FAVOURITEKIT
My SUEX VRX Evo diver propulsion
“ vehicle( DPV). Flying through the water, scootering without using too much air is such fun around dive sites; especially inland sites where you always see the same attractions when teaching or because your buddy has limited gas.
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TEACHINGHIGHLIGHT
Advanced Ocean Diver is a fantastic
“ course, as it builds on the skills of an Ocean Diver and allows them to really be ready to dive in the sea. It includes delayed surface marker buoy( dSMB) deployment, navigation skills and the use of SMBs for drift dives.
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Management, which gets me meeting people and adapts my instructor skills outside the norms of branch training.”
As an R & D Engineer, his role at work is to develop new products and atomising technology for manufacturing metal powders for a variety of applications. Diving is never far from his mind though.“ Sintered metal filters are one application of this work,” he says,“ and these can, of course, be found in your regulator’ s first stage.”
I ask how he got into diving. Since he was little, he has always been fascinated by wildlife. His first underwater experience was on a family holiday to Mallorca. His nan and grandad bought him a snorkel and mask set and he learned to dive under the surface of the pool.“ I didn’ t try scuba until I got to university,” he says.“ That’ s where I saw SUSAC offering give-it-a-go sessions. I booked on and got the diving bug, joined the club and the rest is history.”
Getting involved in diving has enabled Joe
to travel to a host of places, he says, enabling his sense of adventure.“ The oceans cover so much of our planet, and divers get the opportunity for unique encounters with wildlife, whether it’ s a conger hiding in a wreck or a scallop on the seabed. There are few people that experience this. Plus, you get to see some fantastic scenery.”
But Sheffield is actually a great spot to be in, Joe explains, as it’ s just a two-hour drive east or west to reach the coast. A little longer north or south, and you can also be at those coasts. His favourite is Scotland, diving classic sites including St Abbs and Sound of Mull and his favourite wreck dive the Hispania. He also enjoys diving in the Firth of Clyde,“ There’ s so much to explore, such a variety of sites.”
As to his motivation to volunteer, it comes back to the situation at universities.“ University clubs face a high turnover of members. Many members achieve Sports Diver before graduating, but there’ s little
instructor potential unless members continue onto postgraduate courses or stay in their university city.
“ As an apprentice,” he says,“ I’ m working and studying in my city plus I have a car, which makes getting to dive sites easier. Most of all I really enjoy giving people the skills they need to experience the underwater word. Highlights come when an apprehensive try diver becomes a qualified diver. This often includes overcoming barriers, whether it’ s taking a mask off in salt or cold water or just spending time to build their comfort.”
The advice he would offer any newly qualified Ocean Diver is to get out with your club. Sign up for trips, because going diving will build your skills and experience.“ This will make skills such as buoyancy and trim come naturally,” he says.“ Don’ t get complacent and dive with the same buddy all the time either, mix it up so that you don’ t become lax with buddy checks.” �
Become an Instructor!
Sports Divers and up( for scuba) and 16 + year olds( for snorkelling) can start instructor training.
Scan for more info
Or visit bsac. com / instruct 51