Rediscovering the Deep: My Global Dive Journey

Eight years. That’s how long I stayed dry—well, dry from diving anyway. Life, work, and career took over, and my fins gathered dust. But in 2020, standing on the white sands of Montego Bay, I decided it was time to dive back in—literally. This is the story of rediscovering scuba diving after years away, and how that decision led me on an incredible global dive journey.

This post kicks off a series about my adventures from Scottish lochs to Caribbean reefs, and eventually, to the Maldives where manta rays and turtles await. If you love diving, travel, or just a good comeback story, stick around—because this is going to be fun.

Where It All Began

I grew up in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, and for most of my life, I dreamed of seeing beautiful places. That dream started thanks to my aunt – the first in our family to go to college – who landed a great job and began traveling to incredible destinations, including Sandals in St. Lucia. Her stories and photos (yes, physical photos in a photo album if you can believe it) lit a fire in me: I wanted to see the world.

Fast forward a few years, and I became the first in my family to go to university. In 1999, at Glasgow Caledonian University, I joined the Sub Aqua Club (a proud member of the Sub Aqua Association) and completed my first scuba dives. I worked my way up to Club Diver, qualifying with dives in Oban, Loch Fyne, Loch Long, and even Scapa Flow. Sadly, my logbooks are long gone, but I still have my qualification record book and membership card – a little piece of history that reminds me where it all started.

The Long Surface Interval

After university, life took me in a different direction. I started traveling for work, visiting countries all over the world. I managed to squeeze in some dives along the way, but eventually, my professional career became the priority. Diving took a back seat, and before I knew it, eight years had passed without a single dive.

The Comeback

Then came 2020. I booked my first Sandals vacation. To Sandals Ochi. As it turns out, the world had different plans as the Global Pandemic shut down Ochi and the Sandals team moved me to Montego Bay for my 40th birthday celebration. Its almost like it was meant to be as the lockdown was lifted for 2 week and it happened to be the exact time I had booked, almost 2 years before. Anyway, standing there on that stunning beach, I knew it was time to get back underwater. I refreshed my skills and earned my PADI Open Water Diver certification. That moment reignited everything – the excitement, the sense of adventure, the love for the ocean.

And that was just the beginning.

What’s Coming Next

This series will take you through my journey as I rediscovered diving and explored some of the most beautiful places on Earth:

• Montego Bay – Where it all started again: PADI Open Water.
• Antigua – Advanced Open Water and Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty.
• St. Lucia – Deep Specialty and Nitrox.
• Ochi – Rescue Diver and the big one: PADI Master Scuba Diver.
• And thrown in, just for fun… The Maldives – Manta rays, turtles, and a dream come true.

Each post will share the highlights, the challenges, and the unforgettable moments from these trips. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or just curious about what it’s like to explore the underwater world, I hope you’ll enjoy the ride.

Why Share This?

Because diving isn’t just about the certifications or the gear – it’s about the experiences, the people you meet, and the places you see. It’s about rediscovering passions and proving to yourself that it’s never too late to dive back in.

So, grab your fins (or at least your coffee) and join me as I relive these adventures. Next stop: Montego Bay—where the comeback began.

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