To mark Armed Forces Day on Saturday, 24 June, PADI dive-centre Dive In Falmouth in Cornwall is offering serving members of the Armed Forces and a guest the opportunity to enjoy free guided snorkel tours off Falmouth all through the day.
Dan McColl, 34, the lead instructor and founder at the recently opened Castle Beach centre, is a former Royal Marine Commando and Royal Navy mine clearance diver.
“I have always had a passion for the ocean and am equally passionate about supporting the Armed Forces,” he says. “I wanted to show my gratitude for the men and women that serve this country by giving back with a special underwater adventure this Armed Forces Day.”
if the weather allows, snorkellers can hope to see marine life ranging from cat sharks and cuttlefish to spider crabs, seals, lobsters and more, says McColl.
Dive In offers PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster, with 10% discounts for Armed Forces members as well as NHS employees and students. Serving Forces members within reach of Falmouth can book a snorkelling slot by emailing contactus@diveinfalmouth.com or calling 07361 541119.
Mermaid at the boat show
Meanwhile the training agency tells us that it used a PADI-branded mermaid to draw attention at the recent Palma International Boat Show in Mallorca’s capital. The idea was to showcase both its Open Water Diver and Mermaid courses to the audience of more than 32,000 yachties and other watersports enthusiasts gathered there over the two days.
Cutting across the competition – the large-scale event attracted 271 exhibitors with 252 boats on show – the mermaid was “gracefully circulating” among attendees, distributing PADI flyers. We’re unclear how a mermaid manages to circulate on dry land, but we’re assured that she did.
“By featuring our PADI-branded mermaid, we aimed to capture attention, spark curiosity and promote our courses that empower individuals to begin their underwater adventures, explore and save the ocean,” said Josep Lluis Massuet, PADI EMEA regional manager for Spain.
Also on Divernet: Mermaids gave scuba diver kiss of life, ‘Green hair? You should totally do this!’, Mermaid at the Museum
