Going underwater feels like entering another planet, yet it’s part of our own. It’s like its very own theatre or TV series even the same dive sites you regularly dive you never see the same things everytime, it’s an ever changing landscape.

Several years later I can still remember my first underwater experience in great detail, I didn’t want the experience to end, in fact I did a deal with my instructor so that I could stay in the pool longer an extra 20 minutes

In the beginning, we go from being in total control to feeling like a stranger with strange equipment that is heavy and clumbersome. However in minutes we are at ease breathing in a world that is strange but still somewhat familiar. We are now at ease in the pool it’s almost like we are naturals to this environment just a bigger fish. A strong sense of excitement is building from the experience its self and what is yet to come, where will we go what will we see? What is it like to dive in the ocean? How deep will I go?

The underwater landscape and our sense of exploration is what keeps us coming back, learning from others sharing experiences, trying new equipment configurations, diving in different locations on vacations etc,

For me I was hooked on diving from the initial pool trial, having previously spent the previous day snorkeling looking down at the divers in Ras Mohamed national park, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Watching them from above skin diving down in hope of a glimpse of what they were excitedly pointing out or taking photos of.

The pool session just grew my excitement, really I didn’t want it to end, I managed to get some extra time whilst the instructor was literally chasing me around the pool, I started my open water course the same day.

I remember the mistakes I made during my course in open water holding my finger on the deflator button after oral inflation several times whilst thinking to myself what’s going on, this should be working right it worked in the pool I know I’m deeper now and I’ve been told it will need more air due to the compression at depth, but surely 5 breaths is enough!? My instructor then showed me my error with a big smile on his face, I remember this moment every open water course I teach.

During my PADI Open-Water course, I purchased my first piece of diving equipment a BCD, Knowing I was completely hooked on diving I completed my Advanced Open Water course, after this all I wanted to do was dive dive dive, but my holiday was ending, I was very saddened to return to the UK.

During the next 5 days, I had researched and purchased a set of regulators, whilst on the internet researching dive computers I found a last minute cancelation on a club dive trip holiday to Hurghada, Egypt, I called the dive club regarding their trip excitedly explaining that I have 14 dives and my PADI card had only just arrived that morning.

I met the group of 13 divers three days later at the check in desk of Gatwick airport, During this trip I gained my PADI Digital Underwater Photography specialty and my PADI Wreck specialty, gaining many more dives tips and experience from the others in this group. Until this point I hadn’t thought about where my diving was going, where I would dive? I’d fallen in love with the beautiful tranquil waters of the Red Sea, I didn’t fancy diving in the Cold waters of the UK, I didn’t want to just dive on vacations not knowing when I would dive again. I took some convincing to try diving in the UK, my perceptions of cold dark miserable waters with nothing to see and the fact I needed to be dry-suit trained, all seemed un appealing to me.

I didn’t expect to see what I saw on a very cold December morning, Capernwray Inland Quarry, Carnforth Lancaster, UK was where I made my first UK dive the water Temperature was 5 degrees, I saw trout, sturgeons, crayfish amongst others, I saw the purposely sank boat and the air craft, the visibility was much greater than I expected,

Throughout this winter I continued to dive regularly in the UK, Completing my PADI Rescue course, and becoming a PADI Master Scuba Diver,

During 2009 I completed my Dive Master Course, Diving as much as possible and escaping back over to the Red Sea frequently.

Gaining more experiences and skills, achieving Technical diving and Rebreather diving certifications along the way.

In 2012 I became a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, In Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

I moved to the UAE in March 2013.