DAY 3

SUNDAY, MAY 3

Dominic Lovett

The last few days have been some of the best I’ve had since my accident. To be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect here in Florida but I knew that I was going to be ingood hands with Fraser in charge and Steve, Matt and my carer Marianne looking after me.

On the first morning, I couldn’t wait to get started with diving, even though I knew it might be difficult. I got all the instructions from Fraser and Ray Cook, who has been in personal charge of me in the water. Then it took nearly half-an-hour for everyone to get me into my wetsuit, which was very tight as obviously I hadn’t used it before.

In no time at all I was in the water and had on my special mask provided by the Oceanic company. I don’t quite know what all the figures in the ‘heads up’ display in the mask mean, but I know the important ones.

When the time came for me to go under the water, I was completely calm and in control of myself. I found the breathing easy and had no problems with my ears.

I loved the sensation of being in the water and not having to come up for breath, but the best was yet to come. Dean Vitale had given me the instructions about his Pegasus Thruster, a kind of miniature propellor which looks like something out of a James Bond film. When it was strapped on to my back I found I could control it using the small movements that I still have in my arms.

Off I went, and I have to tell you it was just an awesome feeling being able to move under the water and go where I wanted to go.

I felt a real sense of achievement, and it was even better when I went into the deep pool at the Jacob’s Aquatic Center. Going down 12 feet, I knew that I could achieve my ambition of diving at sea. I’ll just have to wait for calm weather.

All my American instructors and helpers – Ray, Ted, Dean and Merissia – have been great, and I couldn’t have done it without them and Fraser.

The other part of this trip which I have enjoyed the most is meeting all the guys from the Wounded Warriors and Eagle Divers. They served in the Forces just like us, and there’s been a real bond between us all right from the first night we met at RibDaddy’s restaurant.

We have so much in common, and I have also been amazed at the friendliness of everyone here. The bestexample was yesterday’s parade, a motorcade all the way up to Key Largo. Thousands of people came out to see us, waving their Stars and Stripes and Union Jacks. It was pretty humbling to know that so many people cared about us all, and some of our guys were quite emotional about it all.

The local branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars association hosted us last night for a steak dinner, and Martin and Steve did the entertaining again, though the best ‘turn’ was Alex, an American veteran of World War Two who is 88-years-old and sang his song word perfect – which is more than Martin and Steve did!

Last night we all went out to sample the local night life and had a couple of beers, and met up with our American friends and met some local girls. They were really friendly but I don’t know how much more we can see of them.

Today the weather is not quite good enough for a dive at sea, so I’m going back to practise with the Pegasus Thruster in the deep pool at Jacob’s Aquatic Center, where there’s also a swimming pool for competitions and flumes and things for kids. We should have plenty places like that back home.