Newly qualified diver Dinesh – who was winner of the 2022 ‘Trainee of the Year’ award talks about his diving and training experiences throughout 2022. I am pleased to say that this year I qualified as a BSAC Ocean Diver with the help and guidance from the club’s wonderful instructors. I loved snorkelling on holiday in Ibiza with my family and being under water was like being in a different world. It was probably the most rememberable part of that holiday. My friend is a master diver and he used to talk about his Scuba adventures all the time. I thought Scuba looked very cool,interesting and is certainly something to talk about with my friends. It’s a chance to get closer to nature and so I decided to give a try-dive a go at the
Chelmsford Scuba club. I started diving during summer 2021 with no previous experience.
When I started, I was very apprehensive as I wasn’t a great swimmer and didn’t know what to
expect. At the beginning, it even took me a while just getting into the water in a swimming pool. I essentially didn’t like the cold feeling of the swimming pool but I got used to this – there was no rush or pressure to just jump in either. I was lucky as all the club instructors
are friendly, dedicated, super patient and have many decades of experience. It’s still a
wonderful feeling knowing how experienced and helpful everyone in the club is; some people
have been diving for more than 50 years! With practice and training in the safe environment of the swimming pool, I whizzed through the exercises and built up my confidence. I am now
able to carry a full tank on my back with ease. My biggest challenge was faced at Stony Cove where I was diving outside for the first time. It took me two full weekends and the instructors were kind enough to support me while I picked up solid skills such as diving down to 20 metres. I enjoyed it but it was hard work.Obviously, I was over the moon to qualify as an ocean diver. It was very rewarding and something that helps me with my confidence even outside of diving. Now I can dive at liberty but occasionally I just go to the club sessions for a relaxing swim with my new buddies. I’m looking forward to my first dive trip on UK shores or maybe abroad, who knows as my Ocean Diver qualification is recognised all over the world… the world is my oyster. And hopefully I might see one while diving.
Below: The coveted ‘Trainee of the Year’ award.
