Go Diving Show Report 2024

The first weekend of March brought the Go Diving Show in Stoneleigh near Coventry. This event is a combination trade show, dive seminar and general get together for the whole UK diving industry, training agencies and divers. 

 Although not as much about actually flogging equipment at the show as it used to be all the major manufacturers were there and it gave a great opportunity to poke and prod at the merchandise in a way you just can't do with an online shop.  A few distributors such as Andark and Sea & Sea were there and doing a roaring trade.

There was a top notch lineup of 30+ speakers on 4 stages including Monty Halls, Miranda Krestovnikoff, Andy Torbet, Jarrod Jablonski, Simon Rogerson, Leigh Bishop and lots of tecchies talking about strange and interesting diving projects.

 Monty Halls was as entertaining as usual describing his 5 top dives ever and Generation Sea Change, which supports grassroots marine conservation efforts.  He is also working on a film about the return of the bluefin tuna to the English channel, which will be a 'must see' when it comes out later this year.  Miranda Krestovnikoff spoke about family diving and Leigh Bishop did a presentation on artefacts retrieved (legally) from English Channel wrecks.

Mid Herts had 13+ people visiting and I'm sure we left plenty of grubby fingerprints over the XDeep, Custom Divers, Apeks, Kent Tooling and many other stalls.  Many were consumed with lust at the sight of the new SEAL drysuit on the XDeep stand, then consumed with nausea when they saw the price tag!  Regardless, the show drew plenty of fiduciary blood with your author laying down the mooloah for a new computer and Richard M treating himself to a shiny new drysuit.  The equipment team also did much stubble scratching over new compressor options for the club.

There was a portable pool for various try dive options and our own James S took the plunge to try sidemount diving.  Unfortunately, having said there was no need to bring a suit the organizers omitted to tell him the pool was stone cold and basically straight out of the tap.  I think he found the experience rewarding but it was hard to tell due to his funny colour and chattering teeth afterwards!

All in all it was a great event, reasonably priced and easy to get to.  Highly recommended for next year.