Inspiring stories

For David Roberts, diving isn’t just a career, it’s a lifelong passion that began in childhood and evolved into a vocation that’s taken him across the world. Now an instructor at Porthkerris in Cornwall, David has spent more than four decades exploring the underwater world and sharing it with others. “My father first got me into diving,” David recalls. “He’d learned some basics in the army, and we used to spend time together diving to the bottom of the pool, putting on weight

Scuba Blue: “Start Diving. Keep Diving.” – A Conversation with Midge and Vicky For the past eight years, Scuba Blue has been helping individuals discover and enjoy the underwater world. Based in Taunton, Somerset, the centre offers personalised scuba training and, just as importantly, ongoing support to help divers continue exploring after they qualify. “Our motto is ‘Start diving. Keep diving.’” explain Midge and Vicky. “We really believe in that. We’re not just about teachi

Diving Deep: A Conversation with Yvonne Tatchley of Wraysbury Dive Centre “I learned to dive in 1977,” says Yvonne Tatchley, thinking of her first dive in Portland Harbour near Weymouth. “It didn’t go exactly to plan. I ended up with a large fishing hook in my hand that I had to pull out myself! But it didn’t put me off diving at all. I carried on and loved every minute of it.” Yvonne’s early passion for the underwater world was closely tied to her academic interests. “I was

https://www.instagram.com/joshuaconnellyphotography/ Hi, I’m Josh, a third-year Marine and Natural History Photography student at Falmouth University. I started diving when I was about 14 years old and became a qualified Open Water Diver in 2019. My dad had been diving for a few years, and I’d often tag along with him, constantly pestering him to let me join in. Eventually, I did a try dive in the Maldives, it was incredible, surrounded by vibrant colours and countless fish.

Welcome to my diving journey! I began this adventure at the age of 12, inspired by my Dad, a seasoned instructor. Our Dive Centre at Porthkerris, has been a hub for divers for over 30 years, and I grew up immersed in the diving community, from working on boats to helping in the compressor room. After earning my Dive Master certification in 2023 and becoming a Dive Instructor over April 2025, in Honduras, I now share my passion with others, especially in the pristine waters o

Although I cannot imagine not being a photographer now, it was never part of the plan. I have always been a painter, ever since I was little, I have worked in acrylics. When I was choosing my A levels, I wanted to study PE, but my art teachers insisted I take photography. I have so much to thank them for, because that decision changed everything. I have been a strong swimmer from a young age, my mum likes to say I could swim before I could walk. I discovered diving on a holid