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Why Diving for All matters
THE UNDERWATER WORLD HAS always fascinated me. As a child I would spend hours with my nose pressed against the glass at Blue Planet Aquarium. My favourite films were Jaws, Flipper and pretty much any water-related documentary would capture my attention.
However, growing up with one arm, exploring the ocean depths for myself always felt out of reach.
That changed when I was given a shark diving experience for my birthday. I never imagined being underwater, just inches away from sand sharks, nurse sharks and
Kurt is pictured with his instructor, Paul Egan
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colourful groups of fish. It was an incredible experience and left me wanting more.
I researched diving courses online and found my dive club DSAC( Droylsden Sub Aqua Club) through their website.
I got in touch, expecting to feel overwhelmed but the opposite happened. From the very first conversation, I felt welcomed and supported. When I attended my first pool session I met a fantastic group of people. I could ask any questions I had( I had quite a few) and immediately felt at ease.
My biggest concerns were around independence and whether I would be capable enough to learn everything involved in diving, given my disability. There seemed to be a sea of information about equipment, procedures and skills to master. Being able to speak to people face-to-face, ask questions and most importantly give it a try helped me realise that diving really was something I could do.
The BSAC and DSAC environment, and the community that comes with it has been amazing. Having so many knowledgeable, supportive and friendly members around is a testament to what the organisation is all about. Throughout my life I’ ve learned to adapt to different situations, but it means a lot to be seen and treated simply as a capable diver and member of the group.
With the support of DSAC and BSAC I was able to achieve my Ocean Diver qualification! KURT BLACKSHARD, Droylsden SAC