week we are back in the pools both Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Gary is back mentoring at Basildon Academy and on Friday afternoon, Gary will be working with Basildon Academies’ BTEC Sports students in confined water. Also Basildon Academies’ After School Dive Club restarts on Monday, which Gary will be running. This upcoming weekend, we are back in open water with open water advanced and dry suit courses running.

Sunday Catch Up

After any weekend, there is always the mundane job of putting kit away. This is just as important as prepping the kit before you dive: making everything is washed down, checking for any damages, etc. getting ready for the next dive. As an active dive centre, this takes a good portion of our working week, and as the season goes on we’ll have more to do each week!

The big film shoot at Basildon, which finished on Monday, ended up being a late night for the divers and film crew. They finally got home at around 4am Tuesday morning!

A few of the students that completed their rescue course at the weekend came in to the deep pool Tuesday evening, to practice their skills. This is something we do as staff on a regular basis to practice our own skills so that we are always prepared.  At the same time we had four students from South Essex working with Ian and Rhonda, completing their confined dive 1. Nick was working with two other South Essex students who had started their course earlier, and so have now completed their five confined dives and are ready to go to open water when the weather improves. At the same time as this, there was a final pool practice for the people on the Red Sea liveaboard, who all flew out yesterday.

Gary went to South Woodham Ferrers on Wednesday to run the Bubblemaker and DSD children’s holiday programme at the pool. We find this to be great fun, but as a company it also feeds onto the SEAL Team and Junior Open Water courses, because we give young people the opportunity to try diving for the first time. Gary then took all the equipment back to the dive centre, where both himself and Janie spent the afternoon cleaning, checking and hanging back up the kit.

Thursday night was a quiet night in SWF pool, with South Essex College having finished their confined water and the new SEAL Team will not be starting until the 16^th April. Having said that, Dave started an open water course with two students, both who are off overseas in the near future! Although they have signed up for the referral course, and originally wanted to do the qualifying dives overseas, after spending some time with Dave and finding more out about UK diving, both of the students are now going to complete their course in the UK!

Friday was spent checking out kit for the Red Sea trip, with students picking up BCDs, wetsuits, and other pieces of equipment. The students have all met each other over recent weeks in the pool, so there was a lot of excitement and anticipation about the trip! As well as this, Jamie was going through Calum’s knowledge review for his advanced open water, as these can be done retrospectively. And then in the afternoon, both Calum and Steve were working with Jamie going through the rescue course knowledge reviews and how to use the O2 equipment.

Janie opened the shop up on Saturday, which was a quiet event, but did get some photographs sent from Gill and Marcia who are on a two week trip diving in the Philippines. Check out some of the photos below! 

But at 11am at Gatwick Airport, everyone else was checking in for the outbound flight to Sharm El Sheik, and we will have a report on this in next week’s catch up! But follow our Instagram account for some pictures of the trip, as Gary will be attempting to master social media to upload some photos! @OrcaScubaDivingAcademy