Members Stories

I knew this was no ordinary day when I found myself awake at 5.30am. For me, even 7am counts as an early start, so getting up that much earlier, and at the first alarm no less, said everything about how excited (and nervous) I was for my first open water drysuit training dive.

As an Ocean Diver trainee with BSAC 36 Club, I had spent the previous few months building my confidence and learning the basics in training sessions at Ponds Forge swimming pool. To complete my qualification, I need to undertake a few open water training dives, so this day felt like a major milestone. It was not only my first time diving in open water in the UK, but also my first time in a drysuit, which made it especially memorable.

I arrived at Capernwray before 9am with two other Ocean Diver trainees, while our club instructors were already there and ready for the day ahead. I was diving with Tessa, who had taught me in several pool sessions when I first joined, so it was reassuring to be with someone who already knew how to calm my nerves while giving clear and supportive instruction. I was also diving with Ash, whose encouragement and knowledge made me feel I was in very safe hands.

After collecting our hired drysuits and kit, we met in the café to go through the plan for the day. By then, my nerves were definitely building but once we got into the water, I realised it was not as cold as I had feared. The strange feeling of the drysuit squeezing my legs took some getting used to, and practising skills such as inversion was challenging. I was also learning how to manage the air in the suit while carrying far more kit than I was used to.

One of the most memorable parts of the first dive was feeding the fish. Tessa had brought sweetcorn, and I suddenly found myself surrounded by surprisingly large fish, some of them bumping gently into me. It was fascinating and made the experience feel like much more than training.

On the second dive, we practised more skills, including mask clearing, and ventured a little deeper, where we saw a Cessna and boat wrecks. That made the dive even more interesting and helped take my mind off my cold hands. I fed the fish again, which led to another close encounter and was just as fascinating the second time. By the end of the day, I felt proud, tired, and very grateful to Tessa and Ash for all their support.

There were six of us in total, and the day had a really positive atmosphere throughout. While the diving itself was a remarkable experience, it was only possible because of the support, patience and guidance of the BSAC club instructors. It was also great to share the experience with the other trainees, compare impressions, and reflect together on everything we had learned.

Thanks to Tessa and Ash, I had an amazing day and learned a huge amount. The experience gave me more confidence in open water and made me even more excited to continue my training. I was especially delighted by how friendly the fish seemed to be. At one point, one swam straight into my arms and I ended up holding it like a baby, which was a completely unforgettable moment.

Overall, this first open water drysuit dive felt like a huge milestone in my training. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me a lot, and left me feeling proud of what I had achieved. Most importantly, it made me even more excited to continue my training with the club.