And Now For Something Completely Different…

Mark Webster · Issue 49, Jul/Aug 2009 · pp. 51–55

Products mentioned: Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Subal ND20, Subtronic Mini flash guns, 10-17mm fisheye zoom, 18-200mm zoom, 18-35mm zoom

The title of this piece will mean something to those of us who have reached a certain vintage, particularly in the UK. The phrase comes from an early 1970’s comic series ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ which enjoyed cult status and still makes an occasional comeback even overseas. If you remember this then you will also remember the early days of Red Sea diving when there were no facilities and a trip entailed Land Rovers, camping in the open on the beach and of course diving from the beach only. Obviously these were great character building days which we enjoyed (I think) until the appearance of the first live aboards which gave us greater access to the offshore sites and kept the sand off our O rings. Diving from the beach was great fun but was quickly forgotten with the convenience of live aboard diving, but I have often wondered how the beach diving experience would compare today. Man…