Welcome
I hope most of you have been able to enjoy the excellent conditions July brought our way here in the UK . In recent weeks word has reached me of truly great dive trips everywhere from the Scottish Outliers to the Isle of Scilly ; from the shallows of Kimmeridge to the deep wrecks of the Channel and beyond .
While the pandemic is still the source of much uncertainty , the vaccine roll-out across the UK has undoubtedly transformed our lives . Do you remember those first months of the initial Lockdown , when we kept to our homes , fearful for our loved ones and ourselves ? Those were dark days indeed , and we lost some good people along the way .
Now , things are looking up . Thanks in part to the practical safety advice issued by BSAC , I haven ’ t heard of any significant Covid break-outs associated with dive clubs or boats . By and large , our community has been very careful , and when restrictions were lifted there was a palpable surge of spirits .
Perhaps we had taken our freedoms for granted ; maybe we only appreciated the simple liberties to go diving once it was taken away . But when we were allowed back in the sea , it was a life-affirming moment shared by thousands of divers across the nation . Whether it ’ s banter on boats ; the aura of the seaside or that feeling of unbounded happiness when you go down a shot line , diving is the best addiction .
That ’ s what I ’ m hoping to convey with this printed summer issue of SCUBA . We ’ ve got tech teams on U-boat submarines ; a retired police diver falling in love with a Scottish island ; a Blue Planet producer recalling his best times in the sea ; a shallow wreck in north Cornwall with ginclear water ; the bristling marine life of a sea loch ; and we have Andy Torbet recommending wrecks shallow enough to visit by snorkel . All this , plus your regular columnists , BSAC news and reviews of kit and the latest diving books .
So , here ’ s hoping for more memorable days in August and September , and if you haven ’ t been able to get wet so far this season , I hope that one of our features inspires you to dig out your kit . I ’ m sure you too can feel the pull of the sea .
Cover photo : Divers explore the wreck of U-95 , by Richard Ayrton
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