After gathering in Fakenham we headed south to Luton, not realising what was in store. All went well until we got to Newmarket and the traffic was at a standstill due to a serious accident on the A14, all of a sudden it looked like we were going to miss our flight. After studying the map we managed to continue on our way and just managed to make the check in!!
Next morning we arrived at the dive centre, carried out the paperwork and packed our kit into boxes before boarding the transport to Cirkewwa Reef to carry out our first 2 dives just to get everyone settled and back into the swing of things. Afterwards back at the centre we washed up, filled in logs and retired to the local hostelry for a well deserved pint.
Day 2 took us to Wied Iz Zurrieq. Helen decided to sit the day out and wait for the night dive that evening, for the rest. Navigation dives, shipwreck dives and photography for advanced courses and pleasure dives for everyone else. We split in two, the navigation group going with Reg, one of Buddie's instructors and the remainder with myself going out to the wreck, the Um El Faroud. The second dive saw the regs group doing their photography and the rest doing navigation with myself. That evening we took in a night dive going back to the first dive site we had been at the day before at Cirkewwa. It was the first time for a couple of the participants but all went well and we all enjoyed it.
Day 4. Today we boarded the transport and headed off to Gozo for two fantastic dives and a super day out. After we landed in Gozo we headed across the island to our dive site - the inland sea and the Blue Hole at Dweira. After a briefing and a look at where we were diving, we tackled the Blue Hole first. After a rather tricky walk to the water we descended into the Blue Hole. We went through the Azule Arch under water, around its leg then across the open water back to the reef, up the chimney into the coral garden and then back down and into the Blue Hole. At our second dive at the inland sea we started off going into and through the tunnel and out the other side into the open sea and along the wall to the left, turned around and retraced our steps back to the exit. Two wonderful dives and a great way to end the trip.
Congratulations go to : Sharon Elfleet, Lloyd Pearson, Andy and Sharon Brierley for passing their Advanced Open Water, and to Karl Bastard for passing his Night Dive Specialty. Also congratulations to Helen Nott for doing her Enriched Air course.
Special respect goes to Sharon Brierley due to not being in the UK to do the Race For Life, she got people to sponsor her to complete her Advanced Open Water course and raised over £500 for Cancer Research. Well done Sharon.
