Weekly blog: Guest blogger- Danni Ives!

Having qualified as an open water diver in August last year, I decided it was time for my first diving trip, and what better one to do first than the Farne Islands. First I had to complete my dry suit course, which I thought I would not like due to the restriction of the suits, but I was surprised by how comfortable they can be once they are properly fitted to you. I found it difficult at first to control my buoyancy with the dry suit, but after some practice I got used to it. I was not sure what to expect as it was my first boat trip, and my first diving trip. I had also never dived in salt water in a dry suit before so this weekend was a lot of first times for me!

Our dive group were amazing, some I had already met, but some I had not. They were all so friendly and helpful, as they knew I was a very new diver and needed more than a little guidance. We stayed at the B&B our skipper and his family owned which was a lovely, clean, cosy place and perfect for what we needed. It was very close to the harbour too so easy to get to.

Our first day diving was a big learning curve. Learning how to get our kit together and secure it safely, the general boat rules, and safe diving in the sea. On my first dive I really struggled with buoyancy issues due to salt water diving, despite already adding extra weight. Rhonda had the great idea of adding rocks to my BCD, and she soon had me on the bottom playing with the seals. It was such an amazing experience, watching them play and swim so well for their size. The seals appeared as soon as we entered the water! They were very nosy, and were soon chewing on my fins and nudging me. My brother was very confident diving, and did his first 19 meter dive.

Our skippers were fantastic, we felt so safe with them and they tried their hardest to get us the best diving, and even gave me tips on how to manage my sea sickness. The islands seemed to cater for everyone, there were deeper areas for divers wanting to explore, and there were shallow parts for divers wanting to see seals without the depth. I learnt so much in just two days in the Farne Islands, it has made me a better and more confident diver, and it is certainly a trip I will be making again in the future!