December 2008 saw a dive trip with a difference – in landlocked Brussels! Why Brussels? Because it is the home of Nemo 33, the world’s deepest indoor swimming pool for divers at almost 35m deep. What is more, non diving friends and other halves can watch the fun through large plate glass windows from the comfort and safety of the bar...

Appropriately enough for a silver anniversary event, 25 members of Stortford Divers made their way to Brussels in the first weekend of December. Amongst them was John Balmain, second to qualify in the first intake of trainees in 1984. At the other end of the scale, George and Roz Petch and Andy and Kay Eardley are among the newest members, having trained in 2008.

Diving Nemo 33 is a pretty unusual experience! The huge tank has a range of different levels including a well almost 35m deep, a tunnel at about 10m and several air pockets to surface in and have a chat. There are also several large plate glass windows into the cocktail bar on one side of the tank and the restaurant on the other.  These were great fun as divers and non-diving friends alike could take photos and pull faces at each other...

Over the last 25 years Stortford Divers has had many memorable diving and social events. This trip combined the two in a truly unusual way, and all present agreed it was a triumph: well done Phil for making it happen! Roll on the New Year!