Welcome
As we head into winter , what do we have to look forward to ? In a way , the warmer months see such a burst of activity among British divers , you could argue it ’ s healthy to have a ‘ fallow ’ period , when we can concentrate on other aspects of our diving lives .
It ’ s a time for training , pool work and the socialising that provides the real bedrock of club life . There ’ s the end-ofyear party to be considered ; next year ’ s trips to be planned and finalised ... maybe even an entry for the Heinke Trophy to be put together , if things have gone really well .
Apologies for mentioning the pandemic yet again , but it did serve to remind us how important all this stuff is to us . Perhaps to non-divers it seems we are ridiculously devoted to aspects of our sport that don ’ t directly involve diving . But there ’ s no group of people I ’ d rather be among than fellow divers , whether we ’ re cleaving the North Sea at 20 knots or stuck in some airport queue in Egypt while a strange man rifles through our undergarments . We have fun , wherever we are .
Getting back to the point , I wondered if I could add to your winter to-do lists . We haven ’ t had many expedition reports submitted to the magazine in 2022 . This deficit may be attributable to other priorities after the pandemic , but I suspect you ’ ve just been a bit too busy to write them up .
So , if your club has been involved in some independent , self-sufficient or scientific endeavour , please drop me a line at the email below , and we can discuss how it can be covered . At the same time , I can refer you to my friends Andy Hunt and Max Ruffert , judges of BSAC ’ s Expeditions Trophy . We want as wide a range of entries as possible .
Finally , to those who manage to dive regularly all through the winter ... I haven ’ t forgotten you ! Why not write in and tell me how you ensure your kit never completely dries out ? If we get enough replies I think it would make an entertaining article .
Simon Rogerson – Editor simon @ scubamagazine . co . uk
Cover photo : Thresher shark at Malapascua Island , Philippines by Simon Rogerson
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