Welcome
First, a quick reminder that our big writing competition,‘ A Dive to Remember’, is live and taking entries. All the details for how to enter were published in SCUBA’ s April issue and can also be found on BSAC’ s website under the‘ News & blog’ banner. Scroll down to posts from 17 March and you’ ll find it. Otherwise, just email me [ address at the bottom of this page ] and I’ ll send you all the details.
We’ ll begin publishing your entries in the next issue – there are some great yarns in the mix already. Thanks to all who have entered, and to those still writing their stories. Remember, there’ s an O’ Three drysuit worth £ 2,500 to be won.
Why are we holding this competition? Well, it’ s a bit of fun as we head into the 2025 diving season, and I hope it’ ll help inspire everyone with their own diving. At the same time, it goes right to the heart of what this magazine is all about. We’ re here to tell divers’ stories in all their myriad forms. This is an opportunity for you to put down your experiences, and for us to share them in print.
Speaking of which, what do we have in store for you this month? Our centrepiece feature is A Shetland Symphony [ page 32 ], a photographic journey across the shallow seas of the archipelago at the top of the British Isles. I enjoyed working with local diver Billy Arthur to bring you this story, not least because his style of diving is a departure from the more wreck-focussed itineraries of the liveaboards.
For a different take on shallow seas, check out Catching the Drift [ page 40 ] by Adam Curtis, a text-driven piece on the pleasure of snorkelling off Norfolk. It’ s not a part of the UK normally associated with snorkelling, but with a lot of planning and a little bit of luck you can have a wonderful time there. There’ s another world beyond those beaches busy with dog walkers clad in knowingly faded Barbours and barely ironic red trousers!
Planning a magazine is all about counterpoint, or as a former editor of mine once put it‘ light and shade, dear boy’. So to balance these shallow shenanigans we have an exclusive excerpt from Inside the Britannic [ page 42 ], Simon Mills’ acclaimed new book on the ultimate deep wreck story.
All this plus our regular columnists, interviews; marine biology; training advice; blackwater photography, conservation and commentary. Enjoy!
Simon Rogerson – Editor simon @ scubamagazine. co. uk
Cover photo: Diver with DPV on the Um el Faroud wreck, Malta, by Simon Rogerson
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