I came to diving late! Actually the age of 48! There was a try dive at my local leisure center in Leatherhead in March 2017 and I went along to see what it was all about after looking for a hobby since the children had moved out and no longer completely dependent upon me.
Well I was hooked from the first dive in the pool and proceeded to sign up for the open water sessions with Mole Valley Sub Aqua Club who were following Scuba Diving International program (SDI). This meant a series of 6 sessions in the pool, completing e- learning exams and an open water weekend in Wraysbury.
By May I had qualified and in June I took my first sea dive on the Iron Ore out of Littlehampton Marina followed by a drift dive off Bognor Regis.
By September 2019 I had completed 50 open water dives and further qualified to Adventure Diver meaning I could now dive to 30 meters.
In 2021 I moved to Billingshurst and it was time to find a club closer to my new home and chose Worthing BSAC. It was great to be part of a more active community of divers with a boat moored in Littlehampton Marina with more regular single dives available rather than whole day dives with my old club.
In 2023 I completed my 100 th dive on the Shirala on a beautiful Thursday evening dive after work! I have also completed my Sports Diver qualification, Assistant Dive instructor and now working towards my Dive leader qualification.
If you want to get into diving – just do it – what is stopping you? Start your journey and discover some great wrecks, drifts and abundance of sea life just on our doorstep, meet some great people and continue to advance your diving knowledge.
