the gas , not the regs . Fourth , the hose on a standard octopus is really short – I have since changed all mine .
Finally , I called the manufacturer and took the reg set to their factory for investigation . I dropped them off and headed down the motorway . After 20 minutes the tech called me and said that the regs had come apart in his hand when he came to disassemble them – perhaps they hadn ’ t been torqued up properly , or had I done something in the last half dozen dives that had caused them to come apart ?
Update ? I ’ m still diving the same regs – eight years and hundreds of dives later , I ’ ve had no further issues ; so I strongly suspect a maintenance problem . Moral ? The training works , so practise the skills , no matter how many dives you have done . Then if something odd happens , don ’ t dive the regs again until you have fully investigated it . PETER BEDSON , Kingston & Elmbridge BSAC
Right place , right time
I HAD ORGANISED A DIVING WEEKEND near a location where our RIB is stored for our club , Crooklog 2508 . It was the last dive of the trip and I was Coxswain , while Paul took David in for a final shallow drift dive . On our return , we saw a dark object in the sea . At first , we thought it was more rubbish , having already collected three bin bags over the weekend .
As we got nearer , we saw it was a woman in an extremely stressed state . I turned the boat around and spoke to her , convincing her we could help . I asked if she was okay , and where she was going . She said she had wanted to swim away to end her life , and that she had left her phone , shoes and purse on the shore . She was clearly unwell and in a state of some confusion .
Using a line , we got her into the boat , David and Paul held onto her as they helped her on board and wrapped a silver blanket around her . I used the radio to report the situation and our position , which was a full mile offshore and 2.5 miles from the harbour . The quickest solution would be for me to drive the boat back to the marina , where we were met by the Coastguard , ambulance and police services .
I subsequently learned the woman was on her way to making a full recovery ; she would not have survived at the surface much longer , had we not found her . Full credit to my fellow divers for handling a difficult situation with sensitivity . MICK EDWARDS , Crooklog BSAC 2508
Remembering Joan Smith
THOSE WHO REMEMBER JOAN SMITH will be saddened to hear the news of her death . Joan was first and foremost a diver with Ridgeway Divers in Swindon , but during the 1990s and early 2000s she was a key member of the Southern Region Coaching Team , an Instructor Trainer on the ITS and part of the Learn to Dive team at the dive shows from 1995 . Joan ’ s sense of humour and her gentle but positive approach with trainees , students and fellow divers will be fondly remembered by all those who met her . She will be sorely missed by those who are still diving or who , like Joan , have hung up their fins . LIZZIE BIRD
The life of Bryan – a tribute
IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT news of the unexpected passing of Dr Bryan Woodward was received by members and former members of Loughborough University Sub Aqua Club ( LSUSAC ).
Bryan was an extremely distinguished academic , an Emeritus Professor ( with 42 letters after his name ), working in the field of electrical engineering and underwater acoustics . He was a keen recreational diver and president of LSUSAC for many years . He would often join club members on expeditions around the UK or even for dives and barbecues at Stoney Cove in the summer .
He was a regular on the annual St Abbs dive trip , often travelling up to Scotland in his iconic green VW camper van . On other occasions he would join students in the minibus , leading various sing-songs to while away long journeys , although former members do recall original lyrics being changed for more colourful and entertaining ones .
Some of his academic skills were obvious in his work for the club . He was a BSAC Advanced Diver and Advanced Instructor and as such he used to write the exam papers for Advanced Diver students long before the days of more standardised material available from BSAC HQ .
His research sometimes offered opportunities for students to go diving . However , we ’ re not sure he received many volunteers for monitoring core body temperature during a dive , especially once they found out where the temperature probe needed to go .
At annual dinners he presented the Charles Latham Trophy to the best
performing trainee of the year , reciting a very well-rehearsed speech , such that it became a fixture in the club calendar ; holding the attention of newer members of the club and attracting jovial heckling from more senior club members , which he managed in his stride .
He was often referred to as ‘ The Commander ’. It was not a former military career that earned him this title but rather his presence and character ; calm , assured and debonaire . He was exactly the sort of character that can be helpful for a university club , with the ups and downs and rapid turnover of members . He just needed to be there to carry on traditions and give the committee an occasional nudge in the right direction .
He leaves behind a loving wife Joy , daughter Faye , son James and four grandchildren . ANDY HUNT , BSAC Expeditions Advisor
Dr Woodward in academic regalia
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