Red Sea Scuba Diving Trip, February 2005

Early on Sunday morning, February 13th, thirty four bleary eyed students and four even-more bleary eyed teachers set off for an Egyptian adventure to Sharm El Sheikh. The aim – to gain the PADI Open Water Diver qualification which allows you to scuba dive to depths of 18m in seas all around the world.
A rather shaky flight took us to the chaotic airport at Sharm El Sheikh, where students realised that the friendly people offering to carry our bags were not so kind-hearted after all and wanted money in return. After numerous interruptions and a small amount of panic that some bags might never appear we were off to our hotel – the Sonesta Club in Naama Bay. This was the perfect base for the group – buffet meals with plenty to eat for dinner and breakfast (even if the latter seemed an alien concept to some students) and a large pool which we spent the first five days staring at longingly as we trekked past en route to the Dive College.
The Red Sea Dive College was an excellent choice with quality instruction and superb facilities, based right on the sea-front. But the group were in for a shock – this would be no ordinary holiday in the sun! Instead, there were five videos to watch, five chapters of a training manual to study, four small tests and then one final exam to pass and a total of nine sessions in the water practising skills and techniques including everyone’s favourite – the mask removal underwater! The final day was spent on boats diving to 18m and realising that the hard work of the proceeding days had been worthwhile.
To round off the week, we took ourselves off in to the desert to meet with the Bedouin and 38 camels. There was an unmistakeable air of chaos throughout – not least when one camel went charging off without Emma Davies, and everyone was hassled with bracelets in return for “tips”. All enjoyed the Bedouin tea and bread though, and we learned a little bit about their lives. Freddie took the idea of bartering a bit too far though when he tried to sell Eve in exchange for camels at the airport on our return.

The entire group deserve to be congratulated – I have never seen students work so hard on a school visit. Leaving the hotel at 8.15am each morning, studying and practising hard at the dive college during the day and revising theory each evening – by the time Friday came we were all exhausted but pleased to have succeeded. The delight of all after completing the last dive was plain to see and I hope they have the chance to put their new qualification to use in the near future.
And now – only the memories of clear blue skies (it is snowing as I write this back at College), 28°C temperatures, Miss Mackenzie being electrocuted (before getting the highest marks in the exam, along with Polly Simpson), Miss Dunsford chasing every last bit of sun, the McArabia burgers at McDonalds, Mustafa interpreting for the teachers while arguments went on nearby, Katherine Boer riding off in to the desert like Cleopatra, Louis Stevens emerging from the sea with a mask filled with blood…..

Mr J Newall
Head of Lower School.
(with apologies to Freddie whose rather more “expressive” summary I have copied from)!