Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2010 | Page 70

on the water

Island Life - October/November 2010

Student diver
checking equipment
before dive

Fully stocked shop
with more brands
coming

Dive, dive, dive!

Student divers starting
their Open Water Diver
course in pool
Diving is one of those sports that you
see on a James Bond film and you think
to yourself this is something you really
would love to try. Well for most people
this is a dream, which can come true.
Diving is not a difficult sport there are
a few things that you have to consider
before you take the plunge, you have
to be reasonably fit and healthy. There
are various in water skills & exams you
have to achieve for different levels of
qualifications, anyone with an average
level of intelligence will suffice. Diving
is a fun sport, but beware it is not for
the untrained! Nobody should consider
diving before taking a dive course
with a registered body such as PADI or
another diving organization.
The quickest route available today is
the American developed PADI course.
Jon Mace an instructor for 10 years
comments: “I have taught all sorts
of people over my 10 years as an
instructor, and I really enjoy teaching
people of all ages and fitness levels.
Most students find that not only does
diving keep you fit it can also help to
keep you trim.”
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Aqua Diving, Unit 5, Lake Ind Way, Lake, IW.

Tel: [phone]

First dive at Freshwater
Bay for new diver
Jon has recently expanded & opened
a new DIVE Centre at Lake Industrial
Way, opposite Morrison’s roundabout.
The centre apart from selling top brand
names like Cressi, Suunto & AP valves,
is also an IDEST authorised service
centre that carries out vital servicing
on regulators and dive cylinders, the
two most vital parts of your diving
equipment. Jon runs PADI courses on a
regular basis, the practical side being
carried out at Freshwater Indoor Pool.
Jon explains: “The beauty of PADI
courses is that the course does not
drag on and on, the way PADI have
constructed the courses most students
are in the water diving within 1 hour
of arriving, this keeps the student
interested and excited from an early
stage. Of course all this time the
students are under strict supervision
from fully qualified PADI instructors and
Dive Masters.”
Once you have mastered the basics in
a controlled pool environment you then
move out to sea to complete your PADI
open water diver course. It’s at this
stage you can decide to do this locally

at various sites including the Shanklin
Old Pier site, Totland Bay, Freshwater
Bay and Sandown Pier or you can
opt for the luxury of Egypt (Sharm el
Sheikh) or Malta which offers clear,
blue, warm water. “Most people I teach
prefer to do the Open Water Course
around the Island because if you are
going to dive locally it’s best to take
your course locally as the water, current
and tides are totally different to the
leisurely diving at Sharm el Sheikh.
"I do organised diving holidays where
people can continue their courses,
although I must admit the diving in
Sharm el Sheikh is spectacular to say
the least, and its warm.” Diving can
be a hobby or obsession, it’s one of
those sports you can get to Advanced
Open Water (PADI) and call it a day and
simply enjoy the odd dive, or like Jon it
can become a passion and you opt for a
full blown PADI Instructor course. Either
way you will love it, whether you’re
aged eight or aged 80 it’s never too late
to indulge! Go on, take the plunge, be
a diver!

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