The Amazing Adventures of Roger the Turtle – Part 2
My Second Week at Oyster Diving
Well it’s been another fantastic week being part of the team at Oyster Diving. Monday was a little boring as they had me answering the phone and doing admin. I think they are just trying to get me out of my shell a little.
On Tuesday I decided to stick my neck out and start the PADI open water course at the pool in Soho, Central London. The pool based at Marshall Street Leisure Centre is brilliant and couldn’t be more central and accessible to London’s tube system. It’s even older than my cousin Lonesome George but they have recently spent around £15 million bringing it up to date but keeping the same architecture. It has a 10 foot depend where I was able to practice my buoyancy skills and swimming correctly. Unfortunately, the pool has no tasty broccoli corals I could eat, as diving can make you hungry. I must also remember that the no.1 rule of scuba diving is to never hold your breath! I am really looking forward to my next open water session in London next week!
On Wednesday we went to Uckfield College and did a PADI Discover Scuba for 15 of their students and one of their teachers. They were really quick learners and the smiles on their faces put a big grin on my face. Afterwards I helped to unload the equipment from the van and I even sustained a small injury. After the 20 stitches were placed in my head by our physician Alison I was replaced in the recovery ward and was able to return to work the next day.
Thursday – yawn! No water today but a trip to our accountants Peter Jarman to discuss finance and taxes. I suppose these things have to be done in order to pay for my overseas trips and keep me in shell-suits. As it turns out Peter is a very nice chap and is really knowledgable about everything to do with money, and he even let me play with his calculator!
Friday – a busy day today. We took delivery of some brand new 7ltr tanks for our scuba birthday party in Surrey on Saturday. Nick put them together and I helped fill them with air from our massive compressor. We also had another enquiry from another school so I hope that we are able to teach diving there too!
I’m really looking forward to the weekend where we are teaching lots of courses in the pool. Tonight I’m hoping to play darts in the pub with Nick and Paul (they’re not very good) and have a pint or two of seawater.