All work and no play make Jack a dull boy...

Shaun very kindly agreed to take me through my 'Discover SCUBA' course earlier in the year in our pool, and then foolishly agreed to to take me diving in the sea... Well due to life on a campsite, it didnt happen for a long time, but last week a break in the weather with no hosting constraints meant that the hour had arrived! We piled into the Tucson laden down with kit, and headed down to Windmill Beach about a 5min drive. Vyan went first, and as husband and wife donned their kit, I suddenly realised- I couldnt remember a thing about diving...surely it would be fine...

So while I played on the beach with Mr. Nathan, they had a dive, their first in ages! Then, a couple of be-goggled heads appeared in the surf and it was my turn! I Got into my wetsuit, struggled into the BC, and stummbled off down the beach. Then it was time to put on fins, mask and hood and get exploring!

So if a Dive Master/Diving Instructor ever tells you that it'd be a good idea if you don't have booties to wear socks under your fins- I recommend that you listen to him- he knows more than you! I didn't listen to this advice and as a result have rubbed my feet almost to the bone! Not fun!

For a first sea dive, it was pretty increadible! I obviously have no frame of reference but I saw starfish; brittle starfish; millions of urchins, all different colours; a crab; a pyjama shark! IT was fantastic! Oh the kelp beds! You see them from the top and they look really horrible! They look dark and scary, the kind of place that slithery slimey things might live...But underwater at 5m- they are beautiful! Like a forest of trees swaying in the surge, little snails on the leaves and branches, its an amazing sight!

So after a couple of boyancey issues (I didn't have enough weight so I was too bouyant and struggling to get to the bottom) and after adding more weight to my already laden self, we had a really good dive! Came back up tired but happy, just as the weather started to turn, the North wind started to blow and the rain came back....