The Splash, March 2026

Welcome to the March edition of The Splash, the newsletter of Wight Dive School.

A great start to the season

We finally made it into the pool this Sunday. What a fantastic start to the new diving season. Five divers began their journey, with Kim and me leading the training session, and it was wonderful to see such enthusiasm and commitment from everyone involved.

A huge thank you to Michelle and her team at West Wight Pool, who kindly stepped in at the last minute after the boiler at UKSA decided to take an unexpected break. We are extremely grateful for their support in making the session possible.

Looking ahead, we return to UKSA next month. We've been assured the pool will be at a suitable temperature, allowing for a full session from 11am to 1pm on Sunday 26 April. As always, if you would like to join us, please get in touch and I will ensure you are booked in.

Congratulations to our divers

A big well done to all those making fantastic progress:

• Louisa, Ace and Leo, congratulations on completing your first open water dives, a brilliant achievement. Ace, have an amazing time in Australia, we'll all be very jealous.
• Amelia, now on dive three of her open water programme, great progress.
• Jenny, congratulations on smashing your ReActivate course. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Island once you've completed your instructor award. I'm sure you'll be brilliant.

Events to look forward to

A seahorse, in waters around the Isle of Wight? Surely not.

We continue to work closely with Claire at Esprit Divers, and I'm delighted to share that her popular marine conservation talk with tapas event returns this summer at the Seagrove Pavilion, Seaview, on Friday 3 July. Last year's event was a great success, and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Guided by Theo Vickers, local marine biologist and award-winning underwater photographer, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about our incredible local marine environment and what you can expect to see when diving the Island's coast. You will be amazed at how much wildlife is out there, even seahorses.

For full details of the event and to secure your tickets, follow this link. Spaces are limited and tend to sell out quickly.

Building our diving community

One of the most rewarding things about developing the dive school on the Island is discovering just how supportive and connected the diving community is. There is always somebody who knows somebody who can help.

In no particular order, I'm delighted to welcome to my contacts list:

• Stuart at Insignia Maritime, supporting us with storage and potentially providing boat access for future dives in Osborne Bay.
• Steve Elsmore, a local doctor and keen diver (currently in the Galápagos). Steve has kindly offered to advise anyone needing help with PADI medical certification for diving. If needed, feel free to contact him and mention my name.
• FST (Fire Safety Training), Newport, providing invaluable support with air refills after our diving sessions.

And, of course, a huge thank you to all of our divers, whose encouragement and support continue to play a vital role in our growth.

A new name

Those of you with particularly keen eyes may have noticed a subtle rebranding. After discovering that the name Island Dive School is also used in locations such as Thailand, the Maldives and the Bahamas, we've decided to make a small change. We are now operating as Wight Dive School, a name that reflects our identity here on the Island and, I'm assured, makes us unique, at least on PADI's books.

Thank you all, as always, for your continued support. We're looking forward to an exciting season ahead, both in the pool and, soon, in open water.

Dates for the diary

• Pool session at UKSA, Sunday 26 April, 11am to 1pm;
• Pool session at UKSA, Sunday 24 May, 11am to 1pm;
• Pool session at UKSA, Sunday 28 June, 11am to 1pm;
• Marine conservation talk with tapas, Seagrove Pavilion, Seaview, Friday 3 July.

Open water courses are booked in conjunction with our divers who are ready. Courses can be arranged midweek (usually quieter) or at weekends, and take place at Andark Lake in Southampton, or at Bembridge or Freshwater Bay on the Island, depending on tides and weather.

Happy diving,

Ian