boring and stupid questions about diving in the UK

[Antmany2k]

Wraysbury? Are you not in Brighton? There are a couple of lakes in Kent too, but you have the sea!

i am in worthing which is half an hour along the coast. the sea is closer (i can walk to it) but Wrasbury is where the LDS hold all their drysuit training and most of their other training and dive trips. in the summer they do trips out of brighton on a boat. but to begin with until i get used to it maybe a like would be safer than letting me loose in the sea

Be realistic about your commitment. If you ha be a new house and need to spend time and money on it then buying a lot of kit may not be possible, getting time to go diving may be hard. We loose lots of divers to big weddings, new houses and job commitments.

i bought a flat recently and i have decorated and furnished it with a pot left over for any unforeseen problems and i can't seem to get a girlfriend let alone married lol so i can dive once or twice a month if i want to just need to take that jump to get into it.

If you are going you need to be able to deploy a DSMB, dive in current, and used to UK wreck diving.

If you plan to dive in the UK, then a drysuit is a must. Yes it is possible to dive in a wetsuit in the UK, especially during the summer months. But you will cool down, and this makes the second dive less likely. Anyone who dives regularly in the UK will use a drysuit. This is because despite the add issues with drysuits (which are not as bad as people sometimes make out), you are far more comfortable and warmer. So if you plan to dive Scapa, you need to be comfortable in a drysuit.

i can deploy a DSMB i was taught it in Lanzarote, though in perfect conditions, not sure if i could do it in murky water while being battered by a current. having done all my dives abroad i have only dealt with good vis and the odd current. this is thing, i think diving UK will boost my skills and make me a better and safer diver but i am not sure if i am skilled enough to dive in the UK at the minute due to only diving in easy to dive places. it seems a waste not too when the sea is on my door step

as for a wetsuit in UK - no thanks!!! even in summer you are going to get cold either in the water or when you get out. might as well get a drysuit and stay snug.

 

[UFOrb]

i am in worthing which is half an hour along the coast. the sea is closer (i can walk to it) but Wrasbury is where the LDS hold all their drysuit training and most of their other training and dive trips. in the summer they do trips out of brighton on a boat. but to begin with until i get used to it maybe a like would be safer than letting me loose in the sea

Ocean View in Lancing? They've always been really friendly and helpful when I've popped in or called. bought some gear from them but haven't dived with them ... yet

 

[Antmany2k]

Ocean View in Lancing? They've always been really friendly and helpful when I've popped in or called. bought some gear from them but haven't dived with them ... yet

yeah, they are my closest since i moved from Brighton. have only been once but they seemed helpful and i think if i do do my drysuit course i will do it with them as they seem friendly and have good reviews

you from around that area?

 

[UFOrb]

you from around that area?

I'm in Brighton (Hollingdean). Ocean View have also just taken over the shop in the marina, which you may know was previously The Brighton Dive Centre - handy for me. They still do all their courses out of Lancing though. I'll probably use them for any further courses I do too. Was going to do Nitrox with them in April, but I've just bought a BCD, as well as recent DC & video light purchases, so may have to reel things in a bit before the Mrs goes nuts at me
I wont really need Nitrox for my next trip anyway.

Good on ya for looking into drysuit training. I'd like to dive round here but haven't got round to it yet. Unfortunately, except for holidays, I don't really get time as my young kids take up so much of my time (and energy!) ... I'll rephrase that, if I didn't have my wonderful children that I want to spend all my free time with, I'd have more time for my hobbies

Good luck with your continued diving adventures. Ya never know, we might bump into each other sometime.

Btw, cool avatar

 

[Antmany2k]

@UFOrb yeah i know hollingdean, i used to live near preston park. i didn't know Ocean view had taken over the Brighton Dive centre. what BCD did you go for? i feel for you on the Mrs thing. my ex said she thought diving was a waste of time and money and i couldn't even convince her to do a try dive.

it just seems daft to have all this sea and not dive it but i must admit i am not 100% sure about it. i think Nitrox is something i will do but not for a while. i am currently a holiday diver but i just find its not really enough and i need to dive more. haha kids will do that to you, my god kids wear me out and i only have to see them a couple of times a week. i think full time would ruin me.

thanks and good luck to you too, yeah you never know

cheers, its my party piece i keep an old pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap in my leg bag when i dive and during the safety stop i take my mask off and put those on so when i surface it confuses the people on the shore/boat/wherever

 

[UFOrb]

@Antmany2k So which pubs did you drink in? When I do get let out I'm generally found in the Cleveland or around Hanover these days, but we usually go to the Park View, Preston Park Tavern or Open House as a family & friends thing.

Well the BCD is a storey that played out here on SB a little. I originally ordered a Zeagle Express Tech thinking it came with a 24lb bladder (as that's what it said on the website and was told when I called the shop (not Ocean View)) but found it actually comes with a 44lb bladder, which is really big. It'll possibly be ok for single alu tank warm water diving but seems overkill and some have said there could be issues with getting all the air out and general untidy floppiness. I looked into it a bit more and found that although it comes with a 24 wing in the US, due to the 24 wing not having CE certification, it cant be sold in the EU so we get the 44lb wing...shame. Anyway, I ordered a Scubapro Litehawk to compare it which arrived this morning and one will be going back, but I think the Litehawk looks slightly easier to pack, and it works out cheaper where I got them from too after adding crotch strap, padding, trim weight pockets etc for the ET. The ET does look like a great bit of hardwearing kit though

One of the reasons I ordered the ET was because its a one size fits all and my wife would've used it too as we now tag-team dive cos of the kids. But she doesn't want use it now cos of the size of the wing ... she said she looks like a Manta in it (she's tiny). Sorry, it's your thread and I'm talking about my BC issues!

I know what you mean about feeling unsure about diving in UK, I feel the same. We're holiday divers but I miss diving so much when we're here and really feel the need to feed an addiction. Since we learned to dive in 2012 every single one of our holidays has been planned around diving, oh except skiing a couple of years ago! We're off to SE Asia in May and I'm already thinking about the Canaries in October half-term

 

[UFOrb]

its my party piece i keep an old pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap in my leg bag when i dive and during the safety stop i take my mask off and put those on so when i surface it confuses the people on the shore/boat/wherever

Awesome!

 

[Gareth J]

I would strongly recommend you go along to a few BSAC branches.
As I said previously, I know there is one in Brighton.

BSAC branches are members clubs. If you are a member (paid your branch membership fee and BSAC membership fee), they will take you diving and train you for free.

There are potentially additional fees, for fuel for the boat, training packs etc. But generally, BSAC branches are very cost effective. Branch fees vary, dependent on what they have to offer. Some will have boats, some will have compressors, some will have club houses. Some will have almost nothing. An active branch is a good way to get cost effective diving and training done. With the advantage of a good few potential dive buddies.

If you are looking to go to Scapa, then you are more likely to achieve this with a branch, who will book the complete boat.

Here's a link to the BSAC branch finder. You can add criteria, like boats and compressor if you wish.

A good BSAC branch will welcome you regardless of the qualification you hold. Many branch members started with PADI or other diving organisations, and have added BSAC qualifications to their list. If you already hold a PADI OW qualification, you can already go diving and join in, as long as you stay within the restrictions of your current qualification. You then have the opportunity to extend you knowledge, qualifications and opportunities.

Gareth

 

[Antmany2k]

@UFOrb i used to drink in the Fiveways but ventured to the park view now and again, only moved to Worthing in December so haven't really been out or got a local yet but i play in a darts league with my dad in Shoreham every Thursday so that's the only time i get to a pub lately.

Sorry, it's your thread and I'm talking about my BC issues!

I know what you mean about feeling unsure about diving in UK, I feel the same. We're holiday divers but I miss diving so much when we're here and really feel the need to feed an addiction. Since we learned to dive in 2012 every single one of our holidays has been planned around diving, oh except skiing a couple of years ago! We're off to SE Asia in May and I'm already thinking about the Canaries in October half-term

no worries , i am looking into BCs so i was curious, its good to hear peoples issues to get an idea of potential problems i may get.

spot on, its getting that itch to go and not being able to or having to wait months to go away that makes me want to take it up in the UK but the waters don't seem ideal. i have't even swam in the channel since i was a kid let alone dive.

i passed in 2010 but didn't dive again for 4 years (my buddy got run over by a car after crashing his motorbike and had to have his leg rebuilt) and didn't have the bug but then we went away twice in 3 months in 2015 the first one we did as a holiday with 2 days of diving and the second was full on dive holiday, diving everyday. been hooked since and all my holidays are dive holidays.

let me know how you get on in Asia, i have been looking at going somewhere that way next year but haven't decided on a set destination yet, Malaysia and Thailand are a couple i am considering.

have you been to the Canaries before? i have been to Costa Teguise in Lanzarote for the last 2 years (December 2015 and November 2016) there's a great dive center there and i saw a fair few rays and angel sharks in November. December i didn't see as much so October will be even better. i am looking at Tenerife this November as a bit of a change up

@Gareth J thanks for the tip, i looked into the one you mentioned when you posted originally, its on my way home from work so i am going to check them out and have a chat on their social night (next Wednesday) see how i get on with them and if they are the right fit for me

 

[Gareth J]

You do have some good diving very local to you.

I don't know what the shore diving is like near you, but the dive under Swanage Pier is a straight forward shore dive. Not to difficult or deep. A dive shop on the pier as well for gas fills.

Even if you think Brighton are the right fit for you, it wouldn't hurt just to have a look at some other local branches. It will give you a point of reference.