SMB Diver

I have to confess to not being a big fan of Gildenburgh Water. This is mostly because the visibility is usually awful amongst other things. So on Saturday morning with lashings of rain and strong winds blowing I was not expecting a lot as I picked Gill up far too early in the morning.

We should have realised that fortune was on our side as we swept up the M11 having taken the back route rather than the M25 as the radio announced the M25 had been shut. Bad weather causing accidents. Both Gill and I wondered what on earth we were doing, but such is the draw of diving.

Gildenburgh offered no respite when we arrived. Luke warm tea, howling wind and waves on the water. When John and Lesley arrived I took care to warn them that given the conditions and the normal state of affairs at Gildenburgh the viz was likely to be really poor.

How wrong I was......... a good 10 metres viz and the best I have ever seen in the brick pit. Wow, we could see the whole length of the bus, we could spot it from the platform. We could see the lorry from the bus. I was gobsmacked and delighted.

Enough of that because you couldn't ignore the surface conditions were nothing less than bleak. In fact I was most definitely more comfortable in the water.


The order of the day was SMB Diver specialty. As usual we had already had a fair run at SMB

deployment in the 6m pool at the Film Studios so all that was left was planning the dive and making sure that communications were going to be understood. This is so important when you are working with a buddy to let of DSMBs.

The first dive is all about attached deployment. With plenty of DSMB on board and feeling like a Christmas tree we all headed of for a pleasurable dive. Normally I tell people to keep hold of the lines as we swim between the various attractions. It was good enough not to have to do that and it made such a change to be able to see all the fish.

Having toured around we stopped at the lorry so that Lesley and John could deploy two SMBs each. Both using an auto inflate as well as a traditional inflated version.

For the second dive the stakes changed as it was time to practice mid water deployment. Always a little more challenging. Undertaking a task and trying to keep buoyancy is never an easy task. By focusing on a set point it does become easier. As always we experimented with a couple of techniques. Once again everyone realised that the large reel is so much easier to use than the little small ones that most divers tend to carry. I swear by it, especially in the UK where there is the chance for cold hands.

With eight successfully launched DSMB's enough was enough and it was time to head off but I am very confident that both Les and John will be proficient at the vital skill of deploying and using SMB'.

Busy with life, diving is a blessing!

Since my last blog I must confess life has been pedal to the metal. Work has had to take the driving seat and it has been great fun too. The big event was our National Conference at the end of the month during which we presented an awesome proposition to the team. Big splash time though there can be no doubt the hard work is only just beginning.

No diving in the sea or in any quarries for a couple of weeks so it all seems quite. Anyway it is getting cold and I really do miss the sun and warmth. The dark afternoons just have no fascination for me.

But, whilst I have been run off my feet I have managed to keep my hand in both in Bristol and in Essex and I am pleased to report I am getting in the water proper this weekend.

In Essex my sanity has come from Open Water training with Liam and Corbin. Both great young lads with oodles of personality and a joy to instruct. Corbin has already completed a SEAL Team so moving onto Open Water training is fairly straightforward. Once again demonstrating the benefits of the younger diver programmes.

With Corbin comes his aunt Vicky our latest trainee DM. All our DM's are so very different and Vicky just makes me smile. She is going to be such a good DM because she is so down to earth and approachable. What I really love is that Corbin is already at such a good standard the relationship between the two is jovial and slightly competitive. Love it!

In Bristol I have had more Open Water, one on one with another really capable lass called Steph. It is like a breath of fresh air when you get students that get the skills so easily and when you have work pressures going to the pool and just unwinding with great people really is the business.

Last Tuesday I managed to catch one of our pool sessions in the Deep pool at Basildon. Order of the day was the SMB pool session ready for the Open Water session tomorrow. I lost count in the end though I am sure we let off about 24 DSMB testing out various techniques and using a variety of DSMB's. Should mean we have a good run at it in the morning.