Newbie Here!

[Tile Diver]

Hey Folks!

I'm new here so thought I should follow the protocol and introduce myself.

I've been a kind of on off diver since the early 90's and generally only dived on holidays, however this year I've went all in and dragged my 18 year old daughter in too, it's fantastic being able to share the underwater world with family members, especially your kids.

I've bought a full set up after many many hours of research, I dived with it in Gozo last month, and glad I chose what I did, seems night and day diving on a BP & Wing compared to a jacket style BC, it's ace.

My Set-Up:

X Deep Zen Steel Backplate & Wing (Standard Harness)
Apeks MTX RC 1st & Second Stage on a long hose under arm with a 90 degree fitting at 2nd Stage (donate in emergency)
Apeks XTX50 on Bungee around neck as Octo, also on a 90 degree fitting.
OMS Mini SPG on Miflex Hose.
Apeks VX 1 Mask (Grey)
Apeks RK3 Fins (Grey)

Hope to be welcomed by you lot.

Cheers.

Pic of me and my daughter on the P31 Wreck in Gozo in July.

 

[Wibble]

Time for you to dive from home -- there's loads of wrecks to the south of you in the English Channel.

Now is the best time of year to dive in the Channel as it's around 18 degrees, or warm as we call it.

Other places:

• Swanage to dive the Kyarra wreck where there's a shuttle boat; 15 mins and you're jumping in
• Farne Islands (Seahouses) -- play with the seals!
• Dive out of Brighton, Newhaven and Eastbourne -- so many wrecks to see

Joining a dive club or associating yourself with a dive shop is a good way to meet people. There's several BSAC clubs within a few miles of Brighton and two dive shops in Newhaven (they have a RIB) and Lancing (they do cylinder testing).

 

[Tile Diver]

Hey Wibble,

Thanks for all the info, I had no idea the area around the South Coast was littered with so many wrecks!

You're possibly correct, I maybe should try some diving in my area, its probably the thought of having to buy a drysuit that's holding me back

 

[Wibble]

In the "hot" months (!!!) of late July through September, it's quite possible to dive in a normal wetsuit. You will need a hood and gloves, although some hardy souls don't wear them!

Starter drysuits are relatively cheap and occasionally come up second-hand very cheaply. You need one to fit that isn't too baggy. Neoprene is good for starting out, something like the Northern Diver Voyager (which I bought as my first suit).

As you're diving on a single cylinder, you'll be diving for under an hour including your safety stop, so a bit of cold will be OK.

You will definitely need a SMB and reel for diving in the UK. A torch is also good too as it can be dark on the bottom, very much depends on conditions and depth.

I still fondly remember my first dives in the UK after being taught on a couple of holidays in Spain. Was so very different diving in the UK than diving in the Med! I actually started my UK diving with Newhaven Scuba who are a nice bunch of recreational PADI divers. Their RIB is good to get out to the wrecks and their shop is on the slipway. I took my Rescue Diver course with them and recommend their training standards too.

There's no longer any dive shops in Brighton; Ocean View in Lancing is your closest. They have a pool and Wednesday club nights for members where the pool is free (and they have cylinders too). It's great to do your skills 'n' drills in there.

Most of my diving's been done in the UK as there's a huge range of wrecks to explore at all depths. The south coast can be variable, but if you don't like it today, tomorrow's something different. I like the variety of wrecks for engineering and history plus the flora and fauna we find on our coast. Lots of fish too, almost need to bat them away to see the wreck!

 

[Mobulai]

Time for you to dive from home -- there's loads of wrecks to the south of you in the English Channel.

Now is the best time of year to dive in the Channel as it's around 18 degrees, or warm as we call it.

Other places:

• Swanage to dive the Kyarra wreck where there's a shuttle boat; 15 mins and you're jumping in
• Farne Islands (Seahouses) -- play with the seals!
• Dive out of Brighton, Newhaven and Eastbourne -- so many wrecks to see

Joining a dive club or associating yourself with a dive shop is a good way to meet people. There's several BSAC clubs within a few miles of Brighton and two dive shops in Newhaven (they have a RIB) and Lancing (they do cylinder testing).

View attachment 910728

Woaah all of these are wreck sites —

Ok explains alot about UK diving mindset

 

[Subcooled]

Hey Folks!

I'm new here so thought I should follow the protocol and introduce myself.

Welcome

My Set-Up:

90 degree fitting at 2nd Stage (donate in emergency)

I had a similar set-up until I had to donate air. During an air sharing exercise the second stage rotated upside down and did not perform well at all in that position. Please be carefull with that 90 degree fitting, if it can rotate.

 

[Wibble]

This is a good point about practising skills. It’s pointless having been shown a skill unless you’ve practiced it many times in benign conditions. Typically this means a mucky lake with dubious visibility and an unforgiving silty bottom that leaves no doubt about core skills (buoyancy, trim and finning). Better known as Wraysbury.

Doesn’t matter how experienced you are; a session in there is always valuable to hone those skills as the next time you use them will probably be in an urgency or emergency and, of course, when you least expect problems. Once the lizard brain takes over things always get worse; practice is the best way of keeping the lizard at bay.

One aspect of UK diving is that you really need to be self-sufficient. You cannot be dependent upon your buddy/teammate as separation is a very common occurrence around wrecks in poor visibility. Even the best divers loose people and have to come up alone. Things like entanglement in fishing line (you can’t always see it) require cutting devices such as a Trilobite on your wrist(s), e.g. on computer/compass straps/bungees.

So, make time for trips to lakes. This time of year Wraysbury is around 20 degrees near the surface; definitely wetsuit territory. I was there on Friday with a couple of others practising some skills (bailouts and cylinder management) and we, plus the other two groups of 2 and 4 were the only divers there. It’s a zoo on weekends! They have plenty of platforms to practice on for your core skills; also other “attractions” to play around.

Their bacon & egg sarnies are lovely.

 

[Tile Diver]

Welcome

I had a similar set-up until I had to donate air. During an air sharing exercise the second stage rotated upside down and did not perform well at all in that position. Please be carefull with that 90 degree fitting, if it can rotate.

That seems a very valid consideration actually so thanks for mentioning it, I take it you ended up going long 5ft or 7ft hose?

 

[Tile Diver]

In the "hot" months (!!!) of late July through September, it's quite possible to dive in a normal wetsuit. You will need a hood and gloves, although some hardy souls don't wear them!

Starter drysuits are relatively cheap and occasionally come up second-hand very cheaply. You need one to fit that isn't too baggy. Neoprene is good for starting out, something like the Northern Diver Voyager (which I bought as my first suit).

As you're diving on a single cylinder, you'll be diving for under an hour including your safety stop, so a bit of cold will be OK.

You will definitely need a SMB and reel for diving in the UK. A torch is also good too as it can be dark on the bottom, very much depends on conditions and depth.

I still fondly remember my first dives in the UK after being taught on a couple of holidays in Spain. Was so very different diving in the UK than diving in the Med! I actually started my UK diving with Newhaven Scuba who are a nice bunch of recreational PADI divers. Their RIB is good to get out to the wrecks and their shop is on the slipway. I took my Rescue Diver course with them and recommend their training standards too.

There's no longer any dive shops in Brighton; Ocean View in Lancing is your closest. They have a pool and Wednesday club nights for members where the pool is free (and they have cylinders too). It's great to do your skills 'n' drills in there.

Most of my diving's been done in the UK as there's a huge range of wrecks to explore at all depths. The south coast can be variable, but if you don't like it today, tomorrow's something different. I like the variety of wrecks for engineering and history plus the flora and fauna we find on our coast. Lots of fish too, almost need to bat them away to see the wreck!

Funny how you mention the 'hot months' I'm a Scotsman living in the deep South so even the winters feel relatively warm down there. I was in Gozo in June / July and the Divemasters couldn't believe I was diving in a 3mm wetsuit. I'd have thought that was more than enough for the height of summer, for me it was.

I remember back to doing my Open Water in Eyemouth, St Abbs and Oban, Semi-Dry suit, hood and gloves, it really all did feel a bit of a faff and not sure I'm completely sold on UK diving, however I'm sure it's got a lot to offer, but knowing me, I'm always looking for new challenges, so I probably should get involved.

Joining a club, meeting other divers, practicing skills and sharing knowledge is definitely something I want to get involved in, so thanks for your recommendations in my area.

I already have an DSMB, obviously different from an SMB, but yeah a decent torch is also on the list of purchases.

Lets see how things progress.

 

[Wibble]

I love diving out of Eyemouth. Two groups are well catered for; the recreational shallow mob who have lots of pretty dives with kelp, seals, flora and fauna. And the technical divers who have some superb wrecks out there ranging from the Pathfinder (a cruiser sunk in 1914 as the first victim of a submarine launched torpedo; amazing array of artefacts on the deck. Sits at 65m/210ft.) and a whole array of other wrecks at all levels, although the deeper ones are very good.

Marine Quest now run a single boat as there's fewer divers. Would like to do another weekend there before this season's out.