Kirsty Andrews has been working on her Christmas list, because a girl can never have too many double-ended boltsnaps
KIRSTYANDREWS
Christmas crackers
Kirsty Andrews has been working on her Christmas list, because a girl can never have too many double-ended boltsnaps
The end of the year is nearly upon us and Tis the season for making a list and checking it twice. I’ ve probably been naughty this year but I’ ve definitely been nice at least a couple of times. And let’ s face it when dive gear is concerned Santa can relax, I’ m probably buying my own presents because( a) I’ m picky( b) I enjoy the research and( c) dive gear tends to be on the pricey side for gifts.
I mean, if money were no object, then I can see myself rewarding myself for being sooo good all year with a rebreather, a course to learn how to use it, preferably somewhere fairly exotic and warm, a new camera and housing and all the trimmings. Oh and a scooter so I can scoot around dive sites like the Pied Piper of sea lions. Back to reality though, I think maybe in the absence of a lottery win I need to set those sights a bit lower.
How about a heated vest to get me through the cold spring dives? I don’ t think I’ ve reached that stage of chilliness yet, but I could do with a new pair of gloves. For many years I’ ve had a‘ good pair’ and an acknowledged hole-y old pair but now it seems they are both equivalently battered and it’ s time for a‘ new new’ pair.
I genuinely would like
“ When dive gear is concerned Santa can relax, I’ m probably buying my own presents” some kind of robust bag for collecting abandoned fishing line, as I’ d like to do some clean-up dives soon- my local shore dive is shocking for broken monofilament with hooks and weights, and those hooks are sharp. I don’ t know if the perfect receptacle exists but if it does it’ s on the list. I’ ll need my new protective gloves for that dive too.
Which reminds me of another ideal present- a 3D printer so I can produce my own weird and wonderful creations. Handy for creating the perfect underwater photography gear accessories too.
What about the category of stockingfillers, I hear you ask. The dive show used to be a reliable source of these, with a dazzling array of clips, appendages and thingummyjigs- a girl can never have too many double ended boltsnaps, I say. I shall make a pilgrimage to my local dive shop and probably purchase these and lots more essential accessories.
I could quite easily turn a Christmas stocking into a lethal weapon, as one of the items on my list is a V weight or some other neat block of lead to give me ninja-esque trim( and double up as a cosh if festive visitors get too annoying).
If anyone is looking for stocking filler sized items, I have a pristine unused buddy line in my cupboard I’ m happy to part with. I like my personal space underwater, so the chances of me voluntarily attaching myself to another person even in the most extreme conditions are slim. No-one was brave enough to give this to me even in Secret Santa, I think I won it in a raffle, and there’ s probably a dive club party raffle coming up I can donate it back to … that’ s Christmas sorted then. �
18