Welcome to the first ‘Meet the Members’ blog. This is intended to be a regular feature where we introduce our club members to you. Paul Downes has volunteered to be the subject of the inaugural MTM blog and share some of the favourite photos he has taken whilst diving across the globe. So lets dive right in…..
Who am I ?
My name is Paul Downes and I am 55. I am an Engineering Manager and have been a member of Wight Dolphins for 17 years. I have held numerous roles in this time including chairman, events officer and membership secretary, and I am currently the club secretary.
What got me interested in diving?
I grew up by the sea in Freshwater, and always loved being around the water, I went on holiday to Australia in 2005 and snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef, and that was such an amazing experience. There were some divers on the same trip and I thought, “I need to do that!”. A few years later I got a job at Yokogawa in Cowes and met Chris Marsh and I very quickly was talked into joining the club.
This is a photo of a dogfish taken on the Borgny Wreck, located 5-6 miles south-west of the Needles.
What do I enjoy about diving?
I love experiencing the marine life and I really enjoy some of the history of the wrecks we dive. It’s a fantastic way to forget about all your worries. When I’m underwater I never think about anything else other than the dive. I like to take underwater photos and the one of the dolphins below was taken in the Red Sea.
What is my diving experience?
I have been diving for 17 years and I am qualified as an Advanced Diver and Open Water Instructor
Where in the world have I dived?
I have dived all over the world – in the UK, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean (Spain), Canary Islands, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Caribbean (St Lucia) and Australia (Ningaloo Reef). The photo below is a very playful seal we came across on a dive at Lundy and we were fortunate enough to get really close to it as you can see.
Where is my favourite place to dive?
I have dived all over the world but I love the Red Sea. It’s by far the best bang for your buck and has such a great variety of diving and marine life. I have had 5 trips so far and enjoyed each one for different reasons.
Where would my dream dive location be?
Fakarava Atoll in French Polynesia, but I think a lottery win might be needed to make it happen !!
What would my advice be to a new diver?
I would say, don’t expect to be good straight away. Be committed and get out diving as much as you can to build confidence. Oh, and always listen to your instructor!
This cuttlefish photo was taken off Ventnor (I.O.W) beach.
What is my favourite bit of kit?
I’m not a gadget person, so I don’t have lots of fancy kit to choose from, but I’ve recently bought a really good Scubapro wetsuit. It was on the pricy side, but it’s been excellent, and is warm and toasty at the beginning of the season.
What is the best thing I’ve ever seen whilst diving?
In November 2017 Wight Dolphins did a liveaboard trip to the Red Sea. Whilst diving on the Brothers Islands we we were lucky to experience diving with big Oceanic Whitetip sharks all round the boat. We were up really close and personal with an apex predator, and it was an amazing experience.
What is the best photo I’ve taken?
Maybe not the best technically, but my favourite photo is one I took on a reef off Marsa Alam in the Red Sea using manual white balance. It just seemed to capture the vibrant colours of the coral and the reef fish perfectly, and I have it set as the wallpaper on my computer at work, so I occasionally stare at it and drift off during tedious conference calls.
Finally…
I love diving with the Wight Dolphins. Having learnt to dive with Wight Dolphins and been involved with its running for many years in different roles I feel like a real part of the club, and have made many good friends and dive buddies. I firmly believe you get out what you put in, and would encourage everyone to play an active role within the club and contribute to keeping it a safe, fun and welcoming club to dive with.
This dolphin photo was taken in the Red Sea.