Diving in Northern Ireland, Ideas?

[Scuba2828]

I will be in Portadown late November for 5 days, and am considering getting a dive or two in whilst i am there. Does anyone have any ideas of where is good to dive (I hear Strangford?) and if a semi-dry is acceptable late November as haven't done my dry-suit yet! Any pointers would be of use at this stage.

Many thanks in advance as usual

 

[String]

Lots of good diving there. Not sure if you'll find a charter though.

As for semi-dry (aka a wetsuit) it'll be cold. Expect the water to be 9-10c at best, the air temperature probably lower and windy. I wouldn't dive there in a wetsuit

Sites you've already mentioned Strangford, also Rathlin island area and generally anywhere off the north coast is good.

 

[Garrobo]

Poor guys. What a bummer the British Isles must be. If I lived in that climate I think I'd take a plane ride to southern Florida and forget it.

 

[philmayer]

I have friends in the UK who have dived there for years. It's different from diving here, but a drysuit alleviates many of the personal issues.

A huge advantage of the cold water is that shipwrecks don't deteriorate nearly as fast. The wrecks in Scapa Flow, Scotland are still in very good shape despite being underwater for over 60 years now.

 

[shoredivr]

The German World War 1 fleet scuttled in Scapa Flow in 1919 is one of my "dream" wreck dives to do...

But any UK and Irish diving is definitely drysuit for me...

Scuba 2828, you might try divernet.com, or yorkshiredivers.net, UK dive boards. Diver Magazine (parent of divernet.com) from UK has been reviewing Irish sites recently.

Or try
scuba diving ireland

 

[MurkyRockDiver]

If you are going to Ireland drop by the Guinness Brewery and jump in one of the big Vats to brush up on your skills, the vis won't be the best but you won't need a dry suit either.

 

[String]

Poor guys. What a bummer the British Isles must be. If I lived in that climate I think I'd take a plane ride to southern Florida and forget it.

Why? UK has some fantastic diving.

Having been to Florida and dived there and got bored within 3 days i'd much rather the UK. With the correct exposure protection there is no issue.

 

[String]

A huge advantage of the cold water is that shipwrecks don't deteriorate nearly as fast. The wrecks in Scapa Flow, Scotland are still in very good shape despite being underwater for over 60 years now.

The water isnt cold enough for that - you need Norway or somewhere like that.

Most decent wrecks in the UK are deep. 30m or deeper. Anything shallower is destroyed by the constant pounding of storms, surge, big tides and so on.

 

[String]

If you are going to Ireland drop by the Guinness Brewery and jump in one of the big Vats to brush up on your skills, the vis won't be the best but you won't need a dry suit either.

You'll also find Ireland is a totally different country to the one he asked about.

 

[Hickdive]

If you'r going to be near Strangford try these folk;

DV Diving - Northern Irelands premiere dive school

If you're planning to treck up to the north coast;

Scuba Diving Equipment - Dive Club in Ireland - Aquaholics

BUT I strongly suggest a drysuit for diving round Northern Ireland.

As a former DO of UUCSAC I saw an awful lot of blue shivering wrecks slithering back on board boats to imagine that you can dive in Northern Irish waters, in winter, in a wetsuit and be comfortable.