Red Sea 2015

1.Diving is great fun but it is serious fun 2.This is going to be an excellent trip – one of the best and most memorable that you will have at school and beyond 3.BUT… diving is serious and we need to get serious from the start to show we are a competent group. Despite being hugely excited, please listen very hard now AND during the first 24 hours on the boat 4.Once we are settled and organised, everything happens very easily. But the first couple of dives are key – please set the right tone:  listen carefully  Help each other out  Be on time  Stick to the plan

If you are missing ANY of these documents, you are either stuck in the airport for the week OR you will not be permitted to dive… 0r... You are responsible for bringing the following essential documents with you. Please do NOT forget the following...  Proof of your dive qualification (qualification card OR book)  proof of the dives you have done (signed / stamped & dated logbook)  your passport

Packing. The staff will pack the dive bags on Wed 18 March Come to the store at that time if you want to: pack a small amount of personal kit in your dive bag (suncream etc. in sealable plastic bags please – liquids of more than 100ml must be in your checked-in luggage), a SENSIBLE number of books / revision material choose some items of kit eg. wetboots and wetsuits We also pack other stuff in your dive bags that the group will use including spares. So please don’t fill your dive bag with clothes you aren’t going to wear Otherwise, your dive bag will be ready for you at check-in at the airport

Packing… contd. This is a dive trip. When you aren’t diving, you don’t need much kit at all. You need WAY less stuff than you have ever taken on a trip before. TOTAL luggage allowance = 20kg c. 18 – 19 kg of dive equipment in every bag 1-2 kg of personal stuff (sun cream + toothpaste – in plastic bags, a few clothes + small (MAX. 5kg) bag for hand luggage

Mr Langsdale will be bringing: Hold luggage c. 20 kg of dive kit + bagged suncream one set of clothes to wear on the flight out and the flight back (a hoodie, a t-shirt, pair of Canterburys – they’ll do for the evenings. Hand luggage (max 5kg) : 3 t-shirts 3 pairs of shorts (one drying, one wet from previous dive, one for lounging around in & worn in strict rotation sunglasses / hat phone (data turned off) Kindle 2 packs of cards a few DVDs some camera stuff + a laptop (for image processing) That’s it.

Possible that the boat will have wireless but equally, it may have nothing. If it does, it’s use is likely to limited so do not expect to be able to use it. Expect a week without Snapchat, FB, FB messenger, Instagram or whatever else you use. Easily replaced by talking to one another, talking to the staff, getting to know the crew, playing cards and diving.

A day on the boat… 1.Wake up early 2.Dive 3.Breakfast 4.Sunbathe / relax / revise 5.Dive 6.Sunbathe /relax / revise 7.Lunch 8.Dive 9.Sunbathe / relax / revise 10.Wait an hour after sundown 11.Night dive 12.Supper 13.Relax / revise 14.Get up and do it all again for the next 5 days.

Safe Diving. please stick to the safety rules as outlined on the first night if you’re not sure about anything, please ask ALWAYS stay in your buddy pairs PLEASE DO NOT BREAK YOUR DEPTH LIMIT AS SET BY YOUR QUALIFICATION You will all be using a dive computer during the trip (either your own or a school one). Set the alarm for your depth limit and you can’t go wrong. Diving is fun. But it’s serious fun.

Dive Buddies. First few dives are key – get things right and everything else falls into place If you are less experienced, you will spend the first day or so with a more experienced buddy who will help get you up to speed and develop your confidence All goes well, then the last few days you should get to select your own buddy and stick with them Make sure you have at least one dive with the DIVE GUIDES – they are VERY experienced, see pretty much everything there is to see and it’s their job to make sure you have a great dive. As a group we should ALWAYS make sure we take them up on their offer to dive with them!

Money. you need very little. There are no shops and nothing much to buy but you must have the following: £25 for your Egyptian visa (no change given – it may be less than this – all rather strange…). Have two £10 notes and a £5 handy at immigration £35 OR €35 for the crew tip (minimum and applies to everyone). PADI AOW course people: €35 for your certificate some cash for breakfast at the airport

Staying in Oundle (School Hse) before TO BirminghamBACK to OundleStaying in Oundle after (New House) Anna PStaff (x4)Staff x4Anna P RoseRose, HarryAnna, RoseHarry A HarryJake, NatalieHarry A, JakeRose JakeAnna x2Jeremy, NatalieNatalie Charlie, JeremyHarry GA, Anna vdB HarryHarry GA, David, Anna vdBSam Charlie Sam Meeting at the dive store at 0345, Friday 27th March. Arrive back to Oundle c. 2330, Friday 3 April If you are not travelling with us it is solely your responsibility to arrive in time. Lateness may mean you miss the flight. Arrive by 0630 at Birmingham Airport.

Dive computers? Refresher in the pool: Tuesday March 10th

A number of significance My tutee’s phone bill (forgot to switch off his roaming data) Questions?