The exercise was based in Naama Bay, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt with the diving taking place in the Ras Mohamed national park, the Straits of Tiran and on the wreck of the S.S. Thistlegorm.

After a light breakfast we all gathered around the pool where we underwent theory lessons from one of the instructors, on, amongst many things, the correct deployment of delayed surface marker buoys (DSMB's) which are rapidly becoming mandatory pieces of kit for divers diving the Red Sea but which few of us had used.

The heat was horrendous, over 30 degrees at only 10 o'clock, so we were all happy when told to get into the pool.

After lunch, we had more theory lessons and confirmation of earlier learnt skills, before more training in the pool.

This time buddy drills were practiced again and again so that they became almost automatic, exactly what you need should something happen.

By late afternoon the sun was unbearable and, with the air cylinders almost empty, we returned the kit to the dive centre before taking in the local scenery on our way back to our digs.

0845hrs Eden Rock Hotel after morning rations with our kit all packed we stood some bright eyed and some with tails between our legs as we waited for our adventure to begin. Now, even with my short TA career of just 7yrs I knew not to expect too much from the local transport that we waited for in the cool 38 degree Sinai sun.

Picture the England football team or the Rugby World Cup winning squad, come to think of it; Liverpool FC European Champions and the kind of fully air-con, full leather with hostess and cocktails coaches they would have... Hold that thought... Now forget it, because ours looked like it had come last in the local scrap heap challenge finals!

So we got on board for the magical mystery tour of Sharm El Sheikh, to meet the Emperor Dive Centre Staff. It was like driving down dodge ball alley avoiding the mid-morning traffic.

With my new knowledge fully digested from my Advanced Open Water PADI manual I was still apprehensive about putting this into practice and having my skills tested to the limit in a pressure environment.

We had our safety briefs from both our Sub Aqua Dive Supervisors and the Emperor staff to ensure we all knew actions on in case of emergencies, site information, max depth, and most importantly who our buddy was for this dive!

Kit checks, BCD, AIR - first stage and second stage. Funny thing about air! If you run out of ammo you still have a chance, however, run out of air with no buddy and it's the end of the road for sure!

All checked and ready to go, mask on, air on, fins on, dive computer checked, buddy ready, big step off and into the blue we go... If Carlsberg did the TA it would be like this every time!

The morning started with an early call and down to breakfast before heading off to board Empress Shorouk, our diving boat, at 0830.

Once we had stowed all the day sacks, we carried out the morning ritual of setting up kit and making sure that it was all ok and serviceable prior to doing buddy checks later in the morning. At 0845 the boat left the jetty en route for our first dive site, Near Garden. Arriving on site at 0915 we soon received the dive site brief and we were reminded about safety points from yesterdays diving.

By 0945 the first wave of divers were kitted up and after final checks were stepping off the dive deck into the deep blue yonder.

During this dive the main points of interest were the big green moray and the gigantic napoleon wrasse. After 42 minutes the group surfaced into the blistering heat of the mid day sun to picked up by the boat in a jiffy.

The first dive site of the day was called 'White Knights', apparently because there used to be two huge white boulders there but they were demolished to make way for a hotel.

The dive started with fin small cavern at 12 metres, dropping off to 18 meters.

We emerged into an area called 'Eel Garden', a really bizarre place where what seemed to be hundreds of eels were protruding about metre through the sand, it looked like something from a weird movie!

The second dive was a drift dive, something a lot of us have never experienced, at a site called 'Ras Nasrani'.

Entering the water negatively buoyant, a technique which means that you descend immediately upon hitting the water, we dropped to about 7 metres before establishing neutral buoyancy.

The sensation of being propelled through the water by the current is sensational but, when the current turns, as it does frequently, the effort to fin is massive. The dive lasted just over 45 minutes hour but you would think we had run a marathon by the look of us as we climbed the fin ladders back onto the boat.

With all the kit stowed away the after dive tea and cakes came around and we headed back to the harbour and the much awaited evening meal.

This is the dive everyone has dreaded since day one, the last dive!

We weren't sure that we were even supposed to dive this site but the captain said it was OK so, suited and booted we made our way to the deck for the briefing and some background on the dive site.

It appears that, after the 6 day war, the Israelis pushed all their armour into the Red Sea before leaving the country, well that's their story. Apparently, the Egyptians pushed it all in but, regardless of who did what, when and why, we were going to dive in and have a look.

This was the best entry yet, with Sharouk still sailing we entered the water like a well-oiled machine and, even if I say so myself, it was bloody impressive.

It was a cracking dive with plenty to see, loads of light armour and vehicles that had now become home to other life forms. We seemed to be down an eternity and I kept looking to see who would signal '60 bar' first but it never seemed to come.

When it did, I felt a pain in my gut, knowing that this was it, the diving had come to an end.

As we were surfacing, a spotted eagle ray came into view, an absolutely magnificent creature about 2 metres across.

Then another, but it could have been the same one, who knows, but what a way for the expedition to finish.

 

This has been my fourth diving expedition and after nearly 30 years in the TA, I am having the best time ever. I was one of the first people in our Regt to be mobilised back in the 1990's, so I have seen a bit of everything but this has been something else.

I am now an accomplished advanced diver, doing things I never dreamt of,  in places I never thought I would see.

For the younger lads on the expedition, what more incentive could they possibly need to stay in the Regiment, or to encourage their mates to join? There is none, they have it all.