Try dive with Dearne Valley Divers - by SSI D Nixon
Cadets from “C” Company Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF attended a Try Dive with Dearne Valley Divers BSAC Club on the 6th November 2023. Captain Paul Meares the County Adventure Training Officer organised the training evening for cadets from Mexborough Detachment.
Prior to the event taking place Captain Meares delivered a training evening at Mexborough Detachment on SCUBA diving equipment and how it works and functions.
On the evening of the Try Dive the cadets were welcomed to Dearne Valley Divers by the Training Officer Clare Pettinger and Club Treasurer Mark Watson for an introduction to the club and to the training plan for the evening. Cadets then met their individual instructors from the club Geoff Lord, Jade Richardson and Bruce Carter to take part in the BSAC Try Dive experience.
After meeting their individual instructors, it was off to the poolside to get into SCUBA kit and start the experience. The cadets from Mexborough took to SCUBA with enthusiasm and excitement and after a short briefing with their instructors’ dry side on signals and breathing technique with a demand valve they then progressed on to the BSAC Try Dive syllabus in the pool. In the shallow end they demonstrated finning technique and how to adjust buoyancy at shallow depth using the BCD followed by a swim around the pool.
The cadets had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and SCUBA diving is an excellent medium to cover Army Cadet Syllabus (ACS21) Adventure training at 1 ,2 and 3-star levels as well as Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) skills at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. As with all adventure training it develops the individual in core values and standards supporting cadets as they progress through the Army Cadet training Syllabus and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Captain Meares stated “It is good to see Cadets and CFAV`s taking part in adventure training and pushing their boundaries in personal development and skills progression, this is something I would like to develop further within our County and Brigade Area”. Cadets from Mexborough stated, “We have experienced many different activities in the ACF and we have been very lucky to get the opportunity to try new activities like SCUBA and this has been a great experience for us and one that we will never forget”.
I would like to thank Dearne Valley Divers BSAC Club and the club instructors for a very successful evening and the professional way that they looked after our cadets engaging with them on all levels making it a fun, enjoyable and memorable event for all.
