Chairman’s View

Hello again. As we move into the summer months, it’s nice to see so many people diving on a regular basis, after all that’s why we joined in the first place. More diving means more work for the new Diving Officer and Training Officer, and I think you will agree that they have both made a good start.

On the 27^th June we ran a try dive; I would like to thank everybody that helped make it another night to remember. We are always looking for people to do a try dive, so if you have any names please let me know and I’ll book them in.

Moving on to more serious matters, it’s recently been mentioned that some of you have been a little bit disappointed at the service (or lack of it) that we have been getting down at the Mallard. After trying out various alternatives, we have come up with what seems to be a decent pub that does not run out of glasses just as you want a drink! So for the next few weeks we are going to give the Three Blackbirds in Boxmoor a try. Please let us know if this is not to your satisfaction.

Still keeping the social thing going, I am planning to run a bowling evening soon. All those who wish to take part should come and see me. I will let you know dates and costs as soon as possible.

If anybody has any other suggestions on things they would like to do, or even like to organise, please come and speak to one of us.

Barry Perton

Training Officer’s Update

Well it doesn’t seem long since I last wrote an article for Going Down, but our guest editor Sue has been nagging me, so I’ll try to give you some new news.

All the Club and Sport Diver trainees are progressing through their pool and open water lessons, mainly due to the commitment of a small group of instructors, so I would like to thank anyone who has done any teaching recently.

It would be great to see some new faces at the dive sites and, although you must be a minimum of ACI to train, Dive Leaders can live up to their name and lead trainees on experience dives. This is likely to be in the sea during the summer! Trainees learn a lot from any diving they do and as always are very keen to get in the water as often as possible. Please let me know if you’re interested anytime.

On the 6^th July the new club lectures begin. At the time of writing there are 7 new members on the course.

Welcome to Gem Mays, Tom Garfath, Ludovic Parisot, David and Karelle Perrault, Alison Verkroost and Louise Martindale.

I have now provisionally arranged a schedule for SDCs:

All involve lectures (probably to be run locally over several evenings) and a practical session, together totalling the equivalent of 2 days (except O2 Admin).

Lifesaver – I do not currently know the format of this course but it will be run at the Sports Centre.

Radio Operator and Boat Maintenance still to be planned.

I will begin collecting lists of interested people. The two September courses will have limited places so deposits will be needed ASAP.

The Dive Leader theory course is likely to begin in October.

Please would any Sports Divers or above who are interested in instructing see me about doing a really fun BSAC Instructor Training Course (ITC) which I will help you organise – we do so much training that the more instructors available the merrier! New BSAC guidelines mean that all instructors must have this qualification as a minimum. (But there’s no test on the course! Just attending makes you an Assistant Club Instructor.)

Be warned – if you don’t approach me but I know you’d be a good instructor, I’ll be after you!

Lindsey Doyle