The Diver's Log: Back to Basics... and Hypothermia?!

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you're all sat at home enjoying our yummy Choccies. Spare a thought for me, as I can't have any because I'm still on my March dechox for the British Heart Foundation, and as they say, I'm no Easter Feaster! I have spent my Easter Sunday in a somewhat unconventional manner: in a quarry, somewhere in Wales, being bloody cold. However, there is method to my madness. (I promise.) A Year ago when I came back from a family holiday in Gran Canaria, I befriended the very wonderful owner of the dive shop and the even more wonderful diving instructor team; Trust me, they've got to be wonderful for putting up with me for 2 solid weeks! I digress, I began speaking to them about the possibility of a Dive Master Internship during one of my summer breaks from uni. But after I  completed my Advanced Open Water course out there, I was smitten. I love diving, I truly and utterly do. So, two days after I touched down back in the UK, I was furiously sending e-mails too Scuba Sur and lo and behold in just a few short months time, I will be spending my uni break working out there, training to become a dive master. However, I have one small problem. The training course is designed to be 3-6 months long. I have 2 and a half. And as some may know to become a DM you have to be a qualified Rescue Diver and have completed 40 dives. So, I am on a mission to get as much of my training done here in the UK to take some of the pressure off when I'm in Gran Can.

Hopefully that explains why I was in a quarry, in Wales, freezing my tail off. I was doing my PADI Dry Suit Diver course so I could be qualified to dive in British waters and therefore, complete my rescue diver when I go back to uni! Before I get onto what happened during the dive, I must stress that I am not a qualified professional (yet.) and please don't take any of this post as "advice" nor should you EVER undertake a dive beyond your level of training and experience! (Hence why I was doing this course today.)

I woke up this morning, bleary eyed, grumpy and tired, it was 6:30, the clocks had gone forward and I'd lost an hour of sleep. And if you know me, you know I know I'm not the nicest person in the mornings anyway! But before I knew it, we were packed in the car and driving to NDAC (National Diving and Activities Centre) in Chepstow. It's here I met my wonderful instructor for the day, Simon and my dive buddy and on site DM, Gareth. After a quick Scuba Review quiz to refresh my memory as I hadn't dived in about 8 months, we went through the course manual's knowledge reviews, going over what I perhaps didn't understand about the dry suit itself, such as how to work the exhaust valve and add air to my suit when underwater. Then it was time to get kitted up, I can say now, getting that dry suit on was 10 million times easier than a wet suit in 30 degree C heat! It took me a few minutes to remember how to put my BCD together but with Simon at hand, it all went smoothly.

It was time to brave the water in my dry suit, I was getting a little anxious at the surface waiting to stride in. But don't we all when we do something new for the first time. After successfully entering the water without concussing myself with the back on my tank. we could begin to descend! (Technically, these "skills" dives were meant to be split into two but I completed them quickly and to a good standard so they got merged into one.)

The skills were pretty simple if you've done the Advanced Open Water PADI course, fin pivoting, hovering, and then you get to the final skill... Learning how to cope if you get excess air in the legs of your dry suit. It went absolutely fine for me as I tucked my legs under my butt and somersaulted forward, then hitting my exhaust valve to dump out the air. What I shouldn't of done though is move my neck so much that water absolutely flooded my suit! I was getting cold beforehand but at this point I was noticeably shivering. Thankfully, Gareth noticed and terminated the dive immediately! But even though It took me 45 minutes after my dive, a warm shower and a cuppa to stop shivering.   (NEVER have a hot shower if you develop even mild hypothermia because otherwise you cans end your body into shock, warm up slowly!) Despite this - I had the best day ever getting used to the dry suit and my passion for diving is still an eternal love affair, in fact, it's stronger than ever.

Many, many thanks to the team at Cardiff SCUBA for putting together such an awesome day. And thank you to Gareth and Simon for being such wonderful and genuine people/instructors too! My next diver's log instalment won't be until my rescue diver and that could a few weeks away but until next time. Dive on, my friends!

An Open Letter to My Mother...

(Hopefully, If I've scheduled this right and got the date correct this post should be up around Mother's Day here in the UK.)

I talk about my mother a lot in my blogs and so I decided that she is entitled to a post completely dedicate to her. So here we go Mum, this is for you.

Dear Mum/Mother/Mother G/Momma/Momma G/Momma Goodwin,

Firstly, I would like to apologise because knowing my luck with the way Uni timetabling ha spanned out I'm not actually going to be home with you for Mother's Day, and I can tell you that I'm as upset about it as you are. Secondly, I would also like to apologise if the courier has failed abysmally at delivering your present on time, blame moonpig, not me. I didn't have enough character space on your card to write everything that I wanted too. To say thank you for everything you've done and I feel this blog post is the ebst way to do that, some of these things I can't say out loud without crying. Before people start and say "Why don't you just tell her yourself?!" I digress, there's only one way to do this and that's in a list. So, Mum, here we go -

7 Things That Are Great About Momma G! -

1) Your Cake Making Skills Are Top Notch! 

Literally Momma, I don't know anyone else that can make cakes half as good as you do. They are always so light and fluffy that they call for seconds, and thirds (...and fourths if me and Dad had our way.) Hopefully, one day when I have the time to bake, I can make cakes as good as you!

2) You Give The Best Advice!

Yes, you have full permission to say "I told you so!" on so many moments in my life where I was young and naive, and completely ignored your advice. But truth be told Mum, I should've taken it, I should've listed on so many things but I've learnt now. That's why whenever something is wrong, no matter how big or small it is, I will always come to you first because I know you will be able to fix it.

3) You're My Best Friend -

If I had the choice between a night out or a cosy evening in, watching films or some awful Saturday night TV with you. I would always choose the latter, you always know how to make me laugh, and we have similar tastes in films and TV, plus we have the best gossiping sessions about people.

4) You Give The Best Cuddles -

No further explanation needed, they are the best!

5) You Can See Where My Work Ethic Comes From -

Literally Mum, you work so hard and sometimes a little too hard! :( But I can remember you studying for all your tests when you went back to college in your 40s, I remember you wanting to work with children; to help them in their lives. It's that burning desire to follow your dreams and want to better yourself inspires me. Every. Darn. Day.

6) You're The Strongest Person I Know -

I've watched you suffer through the chemotherapy for breast cancer, laugh it off when you lost your hair, refuse to wear the wigs because you felt more comfortable without! I've seen you suffer through mastectomy surgery, then to the burns of radiotherapy. But through all of that, you never stopped smiling, sure you had your sad times but you also kept me and Dad smiling. Speaking of Dad and I, I know it probably hasn't been easy for you bearing the emotional weight of two people with mental health issues but somehow you do, we love you so much Mum, we really do. So much so that we can't ever really put it into words.

7) You're A Momma To Everyone -

Everybody's welcome in your house (Well, provided they've never upset any of us, in which use, you become their worst nightmare!) The kettle's always on and no matter what problems they bring with them, they are never judged, always loved and no matter what, you'll probably have them sorted out by the time they leave the house again.

I could go on and on, and on but yet again I would probably run out of characters like I did on moonpig or I would end up writing a novel. But I love you so much, I hope you have a lovely day and I'll take you out for coffee and lunch when I get back. xxx