Under Pressure

Exactly a Year ago today I did my first dive in something other than a swimming pool. 

24/07/2006 Arrochar Caravan Park, 6 metres depth for 22 minutes. 

In this first year of diving I have had a blast of a time. I’ve met & dived with some real nice people, I’ve bought lots of different dive gear and resold the stuff I didn’t get right or didn’t suit me, I’ve made some mistakes and had some serious fun. 

I qualified as a Sports Diver with Cumbernauld Sub Aqua Club a branch of Scot SAC and have done my TDI Nitrox certification. 

Dived part of the west coast of Scotland (Sound of Mull, Loch Long & Loch Fyne), east coast of Scotland (St Abbs & Eyemouth), Dived in the Adriatic Sea on a club dive holiday using a wetsuit in 13oC Water!, Dived the Mediterranean Sea and some great Caverns in warmish 20oC waters the been to Egypt and dived the Red Sea in fantastic 28-29oC waters. 

Found a pair of Sea horses on a 76 minute night dive in Hurghada. 

Some Superb Wrecks, The Thesis, The Breda, The Giannias D & a little known wreck called the B200. 

Built my first twinset and dived to 42.5 Metres using gas switching to accelerate decompression off gassing. 

I am happy to say I have logged 52 Hours and 40 Minutes with a total of 76 Dives. 

Bring on many more happy years of diving & thanks to everybody who has helped me this year from the volunteer instructors at Cusac to the helpful and knowledgeable internet dive junkies at YD and to Julie my gorgeous Girlfriend who has put up with me becoming a smart arse with an insatiable appetite for diving knowledge and experience. 

For the next twelve months I plan to gain my advanced Nitrox certification. My accelerated decompression procedures qualification and to do a weeks live aboard wreck diving special and then to go to Scapa Flow!