Chris Stephens
PADI DiveMaster & Discover Scuba Diving Leader
I first took to the water back in 2009 when I completed my PADI Open Water course in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. As a young lad from Dagenham, experiencing the great underwater world was simply amazing. As soon as the wheels touched down at Gatwick, I persuaded (wore down) my parents to book me onto my Advanced Open Water course which I completed some months after.
It was some years before I dived again but managed to do some diving in the aquariums in the world famous Walt Disney World’s Epcot in Florida. From here, I got a feel for those warm waters again........I was back in the game.
I later went on to complete my Rescue Diver in Fiji while travelling after diving in the Philippines and Australia. But on returning home, I still had that burn and desire to be underwater. After a lot of consideration (about 30 seconds), I decided it was time to dive in the UK, improve my skills and abilities and ultimately GoPro and take the step to become a PADI Divemaster.
My Divemaster journey was an extremely interesting, challenging but highly rewarding one. Starting out and diving UK waters for the first time in over 7 years, I had to complete my PADI Drysuit Speciality with Bespoke Scuba. After some very questionable buoyancy, an extremely eye opening weekend and the tightest drysuit known to man, I was now fully equipped to dive in UK waters.
Over time and after purchasing my own well fitted suit, it became a second skin and I was finally diving regularly with a fantastic group of people. This has included many PADI Specialties, and fun diving that has seen me dive with Bespoke Scuba in the UK, and on a recent trip to the Red Sea.
So fast forwarding 10 months and I am now a qualified Divemaster, part of the Bespoke Scuba Dive Team and I am looking forward to seeing you join us at Bespoke Scuba to blow some bubbles :-)