gained two instructors . In-house courses have always been well supported and this has continued to be the case .
Who is on your instructor team ?
We have three Assistant Diving Instructors , nine Open Water Instructors , and three Advanced Instructors . We do Ocean Diver training whenever we get new members . We wait until the winter to do Sports Diver or Dive Leader training . When we have a group , we do theory through the winter and open water as the dive season begins .
Where do you carry out your training ?
Local quarries at Dosthill and Stoney Cove are used for Ocean Diver and Sport Diver training , but our Dive Leaders have to put on a trip to the coast with the club RIBs , including deploying and recovering the boats ; planning the dives for slack ; finding the wreck , shotting it and organising the pairs safely .
When do you dive ?
We dive at Dosthill quarry every week on a Sunday , starting bright and early at 7am ; it adds up to 50-plus day trips a year . These sessions are great for practising skills , testing new and recently serviced kit and signing off training . Being a Midlands-based club , dive trips to the sea tend to be for two days or more . We aim to get at least one weekend away at the coast each month from April to September , and at other times if weather permits . Then we aim for two to three liveaboard trips a year to Scapa Flow or the Sound of Mull , for example . In the past , we ’ ve also travelled to dive the wrecks of Normandy , and the Channel Isles , plus holidays to Chuuk Lagoon , Palau , Egypt and Malta . It ’ s obviously been difficult in recent years due to travel restrictions .
What type of diving ?
Most club diving is in the 20 to 35-metre range . Our technical section is small , but interest is growing . We have six rebreather divers , four of whom are trimix qualified through the BSAC system . Our club ’ s interest in technical diving will definitely increase in the coming years .
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What ’ s the club planning for the next few years ?
Three trips have been booked in 2022 for our Sports Divers to gain sea experience , with more in the pipeline for all of our divers . As our club reaches the grand old age of 50 , we are busy planning various celebrations . We will be taking our RIBs to the coast more frequently .
Anything else you ’ d like to tell readers about ?
Our members are keen to participate in activities and everyone seems to muck in to get stuff done . Since the Covid pandemic started , the club has really pulled together . Our members are mainly in it for the long term , which is maybe why we have managed to survive the pandemic lockdowns . Members have been very supportive and many turned down the option of a lockdown membership refund , which we offered them due to inactivity and pool closure . We ’ re a great team . �
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