SCUBA trip with dive club recommendations European mainland
- Thread starter DutchDiverDude
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Not sure if they allow privatizing a boat and rebreather friendly runtimes. When we were at la Sirena in May, they were running a dive factory... very smoothly and we got what we expected, but I'd not dive there with a CCR without them changing their operating procedures. (I've no recent experience with other operators, excepted that the other boats I saw seemed to be run the same way)
The Medes are nice, but the area suggested by @autrichon gris offers more variety between the natural parc of Port-Cros (I saw more and bigger fishes at La Gabiniere last weekend that at the Medes) and the wrecks.
OP
DutchDiverDude
Registered
I didn't write it in the original post, but another preference is it is driveable in a day, so approx 1200 km from the Dutch border would be the maximum distance. South of spain would be too far.
With regard to depth: Half of us have a max depth of 40m, so there should be enough to do/see at that depth. Options of splitting up the group into 2 where one goes 'shallow' and the others do a rebreather or trimix dive to some deep wreck are also a possibility of course.
Lots of good suggestions already. Let me comment on them here:
Attensee: I didn't mention it before, but a technical diving club close to us (many shared members) goes there every year. I want our trips to be different than theirs, ideally different locations as well.
Saint-Tropez: I'll add that to the list to investigate further, but: My experience with France is that their rules for diving are much stricter than other countries, so if all other things are equal, I try to avoid France and go for an alternative. We had a few too many CMAS 2* divers with us last time, and too few instructors to buddy them with. Apparently a 2* cannot go deeper than 20m without an instructor, and all our instructors brought their rebreathers specifically to have some long deep dives together. That messed up their plans a bit, but I guess we should have prepared better.
Cabo de Palos: Too far at 2000 km.
Scapa Flow: That one I was already looking at, but too much hassle to get there from the Netherlands with all our gear. Ideally there should be a boat leaving from NL directly to there and then have accomodation there. Haven't found that though.
Plymouth: This one is interesting! Dive center seems tech-friendly and the all-in package looks good! Arranging the crossing of the channel and traveling to the UK may take some preparation but other than that I think I'll look a bit further into this one in particular. I could not find a map of their dive sites though, nor the size of group required to have the boat by ourselves.
With regard to depth: Half of us have a max depth of 40m, so there should be enough to do/see at that depth. Options of splitting up the group into 2 where one goes 'shallow' and the others do a rebreather or trimix dive to some deep wreck are also a possibility of course.
Lots of good suggestions already. Let me comment on them here:
Attensee: I didn't mention it before, but a technical diving club close to us (many shared members) goes there every year. I want our trips to be different than theirs, ideally different locations as well.
Saint-Tropez: I'll add that to the list to investigate further, but: My experience with France is that their rules for diving are much stricter than other countries, so if all other things are equal, I try to avoid France and go for an alternative. We had a few too many CMAS 2* divers with us last time, and too few instructors to buddy them with. Apparently a 2* cannot go deeper than 20m without an instructor, and all our instructors brought their rebreathers specifically to have some long deep dives together. That messed up their plans a bit, but I guess we should have prepared better.
Cabo de Palos: Too far at 2000 km.
Scapa Flow: That one I was already looking at, but too much hassle to get there from the Netherlands with all our gear. Ideally there should be a boat leaving from NL directly to there and then have accomodation there. Haven't found that though.
Plymouth: This one is interesting! Dive center seems tech-friendly and the all-in package looks good! Arranging the crossing of the channel and traveling to the UK may take some preparation but other than that I think I'll look a bit further into this one in particular. I could not find a map of their dive sites though, nor the size of group required to have the boat by ourselves.
Mostly true for your purpose.
Potentially relevant for you: that mapping is a base line and there is room for adjustment. But in your context I'm not sure who would have to take the responsibility of that adjustment. Perhaps someone more competent than me will comment. BTW, what are the limits for 2* in the Netherlands? Does it depend on some additional qualification or experience? (30 years ago in Belgium my depth limit was determined by the number of dives I had made close enough to the previous limit)
Not relevant for you: There is a non instructor Dive Guide certification which allows to take CMAS** to 40m, but it is available only via French agencies.
Note that trimix dives have also their regulations. I can't give details as that's out of my depth, but I know shops in Hyère, Cavalaire, les Issambres and Fréjus which can provide support. Contact me if you want more details.
OP
DutchDiverDude
Registered
We train under the 'NOB' (Dutch underwater agency). Our NOB 2* Certification is valid for 30m, but we also get the official CMAS 2* which is internationally valid to 40m. It's a bit contradicting. Our certifications allow us to go to these depths with a buddy with equal or higher certification.
Our 3* divers had no issues. They were allowed to 40 meters with other 3* or higher. One guy with Trimix in his bailout wasn't allowed to use it with a buddy that wasn't trimix certified though. Another had to explain to the dive center that he could never use the trimix in his CCR cylinders for his buddy since he could never share his loop. After some discussion a nitrox bailout was accepted in additon to a CCR with trimix.
Our 3* divers had no issues. They were allowed to 40 meters with other 3* or higher. One guy with Trimix in his bailout wasn't allowed to use it with a buddy that wasn't trimix certified though. Another had to explain to the dive center that he could never use the trimix in his CCR cylinders for his buddy since he could never share his loop. After some discussion a nitrox bailout was accepted in additon to a CCR with trimix.
Nothing new here, there were such things in Belgium when I was still there, there are in France now.
The mapping allow them up to 60m.
DiveLikeAMuppet
Contributor
No boat from NL as far as I know, unless you hitch a ride with someone doing Jutland but that’s really rare. But the trip is not that horrible, you can get all the gear in a car and drive and combine it with few days in Scottish highlands. Normal car can take 2 JJ divers with some comfort
.They have three hard boats with lifts and should be able to split you into groups depending on depth or skill. They are used to clubs, it’s even pretty tricky to book yourself as an individual.
Cumulo-Nimbus
Registered
Skottevik in Norway is just a ferry ride over the north sea (Hirtshals-Kristiansand), the tiny Feriesenter there does lovely accommodation and the landscape is amazing. Diving can be done off their jetty but they have a large dinghy too, for exploring wrecks and surrounding fjords. Restaurants and entertainment are about 20mins drive away in Kristiansand, so having your car is an advantage.
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DutchDiverDude
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Sounds good! Quite far though. I am wondering: Are there other interesting location to dive in the north of Germany or the South of Denmark?
Cumulo-Nimbus
Registered
Have you ever heard about Nordhausen/Sundhäuser Seen? It's called action-sport Nordhausen, they also have a few small cottages to rent right next to the filling station. It's mostly shallow though, your rebreather party won't be entertained for long, and for everyone else probably just enough for a weekend of sightseeing
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