Training group at Stoney Cove
Ready for the dive
Having passed my Ocean Diver Assessment last year, and with a liveaboard trip to Egypt booked for next year, I decided it would be a good idea to increase my knowledge and skills in preparation by signing up for the next level: Sports Diver.
The Sports Diver course started in January and was a mixture of classroom theory sessions and practical pool sessions. Some of the skills built on those learned during the Ocean Diver course, while there were plenty of new ones to master, including compass work, rescue and lifesaving skills, DSMB deployment and lining out.
After completing the theory and pool sessions, an assessment weekend was arranged for myself, David and Mark at Stoney Cove on 25–26 July.
To avoid an early start, we travelled down on the Friday evening and stayed at the Premier Inn in Hinckley, just a 15-minute drive from Stoney Cove. It was a decent hotel with good food, and we even managed a stroll along the river which led us to The Kiln Inn. With karaoke in full swing and a lovely riverside beer garden, it was a great way to relax before the weekend ahead.
Jon and Pete were our instructors and assessors, and there were also three Ocean Divers from the club completing their assessments. Over the course of the weekend we would complete four open water sessions, putting all the skills we had learned into practice.
On Saturday morning we were briefed on the plan for the weekend, as well as the objectives for our first dive, so everyone knew exactly what was expected. We also completed our risk assessments before enjoying a compulsory egg and sausage roll that set us up perfectly for the day.
The surface temperature was around 20°C, while at 20 metres it dropped to around 12°C. Visibility was average on the 6-metre shelf and good around the Stanegarth.
The first day consisted of two dives covering essential skills, from mask clearing through to newer skills such as DSMB deployment. I actually deployed my DSMB twice, as my first attempt reached the surface rather limp! Thankfully, the second attempt was spot on. We also spotted crayfish and shoals of perch, including one particularly impressive specimen, although most of our focus was firmly on the assessment tasks.
The first day went smoothly with no issues. That evening we all met up for a pub dinner organised by Lorraine, which was a lovely chance to socialise outside our usual diving activities. Everyone was feeling the effects of the day, so it was an early night and back to the hotel by 9 pm.
Sunday again consisted of two dive sessions. During the first session we buddied up with the Ocean Divers so they could demonstrate their Controlled Buoyancy Lift skills on us. They all passed with flying colours. Afterwards, David, Mark and I completed further DSMB deployments at depth before moving on to rescue skills, including rescue breaths, removing equipment from a casualty, basic life support and recovery procedures.
After lunch we headed into our final session: lining out at the Stanegarth, sitting at around 20 metres. We all knew it was going to be cold, so agreed not to rush but to work efficiently. We spent around 15 minutes at depth, which was definitely long enough! We then ascended the shot line, completing our decompression stop on the way up. While waiting, I looked up to see a torch slowly sinking past me into the depths. I’m not sure whose it was, but I believe it was eventually recovered!
Back on the surface we completed a tow of a makeshift casualty back to the ladder before de-kitting and taking part in the final debrief. Once again, everything went smoothly.
After getting changed into dry clothes, we all met in the Stoney Cove clubhouse for a well-earned pint. Jon and Pete then gave us the news we had all been hoping for – we had passed! It was the perfect end to a fantastic weekend.
A huge thank you to Pete and Jon and everyone at the club who helped me throughout the course with the theory sessions and pool training. Thanks also to Anna for joining us on the first day, Steve for looking after the Ocean Divers, and Lorraine for providing shore cover, looking after my car keys while I was diving, and organising the evening meal.
For anyone thinking about enrolling on the Sports Diver course, I would thoroughly recommend it. It gives you a much greater depth of knowledge, builds confidence, and ultimately makes you a safer, more capable diver, allowing you to enjoy this fantastic sport even more.
