Monthly Roundup February 28th 2006
Although I haven’t been diving February has been a busy month and I have been doing a lot of diving related things. One of these was the Padi Equipment Speciality at the beginning of the month. This was very useful and helped build up my knowledge for the equipment element in the divemaster exams. We had a chance to look inside regs, valves etc., things I would normally be too worried about taking apart on my own just to see how they worked.
I also spent a huge amount of time reading and trying to learn loads of theory stuff for my divemaster exams but am struggling with all the decompression theory and physics…it really does my head in…. it’s all boys’ stuff!!!
Following my success with the clubs photo competition people were asking me about when/where/how I came to take the sea dragon photos so I decided to write an article for the clubs newsletter. My sister then started nagging me to death to send it off somewhere to get it published. Knowing her as I do, I knew she would not let this go. So for a bit of peace and quiet, and so I could honestly say I had done something, I sent it to Travel-dive. As it happened they were at the point of expanding and joining forces with Yorkshire Divers to create The Diving Network so it turned out to be a good time. Where-there-be-dragons!
So there I was in print!…..obviously it didn’t look a lot different to how it had on my screen as a word document….. but it kept her quiet!!! Bless her, she is my stoutest supporter, rock and best friend no one could have a better sister.
She puts up with all sorts of things, like me phoning her from Southampton Hospital saying…….are you busy……. only I’m just going into theatre as I’ve severed my finger on a dive boat ladder and they’re going have a go at sewing it back on. She rushes down with family in tow and they then go and retrieve my car out of the marina car park. But most amazingly they manage to find my tent on a site miles away that I cant even remember the name of…… and wasn’t even sure what road it was in…….all in the dark!
The saga of my ailing car continues, but is soon to come to an end. Six months rest has done it no good whatsoever. Having had quite a few things done on it, only to start hearing yet another new noise, this time from the engine! I have now given up and decided to consign it to the great scrap heap in the sky. Although we have only been together for about five years or so it is quite an old car. We have travelled many miles together over mountains across moors from Dover on the south coast right up to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides…..so it hasn’t done so badly I suppose! Hopefully next month I shall be able to report on the acquisition of a shiny new auto,(well not brand new).
