Welcome
As you leaf through this month ’ s SCUBA , you may notice various different examples of achievement . For instance , London-based Clidive ’ s expedition to Donegal offers a shining example of a club exploring a little known area , making the most of their training and resources ( page 30 ).
Equally impressive are the exploits of the Gasperados , a team of deep wreck divers with a knack for filling in history ’ s blank spots . As I write , they are doing great things in Scotland , but this issue tells the story of their early summer ’ s exploratory dives off North Cornwall , which culminated in the discovery of a Landing Craft Tank . What was it doing in deep water ? Find out on page 39 .
Then we have a different sort of achievement , one which took place quietly in a municipal pool , with a team of instructors from Derby BSAC . This issue , Suzanne McCallum reports on Derby ’ s try dive sessions tailored to the needs of young people with autism ( page 36 ).
At this point , I should declare an interest – my brother is autistic , and I am well disposed to any initiative that tries to help autistic people . What does autism actually mean ? It ’ s very hard to pin down , because it manifests in so many different ways – what some refer to as a ‘ spectrum ’. Some autistic people are able to lead mostly conventional lives , while some are so hostage to experiences we take for granted , they have very few life skills indeed . Autistic people experience the world in completely different ways , and some things that we take for granted can provide seemingly inexplicable ‘ blocks ’ that prevent them from being able to cope with day-to-day life .
Imagine what a blessed relief it must have been , then , for these young people to have had a positive first experience of scuba , safe in the hands of Derby BSAC . This is life changing stuff , and further evidence of the therapeutic potential of scuba diving .
Simon Rogerson – Editor simon @ scubamagazine . co . uk
Cover photo : California sea lion pup at Los Islotes , La Paz , Mexico by Simon Rogerson
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