Couple of questions on UK diving

[rivers]

So it looks like I am going to be moving to the UK (more specifically London) with my girlfriend around February/March time. I am currently an active diver, but my only experience has been in the Caribbean due to work (work on a cruise ship). I absolutely love diving and plan on continuing to dive once I arrive in the UK.
Question # 1: I have all of my own equipment, except for a tank and weights. Being that I am from the US, I have a yoke style regulator. Does the UK use a yoke or DIN system?
Question # 2: What is the average water temperature in the spring/summer/early autumn? I currently have an Aqualung Titan. According to my LDS (who is based in Massachusetts), it is fine for Mass. diving in the spring and summer months. At this moment in time, I want to acclimate to cold water diving in the warmer months before trying something like ice diving.
Question # 3: I have been perusing the internet for London based dive clubs. It seems there are quite a few. Which are the most active clubs in the area? I want to do a lot of diving, but I want to keep up my skills with pool work in the winter (as well as keep up my girlfriend's skill. she has no interest in UK diving, but would want to continue warm water diving on holiday).

Thanks

 

[dbulmer]

1) UK is mixed - some use DIN, others A Clamp. You should have no problem with your regs provided they are are designed for cold water usage. I'm no

2) 12-14C - the sea seldom gets below 5C but inland sites can get to 0C but usually are about 4C in March which is the coldest time.

3) London is a big area so you'd need to be a bit more specific about where you will be living.

If you want to dive locally I suggest you join a BSAC or SAA diving club.

BSAC is the governing body of diving in the UK and has various clubs you can join.

SAA is the British arm of CMAS and it too has various clubs you could join.

PADI also has a large presence in the UK and there are various shops which have dive clubs associated with them.

I would suggest you join a BSAC/SAA club and take advantage of the mentoring which takes place in a club environment. I can tell you from experience that you will find the diving in the UK a little bit more challenging than the Caribbean.

 

[rivers]

1) UK is mixed - some use DIN, others A Clamp. You should have no problem with your regs provided they are are designed for cold water usage. I'm no

2) 12-14C - the sea seldom gets below 5C but inland sites can get to 0C but usually are about 4C in March which is the coldest time.

3) London is a big area so you'd need to be a bit more specific about where you will be living.

If you want to dive locally I suggest you join a BSAC or SAA diving club.

BSAC is the governing body of diving in the UK and has various clubs you can join.

SAA is the British arm of CMAS and it too has various clubs you could join.

PADI also has a large presence in the UK and there are various shops which have dive clubs associated with them.

I would suggest you join a BSAC/SAA club and take advantage of the mentoring which takes place in a club environment. I can tell you from experience that you will find the diving in the UK a little bit more challenging than the Caribbean.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'll just get the yoke to din conversion kit for my reg in case I need it. There are a few people on this site who have the same reg I do, and have used it in water temps from 45-55 F (appx 7-14 C). i can get the first stage environmentally sealed, and all should be okay with it as long as I am not ice diving.

We are looking at the East/Northeast area of London (zones 2-4). I was thinking BSAC as they include training fees and such, and I definitely want to continue in my diving education. I am under know illusions that diving in the UK is going to be a more challenging than what I am used (cold and murky vs warm and clear), but diving is something that I enjoy.

Again, thanks for the info.

 

[dbulmer]

Rivers,

UK diving can be superb - the difficulty lies not in the conditions but how you adjust mentally to the conditions and that takes a bit of time and a little practice.

If you can, I'd also suggest you save up for a drysuit and get trained up in it while you are here. A semi dry is only really doable in late summer in my opinion but of course that depends on the individual.

 

[sylpha]

most modern british cylinders you can use either yoke or din (just an allen key to screw in the insert)

i do know people who dive in semi drys from april to october, but i would highly recommend a dry suit, my preference is for an Othree, but if you are coming February/March then there is LIDS (Lindon International Dive Show) where you might be able to get a good deal on an off the peg suit.

when you get here go visit all the clubs local to you, see who you get on with best and who has the best dive plan then join them.

The UK has some of the best diving in the world, just knowing when & where to go. Basically the further west you go the better the visibility.

keep in touch & hope you enjoy yourself.

 

[String]

Question # 1: I have all of my own equipment, except for a tank and weights. Being that I am from the US, I have a yoke style regulator. Does the UK use a yoke or DIN system?

Both. Most tanks are DIN tanks with an insert to convert for a-clamp. A lot of clubs for some reason still use the old a-clamp design so your regs will work

Question # 2: What is the average water temperature in the spring/summer/early autumn? I currently have an Aqualung Titan. According to my LDS (who is based in Massachusetts), it is fine for Mass. diving in the spring and summer months. At this moment in time, I want to acclimate to cold water diving in the warmer months before trying something like ice diving.

Where in the UK as it varies. Inland in winter it can be 4c and summer 18c in shallows. In the sea it'll vary roughly from 5c to 16c throughout the year. March-april is the coldest time for water, September is the warmest.
You wont get ice diving in the UK - it doesnt get THAT cold for long enough.
Check the regulator is cold water certified (cold water by EN standards being lower than 10c). If in doubt email the manufacturer.

Question # 3: I have been perusing the internet for London based dive clubs. It seems there are quite a few. Which are the most active clubs in the area? I want to do a lot of diving, but I want to keep up my skills with pool work in the winter (as well as keep up my girlfriend's skill. she has no interest in UK diving, but would want to continue warm water diving on holiday).

Thanks

If its clubs you're interested in then BSAC clubs probably the best bet as most have pool access, boats and go diving regularly an cheaper than shops. Try Scuba diving from beginner to expert - join the fun, join the club for a list local to the area and email some of those.

 

[Mark Milburn]

As already mentioned above most cylinders in the UK have convertable valves so will take either type reg.

Locally water rarely drops below 10C, max is 17C. You can dive with a semi-dry all year round, drysuits are preferred for winter air temperatures. The regs should be fine unless you go to inland sites, you'll be lucky to find much ice diving in the UK.

London is large and there are many clubs, when you know your final location look for a local club.

 

[String]

You can dive with a semi-dry all year round

Id argue with that. I've personally witnessed and heard of countless other cases of proper hypothermia resulting from people diving in wetsuits even in summer. Ive also seen no end of people put off UK diving or even diving at all for life after being forced to get in for training or fun diving in wetsuits.

There is also the lost-boat safety issue in a wetsuit.

Id say diving wet in the UK is possibly IF you aren't susceptible to cold AND surface conditions are warm in August or September, no more than that.

 

[sylpha]

I know people who dive in semi drys, but only in July to September and not very deep. If you intend to take up UK diving join a BSAC club & try a few different dry suits in their pool then buy one & get someone to teach you the basics.

dive shops sometimes insist you do their (£90) course before they will hire one to you. BSAC have a dry suit course and you can get a tick in the book for a fraction of the cost if you want to hire first.

 

[scoobydrew]

The above is all good info.

I would recommend you get a dry suit if you have the cash and othree are certainly a good brand.

In terms of clubs what you notice when out on the boats actually diving it is generally BSAC clubs that are out there (I am PADI by the way) they just seem to get more dives in, you will find a BSAC club in your area and apart from having the piss taken in a friendly way for being PADI you should have no issue in getting wet.

Biggest recommendations are Scapa Flow (though still quite a distance from London, it is actually quicker easier and cheaper to get to Egypt) Lundy island in North Devon - a marine reserve that is no take including all types of fishing, for this reason there is an abundance of life there. There are hundreds of cracking wrecks around you and depending on what side of London you are you should definately look up Doug Lanfear in Blue Turtle charters, he will let you and a buddy fill up spaces on his boat when they are available, he has all the local knowledge and the customer service, my best with him was tyhe submarine the M2

If you're arriving in March you could find out when the cutrtlefish come in to Babbacombe I believe it is April/May time - this is a real easy shore dive, park your car up and the sea is about 10 feet in front depending on tides. You can rent A clamp tanks from the town also weights then go do the dive. The cuttlefish come in once a year and I loved the dives I did when that happened there is also an anenomae garden there that offers alot more colour than normally found in that neck of the woods.

Diving is huge in the UK, you will need to be fairly indipendent as DM's do not really come with the package but you should certainly find a club to get you the intro you need