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Training Journal – Lessons from Recent Courses
Over the past two years, my dive training hasn’t gone exactly to plan — but every challenge, delay, and course taught me something new. From a disjointed Divemaster to a structured Assistant Instructor program, I’ve learned that progress in diving isn’t about ticking off certifications, but about patience, mindset, and how to stay curious no matter how many dives are in the logbook.
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Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors – Gareth Lock
Review of Gareth Lock’s Human Factors book.
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Gear Spotlight – Long Hose Regulators
Most divers start out with a standard short-hose regulator setup, but switching to a long hose can make air sharing safer, cleaner, and more versatile — whether you’re diving recreationally or moving towards technical setups. In this post, I break down the advantages and disadvantages of long hose regulators, show how I configure my own kit for single tank and twinset diving, and share some tips for getting started if you’re curious about making the change.
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Training Log – Preparing for Instructor Pathway
Preparing for the dive instructor journey.
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Deco for Divers – Mark Powell
Mark Powell’s Deco for Divers is a widely recommended introduction to decompression theory, written with accessibility in mind. It covers a broad range of topics, from physiology to decompression models, in a way that is approachable for non-scientists. While some aspects feel dated and the presentation could be stronger, it remains a valuable starting point for divers curious about the theory behind safe ascents.
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Wonders in the Deep – Mensun Bound & Mark Frary
Mensun Bound and Mark Frary spin an engaging tale, making for an enjoyable read. This book spans the history of ship-building and the last 5,000 years of civilisation through shipwrecks and the artefacts discovered on them.
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“But you’re not fat…”
I’ve had a few comments lately about my caption, “from couch potato to dive professional,” and when I explain that I’m not exactly fit, it’s usually countered by, “but you’re not fat,” or “you’re in better shape than most divers.” While technically, the latter statement may be true, I’m nowhere near as fit as I want to be for the type of diving I want to do. But let’s take a step back and see how I ended up in 42” jeans…
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My Journey So Far
In the “Why the Blog?” post, I summarised how I got into diving, stopped diving, and subsequently started diving again after a 4088 day surface interval. The plan, as it stands, is to become an instructor and head into technical diving. The steps to becoming an instructor sound simple enough: Dive Guide Dive Master Assistant Instructor Instructor Of course, that’s just the beginning of the dive professional journey. I should probably mention at this point – without getting into agency wars – that I’m training on the SSI pathway.
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Go Diving Show 2024
Planning to spend a weekend on my own at a dive show where the whole idea and premise is to approach and talk to a bunch of strangers is a fantastic idea, right? RIGHT?!?
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My Powerboat Journey, part 2.
My Powerboat Journey, part 2. In part 1 of my Powerboat Journey, we looked at what it took to get to the RYA Advanced Powerboat course. Two years later, I finally managed to organise and take the exam to be able to get it commercially endorsed. This is a big milestone for me and it feels like a massive achievement – on par with my photography master or the boatbuilding diploma. Prerequisites There were a number of courses I needed in order to be able to take the commercial exam: Professional Practices & Responsibilities Sea Survival First Aid VHF PP&R was an online course that, while put together quite well,…
