Hi Compressor & any other Buds reading this.
Thanks for the question and interest. So pleased you asked.
Okay everyone - heads up here to this great question along with what goes into these freshwaterdiver1 films.
1st up, anyone watching these films may be in for information overload? i hope
, but we have tried to keep it light for other viewers.
We are in a real wilderness up here -
where your mobile phone will not work, and
your GPS will die.
In many films i show you where you need to climb, and by how high, in order to pick up a signal on a mobile phone.
Landline locations are given unless i forgot to add them ?! Tell me if you spot that error please.
Just to answer the first question:- there is underwater footage on many of the films, including the one shown here, showing a glipse of the Rock face which the camera probably hit as i attempted to stop dead - the camera flooded so it lasted a few seconds only.
This is no place for a camera. 43 metres here, as pointed out in the film is actually 50 metres. This is an Altitude dive. So anyone watching that film - please watch the "Alt." symbol as i explain about this situation. Other altitude lakes are Thirlmere & Haweswater (actually Reservoirs). But you are also surrounded in some places by High Alt roads -
do not use! These are also shown and indicated with our "Directors".
Kindly watch and listen carefully and you'll soon drift into these films with ease.
The new film format is in story form, usually showing, 1st road type and condition, pointing out danger points if any, as many are single track roads, and then pointing out in the case of Ullswater how short the drive is between sites. Why?
A) Parking is difficult in the Summer season so being able to have a back up plan for a group sometimes necessary.
That is part of the thinking behind these road trips. Some lakes do not require those trips to be shown and so they wont be. Some will show maps because SatNavs can mess up - and mobile phones do not work in the Lakes - only landlines, so these are explained in the films. Also there are areas where NO GPS works because they cant pick up ANY satelites ! Maybe the Lakes pulled them down and they are now sitting on the bottom to find
, but you'll see the GPS signal drop out for some time in certain areas.
Another issue is that your GPS may show a road exists that you had planned to go down, but when you get there its a footpath or does not exist at all !! - yes its really weird up here in Wild Cumbria.
You will be shown access (as in how easy or difficult) to the Individual beach sites, along with data on Depth, Viz, Temperature and where available dive videos, some snippets of History for the area if there are any, along with places to visit for anyone with family who may not be interested in Diving. Many come for the weekend.
In the description section you will find links to those who have filmed the lakebeds, but note that most Buds will only film in the shallower areas! Silt is silt but when you are busy enjoying hunting down valuable bottles and many other items on the bottom, so many prefer not to be one handed.
Have tried to cover all aspects for each film including any Wheel Chair access. Not all divers are able bodied and i know of one in Cumbria who loves his diving if he can get in.
One aspect that should be realised is that it is dfficult to film anything, especially in Ullswater where often, bad Viz means you need to keep a sharp eye on your torch beams in case they strike an object up front. So some dive sites will not have film - Sorry. Its just not advisable to use a camera in some bodies of water or if relatively new to diving when up here. I would ask those who are new to freshwater diving to become familiar with the conditions & your bouyancy before using your expensive camera kit.
Mine flooded on hitting the rock face at 'Falling Rocks' (Stybarrow) - fortunatly i managed to stop the collision.
I lost 3 cameras to these Lakes!
Wow that was a long one ! Great fun to explain though.
Loved that question - any more ?
We have dived for 23 years in the English Lake District and around the World. My (wife & self) created a website back in 1998 and YouTube channel in Nov. 2011, "Freshwaterdiver1" in order to share our Knowledge of the English Lake District.
so we have been busy updating our YT channel called Freshwaterdiver1 . The Website (refered to by local divers as the Bible of Diving the Lakes) will be back at some point in the future.
