Training in the old days

ONCE UPON A TIME in the first year of the second reign of Queen Margaret it came to pass that the undersea men decideth that all villagers and dwellers in the hamlets of the south that desireth shouldst receive instruction in the art of life under the sea. 

Therefore it came to pass that after the season of the harvest that a great multitude gathered at the lake at Totnes for a "Cometh and trieth evening." Each one of the great multitude didst hold hands with one of the undersea men and walk about on the bottom of the lake. And lo the great multitude spake unto the undersea men with one voice and they declareth that it was very good. And lo the undersea men from thenceforth didst call the great multitude by a new name: train knees. So it came to pass that every half of the week the train knees didst assemble at the lake at Totnes for instruction and thence at the centre of the meadow by the brook for ale and great study. 

Firstly King Neptune didst cause a great wailing and gnashing of teeth amongst the train knees for he toldeth them of the great price of a new breathing barrel and coat of mail. Anon Captain Nautilus spake of a beasty that we couldst hunt that wouldst ease the cost; the beasty was called "secondandgearingoodnick" but alack we were hard pressed to even see this rare beasty. Verily we learned much at the hands of the undersea men, even how to play hunt the squid on the night of the sabbath. 

Therefore by springtime we had started to practise walking about in the sea which we are enjoying muchly. Hence if I might presume to speak for all of the train knees mayest I convey to all of the undersea men a deep and sincere Thank You.

Anon - 1984

Martin Cox runs a try-dive session in 1985