Pupils take the plunge during diving trip to the Philippines

Pupils from the Upper Prep and Senior Schools have recently returned from their annual diving visit to the Philippines, the culmination of many weeks of hard training both in and out of the pool. Pupils of varying ability levels were aiming to attain either their Open Water or Rescue Diving qualifications, both of which required a solid theoretical knowledge of the equipment and techniques, as well as the confidence to put that learning to use once they were underwater. Richard (year 7 Lynedoch), Cheryl (year 7 Stanley) and Aaliyaa (year 8 Lynedoch) explain how the trip went:   Before we went to the Philippines, we had to prepare by taking weekly theory and pool sessions. The theory sessions consisted of working through our PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) manuals, videos, and learning the theory about how to use diving equipment safely. Each week, we reviewed our technical knowledge and practised skills to prepare us for the actual trip. Those of us learning for the Rescue Diving qualification had to be prepared for any unexpected scenarios that a diver might encounter. As you might expect, the weekly pool sessions were a lot more hands-on, consisting of the assembly of our BCDs (Buoyancy Compensator Devices) and practising various skills in the pool. Before each of us got into the pool, we prepared all of the equipment and we had a brief explanation of what we were trying to achieve during the lesson. These sessions were delivered by the diving instructors from Big Blue, who also joined us on the trip. Of the whole excursion, perhaps the most memorable moment for the Open Water divers was the mysterious (and awesome) night dive. We saw beautiful tropical fish that had brightly coloured scales, large, yet impressively fast sea turtles and even poisonous sea urchins which we kept a very safe distance from. For the Rescue Divers, the memorable moment was definitely when Mr Hambling pretended to have an injury resulting from a dive and collapsed in the hotel dining room, surrounded by all the pupils. We had to immediately use our knowledge to save him from this (thankfully faked) injury! The Philippines trip was also a great opportunity for us to spend time with friends, and make some new ones. As Prep School pupils, we enjoyed spending time with some of the older pupils from Senior School. We had enough time to chat to each other and enjoy the pool at the hotel, but we also worked very hard when we were diving. If you are thinking of joining the trip next year, we would highly recommend it. It requires a lot of time, hard work and determination but the experience is well worth the investment!