It was an early start to get to the Diver Training College near York for 9am but it was worth it (even though we couldn’t find anywhere to buy bacon butties for breakfast when we arrived)!

We were divided into 2 groups and my group went in the chamber first.  The session started with a really interesting talk about how the chamber works and how it relates to gas laws (you know, Boyle, Charles, Dalton and Henry!).  We were also told that you can’t whistle below 70 feet – more of that later.  We went down to 50metres, which read 51.6m on my computer!  The whole dive took about 30 minutes.

The chamber is much smaller than the one on the Wirral so we went in four at a time.  It was amazing watching the tennis ball contract and I was so determined that I even managed to set a new whistle record at 75 feet!

After lunch we went up to the pool for a dive in the hard hat – or Siebe Gorman 6 Bolt Helmet to give it its proper title!  It is quite a performance to get into the kit so as one person is diving the next is kitting up ready in the suit and collar.  It’s then up the steps for boots, really heavy weights and the helmet.  After a wobble at the top of the ladder I managed to climb down.  It’s a relief to get in the water as the kit was reported to weigh 12 stone (?!) but I must admit I didn’t like having no access to my nose as I found it difficult to equalise.  Once at the bottom though it was like walking on the moon.

There was an air hose to fill the lift bags on two large tractor tyres and magnetic letters on the wall to make messages.  Most of the ‘F’s had been removed though!

It was a fabulous experience and I would definitely go again – and recommend it to anyone who will listen.