Be Happy magazine March

Inspirational ways to change your life

MARCH 2012 www.behappymagazine.co.uk

How to buy your own woodland Photo Passion

Life behind the lens

six of the best volunteer holidays

Go Diving

Where to go & what to see

Reach for the sky

Coast’s Andy Torbet launches into action

PLUS: City Profile - A Coruña • MONTY HALLS • GREGG WALLACE • My Life • Join the Rock Choir

CONTENTS 29

24 REGULARS & FEATURES 7 IN TOUCH

48 OSCAR SHOCKERS

The latest news and reviews

Be Happy’s take on the films that should have won

8 INSPIRATION The Minack Theatre

17 HAPPY DAYS TV’s Monty Halls starts a new business

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18 A PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY Behind the lens with Jane Morgan

24 A KIND OF MAGIC Harry Doherty talks about writing 40 years of Queen

28 DIVING SPECIAL

WIN!

How to learn, the best places to go and what to see

7 A Mares mask, fins

38 BUY YOUR OWN WOODLAND

and snorkel 14 A Hardnutz road cycle helmet 04

Get back to your roots

42 A MAN OF EXTREMES BBC Coast presenter Andy Torbet on adventures and adversity

50 HERE TO HELP Gill McDonald’s round up of voluntourism holidays

52 FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK Interview with Rock Choir founder Caroline Redman Lusher

56 CITY PROFILE A Coruña in Galicia, Spain

COLUMNS 13 APPETITE Simon Rogerson mixes it up in Mayfair

58 MY LIFE Kara Moses on meditation

Editor’s Letter

Contributors Be Happy contributor Jane Morgan is passionate about photography in all its guises.

‘The art of making pictures is incredibly addictive’ says Jane. ‘I love digital photography, but there is also something incredibly special about hand-processing your own images and watching them slowly emerge before you.’ Jane’s other major passions include scuba diving, horse riding and travelling.

What makes Jane happy?

Walking my dog on the beach; snuggling up in front of a real fire; the sound of the surf; a good cup of tea and the occasional tapas and glass of Rioja.

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Journalist and writer Kara Moses shares her experience of how meditation has changed her life on page 58. After spending ten days in ‘spiritual bootcamp’ – a ten-day silent meditation retreat in a Thai Buddhist temple – Kara took up meditation as a way of developing a deeper sense of satisfaction with life. ‘I think the world would be a much better place if everybody meditated,’ says Kara.

‘I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to engage with life on a deeper level. In fact I recommend it to everyone.’

What makes Kara happy?

Meditation; Buddhism; nature; hula hooping; friendship; dancing; summertime; chopping wood; cartwheels; camping out in my tipi.

ISSUE 1 March 2012

Publisher and Managing Editor Paul Critcher

Art Editor

Bonnie Coupland

Chief Sub Editor Michael Johns

Sub editor

Carmelina Cocozza

Webmaster

Eirik Thommessen

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A free digital version is available at www.behappymagazine.co.uk Be Happy magazine is published by Be Happy Publishing Limited. Company number: 07963519 Registered office: 145-157 St John Street, London EC1V 4PW. Please do not use this address for correspondence. For correspondence please email info@behappymagazine.co.uk. All rights reserved

Be Happy editor Paul Critcher met two musical maestros this month, in the form of Rock Choir founder Caroline Redman Lusher and Justin Sandercoe of justinguitar.com.

‘These are inspirational people,’ says Paul.

‘Who have dedicated time and energy to sharing their musical passions and between them show different ways that you can enjoy music. Whether it’s learning to play guitar or singing in a choir – music is something that everyone can participate in.’ Paul’s own passions vary from playing squash (badly) to cooking. ‘I’m not quite up to MasterChef standards,’ he says. ‘But I’m working on it.’

What makes Paul happy?

The Specials; clams in white wine sauce; camping; Guinness; jumping in the water; and wrestling with my kids.

Cover shot: cooking over a fire by CandyBox Images

W

elcome to the first issue of Be Happy magazine. It’s been hugely rewarding putting together a magazine that sets out to offer readers inspirational ways to improve their lives. My brief as editor is quite simple – find unusual, fun, exotic and interesting ways in which people can have a good time and provide practical information about how readers can go out and do them.

To that end, this month we’ve got a wide range of features, from a report on how to buy your own woodland (page 38) to joining a Rock Choir (page 52). We’ve an interview with Andy Torbet on how a career in the army led to a job on BBC’s Coast (page 42) and an Activity special on scuba diving (page 28), where we guide you to the right training and the best places to go. In addition, you’ll find some wonderful images in Jane’s Morgan’s Passion for Photography (page 18), ways that you can get involved in volunteering in the UK and overseas (page 50) a fascinating insight into rock band Queen (page 24) and TV’s Monty Halls also puts in an appearance (page 17) to tell us about his new business. Don’t forget to check out the competitions (pages 7 and 14) and our regular columns Appetite (page 13) and My Life (page 58).

I hope that you enjoy this launch issue, which is also available free online at www.behappymagazine.co.uk along with all sorts of articles, competitions, features and videos. Have a great month – Be Happy

IN TOUCH A Mares mask, fins and snorkel set worth £120

WIN!

T

his month’s Activity feature focuses on scuba diving (see page 29), and what better way to get started than to enter our draw for this set of Mares dive gear. The prize includes a pair of Wave full foot fins, an X-vision liquid skin mask and an Ergo dry snorkel worth a total of £120.

To enter go to www.behappy magazine.co.uk and sign up for a free copy of the digital magazine or go to our Facebook page at Be Happy Magazine and press ‘Like’. The competition closes on the 15th April 2012.

Teeing off in the Bahamas

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isitors to Sandal’s newest property, Sandals Emerald Bay at Great Exuma in the Bahamas,will have the opportunity to tee off at the newly upgraded Greg Norman-designed Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club. With fairways lining the ocean and prevailing southeastern trade winds, the course provides a challenging experience for novice and professional golfers alike. The first ten holes of the par 72 championship course undulate through a mix of seaside dunes and mangrove preserves, while holes 11 through 16 play along the rocky peninsula offering great views of the Caribbean Sea. There’s also a state-of-the-art Golf Lounge, named the Shark Shack in honour of Norman. www.sandals.co.uk/golf/golf-bahamas.cfm

Walk on

Outdoor author and broadcaster Cameron McNeish (above) is headlining a packed programme of walking and hiking activities at the Keswick Mountain Festival. The festival, which runs from 16 to 20 May, is the biggest event of its kind in the UK and is offering more than 35 guided walks, around the Lake District. Other activities for visitors to try, range from rock climbing and kayaking, to trail running and cycling.

For more information about what’s on and to book tickets see www. keswickmountainfestival.co.uk.

iPaddle?

Aquapac’s new waterproof case for the iPad means that sailors, divers and outdoor enthusiasts, who want to use their iPads on the move and near water can do so in the knowledge that the delicate electronics inside are not going to be rendered useless.

The tough, welded material has no stitching to leak, and the secure, rustproof seal opens and closes with a simple twist of three small levers. The case is suitable for immersion for at least 30 minutes to a depth of five metres.

Features include Wi-Fi and 3G, and the touch screen on your iPad all work normally through the case. The unit retails for £45. For more information see www. aquapac.net

Gone viral

If you’ve got a few minutes spare, check out the Slow Mo Guys channel on You Tube. Oxfordshire-based Gav and Dan like nothing better than bursting, breaking or blowing up anything they can get their hands on, all the while filming their experiments using high-speed cameras.

The resulting slow-motion footage is fascinating, which accounts for why their videos have had 59,009,394 views.

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INSPIRation THE Minack theatre

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Carved into the granite cliffs above Porthcurno in Cornwall, the Minack Theatre is a testament to the determination of one woman. Rowena Cade was well into her thirties when she decided to build a theatre in a gully above the Minack Rock. Assisted only by her gardener and his mate, she helped to cut and move granite to the site, which was on a slope above a sheer drop into the Atlantic.

Despite many setbacks, Rowena persevered with decades of work to create a successful and much-loved theatrical venue. In 1976, when she was well over eighty, Rowena gave the Minack Theatre to a Charitable Trust which maintains it today. She continued to take an active interest in the theatre’s progress until her death in 1983.

For a list of future performances go to www.minack.com

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IN TOUCH

A British Classic T

he British Classic Yacht Club (BCYC) has announced the dates for the Club’s annual Cowes regatta for classic and vintage yachts of all sizes. Panerai British Classic Week will take place from Saturday 7th July to Saturday 14th July. Competing yachts will be berthed at Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight.

The 2012 regatta commences two weeks before the beginning of the London Olympics. More than 70 of the world’s most iconic classic and vintage yachts are expected to compete in the largest event 10

of its type in Britain. For the first time, invitations are also being sent to the J Class yachts which will arrive in the UK for their own regatta in Falmouth at the end of June.

A highlight will be the addition of Eilean, the 1936-built Fife yacht that, following her recent restoration by event sponsors Officine Panerai, will make her UK regatta debut in Cowes following a programme of events in London in June.

Not since 2001 has such a large and historically significant collection of classic

yachts gathered in UK waters. BCYC Commodore David Murrin said: ‘There is a real sense of anticipation around this year’s regatta. The addition of our event village in Cowes Yacht Haven also means that we are now able to welcome the public to participate in the event shore-side and have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful spectacle.

Panerai British Classic Week forms part of the 2012 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge Series, which runs from April to September each year and includes some of the world’s leading classic yacht regattas such as Antigua Classic Week and the Régates Royales in Cannes.

The Panerai British Classic Week

Web development W

hat do you if you’re a successful musician and you’ve got a few hours to kill between gigs? Australian guitarist Justin Sandercoe used the time to record guitar lessons on video for a website that has gone on to teach thousands of people how to play the guitar and whose videos have been watched more than 100 million times. As well as beginner’s lessons, there are more advanced courses on folk, the blues, rock and metal, jazz and songwriting.

Justin, who is now based in London, has found that video and the internet lend themselves extremely well to guitar tuition. ‘The internet is good,’ he says during our interview (appropriately via Skype), ‘ because it’s permanently updatable and we can use our online forum to create a community where people can go on and discuss their concerns – it reinforces the positive vibe of learning. Video is is better than the written word – after all, music is about listening. The written word is useful as well but video is more personable, people think they know me. I once did a meet up in Sydney and there were 20 odd people talking about me in the third person, saying things like: “Do you remember when he did that?”. It was quite funny.’

Justin has also found that website learning perfect for people who have disabilities or anyone who has difficulties with social interaction. ‘It’s also good for a businessman who can’t make a regular lesson,’ he says. ‘He can do it from hotel bedroom or whatever. The internet is a pretty incredible communication tool.’

The whole approach is about about making it fun, rather than having to learn the dreaded Three Blind Mice. Instead, the beginner’s course is divided into nine lessons in which students will learn A, D and E chords and how to strum four in a bar.

Students are introduced to songs they can play with those three chords and learn to change between the three chords – the most common struggle for new guitar players.

The course then goes on to to introduce new chords and songs and eventually different strumming patterns and a bit of lead guitar. Songs such as Walk the Line, Love me do and Common People are all featured in the early lessons.

And how much are the lessons? Remarkably, they are free for people who can’t afford them. For the rest of us an honour system is in place for people to donate – there are recommendations on the website about how much is appropriate.

When I ask Jason about this incredibly generous approach, he provides a modest, philosophical reply. ‘I’ve had a great life out of music – I guess I’m not that greedy about it. If I can have a good lifestyle and I can help people who couldn’t otherwise afford it that’s a pretty reasonable kind of balance. Music shouldn’t be denied to people just because they don’t have as much money as someone else.’

So, if you want to learn to play, go to the website www.justinguitar.com and join the many thousands who have already learned from Justin – and don’t forget to make a donation.

organisers again promise a full schedule of racing and exciting social events for competing skippers and their crews. The 2012 racing programme will include a number of long and short course day races around the environs of the Solent.

Expressions of interest are now being taken and entries for the eleventh edition of the Panerai British Classic Week will open early April. More details on the event, including the official Notice of Race, will be posted on the BCYC website www. britishclassicyachtclub.org/regatta in due course, further information about the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge can also be found at www. paneraiclassicyachtschallenge.com.

www.justinguitar.com 11

be happy at the Keswick Mountain

5 days Festival of adventure

16 - 20 May 2012

Events include: Family Adventures - Guided Lake District Walks - Activity Taster Sessions - FREE Entry to Festival Village - Extreme Picnic & Multi Activity Days - Moonlight Canoeing Haglofs Beer Tent - Live Music and more!

plus

Monty Halls

Festival Village 18-20 May: Haglofs Beer Tent, MAD demo team, MTB Air Bag Live Music and more!

Sir Chris Bonington

Helen Skelton

Lots more great speakers and activities - book tickets at:

www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk or call 01539 729 048

mountainXT

TM

by trekmates

ADVERTISE HERE Be Happy magazine is distributed online and in print through First Class and business class airport lounges, on flights and at selected top-end hotels. If you would like to market your brand in the UK’s most positive publication, then contact our advertising department on 020 8541 0165 or by email to sales@behappypublishing.co.uk

Appetite In the first of his monthly columns on all things pertaining to appetite, Simon Rogerson mixes it up in Mayfair

M

ayfair is one of those parts of London where the super-rich briefly rub shoulders with day-trippers. Despite the surface wealth, they’re having trouble filling the restaurants, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for deals and discounts. In the Daily Telegraph, I found an offer for five courses at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, for about 50 per cent of the going rate. It’s a big room with a well-staffed kitchen designed to crank out lots of little tasting plates, the restaurant’s specialty; presumably the business model falls if Gordon can’t put bums on seats and keep the kitchen assembly-line working.

Our walk from Bond Street to Grosvenor Square coincided with a brief but apocalyptic downpour that had us arriving on the steps of Maze in a state of drenched disarray. I half expected the maître d to offer us a towel instead of a table, but we were ushered across the elegant, David Rockwelldesigned room to a table overlooking the bar.

Weirdly, it was exactly the same table we were given when we visited two years previously.

Maze was very fashionable when it opened a few years ago; executive chef Jason Atherton’s signature dish, a cleverly deconstructed BLT, was the toast (or mini croque-monsieur) of London and sister establishments opened in New York and Prague.

Now, with Atherton out of the picture working on his own projects, will the concept of French fodder with Asian flavours retain its popularity?

The food is less fussy than you’ll find at a lot of the gastro-domes in this part of town, but the execution is clinical in its precision. The idea is to order four or five tasting-size plates. So instead of building multiple flavours onto a chef ’s vanity dish, you get a succession of self-contained mini-meals.

The menu can appear staid in places. A recommended first course of Dorstone goat’s cheese curd with marinated beetroot was lovely – my wife’s favourite – but you can’t move for goat’s cheese and beetroot these days. It’s in every bistro, quite a lot of pubs, every recipe book… which is strange as the only place you really see goats is at petting zoos… This, however, was the best of its breed, the yin-yang of earthy curd and sharp beet expertly judged.

Some of the dishes skirted the waist-land between comfort food and effete eats: Szechuanspiced Suffolk pork belly was at first glance a trad rib-sticker, but with the playful addition of

langoustine alongside a braised Cox apple and the inevitable micro-pile of kale. Similarly, a roasted poussin breast and confit leg was a refined Sunday roast in miniature, served with a tootsie little potato salad, spring onion and pancetta.

The only bum note was the beef cheek, boiled with cardamom and star anise. The resulting dish was, to me, a spongy compromise rather than a fusion of cuisines. Still, this dish, or a variant thereof, has been on the menu for some time, so someone must like it. Speaking of cheek, the wine list arrived in the form of an iPad, the novelty of which failed to distract me from the mark-up.

So to dessert, which was at first anti-climactic.

Hoping for something clever, I ordered the apple

“Strange as the only place you really see goats is at petting zoos…” and blackberry crumble, which arrived looking like something perfunctory from the freezer section.

A creamy dome concealed a semi-frozen flavour bomb of fruit at its core. There was some frozen granita in there somewhere, but it lacked the finesse of the other courses.

After lunch, we ambled across the West End’s backstreets towards the evening’s entertainment, in Fitzrovia. We suburbanites have an unspoken distaste for central London, but if you’ve got the time the area behind Oxford Street is a seductive parade of exiled smokers, disposable shops and forbidden side-alleys. As long as you don’t have to actually rush to do anything, it’s pure entertainment.

Much later, with no time to be choosy, we ducked into a darkened, ancient pub somewhere off Russell Square, and ordered fish and chips for two. It arrived on our table 15 minutes later and was, on its own deep-fried terms, rather wonderful.

The fish may or may not have been cooked from frozen, but the batter was crisp and the pollock inside was just right. The chips were cooked from frozen, which I prefer to the clever-clogs, oversized triple-cooked jobs you get in gastro-pubs. The meal was utterly disposable, but in the context of two hungry people with an hour before the last train home, it was, in its own vinegar-drenched way, a little slice of perfection.

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IN TOUCH WIN! A HardnutZ HiVis Orange Road Cycle helmet worth £49.99 S pring is in the air and those of you who like to rest your road bikes during the winter will be oiling chains, adjusting seats and pumping up tyres. But, remember, it’s safety first, so enter our draw to win this HiVis Orange helmet… inspired by the ever present motorway workman, you’ll really stand out on the roads wearing this one! Features include a PC outer shell with impact-absorbing inner EPS, 13 reflective 3M Scotchlite panels, 360-degree ventilation, a removable visor and a dial-fit adjuster to ensure a proper fit. www.hardnutz.com To enter simply go to www.behappymagazine. co.uk and sign up for a free copy of the digital magazine and to double your chances go to our Facebook page at Be Happy Magazine and press ‘Like’.

The competition closes on the 15th April 2012.

DJs head to the Caribbean S ome serious beats are on the cards for the inaugural DJ Tour to Grenada organised

by Kalinago Resort. Featuring artists such as Choice FM’s Martin J, LiveLinq Sounds and Antz International from the UK supported by local talent, Explosion in the Sun runs from 6 to 20 June 2012 and includes a packed calendar of waterfall parties, barbecues, beach fests, catamaran cruises and river rafting – as well as plenty of music. Available from £1,090 per person including flights, accommodation, entry fees and all-inclusive drinks exclusively from SN Travel at www.SNTravel.co.uk 14

THE TOP FIVE REGRETS OF THE DYING A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing

By Bronnie Ware ISBN 978-1-4525-0234-2

Q

uite a few ‘inspirational’ books have been published recently – but this one is a bit different. It’s partly a voyage of self-discovery for the author herself, and partly words of wisdom from some of the patients she worked with in palliative care.

The top five regrets of the dying included wishing that they hadn’t worked so hard, living true to their own hearts, finding the courage to express their feelings, keeping in touch with friends and allowing themselves to be happy. The book is beautifully written and shows great respect and love for all the patients. Bronnie Ware’s caring bedside manner guides most to find an inner peace before passing. If you read this book, as one lady points out: ‘You cannot go to your deathbed and say you wished you’d worked it out sooner. You are being blessed by all our mistakes instead’. The main message is that the only really important thing at the end of the day is love and ‘keeping it simple’. One word of advice – keep a pack of tissues on hand when you start reading.

Jane Morgan

Comfort Food

RICE PUDDING

In the first of a series of recipes that we can’t resist, MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace serves up a delicious dessert

‘R

ice pudding is the ultimate in comfort food. To get really creamy rice pudding, the trick is to use whole milk and cream, and bake it slowly. Any dish that can be eaten with a spoon is comfort. Rice pudding is creamy hot and sweet, dive in and float away. I love it!’

SERVES 6 100g PUDDING RICE 15g BUTTER, softened 50g CASTER SUGAR 1–2 tsp PURE VANILLA EXTRACT 1 litre WHOLE MILK 150ml DOUBLE CREAM 1 Preheat the oven to 140ºC (275ºF/ Gas 1). Rinse the pudding rice under cold running water and leave to drain.

2 Use the butter to liberally grease the inside of 6 large ramekins on a baking tray, or a 1.4 litre ovenproof dish. Add the rice to the dish along with the sugar.

3 Mix the vanilla in the milk, to taste. Pour half over the rice, stir well, cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

4 Mix the remaining milk and cream together. Remove rice from the oven, stir in the milk and the cream mixture, and bake for a further 1 hr–1hr 20 minutes or until rice is soft and swollen, the mixture is thick and creamy, and the top is lightly golden.

The pudding should wobble slightly when the dish is shaken.

Serve warm.

The new cookbook, MasterChef Everyday, is out now (dk.com £20). Gregg will be appearing at the BBC Good Food Show Spring launching at Glow, Bluewater this April. Visit BBCGoodFoodShow. com or GlowBluewater.co.uk for more information.

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Online Check out all the reviews and features online at www.behappymagazine.co.uk and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter and FREE digital page turning magazine – it takes less than a minute to sign up.

You’ll find competitions, videos and the Be Happy blog. There’s also the chance to comment on and discuss articles by clicking on Facebook and other social networking links and you can keep up to date with our latest Tweets by registering for the BeHappyMag Twitter feed.

We want to hear what you think about the website and magazine, and want to know what subjects you’d like to see featured in the future. Whether it’s music or sport, lifestyle or volunteering, food or travel – there’s something for everyone at Be Happy

www.behappymagazine.co.uk 16

HAPPY DAYS TV presenter Monty Halls contemplates the things that keep him smiling, as he starts a new business in Devon

‘B

e Happy’ – what a great name for a magazine. And what a great concept, one that it seems to me is rather timely. Things are hardly the best at the moment are they? Recessions thundering towards us, the Euro a complete basket case, an Arab Spring that looks like a false dawn, unemployment climbing like a demented chimp, and Fabio Capello stomping off in a hotblooded huff.

But there we go. We live in Britain, and are used to the occasional grim time.

We’re islanders, and even though we don’t appreciate it sometimes, it’s in our make up to deal with times of boom and bust.

You can’t live on a lump of rock moored in the North Atlantic and not experience the odd little drama. We have to face the fact that it rains here really quite a lot, that we have a collective nervous breakdown when our cricket side are officially ranked number one in the world and duly lose the next series 3-0 to Luxembourg, and that – after 120 years of trying – we still can’t get our trains to run on time.

But we’re stoic. In that quintessentially British way we muddle on in a kind of Spirit of the Blitz manner. We don’t wave our arms around and shout, we don’t make a fuss, we just sigh into our pints and tune into Corrie. When it comes to bottling stuff up we’re the genuine world leaders. The spirit that saw us ensure that our tunics were buttoned to the neck as the assegai’s came whistling over the top of the maize bags is precisely the same urge that makes sure we studiously avoid talking about our emotions. You see it when you watch the America version of the TV show 999, which is full of blubbing firemen and a great deal of hugging. Our version involves a Norfolk farmer who has had to hop seven miles home carrying his leg after it was ripped off by a threshing machine, and duly tells the tale entirely dry eyed while looking faintly embarrassed. And that’s why this is quite a difficult article to write, what with it being a piece with me telling you about what makes me very, very happy indeed.

But I’m going to give it bash.

Having gallivanted around the world for many years, I’ve decided to set up a business in Dartmouth in Devon. The business is based out of a little shop – which I’ve just taken over last week – and will involve taking people out on a boat to explore the coastline, running shore walks, and introducing everyone to the natural wonders that surround us.

More important than these lofty ideals is the presence of a tired old sofa in the shop, a coffee machine that snorts and gurgles like a faulty blast furnace, and lots of friends popping in with tissue-thin business-related excuses, when actually all they want is a free latte and a chat. The missus, me, the baby and the dog all have an equal say in the running of the place.

The baby demands the right to vomit and break wind at any time, which coincidentally are precisely the same terms and conditions set by the dog. And the

“we don’t make a fuss, we just sigh into our pints and tune into corrie” missus now I come to think of it.

But my point here is that – after decades of searching round the world for happiness – it turns out that it was right under my nose all the time. A massive moustache. No, not a massive moustache (that’s more of a satisfaction thing I’d say).

It’s actually very much friends, family, and following something that is a passion.

I’m keenly aware how lucky I am to be given a chance to have a go at this, but the essence of my thoughts on happiness are that – despite our very best attempts to make it complicated – it’s actually quite simple. It doesn’t involve air miles, tantric clenching, or self-help books. It’s being with the people you rather like, in a place you are rather fond, of doing something you’re quite keen on. It’s not Utopia, but then again I bet Utopia hasn’t got a coffee machine and tall stories about sharks.

*

Monty is currently appearing in BBC2’s The Fisherman’s Apprentice.

To find out more about Monty go to www.montyhalls.co.uk 17

back to basics PHOTOGRAPHY

Passion for photography

Already a successful photojournalist Jane Morgan has gone back to basics to study the finer points of photography. Here’s her guide to the art of capturing the best images

A

s a teenager I attended a couple of photography sessions at a local school with a brilliant, flamboyant teacher called Sylvester. I’ll never forget the first thing he said to us in his soft American drawl: ‘Some people breathe, and some people take photographs’. A quarter of a century later I realise that never a truer word was spoken.

My first real attempt at photography was actually underwater with a 35mm marine camera and it was a baptism of fire! I was so busy fiddling with all the controls that I had drifted away from the reef and my diving buddy into blue water. I looked up and spotted something in the distance swimming towards me, it was my first ever sighting of a hammerhead shark. I couldn’t believe my luck. I thought: ‘Wow, my first ever shot will be a perfect hammerhead portrait.’ So I looked through the viewfinder waiting for it to fill the frame, but I was so excited that when I pressed the shutter nothing happened. I then inadvertently locked the shutter, unlocked it and tried again, and eventually got a picture of the tail as the unimpressed shark

swam away. So my first attempt was more of a ‘the one that got away story’, but I was well and truly hooked.

That was over 12 years ago now but I’m more addicted than ever. So much so that, even though I’ve been making a living through photo journalism for some years, I have enrolled as a slightly mature student onto a BA (Hons) degree course in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University in my quest to devour still more knowledge.

It’s the best thing I ever did. We’ve gone back to basics and I’m learning how to use 5x4 large format cameras and develop my own prints. Also I’ve been learning how to photograph plants through a microscope and light models correctly in the studios.

I sometimes wonder if there should be a warning on the on the doors of photographic shops… this equipment is highly addictive and could be a danger to your financial health. Then again the converted, or addicted, would buy it anyway just to feed the ongoing passion.

»

Photo: JANE MORGAN

Depth of field: pebbles on Marazion beach with St Michael’s Mount as the backdrop

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back to basics PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo: JANE MORGAN

STUDIO

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Studio photography in a lot of ways is easier because you are in a safe, controlled environment.

However, a good understanding of lighting is required because you are starting from scratch with little of no ambient light. If you are going to do studio photography it is essential that you get yourself a light meter and use it, as this will save you hours of frustration. A professional studio will equip you with backdrops and a vast array of lighting options, including key lights, back lights, soft lights and reflectors. All you need is a willing model and you can have hours of fun experimenting with different techniques.

Black and white: the crumbling buildings of Havana, Cuba [top]; studio shot of a mosquito [left]; portrait of a swan [right]

PORTRAITS

Photo: JANE MORGAN

Portraiture is as much about capturing the personality, mood and expression of the subject, as the more technical side of composition and lighting. You don’t necessarily need to find a beautiful and flawless model to do well in this field, as often a well-weathered face and knowing eyes will give an image far more depth and tell a whole story without the need for words. If you have access to a professional studio, you will have an arsenal of different lighting techniques at your fingertips, but if not you can create some beautiful effects just using window light and a single reflector to balance the contrast with the darker side of the face.

LANDSCAPES

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TOP TIP Photo: JANE MORGAN

A word of advice from one of my senior lecturers, and particularly relevant when shooting landscapes, is to leave the camera at home when it’s a perfect day. If you have a look around at some of the most successful landscape photographs, you’ll see that they often have very moody skies. When the sky is just a perfect light blue it can look fairly boring or just washed out. However, this can be avoided by the use of graduated neutral-density filters – a must-have for budding landscape photographers.

Often referred to as GNDs, these come in hard or soft options. The soft have a gentle gradient, so are useful for landscapes with mountains or buildings.

The hard have a more defined change and are more suited to level horizons. The filters come in several strengths and will drop the sky down from 1 to 4 stops.

The magic hours Make the most of the magic light at sunrise and sunset, especially in the winter when you don’t have to get out of bed too early or stay out too late.

back to basics PHOTOGRAPHY TOP TIP Read the manual I know it’s tiresome but if you really understand how your camera works, it will give you the edge.

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Very early on in my photographic career, I was given some advice by underwater photography teaching guru Martin Edge. He said get close, then get closer and shoot up. When you are shooting underwater if you can only remember two things, these two really make a difference. Even the clearest water is full of small particles that you don’t want to light up in front of your subject, so you must always reduce the water column between you as much as possible. Lighting is the key in all forms of photography, but underwater even more so. The deeper you are the less light will be able to penetrate and more colour will be absorbed. Apart from in the shallows, you will require the use of filters or strobes if you want to avoid very blue pictures. If you don’t have either of these, you can adjust your white balance when post-processing, but if you want to take your underwater photography seriously invest in strobe lighting and most importantly perfect your art of buoyancy.

Photo: JANE MORGAN

Primrose skill: a macro shot of a primrose [this photo]; portrait of a grey seal in the Farne Islands, Northumberland [right]

Photo: JANE MORGAN

UNDERWATER

FLORA AND FAUNA There is nothing better than spending a day wandering around the countryside photographing the flora and fauna.

If you are aiming to get pictures of flowers and insects, then a tripod and macro lens are essential. Or, if birds are more your cup of tea, you will need to invest in a nice long lens. Do be aware though, that these can be quite heavy to carry over long distances. Quite recently I needed some photos of wild flowers but the weather was being very unhelpful, so I picked a couple of daisies and set up a makeshift mini studio in my kitchen. All you need are some lights and black and/or white card and both you and your camera kit get to stay nice and dry.

What camera?

Deciding on the best kit to buy can be a pretty daunting task. Nowadays pretty much everyone has some kind of camera, even if it’s only on your mobile phone. If you are just dipping your toes or just wanting snap shots of friends and family or something to take away on holiday, then a good compact point and shoot is the way to go. Far more travel and wallet friendly and you don’t have to worry about whether you have packed the right lenses. However, if you are going pro and you want to sell your images or you are having a love affair with photography then you will need a DSLR (digital single lens reflex). But buying the camera body is only the start of it, the lenses are as just as important for image quality and often even more of an investment than the camera itself.

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BOOKS 40 YEARS OF QUEEN

A kind of magic Harry Doherty reflects on a hectic year of writing 40 Years of Queen

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ometimes, people look back on life and pinpoint certain moments that were life changing. I’ve had several of those in my life as a journalist – first of all getting a job on The Derry Journal in Ireland as a young reporter at the height of the troubles; the next being encouraged by an Irish band called Horslips to pack my bags and get a take a job in London as a staff writer with Melody Maker in the early 70s; and then a litany of ‘what if I hadn’t done that...’ screen grabs in my time as a music journalist.

For one thing, being a music journalist allowed me to travel the world with my favourite bands, stay in the best hotels, see the gigs, go to the parties etc. But I was also fortunate to be presented with these opportunities at a time when a lot of exciting new bands/artists were launching and I happened to like most of them: Thin Lizzy, Kate Bush, ELO among them. Our careers rose at the same rate, though their fame was out of my league.

One of those bands was called Queen, and in those days, they were viewed with a mixture of curiosity, aloofness and sheer puzzlement. Not many knew what to make of this band with its effeminate frontman, thrashing guitars and great pop tunes. I saw it, and hung on to their coattails as their dizzy rise to the top began. It rose and rose and rose until they were the biggest band in the world, as famous as 24

the Beatles with as many hits.

Queen never liked journalists but I hit it off with them. Usually, though, these phases pass and we all move on, and though I had kept in touch primarily with Brian May, swapping frequent emails, I

was shocked when I received an email from them on the eve of their 40th anniversary.

I was asked to write the biography of one of the world’s biggest rock bands, Queen, to celebrate their 40 years together. I almost missed the opportunity.

Going into my Hotmail, I decided to check on junk mail, something I usually just delete, but for some reason went into it and there was this email with a subject line saying ‘Queen writing project’.

The email was from the editorial manager of Carlton Books saying that Queen had asked him to ask me if I would be interested in writing the official Queen biography. Intrigued, I wrote back in the affirmative. Roland and I had a meeting, agreed terms and off we went.

So the lesson here is: always check your junk mail!

As with all things Queen, nothing is as straightforward as it seems. Once I had agreed, they then had to confirm everything, which took a couple of weeks. As this was a very tight deadline, we needed to get cracking to meet the publishing date of the book. Also, this

The show must go on: Freddie Mercury works the crowd at one of Queen’s mega-concerts [this photo]; the band at Super Bear Studios, France, during the recording of Jazz [opposite]

would not be a ‘normal’ book, but highly illustrative, with inserts, paraphernalia (tickets, posters, promotional items from Queen’s career and a CD interview with the band from a BBC radio programme in 1977). It would be printed in China, which added more strain to the deadline.

I was also holding down my ‘day job’ as managing editor of Books & Media, which is completely deadline driven itself, so basically it was three months of early morning and late night writing. As luck would have it, my neighbour, Graham Middleton, was a raging Queen fan, wrote quite well himself and he agreed to be the proof reader and pick up any errors I would make as I worked... and I made a few, which Graham loved pointing out.

First we had a production meeting at Carlton to work out the format of the work. Carlton’s designers, Queen’s archivist (yes, they have a full-time archivist to look after their history) and Queen’s own designer, Richard Gray, and myself hammered out the format, and I would write to those specifications.

So, it wasn’t so much a book but a series of features – beginnings, first album, Bohemian Rhapsody, Live Aid, the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert, We Will Rock You, movies etc.

I had toured and interviewed Queen from their very early days as a journalist

with Disc and then Melody Maker. So they were a young band and I was a young journo just arrived from Ireland. From the start, I loved their music and was an obvious candidate to interview them. As they grew as a band, I grew as a writer, though they were soon to outpace me!

I remember the first interview with Queen. It was in their PR’s office in South London. It was supposed to be with Freddie Mercury and Brian May. When I turned up, only Mercury was in attendance. Even in those very early days, Mercury had an aura around him that screamed ‘ROCK STAR’. He looked the part, long black hair, cool clothes, painted fingernails! Oh yes! He apologised for the absence of Brian, who was in the recording studio recording his guitar parts.

He had missed the main sessions with the rest of the band as he was laid up in hospital with hepatitis. ‘Darling, he’s far too busy in the studio…,’ he announced.

‘That’s what happens when you get sick in Queen; you have to make the time up!’

Mercury turned out to be an enthralling interviewee, totally confident in his own and the band’s abilities. As far as he was concerned, everything was achievable... and on their terms.

I realised immediately that this was no normal band of reprobates out for a good time and nothing else. This was a business.

It could have been so different back in 1969 as these four young men prepared to set off on widely varying careers… except that they each had similar ideas that were a world away from their academic studies. Zanzibar-born Farouk (Fred to his friends) was learning the intricacies of graphic design, alongside running a gauche fashion stall at Kensington Market. In Teddington, South London, Brian May was discovering the secrets of the universe via his growing interest in astronomy, and going on to study physics and infrared astronomy. Originally from Norfolk, Roger Meddows Taylor (as he was then known) had relocated to London where he was working through a dentistry degree course. Meanwhile, Leicester-born John Deacon had secured an electronic degree course at Chelsea College, London.

By any stretch of the imagination, this was a group of high achievers who didn’t need to do anything but follow their studies to secure a lucrative future.

But they all have one obsession in common… a love of rock’n’roll.

Believe it or not, Queen were pretty much broke until the massive hit with Bohemian Rhapsody in 1976. Their obsession with doing things their own way meant that they turned out record deals that didn’t suit their ideals, i.e. total control over their music, production and design.

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books 40 years of queen Guitar man: Brian May during the recording of the I want it all video [this photo]; May with 40 Years of Queen author Harry Doherty [right]

They’d done a production deal with a company called Trident, which owned a recording studio, had a management division and publishing arm. Queen pretty much signed over their lives to them in exchange for artistic freedom a deal that would soon bite them on the bum and cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to escape from. But on the positive side, Trident did provide the facilities to create music, and eventually the record deals came to fruition, with EMI Records in the UK and Elektra in the USA, two companies with a massive pedigree.

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The result of a studio trial at London’s De Lane Lea studios was a demo tape that consisted of most of the songs that would appear on the first album, and EMI rushed to sign the band. A first single, Keep Yourself Alive, was released in October 1973, and flopped, and the band’s gig as support act on a Mott The Hoople tour earned them meagre attention.

The second album, Queen II, however, broke the deadlock, and it included the first hit single, Seven Seas Of Rhye. From then on, it was game on for Queen. ‘Queen II was a point where all the adventurous

ideas came out,’ Brian May told me.

‘There are seeds in Queen II of almost everything we’ve done since, but it was so compressed that all of it didn’t come out unless you’d listened very closely.’

They soon consolidated their success as a singles band with the snappy Killer Queen and, as an albums band, with Sheer Heart Attack. Then came the monster called Bohemian Rhapsody, the six-minute opus with the operatic middle-section, and it gave them a much wider audience, most of whom went out in force to sample the variety of wares on A Night At The Opera. But it would be BoRhap that would become Queen’s signature tune.

As recording began that summer in Sarm Studios, London, and Rockfield Studios, in Wales, Queen were getting to grips with Bohemian Rhapsody and its many parts. A backing track of piano, bass and drums was laid down first, and Freddie was clear in his head what he wanted. As May says: ‘We just helped him bring it to life.’ It took three weeks to deliver the baby!

Producer Roy Thomas Baker was tasked with interpreting on tape what Mercury required. Thirty second operatic sections would expand in length and vocal depth, taking 12 hours a day. Hellish words such as Galileo, Beelzebub, Magnifico, Figaro were central to a multi-tracking choral harmony bombardment that would be sung in unison many times over, amounting to 180 vocal overdubs for that section alone. 1970s’ studio technology was being stretched to the limit, and there were still another three suites of the piece to facilitate – the intro, the hard rock guitar section and the conclusion. This was a single with everything – it was a ballad, a mini-opera, and a steaming rocker.

May’s part was crucial to the track, as history has shown. ‘Freddie’s got a knack

of using me to my best advantage,’ he told me later. ‘Usually, he has everything sorted out to the last note and tells me what he wants.’

The track clocked in at 5 minutes, 55 seconds… and then to the amazement of management (John Reid and their late personal manager Pete Brown), record company and even a band member allegedly (John Deacon), Freddie grandly announced that this would be the single.

In fact, when Freddie shared this information with the management, the track and the album, were yet to be finished… and they were having an official playback of both that night in Roundhouse Studios, London.

‘I’m really pleased about the operatic thing,’ he told me that night. ‘I really wanted to be outrageous with vocals because we’re always getting compared to other people, which is ridiculous. With this, there are no comparisons. Somebody suggested cutting it because the media reckons we have to have a three-minute single, darling. That’s ridiculous too. There is no point in cutting it. If you want to cut Bohemian Rhapsody, it just doesn’t work.’

Management weren’t persuaded though: ‘I tried to make Freddie see that they were quite mad to propose Bohemian Rhapsody as their next single,’ Brown said. ‘I thought it spelled the kiss of death.’ John Reid was equally resistant, telling the band that no radio station would put a single that long on their playlist.

But Mercury was determined and he had the entire band on his side. As usual, Queen’s ‘one for all and all for one’ policy won the day. Many around Queen experienced what they perceived as their arrogance. ‘Some people think that Freddie is arrogant,’ May said at the time.

‘But, in fact, he’s only arrogant when he knows he can afford to be.’

On Melody Maker, I was renowned as the man who would interview Queen. In honesty, most of the rest of the writing staff thought the band were pretentious, stuck up and would fall flat on their faces.

Queen were never a critics’ band, and the band didn’t care. It was from that point that Queen’s notorious hatred of journalists festered, and it goes on to this day. They seemed to like me, though, probably because I had no pretentions

about what my job was. Coming from The Derry Journal, I had a reporting background, so as far as I was concerned that philosophy carried over to Melody Maker. I was there to report what was going on in the music world.

Sure, I had a few bust-ups with Queen, notably when they toured the East Coast of the States with Thin Lizzy. I had written that Thin Lizzy blew Queen off the stage in Boston, which they did. On returning to London, I bumped into Brian May and Roger Taylor at an Elton John gig. Brian laid into me, saying that I didn’t see Queen’s set, that I had left with Lizzy

for Everyone, the band thought that was that. Bass player John Deacon went into retirement, but Brian and Roger were busy keeping the legacy alive. The musical written around their songs, We Will Rock You, celebrates its tenth anniversary next year. And they decided to tour again as Queen, with Paul Rogers (Free, Bad Company) as vocalist. Rogers was a hero to Mercury.

And then came the book offer, the work and now it’s published! It hit number one of the Amazon music biography charts on pre-sales alone. It’s very special – photographs never seen before, memorabilia from Brian May’s personal hoard.

Being a scientist, May kept everything to do with the band and at the launch in the Groucho Club, London, towards the end of last year, there was a miniexhibition of a lot of that very special collection, including the robot from News of the World, the Freddie Tribute Concert poster signed by every act on the bill, rare record sleeves, and, of course, Brian’s legendary guitar, the Red Special, built with his father from an old oak fireplace.

I’ve been deeply honoured to have been involved in this project, and now that it’s done, there’s a bit of a gap in my life.

That, though, is about to end as I start the Thin Lizzy biography, along with guitarist Scott Gorham, for release later this year.

Keeps me off the streets!

“He patted me on the bum and whispered, ‘Harry darling, sorry but I’ve decided to stop doing interviews with the music press, Nothing personal’” before they went on. ‘Nobody blows us off stage in Boston,’ he ranted. ‘Boston is our city.’ Turned out Boston was where Queen would always prep for US tours. I told Brian he was wrong, and a few weeks later he apologised.

It was on that tour that Freddie announced that he wasn’t doing interviews any more, so fed up were they with critics. He told me in the oddest way, in the middle of a post-gig party in New York, where Queen and Thin Lizzy played Madison Square Garden. He came up to me, patted me on the bum and whispered in my ear, ‘Harry darling, sorry but I’ve decided to stop doing interviews with the music press. Nothing personal.’ And off he gaily went!

Queen went on to become the world’s biggest band, bestsellers on every continent, tours became bigger, lightshows were dazzling. In the middle of it all, the band shone, and the hits rolling on, even on albums that are perceived as weak in their canon of work.

When I left Melody Maker, I stayed in touch, especially with Brian. I had moved on from music to work in the book business. Brian, being the academic he is, wrote books that were not to do with music, notably A Village Lost and Found, which portrayed the idyll of life in an 1850s village.

But Queen, as always, were on the horizon. After their final album following Freddie’s tragic death from AIDS, Heaven

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40 Years of Queen by Harry Doherty, is published by Goodman Books and available in all good book stores or online at www.amazon.co.uk 27

ACTIVITY Diving

Make a splash Take up the challenge of scuba diving and find a whole new world waiting for you

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Photo: CHARLES HOOD

ACTIVITY Diving

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Both agencies have their strengths. If you wish to take your time with your training and want the supportive framework of a club, then BSAC has much to offer. PADI is perhaps more flexible in allowing you to do the training when and within a period of your choosing. That said, there are a significant number of BSAC Training Centres – professionally run training centres that offer BSAC training in a much quicker time through a dive centre or shop. You can then go on to join a club if you wish.

Many people elect to do what is known as a ‘referral’ course in which they do all the theory and pool skills at a local dive centre and then complete their training with open water dives at their holiday destination. There is also scope to do e-learning for certain parts of the course.

Which training agency?

You can do it!

You’ll find a number of different training agencies around the world, but the two dominant providers in the UK are PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors www.padi.com) and BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club www.bsac.com). The two take a different approach to training. PADI takes a commercial view, the emphasis being on producing qualified divers in a short period of time using uniform training materials and methods. You will pay a set amount for your course and can expect to qualify within a few days.

BSAC, in contrast, is a membership organisation in which you join a branch of a club and will do your training typically at a slower pace over several weeks. All instructors are volunteers and while the training methods are standard, there is more scope for differences between branches.

Becki Dale recently qualified as an Ocean Diver with BSAC’s Hartford branch near Northwich in Cheshire. The 34-year-old mother of three was persuaded to have a try-dive by her cousin who is a member of the club. She went along to one of the regular pool nights and has never looked back.

‘I’d thought about diving for a while,’ says Becki ‘but I never found the time.

I’m a keen swimmer and I loved the experience of diving. You just switch off and forget about everything else.’

Becki chose to train one or twice a week over several weeks. ‘I had several different instructors,’ she says ‘which meant I got to know lots of branch members and I liked the fact that I got one-to-one training, it was less

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Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

ancy trying a sport that will give you a massive adrenaline buzz without exhausting you, will allow you too see parts of the world that few have visited, and will make you look pretty cool too? Scuba diving might just fit the bill, and right now there are some fantastic diving holiday offers available for those willing to dip their toes in the water.

There is nothing quite like the sensation of diving your first coral reef, or seeing a shipwreck appear out of the gloom, or even glimpsing your first shark. Once you put on your diving mask, strap on your jacket and scuba tank and jump into the water you’ll find a while new world of discovery. And it really does feel like a whole new world, with a wealth of different seascapes and topography, from the shipwreck-littered coast of the UK to the cavernous springs of Mexico, to the fish-packed reefs of Egypt – we haven’t even mentioned the Great Barrier Reef yet!

Ever since Captain Jacques Cousteau first popularised the sport in the 1950s following the invention of the Aqualung in the 1940s, scuba diving has become an increasingly popular and accessible sport. That said, potential divers are sometimes put off by what is perceived to be complex equipment and a lengthy time involved in qualifying; but they shouldn’t be – the kit is not at all difficult to use and qualifying as a diver takes only a few days. The typical course will involve some theoretical work, followed by learning skills in a swimming pool and then finally your open water dives. You could compare it to a first ski holiday in which you will spend a few hours a day in ski school. Once qualified, the world truly is your oyster and you can start to explore the wonderful world beneath the seas.

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In the spotlight: a diver views anemone fish on a reef wall [above]; golden anthias swarm over a colourful reef in the Red Sea [right]

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Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

ACTIVITY Diving

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

intimidating than being part of a group. The sessions were not stuffy at all – it was nice and relaxed.’

Although nervous, she enjoyed her first dives in open water at Eccleston Delph, an inland quarry in Lancashire, where she took in a number of underwater attractions and wrecks, as well as the fish life. ‘The first dive was very nerve wracking and I felt way outside my comfort zone, but the second dive was fantastic!’

Now a fully fledged BSAC Ocean Diver, Becki is looking forward to her first club trip to Malta in July, and is enjoying the social scene that comes with being a club member. ‘We have a club night every Thursday, then it’s down to the pub afterwards.’

And will she be inviting her husband to join her?

‘Not at the moment,’ she says ‘Perhaps when the kids are older, but for now diving is my thing!’

What will I learn?

We’re not going to give you a mini course here, but the sorts of things you’ll be looking at will be the effect of pressure and nitrogen on the body, how to read decompression tables, how to clear air spaces in your ears and sinuses, the effects of buoyancy, setting up and using your equipment, safety, basic sign language, and skills for recovering your regulator and clearing your mask. It can sound like a daunting list, but training is broken up into bite-size chunks and few people fail to qualify as divers.

“Forget land safaris, underwater you get to see big animals up close – sea turtles, seals, manta rays, whale sharks”

What kit will I use?

Wetsuit: keeps you insulated during your dive Submersible Pressure Gauge: tells you how much air remains in your cylinder so that you can monitor your consumption and complete the dive with a sufficient amount in reserve

Your equipment will change depending on where you choose to dive – for instance, in colder water you will use a drysuit rather than a wetsuit. Here, we have listed the type of kit you would need in a tropical/subtropical location such as the Red Sea. Initially, you will probably choose to rent the equipment from our chosen dive centre or club, but it is worth considering investing in a mask and snorkel as your first purchase of scuba equipment.

Mask: allows you to see clearly Fins: help to propel you through the water Snorkel: lets you swim at the surface while conserving your breathing gas Regulator: provides you with air from cylinder at the correct pressure Octopus/alternate air source: a second mouthpiece that can be used by you or your buddy in case of emergency Cylinder: contains compressed air for you to breathe during your dive BCD: a jacket that attaches to your air cylinder and allows you to control your buoyancy so that you can move up or down

Ray day: a manta ray provides a fascinating underwater encounter [above]; a beautiful fan coral [opposite]

What will I see?

Go to the right places and you’ll see some amazing sights. Forget land safaris, underwater you get to see big animals up close – sea turtles, seals, manta rays, whale sharks. And it’s not necessarily a case of having to travel far to have a fantastic encounter – wherever you live the chances are that you are not as far as you may think from some excellent diving. Take, for instance, the UK which is far from being a stereotypical warm-water diving destination.

Here, you can dive with seals and basking sharks as well as seeing historical wrecks. Head to popular destinations such as the Red Sea and you’ll find coral reefs are packed full of fish as well as a multitude of corals, and you’ll see multicoloured sea slugs, spotted moray eels and all sorts of crustaceans. See overleaf for our pick of some of the most popular learn to dive destinations.

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ACTIVITY Diving

WHERE TO DIVE

By Charlotte Boan

Thailand Scuba diving is a popular activity in Thailand on both the east and west coast of the country.

In fact, the country claims one of the highest concentrations of dive centres in Asia Pacific.

In diving terms, Thailand is split between two seas: the shallow waters of the Gulf of Thailand 34

to the east and the deep, current-abundant, nutrient-rich waters of the Andaman Sea to the west. While the reefs on both sides of the country share common marine species, the underwater topography on each side is distinct.

Part of the Indian Ocean, the Andaman Sea extends from Burma to Thailand’s north to beyond the Malaysian border in the south. Variety of life, shipwrecks, combined with good visibility and an excellent change of encounters with some big creatures, such as manta rays and whale sharks, makes the west coast a pull for scuba visitors.

By far the highest concentration of divers on the west coast can be found on the island of Phuket, which acts as the main gateway for liveaboards heading to the nearby Similan Islands and further north to Burmese waters. Other excellent diving hotspots along the west coast include Koh Lanta, Khoa Lak and Krabi. All destinations are well equipped for the needs of newbie divers, with courses running all year round.

Koh Tao is generally the area of choice for those wishing to learn on the east coast’s Gulf of Thailand as it offers something for every level of diver. While the reefs of the Gulf of Thailand are not as varied as those of the Andaman Sea, as the

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

In terms of scuba diving adventures, few places beat the Red Sea on a good underwater day.

Teeming with life, its tropical coral reefs have attracted many millions of new and experienced scuba enthusiasts since underwater exploration turned mainstream in the 1980s. In fact, it was the Egyptian Red Sea, where scuba pioneer Jacques Cousteau filmed many of his underwater documentaries, that captured the imagination and adventurous spirit of a generation.

The Egyptian Red Sea is the most popular diving destination for European-based divers, as its warm tropical coral reefs and year-round sunshine are just a five-hour flight away.

The two main resorts for dive tourism are Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula and Hurghada on the Egyptian mainland. Following three decades of experience of catering to diving enthusiasts, predominantly Europeans, the towns are the perfect models of successful scuba tourism.

The Red Sea is ideal for learners, providing a calm, clear and warm environment in which to be introduced to the underwater world. Most centres employ multi-lingual scuba instructors who teach open water courses over a three to five-day period.

From Sharm el Sheikh, you have access to world-class dive locations, such as the Ras Mohammed National Park, Straits of Tiran and the famous shipwreck, SS Thistlegorm. Hurghada offers access to numerous local coral gardens often visited by wild dolphins as well as the fantastic wreck-diving opportunities of the nearby Abu Nuhas reef system.

Less well-known areas offering great diving away from the crowds include: El Gouna, Safaga and Marsa Alam. These areas are all specifically built for tourists, particularly aimed at the more luxurious end of the tourist market.

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

Red Sea

Turtle power: hawksbill turtles are regularly seen by divers in the Red Sea [top]; coral grouper have distinctive markings [above]

waters are shallower and as a result attract fewer nutrients, marine life is still prolific. As well as colourful reef fish, turtles are plentiful and there is always a chance of seeing large rays, barracuda and reef sharks. Diving is accessible all year round, however, weather changes around November often causes choppy seas and a drop in visibility.

It’s worth noting the regulations in Thailand and southeast Asia are, as a general rule, not as strictly enforced as they are in other destinations, such as Australia, Caribbean or Red Sea, so it is a good idea to shop around for reputable centres rather than be attracted solely by the price of courses.

Australia Tropical warm water corals off the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland; cage diving with great white sharks off South Australia; whale shark and dolphin encounters of Western Australia; shipwrecks aplenty off Victoria; and the cold kelp water forests of Tasmania – Australia offers just about every type of scuba diving adventure imaginable.

By far the greatest concentration of divers is found along Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest single living organism and is visible from space. The World Heritage protected marine park coral reef system covers around 345,000 square kilometres and is estimated to be home to around 1,500 different species of fish, more than 400 types of hard coral, one third of the world’s soft coral, 134 species of sharks and rays, six species of marine turtle and more than 30 species of marine mammals, including the extremely rare dugong.

Cairns, the main gateway to the reef, is the scuba training capital of the Great Barrier Reef. As a general rule, learners complete all their pool work at the centres in Cairns and then head out to the reef on a two to three-day liveaboard excursion to complete their sea dives in the open ocean.

For a little more rainforest luxury and space, Port Douglas, one hour’s drive north of Cairns, is worth considering as an alternative base for taking the plunge into scuba.

Diving is possible across the entire coast of Australia and generally there are a number of diving centres offering open water courses in major coastal towns, most notably on the eastern coast. Although not so well known for scuba diving, it’s worth exploring the diversity of more temperate waters, including the surprising abundance of underwater life of places such as Sydney and Melbourne.

perfectly equipped to cater for all levels of divers.

It’s a particularly good choice for first-timers.

Situated at the very centre of the Mediterranean Sea, the Maltese archipelago is 58 miles south of Sicily and 180 miles from the North African coast.

Overfishing in the region has created a noticeable absence of marine life, nevertheless, what it lacks in creatures, it makes up for with great shipwrecks and open caves. While many of the larger, more famous shipwrecks lie in depths beyond a learner’s limit, there are still plenty of smaller sunken vessels to explore in shallow water and there are numerous reefs close to shore that are perfect for first dives. There are lots of competitively priced flights running everyday from various places in Europe, including the UK, to the main island of Malta. This means you can opt for short or long stays; whatever suits your holiday diary and finances. There is also a huge range of tourist accommodation, including luxury spa hotels. Malta is not a traditional style holiday destination – there are few beaches and it is fairly built up with many historical buildings and apartments – but this does mean divers are not battling for space with the bucket and spade brigade.

While the standard of the dive centres around Malta and Gozo is excellent, it is worth sticking to those approved by Malta’s Professional Diving Schools Association (www.pdsa.org.mt)

UNITED KINGDOM Those often grey waters off our shores may surprise you – there’s an abundance of life waiting to be discovered. Admittedly, it’s colder than the destinations listed above, but most divers in the UK use drysuits, which keeps them suitably insulated during dives. You don’t get the abundant coral reefs of the tropics but there are plenty of compensations – rich walls of anemones, historic shipwrecks and there is also the chance to see larger species such as seals and basking sharks.

In the southeast of England there are large numbers of shipwrecks – a legacy of the busy

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Get wrecked: a wreck in the UK colonised by marine life

A real value-for-money destination, particularly for European-based divers, the Maltese islands boast some of the best scuba sites in the Mediterranean.

With year-round diving (although it can get a little chilly in the winter winds), sunshine and jawdroppingly clear waters, the limestone islands are

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

Malta

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ACTIVITY Diving boat traffic through the English Channel. That said, these wrecks can be deep and visibility can be limited. A better bet for the new diver lies further west around Portland in Dorset and in Cornwall, where you’ll find clear waters, plenty of fish life and wrecks within a comfortable diving range.

HMS Scylla off Whitsand Bay in Cornwall is the perfect diver playground – a frigate purposely sunk in 2004 to create an artificial reef. And if you make a trip to the nearby Isles of Scilly, you’ll find a sub-tropical haven of clear water and pristine white beaches. Underwater there are sheer walls covered with colourful jewel anemones, fan corals and sponges.

At Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel you can have fantastic encounters with seals, which will come up to you and play with you like puppies.

Further north in Wales there are some good dives with many species at the extent of their northern limits. Across the water in Northern Ireland is Strangford Lough, the largest sea inlet in the British isles and packed with wrecks and a wide variety of fish.

Scotland’s west coast has become a magnet for UK divers attracted by clear waters, rich marine life and fascinating underwater topography.

These waters offer the chance to see dolphins and basking sharks (the world’s second biggest shark is a gentle giant which feeds on a diet of plankton). The Scottish sea lochs are also popular with divers, but for those prepared to make the trip north out to the Orkney Islands a bigger treat awaits. Scapa Flow is a stretch of water that is home to the German High Seas fleet which was scuttled following the First World War. Here you’ll see historic cruisers and battleships covered with marine life – it’s a wreck diver’s dream.

The UK’s east coast is perhaps less popular with divers, but there are some standout destinations such as the Farnes Islands in Northumberland where you’ll see puffins above the water and seals underneath. St Abbs in Berwickshire is another east coast highlight where you’ll find all sorts of interesting native species from wizened-looking wolf-fish to large kelp forests.

“Liveaboards can be found all over the world but are particularly popular in the Red Sea and the Maldives” overnight, boats can cruise to the next destination.

This means you can get to top sites earlier than the crowds and that you can visit more remote destinations. In addition, a trip on a liveaboard has something of an expeditionary feel about it, with groups of divers usually bonding very quickly. That said, it’s an expedition in luxurious surroundings – modern liveaboards have to offer the very best in accommodation and services.

Most boats will offer at least three dives a day and often the chance to do a night dive, but you can pick and choose which dives you do. Depending on the boat and your location, you will enter the water from the diving platform on the liveaboard itself or in some cases a small tender or RIB (rigid inflatable boat) will be used to access sites that the larger liveaboard cannot reach, and in places such as the Maldives dhonis (a separate boat that carries all the dive kit and compressor) are used.

Liveaboards can be found all over the world, but are particularly popular in the Red Sea and the Maldives, where the boats can go large distances to find the very best dive sites. Shop around and you will find that there are often several itineraries to choose from. For instance in the Red Sea, you can choose to visit the offshore reefs and islands of the south or do a wreck tour of the north.

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Sea worthy: boat diving provides access to the best dive sites

While plenty of excellent dive sites can be accessed from shore and by day boats, for the true aficionado nothing can beat a liveaboard trip. A liveaboard is a dive boat in which divers typically spend a week travelling around various dive sites.

There is onboard accommodation and usually a dining room, sun deck and diving platform. The great advantage of diving from a boat that you are staying on is that between dives, and sometimes 36

Photo: SIMON ROGERSON

Liveaboard diving

LIFESTYLE BUY YOUR OWN WOOD

Wooded bliss

While the housing market fluctuates between unprecedented growth and a nervous drop in prices, sales of woodlands are on the rise with buyers looking for an investment in a better quality of life. Be Happy finds out what the attraction is

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report by Woodlands.co.uk has highlighted the positive benefits that owners of small woodlands can have on the management of UK woods. The company, which creates and sells small woodlands, surveyed private owners to find out more about their motivations for buying their woods and what benefits they had found in becoming woodland owners.

The resounding message that came back from the owners was a passion for their woods and a desire to preserve them for future generations. Even though prices for woods have risen by more than 50% in the past three years, there was no desire on the part of the owners to cash in. In fact, not one of the owners surveyed was planning to sell their wood in the foreseeable future and more than three quarters planned to pass the woods onto future generations of their family.

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So if it’s not for financial gain, then why are more and more people buying woods?

Unsurprisingly, almost all said that their love of wildlife was an important factor in buying their woods and this is borne out by figures which show that over the last ten years Woodlands.co.uk owners have planted more than 220,000 new trees, built more than 10,000 dead wood log piles (insect habitats), put up 3,800 nest boxes, dug 350 ponds and installed 350 bee hives. There is also a strong interest in restoring woods to their native condition by replacing conifer with broadleaf trees.

Angus Hanton of Woodlands.co.uk

says: ‘In today’s fast moving society it’s great to hear that there is a desire to gain a window on the outdoors – free from the many constraints of modern life. Being in a wood, with the sights, smells and sounds of nature, is a great way to get away from it all. These owners are building an emotional connection with their piece of woodland and conserving it for the benefit of us all.

‘In this report we uncover an army of unsung conservationists who together are safeguarding more than 12,000 acres of woodland for future generations. Taking large pieces of land into government or

ON THE MARKET K

Wades Wood, North Yorkshire About 4 acres, £39,000 Wades Wood is situated within the outstanding scenery of the North York Moors National Park and is a mixed woodland of almost 4 acres which offers a peaceful setting to escape the rigours of hectic modern living.

Trelawne Wood, Cornwall About 4 acres, £25,000 Trelawne Wood lies along the eastern arm of a large, T-shaped area of woodland which occupies a secluded valley, not far from the south Cornish coast.

Latch Wood, Kent 7 ½ acres, £55,000 Latch Wood is a classic ancient woodland with some fine mature oaks, along with hornbeam, hazel, holly, hawthorn and birch and shows off a wonderful display of bluebells in spring.

charity ownership is not the only way to conserve our woodlands; individuals can undoubtedly play their part too.’

How to buy a wood A typical woodland costs about £35,000 for five acres (about the size of two football pitches) and you’ll find them advertised for sale on various websites such as Woodlands.co.uk. The process is relatively simple but you will require a lawyer to go over contracts, land registry and oversee the exchange of money.

It’s much like buying a house, although considerably less stressful as you won’t be

involved in a chain. In terms of finance, there are several options available if you’re not a cash buyer. You can borrow against your own residential property, invest part of your pension fund or even borrow against the woodland itself. Check out Woodlands.co.uk and the website of other sellers as they offer a comprehensive guide to the buying process.

Note that with sales of woodland you enter into a covenant which limits you from doing certain things with your woodland. For instance, without the appropriate permission you won’t be able to use the land for a commercial

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Bear Wood, Essex About 3 ½ acres, £39,000 An enchanting ancient woodland located close to the attractive village of Wickham Bishops.

As you approach Bear Wood along the woodland track you already get the feeling that you are somewhere special.

All woods listed above are available for sale at www.woodlands.co.uk 39

LIFESTYLE BUY YOUR OWN WOOD campsite or use the land for any sort of vehicle racing. Check with your seller what limitations apply.

What to do with it Owning a wood is a liberating experience, especially for those who have not owned a significant amount of land before. You’ll have the freedom to camp with friends, light a camp fire, plant and fell trees, and clear paths. You’ll be able to enjoy the natural environment with the chance to see badgers, rabbits, butterflies and birds.

You can build a shelter, care for trees, climb trees, collect firewood and even grow your own Christmas trees. You can learn woodcraft or simply use it as a place to relax. The options are endless, but what a wonderful thing to have – your very own corner of nature to share with your friends and family.

We bought a wood Mike Houghton, who recently bought seven and a half acres of Welsh hillside with his wife Jill, says: ‘When I was thinking of buying this wood, I kept wondering what are we doing? Now, twelve months later, our woods have become our church, our playground, our school, the best nature documentary ever,

and fascinating in different ways each time we visit. I have become both more “possessive” – wanting to protect it from the harm of uncaring visitors – and at the same time realising that it owns me far more than I can ever own it.’

Husband and wife Stephen Briggs and Sarah Walters bought Alvecote Wood near Tamworth near Staffordshire five years ago.

‘Be it a crisp winter day, a calm summer evening or a glorious spring morning, sitting on a log eating our sandwiches and listening to the birds singing is a magical experience,’ says Sarah. ‘Butterflies fly along the brambles and woodland edge.

We get glimpses of mammals including moles, rabbits, muntjac deer, badgers, foxes, stoats and all manner of little mice and voles. The bluebells form beautiful carpets under the trees and the water bubbles through the new ponds. There is so much pure pleasure that it makes all the hard work worthwhile.’

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Check what woodlands for sale are available in your area at: www.woodlands.co.uk.

Photo: MIKE HOUGHTON

Branching out: Mike Houghton enjoys climbing a tree in his Welsh wood

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The Jubilee K Woods Project The Jubilee Woods project is a national scheme being run by the Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading conservation charity, to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Through this ambitious project, the Trust is going to plant six million trees and create hundreds of new woodlands with the help of the public. The scheme is backed by the Queen and has Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal as patron.

The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe with just 13% woodland cover compared to a European average of 44% – much of our native woodland has been cut down for timber production and lost to development.

Woodland is a vital wildlife habitat which many of the UK’s native species rely on for survival, but they also have many benefits to people. They provide cleaner air, wood fuel, help prevent flooding by making land more ‘sponge like’, provide shade and shelter for our livestock, and store the carbon we produce through our modern way of life.

They are also simply beautiful!

The Trust is looking for landowners, schools, community groups and individuals to come forward and take part in the project. It’s not just for people with lots of land to spare – you can even plant a tree in your garden to be part of it. All trees planted can be registered on the new Royal Record – a 2012 version of a book that logged trees planted for King George VI’s coronation in 1936.

The new Royal Record will be handed to the Queen herself and a copy given to the British library, so anyone taking part will take their place in history.

The Trust is helping hundreds of people to create Jubilee Woods – woods of at least one acre in size – and can help with the funding, as well as providing advice and practical help. Sixty special woods of 60 acres in size will be exclusive Diamond Woods – each commemorating 60 years of the Queen’s reign.

The Trust is also giving away thousands of packs of trees to schools and community groups to plant in their local area, go to www. woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/jubilee-woods to find out more and apply for a pack.

ADVENTURE ANDY TORBET

A man of extremes

Adventurer Andy Torbet of BBC’s Coast battled his way from a broken back to a successful career in the army before giving it all up to pursue his ambition to become a filmmaker and presenter.

Be Happy finds out what it takes to follow your dreams

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ife is looking pretty good for Andy Torbet. As we meet in a pub in London’s West End, he’s just come from a meeting with a literary agent and, following a drink and a chat with me, he’s off to meet a booker of public speakers.

Despite the setback of a slow-to-mend knee injury, he looks as healthy as ever and is looking forward to the transmission of the first of the sequences he filmed for the BBC’s latest series of Coast and to the start of filming of the next series.

‘The executive producer loved the first film we shot on the Isle of Lewis [off Uist on the Outer Hebrides],’ says Andy. ‘It focuses on some local crofters known as “sea shepherds” who regularly transport their sheep to the island to graze. The weather was bad and the crofters were not the most cooperative bunch, but I had a great time. The crew said it was the hardest shoot of the series, but I thought it was okay and I ended up carrying most of the gear up the hills to help them. The crofters didn’t faze me‚ I’m a highlander like them.’

So how did this highlander, end up with a dream job presenting on one of the BBC’s most popular shows? ‘Well it is a dream job, although the money’s not as amazing as you might think‚ hopefully that will come,’ he says with a wry smile.

‘For me adventuring has been part of my life since childhood, so I guess the urge to do adventurous

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Photo: Andy Torbet

Pushing on: Andy sea kayaks west of the Isle of Mull to the offshore island of Staffa to freedive Fingal’s Cave

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ADVENTURE ANDY TORBET projects has always been there.’

Andy was born in Irvine, South Scotland and raised on the northeast edge of the Cairngorm National Park between Aberdeen and Inverness.

With a forester and gamekeeper father, he was born to an outdoors life and for he and his schoolmates walking through the forest to school, snaring rabbits and bushcraft generally was a way of life.

A move to Aberdeen at the age of 12 did nothing to curb his enthusiasm for adventure, and he spent a lot of time with his uncle who was a passionate hillwalker and camper.

Inspired by the work of David Attenborough, Jacques Cousteau and particularly the Martha Holmes Sea Trek documentary, Andy joined the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) at 12, initially as a snorkeller and then qualified as a novice diver and then sports diver by the time he was 16. ‘When I joined BSAC, membership was £7 a year plus 50p a week subs. I would snorkel out and follow the divers below me. Then, when I started diving, I cobbled together some gear – it was all a bit rough and I wouldn’t recommend that anyone does the same. The worst thing was my wetsuit‚ it was made up of a pair of long johns and an ill-fitting woman’s jacket. I was always frozen‚ as a kid I was nails, there’s no way I could dive like that now.’

Climbing became another interest in his life.

At the time a teachers’ strike meant that no extra curricular activities took place at his school, but one teacher, a man called Wilson Moir who was one of the best climbers in the country, introduced Andy and a couple of schoolmates to the sport, setting up a training climb at the back of the school.

With an interest in all things adventurous, it’s no surprise that Andy was nursing an ambition to join the army, an ambition that was fuelled by his older brother, who joined the forces at 16. However, a couple of years later when Andy reached 16 and tried to join up himself, he was advised by the army recruitment officer to go to university and to then join as an officer.

‘I knew I was going in the army, so I thought I’d study something I really enjoyed rather than worry about something specific for a career. I quite fancied zoology and the University of Sheffield seemed to fit the bill as it was more concerned with natural history than the commercial side of zoology. I wasn’t interested in the impact of mites on crops, I wanted to learn about sharks, gorillas, tigers, eagles‚ cool stuff!’

A positive time at university, punctuated by a three-month trip working across Canada in which he got a job as a horseback trail guide even though he had never ridden before, led to a second-class honours degree. ‘I just scraped a 2.1‚ I’m pretty 44

sure that being the biology department’s unofficial social secretary meant they were kind to me when it came to marking the work.’

Andy’s military career began as a trainee fighter pilot in the Royal Navy, but after a few months of training decided that life as a pilot was not for him.

‘All the other recruits were desperate to fly, but I wanted to be on the ground sleeping in a ditch. I wanted to be a commando‚ I’d rather jump out of a plane than fly one.’

Nevertheless, he logged 25 hours of flying time before transferring to the Royal Marines where he started his officer’s course. However, just before his batch of recruits were to earn their green berets, Andy was involved in a life-changing accident. ‘We were on a training exercise and I, as the smallest in the group, was given the biggest guy to carry across an assault course. We fell off a platform. It was only 12 feet high but I smashed my lower vertebrae and was temporarily paralysed in the left leg.

‘At the time the situation didn’t seem that bad, but in retrospect it was a huge blow and I lost the plot a bit. I became quite aggressive because I missed the training. It wasn’t just psychological, it was chemical‚ I was missing the endorphins.’

He was left with a tough choice: give up his dream of being a soldier by being discharged on medical grounds with a pension or be classified as physically unsuitable for commando service but still be allowed to continue in a less physical role. Andy chose the latter, thinking that over time he would be able to prove himself fit for full commando service. When I put it to him that this was a brave choice, he gives a typically direct response. ‘I struggle when I’ve nothing to work for, but can be incredibly focused once I’ve got something to go for. I don’t do excuses. It’s easy to find excuses.

People blame school, the government, their parents for things that have gone wrong in their lives‚ and this might be true‚ but it’s your life and it’s up to you to change it.’

So, Andy set about changing his by enlisting in the Royal Engineers. It took him two years to prove himself medically fit and he then took the army diving course. ‘It was six weeks of being beasted [an army term for very hard physical training] senseless‚ mostly press ups and running,’ he says.

‘But it makes you mentally a lot stronger, and the soldier next to you wants to know that the guy next to him is mentally and physically fit. From then on his career progressed quickly, he had already served in Kosovo and Bosnia and was now a lieutenant.

With the question mark over his fitness gone he applied to P Company‚ the paratrooper selection course. It was the toughest four weeks of his life, stretching him to the limits. ‘It’s a nails course, it

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Going solo: deep-water soloing on the Dorset coast. This a form of climbing where no ropes are used for protection or safety. But the climber ascends above deep water which should, if landed correctly, prevent a fatal accident

Photo: Andy Torbet

“I struggle when I’ve got nothing to work for, but can be incredibly focused once I’ve got something to go for”

breaks you‚ only one in four gets through.’

Having earned his maroon beret, he was now a junior captain in the Royal Engineers, when he transferred to the 4-9 bomb disposal unit. By now he was juggling several roles acting as airborne bomb disposal commander, underwater bomb disposal commander and commander of the maritime counter terrorist unit high-risk search team‚ he’s not one to do things by halves.

The rest his time in the army included short spells in the Falklands and Northern Ireland, as well as a tour of duty during the second Gulf War. He is also very proud of the work his unit did assisting the police diving team and he was involved in several high-profile searches.

By now 30 years old, Andy was being steered towards to more of a desk job and was about to be promoted to major, but the idea of a more sedate role didn’t appeal. ‘I was a soldier,’ he says.

So, in typically decisive fashion, he left the army with an unformed plan of becoming some sort of expedition leader. After a few months of taking stock, he took some security work in Afghanistan and Pakistan to earn some much needed money, but in between spells abroad he started setting up adventure projects that he could write and film.

The first of these was with TV presenter Monty Halls, a former marine who had been introduced to Andy through a mutual friend in Bristol. The Three Lakes challenge was to dive the three highest altitude lakes on the British mainland in the fastest time possible. They completed the challenge in 23 hours and ten minutes, raising several hundred pounds for the Help for Heroes charity.

The Three Lakes challenge was to give Andy his first break in the media, when he pitched the idea for an article about the challenge to Simon Rogerson, who at that time was the editor of DIVE magazine. The feature subsequently appeared in the magazine and Andy had a platform from which to build up his profile. His face seemed to fit and the adventure sports community took to the straight-talking Scot, who was always prepared to go the extra mile. His ready smile, selfdeprecating humour and can-do attitude helped him get many of those early projects off the ground and a spate of films and adventure was to follow including the Cave of Skulls; the Monach Isles and Britain by Snorkel.

Now an established figure in the outdoors activity world, Andy decided to dedicate himself full-time to his adventure/film work and he gave up his security work and his share in an adventure travel business he had set up with a friend. He had settled in Bristol, where he had a good circle of friends many of whom worked for the BBC’s 46

Photo: Andy Torbet

ADVENTURE ANDY TORBET

natural history unit, and still lives there today with his girlfriend singer songwriter and Grammy nominee Becki Biggins, but he was still looking for that big break.

In April 2011 he set a goal‚ he would give himself seven months (which is how long he budgeted his savings would last) to make it as a full-time adventurer and presenter or else he would have to go back to security work. ‘Again, I had set myself a goal and I felt completely unstressed‚ I had focus. It was like when I was disposing of a bomb, I felt completely calm and Zen.’ He wrote to Steve Evanson the series producer at Coast and eventually Steve got in touch and asked to see his showreel. ‘Steve has been a massive help,’ says Andy. ‘He asked if I would do more zoological presenting initially with a view to doing more adventurous stuff in the future‚ I said “yes” of course.’

For Andy, Coast has been a joy to work on allowing him to pursue the sort of adventuring that he has enjoyed all his life. One sequence to be shown later this year has Andy leading a team on a climb to the top of the middle Needle off the Isle of Wight. It was only the second time someone has climbed this chalky rock pin of rock that juts out to sea and they took a new route. ‘It was very dodgy, the chalk is so crumbly and was just breaking off,’ says Andy with a chuckle.

So what does the future hold? ‘Well, Coast is such a great platform for a presenter, it’s a massive chip of credibility, so I’ve got lots of new projects being planned, including one that I can’t speak about yet‚ it’s an exciting project, it involves an iceberg. But I’ve got lots of other ideas as well, one of my army reports described me as “a man of extremes” and I think that’s a fair point. Hopefully I can show that in some of my future work.’

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Water way: pushing gear through the water [above]; freediving to hunt for wrecks around South Devon [right]

The next series of Coast will be televised in the summer, for more information about Andy Torbet and his work go to www.andytorbet. com. You can see clips of Andy’s films on the Be Happy website www. behappymagazine.co.uk

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Photo: DAN BOLT

And the Oscar goes to…

Are you sure?

The Academy Awards are a great celebration of the movies, but sometimes the Academy gets it wrong – Gary Oldman, we feel your pain. Here’s Be Happy’s guide to the ones that got away

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Steven Spielberg by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com Tom Hanks by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com Martin Scorcese by Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

ENTERTAINMENT THE OSCARS

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

At the 54th Academy Awards ceremony presented in 1982, a shock winner took the top prize of Best Picture. British film Chariots of Fire beat the preceremony favourite Reds, directed

by Warren Beatty, and heralded a golden time for UK cinema. But it was another nominee, Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark that we think should have got top spot. Great story, full of action, beautifully filmed and Harrison Ford at his best. While Beatty received some compensation in the form of the Best Director award, Spielberg missed out on the the top two prizes.

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The two big films in contention in 1994 were Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction, but another nominee that has grown in popularity over the years was The Shawshank Redemption. The sugary sweet Forrest Gump took the prize much to the chagrin of fans of Tarantino’s cool, slick Pulp Fiction. While we’ll acknowledge that Pulp Fiction deserved a shout, the inspirational Shawshank, which tells the story of a wrongly imprisoned man who triumphs in the face of corruption, gets our vote.

The Wizard of Oz

Gone with the Wind swept the board at the 1940 awards ceremony and is acknowledged as one of Hollywood’s greatest films. We, however, won’t shy away from a bit of controversy and would like to put the case for another film which has stood the test of time and has become a classic in its own right. The Wizard of Oz has entertained children and adults for decades, and in an era of Toy Story and Shrek still stands up as a fantastic piece of cinema. Glorious technicolour, Judy Garland’s show-stealing singing and even the munchkins couldn’t take the award from star-studded Gone with the Wind. Frankly, my dears, we couldn’t give a damn – for us, it’s Judy and co all the way.

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The Shawshank Redemption

Saving Private Ryan

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Disagree with our choices or got some suggestions of your own? Then go to the Be Happy Facebook page and let us know.

It has to be said that 1998 was not a vintage year at the Oscars, but the favourite in the Best Picture category was Steven Spielberg’s epic Saving Private Ryan. The opening 20 minutes were a fantastically accurate reenactment of the Normandy landings and, while the subsequent 149 minutes were lengthy and tended to plod, the film was still far better than the lightweight Shakespeare in Love, which got the Academy’s support.

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Goodfellas

There was a time when Kevin Costner could do no wrong, and this was never more evident than at the 1991 awards ceremony when the Costner-directed Dances With Wolves beat Martin Scorcese’s masterpiece Goodfellas to the prize. No mincing our words, this was an absolute terrible decision: Goodfellas was a cinematic triumph, from the fantastic cinematography to the unequalled performances, it was more than worthy of the Oscar. At least Joe Pesci’s performance as the psychotic Tommy received the recognition it deserved with an Oscar for best supporting actor.

The Maltese Falcon

It’s not just in the modern era that the choice of winning film has caused controversy. At the 14th Academy Awards, the best picture fought off tough opposition in the form of Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane and John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon. Citizen Kane is widely regarded as the best film of all time, but for our money the search for the jewelencrusted falcon, complete with Bogart’s superb performance as private investigator Sam Spade, made The Maltese Falcon worthy of the award. As for the winner, it has to be said it hasn’t stood the test of time – have you seen John Ford’s How Green Was My Valley?

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VOLUNTEERING TOURISM WITH PURPOSE

HERE TO help Photo: Marjorie Battude/ Earthwatch

For those who want to do more than simply lie on a beach on their holidays, voluntary tourism or ‘voluntourism’ could make a refreshing change.

Not only will you have an exhilarating, enriching experience, but you’ll be helping improve lives.

Gill McDonald provides a roundup of the best trips

Wildlife conservation/ environmental The iconic French Alpine marmot is highly specialised to its environment, which is acutely sensitive to climate change. Join a research expedition which monitors the ability of this endearing creature to adapt. Set against the backdrop of the Alpine landscape, you will record biometric measurements, observe behaviour and identify family groups. You’ll share comfortable accommodation with the research staff, and you could also see ibex, chamois and some spectacular birdlife.

Expedition durations can be eight or 15 days from May to July and cost £1,395 or £2,195 respectively. Go to www.earthwatch.org/ europe or phone +44 (0)1865 318831.

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Coral Cay Conservation is dedicated to helping protect and sustain coral reefs throughout the developing world. Non-divers are professionally trained as part of the experience, volunteers then undertake a well-established skills development program to train them for the subsequent survey dives. The Philippines project offers two to 16week stints. It is worth considering a longer stay as by the end of two weeks you are just ready to apply all you have learned. Accommodation is in small dormitories. Prices range from £825 to £3,685 depending on duration, and non-divers are charged an additional £100 for their training.

Coral Cay organises regular opportunities to meet and chat with past volunteers. Go to www. coralcay.org or phone +44 (0)20 7620 1411.

Family If you want to introduce the family to volunteering, but are not ready for a full on expedition, try a short taster.

Hands Up Holidays offers a good variety of tailormade packages. For example, the Incas & Amazons trip is a fantastic way to explore the ancient ruins and incredible culture of the Inca Empire in Peru, together with the lush tropical Amazon rainforest all wrapped round a four-day volunteer project where you live and work alongside local communities.

Activities include renovations, painting, gardening or teaching.

Go to www. handsupholidays. com or phone +44 (0)20 7193 1062.

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Community GVI (Global Vision International) runs more than 100 community, environmental and education projects in 25 countries. One project in Cape Town, South Africa, aims to offer orphans and disadvantaged children educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

Training is provided on arrival and accommodation is in shared houses or apartments. Volunteers work with the children on weekdays, with weekends free to explore what is a beautiful city. Trips range from between two and 12 weeks with pricing from £995 to £2,495. Go to www.gvi.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1727 250250.

Long term VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) is involved in long-term partnership programs with local organisations that help poor people. VSO makes a point of liaising with these groups to understand what they need, and then works to find the right person to fill the role. For 50 years VSO has been recruiting individuals with a vision of eradicating poverty by giving people choice, providing opportunities to participate effectively in society, have access to education and healthcare and earn enough to feed and clothe their families. VSO solutions are longterm and sustainable, ranging in commitment from one to two years. Specific skills and experience are often invaluable for placements but are not essential.

Go to www.vso.org.uk or phone +44 (0) 20 8780 7500.

It’s not all about overseas adventures.

Volunteering in the UK can be just as rewarding and can easily be planned into a holiday.

BTCV has been running voluntary conservation events across the UK since the late 1950s. Its ‘Green Gym’ is a wonderful concept of combining health and fitness with helping the environment and improving the local surroundings. Most sessions last half a day and there are more than 70 Green Gyms across the UK. Among many other activities, BTCV also partners with businesses for employee action days.

Go to www.btcv. org or phone +44 (0)1302 388883.

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Note: all prices exclude flights but include all accommodation, food, transfers, training and volunteer activities.

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MUSIC ROCK CHOIR

For those about to rock…

‘National phenomenon’, ‘life enhancing’ and ‘an anti-depressant’ are just some of the enthusiastic descriptions of the hugely successful Rock Choir, which in a few short years has swept across the UK. Be Happy editor Paul Critcher speaks to founder Caroline Redman Lusher about how she got the nation singing

Rock Choir has become hugely successful in only a few years, how do you feel about your success?

I never dreamed that Rock Choir would make such an impact on so many thousands of people. I created Rock Choir in 2005 and started teaching just 70 adults, and now there are 16,000 members taking part across the UK. It hadn’t really hit home just how much happiness Rock Choir was bringing to the members until I toured around the country last year to visit each location and watch them perform. Members would come and embrace me afterwards thanking me for changing their lives. It 52

Record makers: choir members during the recording of Rock Choir Vol 1 [this photo]; Rock Choir founder Caroline Redman Lusher [below left]

was an emotional experience for me – but reinforced that it is possible to make a difference and create something unique for people to believe in.

A recent study found that singing can improve physical and mental health. Do you think that’s true?

I’ve had a lot of feedback from members who have benefitted from Rock Choir and have experienced an improvement to their health. The basic improvement is general well-being – feeling more positive and happy, and loving life. Husbands often write in to me saying that Rock Choir has changed their wives – back to the happy,

The choir that rocks The genesis of the group was in 2005, when musician and singer Caroline Redman Lusher introduced a weekly singing session at Farnborough Sixth Form College, where she was teaching music and performing arts. The sessions proved so popular that Caroline, with the help of a loan from her father, launched a Rock Choir in her home town of Farnham in Surrey. The first meeting was a resounding success, with more than 70 people attending – even though there were only seats for 40. Word spread and the group grew. Within three years there were Rock Choirs in 12 locations across Surrey. In 2009 articles in the national press led to invitations for the Rock Choir to perform on a number of TV shows including BBC Breakfast and the Paul O’Grady Show. A multi-album deal with Universal Records was soon to follow, with more than 1,000 choir members recorded on Rock Choir Vol 1, this was followed by a special performance at the Hammersmith Apollo to which every single member of the choir was invited to participate. By 2010 membership was 5,000 strong across London and the Southeast. The time had come to expand and Caroline focused her efforts on establishing choirs throughout the UK. There was more media exposure in 2011 when ITV filmed a three-part documentary The Choir that Rocks following Caroline and her team as they established a new choir in Yorkshire and prepared for their biggest concert yet at Wembley Arena. The event raised more money for Rock Choir’s two official charities Refuge and Missing People. There are now 16,000 members right across the UK with rehearsals available in 160 locations. A ‘national phenomenon’? We think so.

light-hearted women they married years before… quite emotional and lovely feedback.

An increase in confidence is the most common improvement. It’s part of being safe in the Rock Choir rehearsal where everyone is equal, and involved in an entertaining, stress-free and exciting experience that is ‘time-out’ for everyone, away from their often stressful lives. This new found confidence often leads to weight loss, better relationships at home and a more productive work life. Then there’s the brain and the effect learning the songs and coordinating the dance routines has on it… something that might

prove tricky at first becomes natural and you realise that you don’t need to do a Sudoku everyday – you just need to download the Rock Choir harmonies and sing and dance around your living room.

Rock Choir has a domino effect, the first step is for the members to come into the rehearsal room and before you know it everyone’s happy. It’s amazing to watch.

How do you get such a professional sound from amateur singers?

The Rock Choir members aspire to be great performers. The secret is confidence and the key to building their confidence

Get involved Rock Choir offers people of all ages the chance to sing pop, Motown and gospel – there is no audition process and members do not need to read music or have previous singing experience. Membership is £100 per term (three terms each year). There are also several branches of Teen Rock Choirs, specifically for younger people aged 10 to 18. You can give Rock Choir a try at one of the free taster sessions that the choir runs, simply go on the website and choose your local branch. For more details go to www.rockchoir.com

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MUSIC ROCK CHOIR is the approach the Rock Choir team takes to teaching and the way in which we communicate with the members from the front of the room. I am very particular about who joins the Rock Choir Music Team. Being able to care, nurture, inspire and lead are four key characteristics the Rock Choir Leaders must have, as well as the high standard of music skills and teaching experience. Guiding and improving the skills of the Rock Choir members and making them believe they are good enough is very important and it takes someone very special at the front of the room to gain the trust of a group of people who have never been on stage before.

There seem to be more women than men in the choirs – is it a struggle to recruit men?

Everyone is welcome in Rock Choir but, yes, it does tend to attract more women than men. I’ve often tried to work out why. I used to think it was my choice of songs, being a fan of Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. I started to introduce songs by Phil Collins and Robbie Williams instead, but there wasn’t a significant increase in men because of it. I think a lot of our female members see Rock Choir as their precious time out each week – their husbands come home early from work and look after the kids leaving them to get dressed up and head for Rock Choir followed by a drink with their new friends afterwards. I do think more men should join though, and the ones we do have love it and the attention they get from the masses of female members around them.

In fact, there are a lot of single adults out there who might benefit from meeting a potential new partner in Rock Choir – a Rock Choir romance!

members from across the country coming together to sing was the most awesome experience of our lives. ITV followed us there filming for a documentary, The Choir That Rocks. The final episode really showed the sense of emotion and accomplishment that we went through together on that day. I’d certainly recommend that if you were interested in joining Rock Choir you might try and see the documentary or look on YouTube or our website for clips of Wembley just to get an idea of it all. If that didn’t work and you were still too shy to come, I’d probably phone you and say: ‘Life’s too short, join Rock Choir and sing your heart out!’

into nearby shops or back to reading their papers or drinking their coffee and not even looking around them to gauge a reaction. Everything is planned and well rehearsed, but on the day the one element of the performance we can’t control is the reaction of the public. This element of the unknown adds a double dose of adrenalin, which creates either a massive high at the end or an opportunity to fall into fits of laughter.

And are you planning anymore of these surprise performances?

I am planning lots of exciting events for Rock Choir members – locally and nationally. As for Rock Choir flash mobs – it would be shame to spoil the surprise, but if members of the public see anything advertised about Rock Choir locally to them across the UK on Sunday 25th March (Sport Relief Weekend) they should certainly turn up and see what’s happening.

“Everything is planned and well rehearsed, but on the day the one element of the performance we can’t control is the reaction of the public”

How would you convince a shy singer like me to give it a try?

Just experiencing Rock Choir at Wembley last summer would have been enough for you to want to be part of it – the electricity in the venue and all the 54

The sudden impromptu performances that you organise where choir members are milling about in a shopping centre and then suddenly start singing make for a great spectacle? Can you tell us bit more about them These impromptu performances are nicknamed ‘flash mobs.’ We choose a public place and plan a performance, but that performance takes place amongst a transient audience who are the public.

The public are there, going about their daily business and are startled by what looks like an impromptu performance by fellow members of the public. What they don’t know is that these people are in fact Rock Choir members who start to sing and dance to the shock and astonishment of onlookers standing right next to them. Should they join in?

How do they know the moves? Is this a joke? At the end, as the song finishes, the Rock Choir members immediately carry on behaving normally as if nothing had happened. That’s the bit I enjoy the most – they’re rehearsed to simply walk away

It feels like you’ve done everything – what’s left for Rock Choir?

There are hundreds of experiences I will continue to plan for the members. Maybe we will release another album, maybe we will film another TV show, but what’s most important is to maintain the roots of Rock Choir, that were my original reason for creating it in the first place; the members coming together each week for the fun rehearsals, the social interaction that this environment creates and the power of the music that locks it all together. The big crazy moments we have achieved in the past few years are amazing of course, but it’s the roots of Rock Choir that create the life force which allows us to flourish.

Last question – a tough one to finish – name your top three songs to sing in the choir and why you’ve chosen them?

A very tough question indeed – so many songs, so many brilliant song writers.

No 1: Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox. It is a beautifully crafted

Perfect harmony: Caroline (centre) joins Rock Choir members for a photo shoot

song with layers of different musical and rhythmic motifs that allowed me to create a complicated but hugely satisfying arrangement for Rock Choir. The members found it difficult at first but love it now they can perform it. I’m a big fan of Annie Lennox from her Eurythmics albums to her current albums – her voice is stunning. I’ve learned a lot from listening to her over the years and even wrote my university dissertation on her song writing skills.

No 2 Rock Choir song is Mr Blue Sky by ELO. The epitome of a feelgood, uplifting smile-on-your-face song… perfect to listen to first thing in the morning to get you going. I only wrote the arrangement recently and the members and audience loved it. It really reflects what Rock Choir is – happiness.

No 3 Rock Choir song is Tina Turner’s’ River Deep Mountain High.

A high-energy, brilliant song. There’s a section in the Rock Choir version of the song that I choreographed for the members that breaks down into a fast Latin American feel, building and building until it reaches the chorus again. The routine starts of gently and builds with the music, ending in a very sexy, glamorous way. The members love the wolf whistling they get from their husbands when that section starts.

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Taste the music Be Happy’s roving reporter joins a taster session I’ve dived with sharks, bungee jumped 300 feet off a crane and paraglided off a mountain, so I wouldn’t describe myself as the nervous type. But there’s no doubt that I felt a degree of trepidation as I entered the church where the Kingston branch of Rock Choir meets. I’m not sure what it is about singing publicly that makes me (and I’m sure many others) feel so vulnerable, but too late I was inside now – I would have to go through it. Looking around, I saw a sea of female faces – where were the blokes?! – before choir leader Jim Hawkins introduced himself. With a reassuring smile, Jim gave me a couple of song sheets and placed me in the bass section, flanked by another newbie and one of the more experienced choir members. I felt a little out of place not just because I was new, but because there were so few men – I spotted another two, amid about 50 women, sounds like a dream but I was feeling seriously disconcerted. Anyway, on with the singing.

Jim packed us all in close together and started off with a few simple exercises – making lots of oohs and aahs and fzz sounds. Then it was onto the song – a classic, River Deep Mountain High. First we sang ‘ooh’, moving from one to eight getting progressively higher and then lower. Jim gave each of the sections (sopranos, altos and bass) a different number which identified how deep or high we should sing. When the three sections sang together, suddenly we were singing in three-way harmonies – amazing!

And so it went on. We gradually made our way through the verses and before I knew it I was belting out the words. There’s something liberating about singing your heart out with a group of other people – it feels great – and the wall of sound we were creating genuinely sounded good.

So there I was thinking I’d nailed this, when Jim through a spanner in my works – the actions!

The actions are the little dance moves that accompany the singing – it’s only little sways or throwing your arm out in the right direction, but it was enough to throw me off my game. I had always thought I could dance, I’d even go so far as to say I’m a bit of a mover. But I’m afraid that based on my performance at Rock Choir, I need to have a serious look at my moves – I even had trouble swaying in time! But it didn’t matter, everyone seemed to enjoy the moves and there is no doubt they add something to what would otherwise be a static performance. So, by the end of the session, and with the next Rock Choir group arriving and watching on, we brought it all together.

Sounds and actions were in unison – and this hitherto reluctant newbie was singing his heart out: ‘River deep, mountain high – Yeah, Yeah, YEAH!’ If you’re thinking about trying out a taster session – do it, you’ll have a great time. And single guys, forget nightclubs and supermarkets, all the ladies are at Rock Choir.

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CITYA Coruña PROFILE

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ancy a weekend break in a city surrounded by water, with long sandy beaches on one side a bustling port on the other and packed with bars and restaurants in between? If so, A Coruña, the second city of Galicia on Spain’s northwest coast, could be the answer – it provides a very different experience to the Spain of the south, has excellent transport links with the rest of the country and is only an hour’s flight from London Heathrow.

Visitors to this part of the world often forgo the attractions of A Coruña (also known as La Coruña, and Corunna in English) in favour of the better known Santiago de Compostela – site of the cathedral where the interred remains of St James are a place of pilgrimage for Catholics (although many non-Catholics, agnostics and atheists now go on the pilgrimage). However, while Santiago is undoubtedly a fascinating place, A Coruña has much to offer and with its excellent travel links (the airport is only a 20-minute drive from the centre of the city), turbulent history and many bars and restaurants make for the perfect weekend break for visitors from other parts of Europe.

There are a few negatives – it’s a bit concretey in parts, the weather can be changeable and parking is horrendous – but the good stuff more than outweighs these quibbles. For a start, everything is so accessible, once in the centre of town it’s only a ten-minute walk from the port through the city centre out to the wonderful long beaches of Riazor and Orzán. The town itself has plenty to interest the traveller with much of the Old Town (Ciudad Vieja) still intact. Here you’ll find the Old Fortress, which has now been redeveloped into the Garden of San Carlos where Sir John Moore – a hero of the Peninsular War who died defending the city at the Battle of Corunna – is buried. You’ll also find the beautiful main square of María Pita, named after a heroine of the city who in 1589 defended the town against an English Armada led by Sir Francis Drake. Plaza de María Pita houses the City Hall and is a wonderful open space lined with restaurants and bars.

A Coruña’s most famous landmark has to be the lighthouse of the Torre de Hércules (Tower of Hercules). Set upon an isthmus jutting out to sea, the Torre has guided ships through the treacherous waters of the Costa da Morte (the coast of death) since Roman times. This World Heritage Site remains an operational lighthouse (the oldest is existence), as well as being the 56

cultural highlight of a weekend.

The bus network is comprehensive and easy to use, but visitors can also make use of a tram that operates during the summer months, the route takes you along the coast. Alternatively, you can walk the Paseo Maritimo (maritime walk), this broad path is over 9km long and is well worth taking the time out to visit. Not only is it a pleasant walk but you get a real sense of the scale and history of the city.

On the port side of town you’ll be able to see the galerías – glazed window balconies for which this part of A Coruña is famous. Should you get the chance to approach the town by sea, they make for an impressive spectacle with the light shining on the glass. There are also a number of museums in the town, which have

“You’ll find a multitude of small bars, which although packed with customers always seem to have space for a few more” reasonably priced entrance fees and are worthy of a visit. These include the Castle of San Antón Archaeological Museum, Casa das Ciencias science museum and the Domus, a museum dedicated to the study of humans, there is also very good aquarium Aquarium Finisterrae.

The true heart of the city lies in the streets lined with tapas bars and restaurants. You’ll find a multitude of small bars, which although packed with customers always seem to have space for a few more. The streets in and around Calle Real and Calle de San Andrés begin to fill around 7pm as families go for a traditional stroll (pasear) around the town. Later, the bars become packed with customers eating local treats such as empanada (a local pasty), calamares a la romana (fried squid) and pulpo a la gallega (octopus).

The area is particularly noted for its seafood – don’t miss out on a plate of razor clams (navajas a la plancha) washed down with a glass of the excellent local wine Albariño. If your stomach is strong enough following an evening of partying at one of the many nightclubs near Riazor beach, nip back into town for a breakfast of churros con chocolaté – a thick hot chocolate served with long donuts sprinkled with sugar – yum!

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Coast to coast: clockwise from top left, a view of City Hall in Plaza de María Pita; the lighthouse of Torre de Hércules; the wide sweep of Orzán beach; boats in the harbour; a breakfast of coffee and churros; a pair of sailors pose with tourists; an unusual door knocker in Calle Real; a tall ship moored in the harbour – A Coruña is a regular destination on the Tall Ships race

Highlight Torre de Hércules – at 55m tall this 1,900 year old lighthouse at the tip of A Coruña is a must for any visitor to the city. A viewing platform at the top of the lighthouse is open to the public and offers fantastic views over the city. The visitor centre at the base of the tower explains the restructuring work that has taken place over the years and some of the many myths and legends associated with the lighthouse.

Travel Vueling Airlines (www.vueling.com) and Iberia (www.iberia.com) both offer flights from London Heathrow direct to A Coruña. Flights take approximately one hour. The centre of the city is about a 20-minute drive from the airport.

For more tourist information go to www.turismocoruna.com

Hotels Hesperia Finisterre +34 981 205 400 Meliá Maria Pita +34 981 205 000 NH Atlantico +34 981 226 500

When to go A Coruña has much to offer all year, but if you like a party then think about visiting during Easter week (Semana Santa) or in August when the city puts on a large number of fiestas complete with dancing, live bands and fireworks.

Don’t miss La Bombilla is a small tapas bar in the centre of town that is something of an institution in A Coruña – it’s always packed and offers great value. It’s not a place to stay for long – it’s too small – but a great bar to have a quick beer and a tapa before moving on. You’ll find it in Calle Torreiro between Rúa de San Andres and Calle Real.

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MY LIFE A

Would you like to contribute to My Life? Email your positive experiences to editorial@behappymagazine.co.uk

‘I was to get up at 4.00am and meditate for nine hours each day’ bout four years ago I wasn’t very happy. I was working I’ve noticed that the more aware of reality I’ve become, the less I three jobs, as I was saving for a Masters degree, which want to escape from it. I don’t want to go binge drinking anymore. meant that sometimes I worked more than 70 hours a I don’t want to distract myself from my experience so much. I gain week. I was living in Birmingham with my parents, while so much pleasure from simple things – chatting to a friend, looking all of my friends were having a great time in London doing at the sky, going for a walk, listening to music, sitting around doing jobs they liked and living in their own places. My life consisted of nothing – that I’m less interested in dashing around looking for the working extremely hard, being stressed, binge drinking, and not next new and exciting thing that I’ll be bored with in five minutes. much else. I was dissatisfied, and I started thinking that maybe I’ve realised that peace, happiness and satisfaction are not found in there was more to life. the gratification of a desire, but in the absence of desire in the first For reasons I can’t remember now, I bought a book on place – that true peace is the fading away of stress without having Buddhism. The ideas I read in it resonated more deeply than to gain anything. Learning to let go of selfish wants and desires is a anything I’d ever read before, and eventually led me to the delicious fruit of meditation. You learn to stop trying to get more Birmingham Buddhist of what you want and less Centre, where I learned to of what you don’t want, meditate. and just accept things as Not long after, on a trip they are. around Southeast Asia, Through meditating, I booked myself onto a I’ve got to know myself ten-day meditation retreat on a much deeper level at a forest temple in and have become aware Thailand. When I arrived, of unhelpful tendencies I was issued with white robes to wear and told and habits I have. I’ve noticed how I make the that I was to get up (from a tiny cell with only a same mistakes over and over again. But with straw mat on the floor) at 4.00am and meditate awareness comes choice – if you become aware for nine hours each day. I was not to speak, of how you habitually react in certain situations, read, write, listen to music, leave the temple, eat you can catch yourself in the act and choose to after midday or adorn my body with make up do something different. Breaking out of these or jewellery. Spiritual bootcamp. Ten days later I patterns of behaviour is a wonderfully liberating walked out of that place a completely different experience. person; and I haven’t looked back since.

My relationships have improved dramatically These days, I meditate most days for anything as well. Certain difficult relationships in my between 30 minutes to an hour. There are life that were previously the source of much two main practices I do: the ‘mindfulness of anger and pain are now actually enjoyable, breathing’ works with the mind, cultivating as I’ve learned to put my own needs and awareness, concentration, equanimity and calm; expectations aside, respond with compassion the ‘metta bahavana’ (or ‘loving kindness’) and communicate in more positive ways. My practice is more about working with the friendships now are deeper and more Go to www.freebuddhistaudio.com for emotions, cultivating loving kindness and meaningful than ever before, as I have downloadable MP3 guided meditations and positive emotional and mental states. This become less self-centred and better able to talks on meditation and Buddhism. For an practice helps to develop a kindly, positive communicate, being more able to articulate excellent online guide to meditation go to regard for yourself and others, regardless of and express my emotions. www.wildmind.org whether you like them or know them.

Meditation isn’t a quick fix though, and How has meditation changed my life? it’s not an easy ride. It won’t solve your It has totally transformed who I am and how I engage with the problems or make them go away. But it may enable you to face world. Something magic happens when you start meditating difficulties head on, fully aware of their heights and depths and regularly. It’s like you wake up from a sleep you didn’t know you implications, rather than try to bury them or turn away from were in. As you become more aware, it’s as if the volume of life them. You will almost certainly discover things about yourself is turned up – colours become brighter, food becomes tastier, that you don’t like. This can be a painful process, but once you’ve feelings become more intense, you start to notice things you never discovered them you can start to change them, start to break out noticed before and see things with a greater clarity. You start to of your limitations and live more fully, more freely, less driven by see more deeply into the true nature of things, and the superficial habitual patterns. This is a truly meaningful life – experiencing preoccupations you spent so many hours obsessing over just seem the joys and the sorrows as fully as possible. Which is, I think at to drop away. You start to engage with life on a much deeper level. least, definitely worth the bumpy ride. Kara Moses

“How has meditation changed my life?

It has totally transformed who I am and how I engage with the world”

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Inspirational ways to change your life

MARCH 2012 www.behappymagazine.co.uk

How to buy your own woodland

six of the best volunteer holidays

Photo Passion

Life behind the lens

IN TOUCH WIN! A HardnutZ HiVis Orange Road Cycle helmet worth £49.99 S

Go Diving

Wooded bliss

By Bronnie Ware ISBN 978-1-4525-0234-2

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uite a few ‘inspirational’ books have been published recently – but this one is a bit different. It’s partly a voyage of self-discovery for the author herself, and partly words of wisdom from some of the patients she worked with in palliative care.

The top five regrets of the dying included wishing that they hadn’t worked so hard, living true to their own hearts, finding the courage to express their feelings, keeping in touch with friends and allowing themselves to be happy. The book is beautifully written and shows great respect and love for all the patients. Bronnie Ware’s caring bedside manner guides most to find an inner peace before passing. If you read this book, as one lady points out: ‘You cannot go to your deathbed and say you wished you’d worked it out sooner. You are being blessed by all our mistakes instead’. The main message is that the only really important thing at the end of the day is love and ‘keeping it simple’. One word of advice – keep a pack of tissues on hand when you start reading.

Jane Morgan

ome serious beats are on the cards for the inaugural DJ Tour to Grenada organised

by Kalinago Resort. Featuring artists such as Choice FM’s Martin J, LiveLinq Sounds and Antz International from the UK supported by local talent, Explosion in the Sun runs from 6 to 20 June 2012 and includes a packed calendar of waterfall parties, barbecues, beach fests, catamaran cruises and river rafting – as well as plenty of music. Available from £1,090 per person including flights, accommodation, entry fees and all-inclusive drinks exclusively from SN Travel at www.SNTravel.co.uk

RICE PUDDING

In the first of a series of recipes that we can’t resist, MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace serves up a delicious dessert

‘R

ice pudding is the ultimate in comfort food. To get really creamy rice pudding, the trick is to use whole milk and cream, and bake it slowly. Any dish that can be eaten with a spoon is comfort. Rice pudding is creamy hot and sweet, dive in and float away. I love it!’

SERVES 6 100g PUDDING RICE 15g BUTTER, softened 50g CASTER SUGAR 1–2 tsp PURE VANILLA EXTRACT 1 litre WHOLE MILK 150ml DOUBLE CREAM 1 Preheat the oven to 140ºC (275ºF/ Gas 1). Rinse the pudding rice under cold running water and leave to drain.

3 Mix the vanilla in the milk, to taste. Pour half over the rice, stir well, cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

The new cookbook, MasterChef Everyday, is out now (dk.com £20). Gregg will be appearing at the BBC Good Food Show Spring launching at Glow, Bluewater this April. Visit BBCGoodFoodShow. com or GlowBluewater.co.uk for more information.

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15

back to basics PHOTOGRAPHY

Coast’s Andy Torbet launches into action

PLUS: City Profile - A Coruña • MONTY HALLS • GREGG WALLACE • My Life • Join the Rock Choir

report by Woodlands.co.uk has highlighted the positive benefits that owners of small woodlands can have on the management of UK woods. The company, which creates and sells small woodlands, surveyed private owners to find out more about their motivations for buying their woods and what benefits they had found in becoming woodland owners.

The resounding message that came back from the owners was a passion for their woods and a desire to preserve them for future generations. Even though prices for woods have risen by more than 50% in the past three years, there was no desire on the part of the owners to cash in. In fact, not one of the owners surveyed was planning to sell their wood in the foreseeable future and more than three quarters planned to pass the woods onto future generations of their family.

So if it’s not for financial gain, then why are more and more people buying woods?

Unsurprisingly, almost all said that their love of wildlife was an important factor in buying their woods and this is borne out by figures which show that over the last ten years Woodlands.co.uk owners have planted more than 220,000 new trees, built more than 10,000 dead wood log piles (insect habitats), put up 3,800 nest boxes, dug 350 ponds and installed 350 bee hives. There is also a strong interest in restoring woods to their native condition by replacing conifer with broadleaf trees.

Angus Hanton of Woodlands.co.uk

Latch Wood, Kent 7 ½ acres, £55,000 Latch Wood is a classic ancient woodland with some fine mature oaks, along with hornbeam, hazel, holly, hawthorn and birch and shows off a wonderful display of bluebells in spring.

says: ‘In today’s fast moving society it’s great to hear that there is a desire to gain a window on the outdoors – free from the many constraints of modern life. Being in a wood, with the sights, smells and sounds of nature, is a great way to get away from it all. These owners are building an emotional connection with their piece of woodland and conserving it for the benefit of us all.

‘In this report we uncover an army of unsung conservationists who together are safeguarding more than 12,000 acres of woodland for future generations. Taking large pieces of land into government or

charity ownership is not the only way to conserve our woodlands; individuals can undoubtedly play their part too.’

How to buy a wood A typical woodland costs about £35,000 for five acres (about the size of two football pitches) and you’ll find them advertised for sale on various websites such as Woodlands.co.uk. The process is relatively simple but you will require a lawyer to go over contracts, land registry and oversee the exchange of money.

It’s much like buying a house, although considerably less stressful as you won’t be

involved in a chain. In terms of finance, there are several options available if you’re not a cash buyer. You can borrow against your own residential property, invest part of your pension fund or even borrow against the woodland itself. Check out Woodlands.co.uk and the website of other sellers as they offer a comprehensive guide to the buying process.

Note that with sales of woodland you enter into a covenant which limits you from doing certain things with your woodland. For instance, without the appropriate permission you won’t be able to use the land for a commercial

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Bear Wood, Essex About 3 ½ acres, £39,000 An enchanting ancient woodland located close to the attractive village of Wickham Bishops.

As you approach Bear Wood along the woodland track you already get the feeling that you are somewhere special.

All woods listed above are available for sale at www.woodlands.co.uk

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Depth of field: pebbles on Marazion beach with St Michael’s Mount as the backdrop

Passion for photography

Already a successful photojournalist Jane Morgan has gone back to basics to study the finer points of photography. Here’s her guide to the art of capturing the best images

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s a teenager I attended a couple of photography sessions at a local school with a brilliant, flamboyant teacher called Sylvester. I’ll never forget the first thing he said to us in his soft American drawl: ‘Some people breathe, and some people take photographs’. A quarter of a century later I realise that never a truer word was spoken.

My first real attempt at photography was actually underwater with a 35mm marine camera and it was a baptism of fire! I was so busy fiddling with all the controls that I had drifted away from the reef and my diving buddy into blue water. I looked up and spotted something in the distance swimming towards me, it was my first ever sighting of a hammerhead shark. I couldn’t believe my luck. I thought: ‘Wow, my first ever shot will be a perfect hammerhead portrait.’ So I looked through the viewfinder waiting for it to fill the frame, but I was so excited that when I pressed the shutter nothing happened. I then inadvertently locked the shutter, unlocked it and tried again, and eventually got a picture of the tail as the unimpressed shark

swam away. So my first attempt was more of a ‘the one that got away story’, but I was well and truly hooked.

That was over 12 years ago now but I’m more addicted than ever. So much so that, even though I’ve been making a living through photo journalism for some years, I have enrolled as a slightly mature student onto a BA (Hons) degree course in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University in my quest to devour still more knowledge.

It’s the best thing I ever did. We’ve gone back to basics and I’m learning how to use 5x4 large format cameras and develop my own prints. Also I’ve been learning how to photograph plants through a microscope and light models correctly in the studios.

I sometimes wonder if there should be a warning on the on the doors of photographic shops… this equipment is highly addictive and could be a danger to your financial health. Then again the converted, or addicted, would buy it anyway just to feed the ongoing passion.

Photo: JANE MoRGAN

Reach for the sky

Trelawne Wood, Cornwall About 4 acres, £25,000 Trelawne Wood lies along the eastern arm of a large, T-shaped area of woodland which occupies a secluded valley, not far from the south Cornish coast.

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2 Use the butter to liberally grease the inside of 6 large ramekins on a baking tray, or a 1.4 litre ovenproof dish. Add the rice to the dish along with the sugar.

4 Mix the remaining milk and cream together. Remove rice from the oven, stir in the milk and the cream mixture, and bake for a further 1 hr–1hr 20 minutes or until rice is soft and swollen, the mixture is thick and creamy, and the top is lightly golden.

The pudding should wobble slightly when the dish is shaken.

Wades Wood, North Yorkshire About 4 acres, £39,000 Wades Wood is situated within the outstanding scenery of the North York Moors National Park and is a mixed woodland of almost 4 acres which offers a peaceful setting to escape the rigours of hectic modern living.

While the housing market fluctuates between unprecedented growth and a nervous drop in prices, sales of woodlands are on the rise with buyers looking for an investment in a better quality of life. Be Happy finds out what the attraction is

A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing

DJs head to the Caribbean S

Where to go & what to see

BUY YOUR OWN WOOD

THE TOP FIVE REGRETS OF THE DYING

pring is in the air and those of you who like to rest your road bikes during the winter will be oiling chains, adjusting seats and pumping up tyres. But, remember, it’s safety first, so enter our draw to win this HiVis Orange helmet… inspired by the ever present motorway workman, you’ll really stand out on the roads wearing this one! Features include a PC outer shell with impact-absorbing inner EPS, 13 reflective 3M Scotchlite panels, 360-degree ventilation, a removable visor and a dial-fit adjuster to ensure a proper fit. www.hardnutz.com To enter simply go to www.behappymagazine. co.uk and sign up for a free copy of the digital magazine and to double your chances go to our Facebook page at Be Happy Magazine and press ‘Like’.

The competition closes on the 15th April 2012.

ON THE MARKET K

LIFESTYLE

Comfort Food

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ADVENTURE ANDY TORBET sure that being the biology department’s unofficial social secretary meant they were kind to me when it came to marking the work.’

Andy’s military career began as a trainee fighter pilot in the Royal Navy, but after a few months of training decided that life as a pilot was not for him.

‘All the other recruits were desperate to fly, but I wanted to be on the ground sleeping in a ditch. I wanted to be a commando‚ I’d rather jump out of a plane than fly one.’

Nevertheless, he logged 25 hours of flying time before transferring to the Royal Marines where he started his officer’s course. However, just before his batch of recruits were to earn their green berets, Andy was involved in a life-changing accident. ‘We were on a training exercise and I, as the smallest in the group, was given the biggest guy to carry across an assault course. We fell off a platform. It was only 12 feet high but I smashed my lower vertebrae and was temporarily paralysed in the left leg.

‘At the time the situation didn’t seem that bad, but in retrospect it was a huge blow and I lost the plot a bit. I became quite aggressive because I missed the training. It wasn’t just psychological, it was chemical‚ I was missing the endorphins.’

He was left with a tough choice: give up his dream of being a soldier by being discharged on medical grounds with a pension or be classified as physically unsuitable for commando service but still be allowed to continue in a less physical role. Andy chose the latter, thinking that over time he would be able to prove himself fit for full commando service. When I put it to him that this was a brave choice, he gives a typically direct response. ‘I struggle when I’ve nothing to work for, but can be incredibly focused once I’ve got something to go for. I don’t do excuses. It’s easy to find excuses.

People blame school, the government, their parents for things that have gone wrong in their lives‚ and this might be true‚ but it’s your life and it’s up to you to change it.’

So, Andy set about changing his by enlisting in the Royal Engineers. It took him two years to prove himself medically fit and he then took the army diving course. ‘It was six weeks of being beasted [an army term for very hard physical training] senseless‚ mostly press ups and running,’ he says.

‘But it makes you mentally a lot stronger, and the soldier next to you wants to know that the guy next to him is mentally and physically fit. From then on his career progressed quickly, he had already served in Kosovo and Bosnia and was now a lieutenant.

With the question mark over his fitness gone he applied to P Company‚ the paratrooper selection course. It was the toughest four weeks of his life, stretching him to the limits. ‘It’s a nails course, it

Going solo: deep-water soloing on the Dorset coast. This a form of climbing where no ropes are used for protection or safety. But the climber ascends above deep water which should, if landed correctly, prevent a fatal accident

Integrity and creativity “I struggle when I’ve got nothing to work for, but can be incredibly focused once I’ve got something to go for”

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VOLUNTEERING

TOURISM WITH PURPOSE

HERE TO help PHOTO: MaRjORIE BaTTUdE/ EaRTHWaTCH

For those who want to do more than simply lie on a beach on their holidays, voluntary tourism or ‘voluntourism’ could make a refreshing change.

Not only will you have an exhilarating, enriching experience, but you’ll be helping improve lives.

Gill McDonald provides a roundup of the best trips

Wildlife conservation/ environmental The iconic French Alpine marmot is highly specialised to its environment, which is acutely sensitive to climate change. Join a research expedition which monitors the ability of this endearing creature to adapt. Set against the backdrop of the Alpine landscape, you will record biometric measurements, observe behaviour and identify family groups. You’ll share comfortable accommodation with the research staff, and you could also see ibex, chamois and some spectacular birdlife.

Expedition durations can be eight or 15 days from May to July and cost £1,395 or £2,195 respectively. Go to www.earthwatch.org/ europe or phone +44 (0)1865 318831.

Coral Cay Conservation is dedicated to helping protect and sustain coral reefs throughout the developing world. Non-divers are professionally trained as part of the experience, volunteers then undertake a well-established skills development program to train them for the subsequent survey dives. The Philippines project offers two to 16week stints. It is worth considering a longer stay as by the end of two weeks you are just ready to apply all you have learned. Accommodation is in small dormitories. Prices range from £825 to £3,685 depending on duration, and non-divers are charged an additional £100 for their training.

Coral Cay organises regular opportunities to meet and chat with past volunteers. Go to www. coralcay.org or phone +44 (0)20 7620 1411.

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UK

Family If you want to introduce the family to volunteering, but are not ready for a full on expedition, try a short taster.

Hands Up Holidays offers a good variety of tailormade packages. For example, the Incas & Amazons trip is a fantastic way to explore the ancient ruins and incredible culture of the Inca Empire in Peru, together with the lush tropical Amazon rainforest all wrapped round a four-day volunteer project where you live and work alongside local communities.

Activities include renovations, painting, gardening or teaching.

Go to www. handsupholidays. com or phone +44 (0)20 7193 1062.

Community GVI (Global Vision International) runs more than 100 community, environmental and education projects in 25 countries. One project in Cape Town, South Africa, aims to offer orphans and disadvantaged children educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

Training is provided on arrival and accommodation is in shared houses or apartments. Volunteers work with the children on weekdays, with weekends free to explore what is a beautiful city. Trips range from between two and 12 weeks with pricing from £995 to £2,495. Go to www.gvi.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1727 250250.

Long term VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) is involved in long-term partnership programs with local organisations that help poor people. VSO makes a point of liaising with these groups to understand what they need, and then works to find the right person to fill the role. For 50 years VSO has been recruiting individuals with a vision of eradicating poverty by giving people choice, providing opportunities to participate effectively in society, have access to education and healthcare and earn enough to feed and clothe their families. VSO solutions are longterm and sustainable, ranging in commitment from one to two years. Specific skills and experience are often invaluable for placements but are not essential.

Go to www.vso.org.uk or phone +44 (0) 20 8780 7500.

It’s not all about overseas adventures.

Volunteering in the UK can be just as rewarding and can easily be planned into a holiday.

BTCV has been running voluntary conservation events across the UK since the late 1950s. Its ‘Green Gym’ is a wonderful concept of combining health and fitness with helping the environment and improving the local surroundings. Most sessions last half a day and there are more than 70 Green Gyms across the UK. Among many other activities, BTCV also partners with businesses for employee action days.

Go to www.btcv. org or phone +44 (0)1302 388883.

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Photo: Andy torbet

projects has always been there.’

Andy was born in Irvine, South Scotland and raised on the northeast edge of the Cairngorm National Park between Aberdeen and Inverness.

With a forester and gamekeeper father, he was born to an outdoors life and for he and his schoolmates walking through the forest to school, snaring rabbits and bushcraft generally was a way of life.

A move to Aberdeen at the age of 12 did nothing to curb his enthusiasm for adventure, and he spent a lot of time with his uncle who was a passionate hillwalker and camper.

Inspired by the work of David Attenborough, Jacques Cousteau and particularly the Martha Holmes Sea Trek documentary, Andy joined the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) at 12, initially as a snorkeller and then qualified as a novice diver and then sports diver by the time he was 16. ‘When I joined BSAC, membership was £7 a year plus 50p a week subs. I would snorkel out and follow the divers below me. Then, when I started diving, I cobbled together some gear – it was all a bit rough and I wouldn’t recommend that anyone does the same. The worst thing was my wetsuit‚ it was made up of a pair of long johns and an ill-fitting woman’s jacket. I was always frozen‚ as a kid I was nails, there’s no way I could dive like that now.’

Climbing became another interest in his life.

At the time a teachers’ strike meant that no extra curricular activities took place at his school, but one teacher, a man called Wilson Moir who was one of the best climbers in the country, introduced Andy and a couple of schoolmates to the sport, setting up a training climb at the back of the school.

With an interest in all things adventurous, it’s no surprise that Andy was nursing an ambition to join the army, an ambition that was fuelled by his older brother, who joined the forces at 16. However, a couple of years later when Andy reached 16 and tried to join up himself, he was advised by the army recruitment officer to go to university and to then join as an officer.

‘I knew I was going in the army, so I thought I’d study something I really enjoyed rather than worry about something specific for a career. I quite fancied zoology and the University of Sheffield seemed to fit the bill as it was more concerned with natural history than the commercial side of zoology. I wasn’t interested in the impact of mites on crops, I wanted to learn about sharks, gorillas, tigers, eagles‚ cool stuff!’

A positive time at university, punctuated by a three-month trip working across Canada in which he got a job as a horseback trail guide even though he had never ridden before, led to a second-class honours degree. ‘I just scraped a 2.1‚ I’m pretty

Be Happy Publishing specialises in producing positive, high-quality editorial that keeps readers coming back for more.

We feature the best writers and photographers, and showcase their work using the highest standards of design and editing.

We work with leading brands to offer the best marketing opportunities and we endeavour to find and reveal the newest and most exciting stories and products.

Note: all prices exclude flights but include all accommodation, food, transfers, training and volunteer activities.

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INSPIRation

THE Minack THEaTrE Carved into the granite cliffs above Porthcurno in Cornwall, the Minack Theatre is a testament to the determination of one woman. Rowena Cade was well into her thirties when she decided to build a theatre in a gully above the Minack Rock. Assisted only by her gardener and his mate, she helped to cut and move granite to the site, which was on a slope above a sheer drop into the Atlantic.

Despite many setbacks, Rowena persevered with decades of work to create a successful and much-loved theatrical venue. In 1976, when she was well over eighty, Rowena gave the Minack Theatre to a Charitable Trust which maintains it today. She continued to take an active interest in the theatre’s progress until her death in 1983.

For a list of future performances go to www.minack.com

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Dive time: 16 minutes Water temperature: 23 ËšC Depth: 11 m Experience: Out of this world

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Suunto manufacture premium dive instrumentation for every type of diver whether you are newly qualified or a seasoned instructor.

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