Weekly Catch Up!

This week has been very busy. We've had James in from Scubapro showing us the newest products and revealing some big changes! As well as taking our order, James was teaching Janie the difference between diaphragm regulators and piston regulators and how they work. It was very educational for her as she often fixes small regulator problems but hadn't got a solid knowledge on first stages.  We have now reduced the Seawing Nova fins to £125! In black, blue, white, pink and purple.

Today, we want to take the opportunity to tell you about the dangers of storing kit carelessly over the winter period. We're going to show you some TRUE stories from divers we know.

"I was water often so I never got my BCD serviced. It had always worked perfectly and I didn't see a reason to pay somebody to tell me that my BCD was fine. Little did I know that not spending £25 on a service, could've killed me. For the sake of £25, I endangered the lives of my friends and myself. We were diving a wreck, entering negatively buoyant. It wasn't my first time, I had years of experience doing this so I didn't think anything of it. As we jumped in off of the boat, I started to inflate my BCD but no air was going in. I thought then that I was dead. I was terrified. I kicked and kicked, trying to get somewhere, anywhere. It wasn't working. I got further down, 10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters.... I saw my buddy struggling to help me and I could tell what he was thinking, he was going to leave me. I shouted NO in my head, he couldn't leave me. At 56 meters, my buddy caught me and helped me get to the surface SAFELY. Only when we got onto the boat did I realize, he put his own life at risk, to save mine. Tears started flooding. He opened my dump valve and it was clogged with dirt and gunk. It turn out that leaving your BCD in a box in the garage for 4 months over winter each year, doesn't class as storing it. I had nearly died and potentially killed my buddy because I couldn't be bothered to clean it, service it or store it properly"

"My dry suit fitted me perfectly, Except the boots were a bit too big. I couldn't dive last year for about 6 months because of a medical problem and then it got to cold. So after getting the Christmas decorations down, I'd decided to store my dive kit in the loft. Including my dry suit that was still wet in the bag. It was fairly cold in the loft so I guessed it would dry eventually and put it to the back of my mind. Then my first dive of this year was at Stoney Cove, I got my kit down, threw it in the car and left. Then whilst diving at 35m, my inflator valve on the dry suit jammed. It was inflating more and more. Then the cuff release got partially jammed. So I grabbed the dump valve on my BCD and emptied the tiniest bit of air that was in there. I rigorously shook my arm in an attempt to get the air out. One of my buddies grabbed my fins and held me down whilst I was doing this. After the panic wore off slightly, I disconnected the inflator valve from my dry suit and kept shaking my arm. I eventually managed to get back down to my buddies who looked worried. Locking arms with the other buddy, we ascended slowly, did our safety stop then we reached the surface slowly. I was probably lectured for about an hour on how to look after kit. I never tempt fate again anymore. My kit is in immaculate condition. But that dive could have been a lot worse and would have been if it wasn't for my buddies and a bit of quick thinking."

Weekly Catch Up!

This week has been all about the preparation for the winter months and new year. We've made our final arrangements for the annual Christmas meal which is just two weeks away! We've been getting more stock in for those must-have Christmas gifts and we've got the heater out because Janie had icicles growing from her nose!

Monday started as usual with a lot of kit to wash, check, sort and put away. It's surprising how time consuming it can be. Gary was mentoring in the afternoon after which he started designing our new vouchers and sent them to print. We're now selling vouchers for all occasions which means you can give a unique gift as well as finding new dive buddies. 

On Tuesday we met with The Jupiter Centre which is a specialist learning centre. They're doing very well in their Open Water course and show extreme enthusiasm at every lesson. We are increasingly seeing growth in each student and it is fantastic to see them growing in confidence too.  Then we had our pool night! It was very busy with three Open Water courses, several DSD's and a lot of people jumping in for a play. 

Wednesday was a prime opportunity to talk to Scuba Travel about our upcoming trips in 2016. We've now finalized all of the details for the liveaboard in April. We'll be staying on The Whirlwind, a beautiful boat that has been voted "Liveaboard Of The Year" at Diver awards. We'll be diving Ras Muhamed, Abu Nuhas & Thistlegorm. As well as many other wrecks and reefs. Kit is available to hire from us and everything is booked through Scuba Travel. This trip is fantastic for divers of all levels. 

Thursday entailed getting ready for the SWF pool night! It was a very eventful night as the Seal team were up to their usual mischief. Whilst we started a new Open Water course as well as doing Dive Master training. We also had Hollie in for a play, she was very nervous when she first started her course but with Carole's help, she has slowly grown confidence. She is now topping up her skills and refreshing her memory before qualifying. This is something we advise as even the most professional divers forget things after not being in the water for a while. 

On Friday, we were preparing kit for the weekend as usual however a few old friends popped in to say hello which is always great. After getting all of the kit ready, we had a good sort through the container, making sure we had enough gloves, hoods and boots to keep us warm through the winter months.

On Saturday and Sunday we had Hollie qualifying as an Open Water diver as well as Lewis and Connor doing their Drysuit course. The water is getting a little bit colder but we're not stopping yet! If you want to join us at Nemes this weekend, you know what to do!

Weekly Catch Up!

Good evening to all of our blog readers!

This week has been mostly about kit. Getting more stock in, reducing prices on sale items (make sure to visit us for a bit of Christmas shopping!) , washing kit from the salty Farne Islands. It's been a fantastic year so far and we've still got plenty of diving to do before the year is over.

Monday and Tuesday were definitely kit based days as all of the kit needs to be checked for damage after it has been used. We even do this after pool use as one of our many motto's' is "look after your kit and your kit will look after you". We also had The Jupiter Centre in on Tuesday afternoon doing dive 2. They were very proud of what they accomplished during their time in the pool. Then we had our pool night! Lots of people turned up which meant that Janie had a lot of kit checks and tidying up to do on Wednesday!

Thursday was interesting as following the mentoring that Gary does at The Basildon Academy, we were recruiting a pupil for work experience. This gives the pupil a prime opportunity to experience work life, this is something that schools are yet to teach pupils as getting qualifications is a huge focal point. However the pupil will be joining us on a weekly basis until the end of the year. They will learn about administration, equipment, office skills and communication.  The rest of the day was used to prepare kit for the pool night at SWF. Where we carried on with the Seal Team and Open Water courses as well as a few DSD's.

On Friday we were preparing all of the kit for the weekend. We also had a lot of admin to catch up with! As well as organizing DIVE FEST. This is an event held annually for both newly qualified and professional divers. It's a great communal event with some fantastic diving and great food!! We've already got a few names down so to book your boat diving, give the centre a call ASAP!

Rhonda & co were at Nemes on Saturday and Sunday with Robin who completed her Drysuit & Open water. Abi and Millie were also there completing the first part of their Open Water course. 

As well as this, Ian H & co were at Chepstow with Connor and Lewis completing their Deep diver specialty. They hope to go travelling next year and will be using this qualification to their advantage. 

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!

Weekly Catch Up!

It's been a busy week for all of Orca. On the weekend we had Nimrod & Jasmine qualifying as Open Water divers, Danni and Ben qualifying as Dry suit divers and Fred, Travis, Laurynas and Arron qualifying as Advanced Open Water divers. There was a huge effort from both students and staff.

Monday and Tuesday entailed a lot of soggy kit being washed,checked and put away. We were in the deep pool on Tuesday with some more DSD's from Writtle college, who will be going on a trip to Egypt next year with us. We also had a new Open Water course starting plus a few people getting in to test their skills before heading up to the Farne islands!

On Wednesday, Janie was putting away all of the kit  whilst Gary was in The Basildon Upper Academy talking to the pupils about self-esteem and his own experiences. Gary mentors in this school every day and often holds these events. Several pupils had thanked Gary and said that his talk helped them to understand a lot about themselves and their affect on others.

Thursday was a very busy day with customers hiring kit for the weekend. We also had to get kit ready for the pool night at South Woodham Ferrers. The Seal Team carried on as usual with one Open Water course and a few swimmers. This was a great opportunity for our trainee Dive Masters to get in and practice some skills as there was not many people in the water. It also meant that they could watch the instructors teach and learn their particular teaching methods.

Friday consisted of putting away kit and getting kit ready for people heading up to the Farne Islands. Everybody was very excited even though they had a long 6 hour drive! Everybody arrived safely and met for dinner.They then headed to bed for an early night!

Saturday and Sunday were fantastic for those up in the Farne Islands despite testing weather conditions on Saturday resulting in us only doing 1 dive. Everybody enjoyed themselves and commented on the great atmosphere. Sovereign Divers are wonderful and ensured that everybody was happy. Lots of seals were spotted as well as, crabs, lobsters, nudibranches, starfish, sun-starfish and lots more! We also had Jamie down at Nemes with Emily and Heather doing their navigation dive in order to qualify as Advanced Open Water divers. They were then joined by, Zoe, Faith and Angelina who wanted to log up some dives! The girls were all from last years Writtle trip and have continued diving with us since, some of which are now Rescue divers!!

Gary and Ian S were also in RAF Lakenheath talking to some staff from the US Airforce about running an Open Water course with them next year. It was great to talk to all of the staff and get to know them. We look forward to working with them in the future

We are currently doing a Christmas promotion! Buy a Suunto Zoop in any colour and get a FREE compass! For more information, call the centre.

Weekly Catch Up!

On Monday, Gary met with Danny Ayling from Anglia Ruskin University to discuss setting up a date for the students to complete some DSD's. We are looking forward to the dive society expanding and encouraging new people to dive!

Then on Tuesday, we had students from Writtle College completing their DSDs, before signing up for a trip to Egypt next year. Joe & Steve S. went through the briefing with them, and although a few were quite nervous, they all enjoyed it and are hoping to complete an Open Water courses. We also had Nick taking a new Open Water course with 3 new students.

Gary & Janie met on Wednesday with Justin - the representative for Atomic Aquatics. Justin showed us a lot of new stock and put in an order for snorkels, masks, BCD's, gloves and hoods! We now have the Zeagle Zena BCD - which is made by women, for women. It is a wing jacket that has a removable front panel making it easier for transitioning from a pool BCD to an open water BCD, as you can buy panels in multiple sizes and colours, but they will all fit the same BCD.

We also have the Zeagle Express Tech Deluxe which is a men's wing BCD. It's a one-size-fits-all design, with the no sewn trim so that you can adjust the length to your preference and cut it to the required length.

Zeagle Zena BCD

Zeagle Express Tech Deluxe

On Thursday we loaded up lots of kit in the truck for South Woodham Ferrers, as we had a busy night. Lucy came to do Confined Dives 4 & 5 of her Open Water course, to get ready for the weekend. We also had the Seal Team carrying on from the previous week, plus a few DSD's and our usual Dive Master Trainees practicing their swims.

Friday was quite a busy day down at the centre, as we had friends popping in for a chat, a theory lesson, and we had to get prepared for the weekend! This meant setting up weight belts and getting other kit ready for students leaving on Friday night and Saturday morning.

On Saturday Gill took a group down to Gildenburgh to start their Advanced Open Water with the assistance of Joe. They all did very well and are planning on completing the course next weekend! We also had Rhonda and Sharon doing an Open Water course and a Wreck speciality. They were then joined by Marc & Janie on the Sunday who helped out too. Lucy did very well in completing her Open Water as well as Lewis and Connor, who are now fully trained wreck divers. Janie also completed her Deep diver speciality. Everybody had a great weekend, and congratulations to everyone!

Weekly Catch Up!

Just a quick reminder that there are still places left if you want to come to the Christmas Party at Three Rivers on November 27th!

In the deep pool this week, Dave was working with the trainee Dive Masters, who had their Knowledge Review and practised Kit Exchange, which proved to be a lot harder than everyone originally thought! We also had four students in for their Dry Suit orientation, including father and son, Andy and Luke. Dad (Andy) quickly found out that if you vent through the wrist seal in an emergency situation, you get extremely wet! We also had a new SEAL Team start on Thursday night with Gill in the South Woodham Ferrers pool!

Over the weekend, we were once again very, very busy! On Saturday we Gill and Rhonda went to Nemes with students who were completing dives 1, 2 and 3, and were also joined by Andy and Luke, who were completing Dry Suit Dives 1 and 2. Congratulations for completing the course!

On Sunday, Gill and Rhonda went back to Nemes with Races and Henry to complete Dive 4, as well as Nimrod and Jasmine who were completing Dives 1 and 2! Gary also went to Nemes on Sunday to have a ‘bimble’ around the lake with father and son, Dave and Travis.

This weekend we are at Stoney Cove Saturday and Sunday, Gildenburgh on Saturday and Nemes on Sunday, so if any staff can help, please get in touch with Gary or the dive centre! Also, if any Trainee Dive Masters want to do their Deep Diver Scenario for their Dive Master Course, this can be done at Stoney Cove this weekend!