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I've been asked to do an article on my trip to Weybourne 19th.June, 1999 because it had such a list of 'FIRSTS'. The trip wasn't the start of it for me. Initially it was plucking up courage to put my name on the club list to say that I would like to go. I started diving just over a year ago but did it through the school system. There were lots of major problems and I could have packed it in so many times. Perhaps I'm just pig headed but no matter how hard I was finding it to overcome my own fears, physical situations etc I felt that this was something I really wanted to do. So I started taking the attitude that I hadn't got to learn over night, that there were some really good people out there that would try to help me overcome my problems. So I bore all this in mind as something went wrong every time I went out. I tried to remember the small thing I had coped with, the small step forward that I had achieved and forget the problem that had occurred as it would be a different one next time, the one I had I would be able to cope with better if it happened again.
With this background and because I'm not the normal age group or size for doing diving, I couldn't imagine me ever wanting or being able to go in the English sea. If anybody had asked me I would have said that there was no way. That it would be too cold, too murky, that you wouldn't see anything and that it was all too likely for me to get stuck in a bad situation that I couldn't get out of that would put me finally off diving for life.
The big weekend starts looming up. My husband isn't keen on me going and although he didn't say it I know that he would have liked me to back out. Packing my kit was left till the eleventh hour. What was important was a trip to the chemist to make sure that when I got nervous I wouldn't need to take a quick trip to the loo. All the time the apprehension was mounting. There were so many problems that I could envisage - travelling by myself would I be okay feeling this nervous, had I got all the gear I needed, would I find everyone when I got there. All this without even thinking of the diving aspects. Friday evening, last minute shop to get some provisions, the journey can't be put off any longer so off I motor into the setting sun, found everyone and got my kit into the boat that night. Some problems going already.
Saturday morning I met everyone at the car park because I hadn't camped. No way was I camping and diving in the English sea for the first time all in one weekend. It was a lovely morning. We kitted up against the cars and my buddy Chris started reassuring and quietly helping from the beginning. He got the remainder of my stuff in the boat and down to the waters edge we filed. Can I get myself up in the boat ??? YES done with only a little help from my friends. Another major problem, which has been worrying me, is how I am going to get back in the RIB after the dive.
My diving firsts are underway. First time in RIB. We went bounding across the sea for about 13 / 14 miles. It was exhilarating. The wind blowing in one's face, hanging onto the sides, the sun glowing above. Alton Towers isn't a patch on it. When we got to the site and did all the manoeuvres with the other two RIBS we anchored up. I hadn't completely understood what we were waiting for but it appears it was for the still which occurs when the tides change. All of a sudden from feeling good the nerves started. The first pair went in off our RIB and the same was happening from the others and I'm supposed to be kitting up. How ? I feel so sick with fear it was so bad it's impossible to describe.
I was told later that my face went very white. I am being kitted, hands moving here and there. I'm wishing I was anywhere in the world but where I am. Stupid, 51yrs old stuck out here, I could be bowling, shopping, seeing the grand kids anything but being here. Then, oh no, head turned quickly to the side I am sick, God how embarrassing, quick I must start conversation. They want me to get in the water quick, is this such a good idea ? Sally is saying go for it. It's alright for her I haven't been backwards into the water before. Here goes WOW that was easy. They didn't lie to me. Simplest entry that I've done I was so near to the water. I'm not feeling hot and bothered now. Face in the water. This isn't bad. Move along the boat to the shot line. Oh well here's anther first to go down this. Chris's words are there all the time. We take our time, if we want to come up we can, no problem enjoy. Hey I am doing. First time down a shot , this is easy , no problems with the buoyancy when the ropes helping you down. Nothing to see except the plankton, well what do you expect, no land in sight, water surrounding us it's good to see the rope and Chris. I like this. Going down something has happened but I don't know what. There were too many ropes. Chris had told me to keep hold of the rope, I am going to do what I've been told. Whatever problem there had been has been overcome because we're down to 25.3 metres. The figures don't have any meaning it doesn't feel any different. We start using our torches and I can see the wreck and lot of crabs. I always thought crabs scurried sideways . No wrong again there are lots stuck vertically to anything they can hang onto. There were different things down there but in all truth it was the experience I was enjoying. I felt so good. I started getting wet, was it wet or squeeze so I put in some air to my dry suit. No its getting wet. So what, the buoyancy is fine, I feel fine. We start coming up slowly but the problem of me getting back into a RIB had at last left me. It would sort itself out. As we got up there Chris said "Go on your back Jean and I'll strip you off." Well need I say more. Next instruction "Put your legs down and fin".
I'm in the boat. Don't ask me how, it was so quick and easy- they hadn't fibbed. These experienced divers that reassure us haven't forgotten how us lowly divers feel, they do know and they are right. They all made it very easy for me and I'm feeling on top of the world. I feel so good, it doesn't take drugs or anything else I go diving. Oh dear I'm wet through, water is making my suit sag down, all my boots are full of water. There's a large tear in my wrist seal. Chris back to the rescue "Let me unzip you then you're going to have to lay down." Back to "What can I say." So there I am laid in this small gap between the boat sides and the drivers seat, my feet are being lifted into the air and all this water is pouring through my suit and out of my back opening. I'm there in fits of laughter visualising the sight that I must be making and glad no one's got a camera. It appears the other boats and my companions who didn't know what was going on were quite concerned because they thought I was ill. After all this a lovely trip back to the mainland.
Conclusion: Marvellous, fantastic give me more. The English sea is great and available to us, it has it's own challenges and if I can do it anyone can. Anyone having any doubts please don't you will miss out. Get a good buddy like I had and go for it. If I can anyone can.