While clearing my old paperwork in "The ineptitude pile" before it actually crushed someone I found a wonderful article in the Wildlife Trusts News (BBOWT) April 2013 about an artist going sea diving for the first time. I love sculpture and in particular the work of artists like Martin Hayward-Harris so was eager to read how Harriet Mead (harrietmead.co.uk) drew out beautiful underwater wildlife pieces from old tools and iron ware. The way she spoke about her diving experiences was thirst quenching.
"The sea is a whole world I had no knowledge of. We experience wildlife on land in so many ways that it's in our consciousness as children. But when you're an adult and you go underwater for the first time it's extraordinary."
There are communities in the world where such formative views are forged in childhood as their society makes it's living from the sea directly but Harriet's experience is rare in the UK. She goes on to describe the growing array of wildlife before her eyes as it is pointed out to her by an experienced guide and I cannot help but draw parallels with the revealing power of conquer fear instruction for those who thought they knew all there was to know about teaching / learning to swim. To record images of the wildlife she sketched underwater with a graphite stick on super thick water colour paper, bulldog-clipped to a chopping board. It was not easy for her with thick gloves on and the current moved her around but she "cracked on anyway" She then produced some stunning work from her sketches, welding sculptures herself into superb likenesses of a crab, a goby and a lobster from metal objects such as locks, molegrips and saw blades. I already treasure a chunky diver made of metal nuts and bolts purchased while on holiday in Egypt and would love to be able to look at one of her fabulous master pieces everyday.
The enthusiasm for the three dives she did sprang off the page too.
"You're used to seeing a lobster out of water where its legs aren't strong enough to support its weight. But seeing the creature in its environment, where its perfectly adapted, puts it all into context.... little cuttlefish hunting over the sand..... absolutely miniscule..... they are so charming..... a little puff of ink if they are scared" Then she concluded "Sea diving is one of those things where until you have done it you've no idea. From the shore you're just looking at the waves and shingle greyness. But there's so much down there."
Now she wants to dive again and again and has purchased her own gear. I share her passion for what's down there and for letting people know what they are missing when they make assumptions about things from the surface. If only more swimming teachers were prepared to take a look underneath at what really goes on and not assume that they already know everything that their students will ever need. Also if only more people could appreciate and want to protect what lies under our coastal waters which are some of the best in the world for diving experiences. Infact, research work is constantly being done to record what we have around us in this regard and there is someone who wants to conquer their fear of water in order to be able to dive and fulfill their dream job when the tide comes in too so if you know of anyone who can sponsor them to do this please get in touch.
