Can KIWIS swim??

[lingfish]

Hi all.

I'm a kiwi who's bout to do his big oe!!!!

SO, I need the definitive word on whether or not i should bring my dive gear to uk. All the talk of viz likened to nite diving does not leave one with much enthusiasm or hope for good diving in UK. So please help me change my mind.

I'm gonna be based in london, most likely, will it be an issue travelling from there to dive sites around uk??!!!

Hope to hear from u all.

Lingfish.

 

[Jonathan]

Do yourself a favour and take your gear! I was based in London until last July where I did most of my learning - freshwater sites nearby and the coast about an hour away (2-3 hours for some really good stuff).

There are loads of clubs around - if in South London / Surrey check out Scubadoo Dive Academy . No doubt others have ideas for other parts of town.....

Enjoy
Jonathan

 

[spottydog]

I am a diver based in London and would definitely say bring your kit with you.

Some UK sites can be dark with poor vis but many are wonderful with reasonable visibility. Whilst there aren't many dive sites close to London there are plenty of places for a weekend away (Diving with the seals at Lundy Island is still one of my favoruite dives).

If your moving to East London area I'm a member of Docklands Dive Club ( http://www.docklandsdive.co.uk ).

 

[lingfish]

Hey, thanx for the replies guys.


Will definitely try and bring my gear over if at all possible. I'll definitely check out some of the clubs u guys have suggested.

Cheers

 

[Dougz]

Hiya,

I also faced the same dilemma. In the end I brought some of my gear and bought some over here. But I got a travel BCD which folds up small which is ideal for backpacking. Also, slip on fins and a shorty wetsuit - ideal for warm water diving which the UK is so close to!! If it gets to cold just hire a suit or other gear required where ever you are!! Definitely bring your kit as it can be expensive to hire!!!

Most of the UK inland dive sites (IN MY OPINION) I wouldn't waste my time with. The vis is usually crap, they are cold, dark and nothing in them but old cars etc. One good thing is that they are used for OW training and if you can dive in them you can probably dive anywhere!!!

But the coastal dive sites are very rewarding!! Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands (Where you say??? Off the top of Scotland) has probably the best wreck sites in the world!! There are also so many other UK dive sites that offer many things to see. But be realistic - it isn't going to be coral reefs like the Red Sea or The Great Barrier Reef - it is just different types of diving. It is what you make of it!!!

But the main advantage of living in London is the ability to pack your bag and go diving all over Europe and the Middle East - flights and packages are quite reasonable and the diving can be very diverse from cold water in Iceland to warm water in the Red Sea!!

Another London club is www.urbanfish.co.uk

My pic of places so far not in any order is:

UK - Scapa Flow - AWESOME but challenging!!

UK - Cornwall - good vis and a lot of wrecks and history of the area!!

Ireland - West Coast has lots of good places!!

Egypt - Bells & Blue Hole in Dahab, Hammerheads in Tiran, Ras Mohammed from Sharm El Sheik and not forgetting the Thistlegorm wreck!

Egypt - liveaboard - the only way to see it all!!

Malta & Gozo - caves and wrecks, good food and sun!! Well worth it!!!!!

Tenerife - good boat diving.

Sardinia - great Med diving

Greece & Turkey - great Med diving and snorkelling

Am planning on a lot more!!!! Any ideas welcome!!!!!

Good luck!!

Dougz

 

[lingfish]

Hey Dougz.

Thanx for the reply. Much appreciated.

I'm definitely gonna take my gear with me. I don't know bout bring my shorty to uk though. But defn my dry suit i think!!!!!

Actually, it just occured to me. Do i need a cold water regulator diving in uk??!??!!?

 

[wendi]

hiya,
I am a UK diver but have been to NZ and infact my first dives in the sea were off the coast of Nelson. I was certainly as cold in NZ as am here in the UK ( mostly I dive Pembrokeshire, Wales which is lovely) it was also similar in the amount life underwater. I also went to poor knights and Uk is not like that, but certainly worth diving - bring your drysuit - I wish Id taken mine to nelson.

have fun over here
wendi

 

[booga_roo]

UK diving is probably better than most people imagine. I learned in Thailand and Oz and thought that UK divimg was going to consist mainly of silt and grey fish. Boy was I wrong.

It certainly has different challenges to diving abroad, amount of gear etc but the rewards are worth it. OK in the winter I'll admit its crappy, but when spring comes and the kelp starts to bloom again, you cn have some awesome dives.

You just gotta give it a chance.

Go in the sea and ignore the lakes and quarries, they are crappy!

And no, unless you are doing soem very FUNKY stuff in the far north, you don't need a cold water reg. We do have sun too you know! Water temp can go as high as 17 degrees!!!!

 

[danceswithoctopus]

Who cares? What I want to know is: can they sail?

Vitton this fall. Then the Auld Mug comes home next February!

Best fun you can have above the surface! (Gotta do something while you're offgassing--and best to do it out of doors!)

 

[lingfish]

Hmmmm, i highly doubt that the america's cup is going to leave these shores anytime soon.

Maybe we should start renaming it New Zealand's CUp.