Messed up my OW dive - advice for the future please?

[Storker]

While there is some incredible diving in the UK, it's not a particularly great place to learn initial scuba diving outside of a couple of months in the summer, due to weather and temperature.

Data point: I live noticeably north of the UK, around the 63rd. Beginner classes are scheduled from March through October. From November to February the days are just too short. Folks learn to dive, and they learn in the conditions they'll dive in after they've been certified.

 

[EireDiver606]

Hi @AllyBee

I am very sorry to hear of your disastrous introduction to scuba diving. Unfortunately you have fallen foul of something that is a little prevalent in the diving industry, which is that a lot of dive shops will be running their classes in such a way as to absolutely minimise their costs. While it's fairly normal for people to learn to dive in the Uk in a drysuit, for the shop to not do any pool sessions is in my opinion not only a dis-service to you, but downright dangerous.

Having buoyancy issues on early dives is not unusual. You are likely to have been subconciously holding your breath, or at least not fully emptying your lungs. However to then turn around and tell you that it's your fault is unforgivable.

My advice would be to take whatever you can from them in terms of refund, and then do some research into the best place to take further training. Since you live in spain, I wouldn't come back to the UK for initial training. While there is some incredible diving in the UK, it's not a particularly great place to learn initial scuba diving outside of a couple of months in the summer, due to weather and temperature. If you want to learn in english, then I can recommend travelling to Malta for training.
And if you were interested in GUE's initial dive training, then I am happy to chat.

Thanks
John

Thanks for the mention. You’re welcome.

 

[Neilwood]

Data point: I live noticeably north of the UK, around the 63rd. Beginner classes are scheduled from March through October. From November to February the days are just too short. Folks learn to dive, and they learn in the conditions they'll dive in after they've been certified.

Agreed - I think I would find it difficult learning abroad in a thin wetsuit and then having to adapt to a thick suit/drysuit.

I certainly don't think there are any particular restrictions on UK diving seasons. The club I am in dive and train year round.

 

[Storker]

I think I would find it difficult learning abroad in a thin wetsuit and then having to adapt to a thick suit/drysuit.

Generally, in my waters, people holding a warm water cert, without documentation of experience with local conditions, aren't regarded as competent divers in the conditions we have.

They may well be great divers under the conditions they were certified, but if you (general 'you') can't show me that you know how to dive here, I'm not going to buddy up with you. And if I were the safety officer, I probably wouldn't let you go underwater on an outing where I was responsible.

 

[boulderjohn]

Agreed - I think I would find it difficult learning abroad in a thin wetsuit and then having to adapt to a thick suit/drysuit.

It does take some getting used to, but it is not as hard as it may seem.

1. I dived exclusively in warm water locations for my first 6 years as a diver, and I did not do my first cool water dive in a 7mm farmer john until I was assigned to assist as a DM in a local OW class. It took me a bit to get used to the buoyancy swings, especially since we were diving in shallow water, which created a significant buoyancy swing with only a few feet of depth change, but I felt I was reasonably competent from the start.
2. After quite a few dives in a 7mm farmer john and then a plain 7mm suit, I went to a drysuit. That took some adjustment, but not that much.
3. I have worked with a number of students who were making the switch to cool water conditions with either a thick wetsuit or a drysuit, and they don;t have all that much trouble.
4. You would think that the bigger adjustment would be going from being a non-diver to a cool water diver, but we do that all the time in Colorado, putting brand new students in 7mm suits. They seem to do OK.

 

[Marie13]

Generally, in my waters, people holding a warm water cert, without documentation of experience with local conditions, aren't regarded as competent divers in the conditions we have.

They may well be great divers under the conditions they were certified, but if you (general 'you') can't show me that you know how to dive here, I'm not going to buddy up with you. And if I were the safety officer, I probably wouldn't let you go underwater on an outing where I was responsible.

Totally agree with this! Same here. I’ve been hitting Lake Michigan hard this year. There have been a number of Great Lakes virgins on the boat this season. Either they way underestimate the undergarments needed for diving dry up here (very experienced tech/cave/warm water ocean diver), can’t get used to the amount of neoprene, or really underestimate their personal cold tolerance.

Cold water and warm water divers are different species!

 

[Storker]

Cold water and warm water divers are different species!

Yup. I'm pretty certain that if I were to dive one of the many great warm water sites in the world, I'd be a n00b no matter how many dives I had up here. And I hope that I'd realize that. It's not that one type of conditions produce better divers than another type of conditions, it's just that the challenges are different. And if you aren't experienced with those particular challenges, you're a n00b and ought to realize that.