Part of the fun of a dive trip lies in the build-up , says Yo-Han Cha , who can hardly contain himself at the best of times .
UKDIVING
Mounting anticipation
YO-HANCHA
Part of the fun of a dive trip lies in the build-up , says Yo-Han Cha , who can hardly contain himself at the best of times .
Any divers living on the South Coast of England will tell you that this autumn and winter ’ s weather hasn ’ t been conducive to diving . As I write , spring looks like it might be thinking about making an appearance ; in fact , it has graciously allowed me a couple of weekend trips to Porthkerris , Cornwall for my first English sea dives of the year . It was nice to be able to go diving without taking any annual leave for a change . The diving I ’ ve managed this year has been most enjoyable , and it has served to whet my appetite for the season to come .
There are so many places to go diving in the UK that I ’ ve not been able to fit them all in this year ! I ’ ve had to keep a careful eye on both my annual leave allowance and my girlfriend ’ s patience , and I think my dive trips for 2024 have maxed out the balances of both . But this year should be a lot of fun .
I love the sense of build-up and anticipation of any dive trip . Even the admin is a pleasure ; the process of arranging transportation and accommodation is tinged with excitement . And as the dive trip draws nearer , anticipation builds some more . Cylinders need to be filled ; weather apps checked and checked again . Sometimes dive kit needs to be fixed from the previous trip , often at the last minute . Decisions need to be made on buying new kit … or can a spare be found ? Ferry times are checked and if you ’ ve ever missed one , double checked . Ear plugs are handy if you ’ re sharing a room ( especially with me ). Should I change my camera setup before I set off , or shall I wait until I get there ? When was the last time I checked my tyre pressures and do I need petrol ? It ’ s all part of the build-up .
There is a triumphant moment just before a dive trip , when you shut down your work computer , leaving the out-of-office email to send out gloatingly insincere messages of apology – freedom beckons ! If you ’ re running short of annual leave ,
“ I love the sense of build-up and anticipation of any dive trip . Even the admin is a pleasure ”
you may choose to hit the road on Friday afternoon , hoping that the Bristol / M25 / M6 rush hour traffic will be kind to you . It never is . Or you might be setting off at a more leisurely pace , which does happen to me occasionally . On my more relaxed departures I invariably forget something !
Whether or not I ’ ve rocked up to my destination with all the things I need to go diving , it ’ s great to get there . Meeting up with old friends and making new ones . Hugs and handshakes accompany every greeting and depending on where we are , are usually followed up with offers of a cuppa or a pint . If there ’ s any energy left from the drive up , there ’ s fat to be chewed and “ When ’ s ropes off ?” is asked multiple times because no-one ’ s read the organiser ’ s email . All this before anyone ’ s even hit the water . It ’ s going to be a great summer and I ’ m so excited for it . �
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