Dive Club Trip to Wraysbury reservoir

Two Headington girls are now qualified divers after taking a registered diving qualification supported by Headington.

The two girls in U4 and L5 travelled to Wraysbury reservoir on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April to get their PADI Open Water diving qualifications.

The first section of our course was conducted in the Headington School pool in November. For the second part, the divers needed to be in a deeper, wider body of water.

Arriving on Saturday, the equipment assembled, the brief on the first dive was made clear and then the girls slowly walked into the cold reservoir. Unfortunately, both girls struggled to equalise their air spaces, leaving pain in their ears that they could not fix.

By the end of Saturday it seemed that the team might have to rearrange and come another weekend to try again.

Nevertheless, on Sunday the girls tried once more and with the help of some tiger balm (an excellent tip from the dive master, Kate), both girls managed to equalise and continue the dive.

It was decided that the girls should attempt three dives that day to make up for Saturday and so that’s exactly what they did!

Trip leader and Maths teacher Mr Paul Harris said “Even though they were both exhausted, cold and uncomfortable, they battled through, completed all necessary skills and left the reservoir as fully qualified divers.”

In all, Headington will have five newly qualified divers by the end of the academic year and we hope we will have many more in years to come. If anyone would like more information about becoming qualified, or simply trying it out, please contact Mr Harris.