DIVER NEWS 11 ,000 dives and MYSTREY RY still going strong DIVER

S DIVING LIVES GO , it’s a long- Arunning love affair that one diver has had with the sport. Laurie Cummings, from County Durham, has turned 70 and has also passed the milestone of 11,000 dives, all meticulously logged. By his own calculation, he has spent “about a year of my life under water”. Surprisingly, Laurie took up diving only as a 50-year-old, with County Durham’s Bishop Auckland BSAC branch, where he qualified as an Assistant Instructor. DIVING APPS FOR FREE But following his retirement from ORE THAN A DECADE stop shop. However, this is a the police force in 1994, and as a Assistant Instructor qualifications and AGO , I remember really good example of what can divorcee, he dedicated himself to the working as a dive guide to a Mdive-centre owners be achieved, and Divemaster world of diving adventure. maximum depth of 30m. telling me that websites were Scuba should be congratulated He spent 11 years working as a dive “Years ago I would push the limits, an expensive inconvenience. for venturing into this world. guide in Turkey, during which time he diving several times a day,” he How wrong they were! As you would expect, PADI met his partner Judy, also a dive guide said. “But I never once suffered Today they face a whole has an app (BSAC doesn’t yet), there. “My decision to go there was decompression illness, probably due new challenge in the world which will use your location to taken after visiting Bodrum and its to pretty efficient gas exchange. of application software, guide you to the nearest dive remarkable marine antiquities “Nowadays I dive on 32% nitrox, on commonly known as “apps”. centres. Once you click on a museum,” he told di vEr. which you can go safely to about 33m, Apps enable users to access centre, it will bring up its “I ended up working for the town’s while diving to the same air profile as software with single or multiple contact details and website. Aegean Pro Dive Centre. On dives you my guests. You need to do that functions at the touch of an icon. Disappointingly, this is all the never saw a great deal of fish but because you’re often diving more Divers can access information app will do; in my opinion PADI always a lot of archaeological material, each day than any single client is.” about diving conditions in their (and BSAC) are missing out on an mostly amphorae. A favourite dive site is the locality, or find out where the opportunity to link the user with “I published a book detailing the Thistlegorm . “It was built, launched nearest dive centre is, all through advice, support and links to the area’s most interesting dive sites.” and sunk in 1941, the year I was born,” their handheld device. commercial side of the business. In 2005, Laurie and Judy decided to he said. “I always have a special feeling To see how the use of apps was Leading the way in my search move to Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh. Judy for it.” shaping up in the diving world, was London Diving Chamber’s hung up her fins but Laurie took work But how has he kept his passion for I keyed “scuba” into an app store app, which provides, as you would as a guide with Colona Divers, where diving alive over so many years? and checked out the first 100. expect, a list of chambers closest he remains today. “I always put maximum effort into About half of the apps were to your location, as well as a host A marathon runner whose final it, and I can honestly say that there has available for a fee; it was the of other useful tools. hurrah was to place ninth in the never been a day when I didn’t want other free half that interested me. These include a virtual logbook world after 1992’s veteran world to go on a dive,” said Laurie. What struck me was the lack (other apps charge for this), a pre- championships in Birmingham, he “I’ve wanted never to miss out on of dive centres in the UK offering dive checklist, a really informative says he has always maintained a what might be there to experience. their customers apps. The only A-Z of dive medicine and a means modest weight and a high level “Even when you dive the same site one I found was Divemaster of recording diving incidents of fitness. over and over again, it’s never the Scuba Centre in Nottingham. directly with the LDC. He has kept it “straightforward” as a same twice. There’s always something Its app provides its users with This app kept me interested the diver, never exceeding BSAC and PADI different to see, and I never tire of access to news, photos, locations longest and this and Divemaster wanting to see it.” I of dive sites, events and the ability Scuba are probably the only ones to send them a message. I will keep on my handheld device. It was launched only this March, I also found plenty of apps that August Diary so still requires a bit more work to didn’t do what they said they 27/28 St make it fully functional. would or had little content, all Abbs Splash-in, St Abb s and Eyemouth Volunt Berwickshire, an eve ary Marine Reserve, I liked the way users could of which underlines that this is still nt now in its 24th year. T portraiture, at hree prize categories co keep up to date with forthcoming a developing world. mosphere and humour. ver registrat Entry costs £20 per pers ion is possible on site on on and, while events and dives, but it’s the Like many others, I use my 45 27 August, advance bo -capacity event. Details oking is advised for the : www.marine-reserve.c “contact us for more information” handheld device more than my Conolly can be ema o.uk. Marine Ranger Ge iled via the website, or orgia called at 018907 71443. or “see our Facebook site” computer, and apps are what 28 Dive Fest a nd Clean-Up, Leybourn with it e Lake, West Malling, Ke sections that need attention. makes this experience faster s new dive school, Oasis nt, run in association c Scuba. The event, in wh overing 30 acres, includ at is in fact a pair of lak An app should mean that I don’t and smoother. Ignoring their es an underwater treas es roast. Underwater ure trail, raffle prizes an attractions include a bu d a hog have to go out of the site to look use is not an option for diving- squares to sq oyancy challenge invol ueeze through, a pirate ving rings and I www.o s area and gnome gard something up – it should be a one- related businesses. asisscuba.co.uk, or call en. Details: Leybourne Lake Waters ports on 01634 246006.

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