A blind man has conquered his disability to plunge into the underwater world of scuba diving.<\/p>\n
Robert Ainsley-Raffel was born blind but that hasn\u2019t stopped the have-a-go Geordie making a splash with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC).<\/p>\n
They have helped the 25-year-old from Hexham complete his training in a swimming pool with flying colours and now Robert is looking forward to his first open water dives and passing his Ocean Diver qualification.<\/p>\n
Not that Robert, who lives with his parents on a remote farm in between Corbridge and Hexham, Northumberland, has ever let his disability stop him tackling a challenge.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, he was educated at mainstream schools and attended agricultural college, where he obtained a national diploma as a land-based technician.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s passing his dive theory with a 100 per cent pass mark and completing his confined water dives in a swimming pool, a necessary part of the Ocean Diver qualification, that has given Robert the biggest thrill.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI haven\u2019t got a problem being blind – it’s other people that aren\u2019t prepared to step outside the box and find a way around problems that I have the biggest trouble working with.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat certainly wasn\u2019t the case with the British Sub-Aqua Club\u2019s (BSAC) Regional Coach Dave Lucas. Right from the start he was prepared to give it a go and train me.<\/p>\n
“Dave put me onto Cormeton, a BSAC school. I spoke to them and they actually got Dave involved with my training.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDave has been fantastic. Instead of putting up barriers he took the attitude that we had to find a way around problems instead of just giving up and saying it can\u2018t be done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe even used a white stick as a guide while diving in the pool, it stopped me banging my head!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Instructors from Cormeton and the Tegional Coaching team taught\u00a0 me the theory side of things and I passed the exam with a 100 per cent pass mark. The pool sessions were magic and, although I might have taken a bit longer to get things worked out, I had no trouble getting everything sorted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mary Tetley, the Chief Executive of BSAC, is hugely impressed with Robert’s can-do attitude.<\/p>\n
She said: “Robert is a remarkable individual who is an inspiration to us all.<\/p>\n
“We are absolutely delighted that we are helping him achieve his ambition of becoming a qualified Ocean Diver.”<\/p>\n
Robert says he gets frustrated at the lack of work opportunities available to him as a blind person – but he’s hoping to qualify as a plumber.<\/p>\n
He has already passed the first two sections of a City and Guilds plumbing course at college and in his spare time he trains and races a greyhound he, tongue in cheek, named Bright Eyes.<\/p>\n
But he says his achievements don\u2019t mean anything to him as he\u2019s not a stereotypical blind person.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI was born blind. Basically I didn\u2019t have any retinas in my eyes so that was that. Nowadays, things have moved on and if I was born today they might have been able to do something.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, all the nerves and stuff in my eyes have, basically, been absorbed back into my body so there\u2019s no hope now. It really doesn\u2019t bother me being blind anyway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to BSAC Regional Coach Dave Lucas, teaching Robert has been a brilliant experience.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cCormeton,\u00a0 a BSAC school, agreed to help Rob and take him through his Ocean Diver. I was asked to go along and work with the schools\u2019 instructors to get Rob through his qualification.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did lots of Rob\u2019s pool training with him which was challenging and fun. The traditional methods of demonstration obviously have to be adapted for a blind diver.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe solution was often a good briefing followed by a session where Rob was moved into the required positions like a life-sized action man until he realised what was required.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has successfully achieved all of his pool training including forward roll entries into the water! Training Rob has always been challenging, fun and rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone involved has learnt so much, luckily Rob is really gifted and he picks things up quickly and is eager to learn. He has a fantastic sense of humour and has to be admired for his courage in tackling such a sport considering his lack of any sight. He\u2019s a real star!\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert added “I\u2019m happiest diving and I can\u2019t wait to finish my Ocean Diver certificate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe British Sub-Aqua Club and especially Dave Lucas have been terrific. It\u2019s just magic when people are prepared to work around a little problem, such as blindness, to come up with a solution.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will never be put off by a challenge and don\u2019t see why I can\u2019t try anything I want to. I know someone will always bang on about health and safety but sometimes you just have to think outside the box and come up with a solution.\u201d<\/p>\n