What
is Dive The Dream?
|
THE
DREAM: |
THE DREAM BEGAN IN A LOUD IRISH PUB IN CENTRAL LONDON.... We were having the universal drunken conversation about Life, The Universe and Everything and soon started ranting on the possibilities for our future together. Our minds were buzzing with excitement (or hops); ridiculous dreams and ideas for the future were hurriedly scribbled on soggy paper napkins. IMPOSSIBLE ADVENTURES SEEM SO ACHEIVEABLE AFTER A FEW PINTS OF CAFFERY'S! Next Morning, hungover, groggy, we scrambled to find that soggy paper napkin and have somehow managed follow the dream through.
It
took two years to turn that 'pub'-dream into reality and even then we didn't
have enough money. Charlie started and, 15 months later, ended a promising
career in the world of Advertising. The
dream took hold and was powerful enough for her to resist any promises of
promotion. Mark went 'loco' and ended up on a Spanish Fishing Trawler in
the Mid North Atlantic determinedly earning his pot of gold as an EU Fisheries
Observer. While working full time, the evenings, early mornings and weekends
were spent begging sponsors, chasing magazines, newspapers and radio stations,
selling souls and creating this website. We would like to apologise
to families and friends for our behaviour before we left. We admit that
we have been completely anti-social in our desperation to save pennies.
DIVING
PAGES This
is first and foremost a 'diving' website. The diving pages contain valuable
information for your own future diving adventures. The pages give impartial
write ups on the dive sites and centres visited along the way including
general dive facts eg. water temperature/visibility/best diving seasons
etc... Many thanks to all the dive centres who sponsored our dives along
the way. We obviously couldn't have done this without them. Click on the
picture (right) to take you to our route map and dive destination pages.
NB. If you have visited these areas or others that you would like us
and other divers to know about, please send us an email or leave a message
in the Guestbook.
ADVENTURE
PAGES
These pages document a few of the overland adventures in
'Truck' including breakdowns, costs and problems encountered en-route.
If you're thinking of embarking on a similar adventure, read the information
on border crossings/ visas and road blocks to save yourself a lot of bother.
PREPARATION
PAGES
These
will take you through the boring but necessary specifics of planning such
a trip. From choosing and rebuilding the vehicle
through to insuring a Carnet de Passage and Shipping
the vehicle across the water. Research
and Equipment Pages will give you an idea of the time and funds needed
to plan for such a trip. It is a bloody hard slog planning, re-planning,
reading, re-reading, chasing sponsors, re-chasing.... Ignorance is bliss
they say, and they're right. If we had known what we were letting ourselves
in for, we would never have got this far....
WHY
DIVETHEDREAM WEBSITE?
We
wanted to share our adventures and experiences with anyone who wanted
to know about them. Diving is expensive enough, so we wanted this to be
free information for all. (No, before you ask, we're not making any money
from this. We got the 'once in a lifetime' chance to dive everywhere,
remember!) Unsure as to whether the idea would take off , We have been
pleasantly surprised. Since the website began in July 1999; its mailing
list members have increased steadily and its design has drastically
changed thanks to constructive visitor feedback.
FEEDBACK We want to hear your ideas, comments, suggestions for any improvements to the site. Please email us at mc@divethedream.com
JOIN THE FREE MAILING LIST FOR REGULAR UPDATES FROM AFRICA
GUESTBOOK The forum has now been scrapped as people are mainly sending in their comments on this website. Now we've turned it into a guestbook, where you can leave you comments and suggestions for improvements to this website. Many thanks for your interest in Dive The Dream. Click here to leave a message in the Guestbook.
MARINE
CONSERVATION SOCIETY
Marine Conservation Society
- we are trying in any way possible to help the MCS by keeping our eyes
and ears open along the way and reporting any marine issues that concern
their valuable campaign to Save Our Seas.
Click here to be taken to MCS website and discover how you can contribute to Saving Our Seas.
Add this site to your list of favorites and stay in touch.