Back in May 2018 on a club trip to Weymouth, I managed to flood my camera system… After managing to save the camera after getting it into rice and drying it out and purchasing a replacement housing, I continued with underwater photography but then one day the camera made an horrific grinding noise and it was no more… so time to reassess and move on.
 
So, back in July 2019 the camera decided on was the Cannon G9X and housing being the Fantasea FG9X

​Specification of the Fantasea FG9X :-

• Depth rated to 60m / 200ft
• Shock resistant
• Double O-Ring seal
• Special mount for lighting accessories
• Removable double fibre optic cable connection
• Removable anti-glare hood over the LCD screen
• Removable flash diffuser
• FREE moisture detector, hand strap and lens port cover
• Easy and secure installation of camera
• Labelled controls for comfortable operation
• Compatible with a wide range of underwater photo accessories
• Housing made for the Canon Powershot G9X and the G9X Mark II digital cameras
• Lens port features a 67mm thread
• Weight (without camera on land): 619g
• Weight of housing with camera underwater (salt water): 74g
• Dimensions (without accessories): 15.7 x 11.6 x 10.3 cm \ 6.18 x 4.57 x 4.1 inch (W x D x H)
• Manufacturer’s warranty included

The moisture detector kept activating and in keeping with all of the ‘rules’, left the camera and housing outside of the atmosphere we were working in until we got home to investigate.  A few investigations later, no fault found except the sensor did not look quite right (yes, we did take the outer covering off) … Quick phone call to the supplier who has agreed to replace.  Great customer service
 
So, had to give in to prescription lenses in my mask so that I can see the pictures that I am taking, particularly as the passion is nudibranchs…. But that has been the only downside to the ‘new setup’.
 
It’s easy to use, easy to setup (wasn’t any – just the camera) and now just need to continually improve my photography eye to get those magical memory pictures, maybe a re-read of the Underwater Photography manual - now a days available via online elearning.

Congratulations to two of our Dive professionals (Tracey and Bridget) who have been 'awarded' elite instructor status for 2019.

I do not want to take anything away from achieving this status and it is nice to be recognised, but an instructor is nothing without their Divemaster, our surface support teams and most importantly our students BUT it has raised a question amongst our Professional Dive Team, just what is an Elite Instructor.

The answer to the question depends on who you ask, but that could also boil down to what is diving?

Here at Dive Rutland yes, we have had two elite 50 instructors in 2019.  To us elite is not a numbers game, but an ethos that we fully embed in our 5 star Instructor Development Centre centre.

We strive to be the best professionals that we can be and 2019 saw personal and professional development through training for our club trip to Scapa Flow,  some of our professionals crossing over to be RAID instructors, all while also growing outside of simply diving learning more about exploration, ecological issues, and even a bit of geographic research.

We put our heart and souls in to each course that we teach, enthusing divers and inspiring others to join into the wonderful underwater world.  We support school activities that do not get logged with PADI, inspiring marine biologists, scientists, and future astronauts as that is what we believe our role is - TO INSPIRE.. it only takes one of the students from our many activities to be the next Jacques Cousteau, the next David Attenborough or even Neil Armstrong to name but a few.

​At the end of each year we take stock of the DIVERS we have made and the children we have inspired.

​That is why we teach. 

But lets not take anything away from our Elite Instructors but also recognise it as it is - a team recognition of a GREAT TEAM or should that be AMAZING TEAM.