traveling to Germany, want to dive in England while there

[chrisch]

... JEL is a great wreck and doable if he can put a blob up. ....

I must have dived this wreck 20 or 30 times and never used (and mostly never carried) a dSMB. You just need to go back to the shot line. A dSMB is needed in poor vis and current when you are unlikely to go back to the shot. The Layne/Scylla are very easy to get back to the shot.

 

[rivers]

I must have dived this wreck 20 or 30 times and never used (and mostly never carried) a dSMB. You just need to go back to the shot line. A dSMB is needed in poor vis and current when you are unlikely to go back to the shot. The Layne/Scylla are very easy to get back to the shot.

I've done it where there was no permanent shot (storms, possibly a boat prop taking it) and had to put a blob up.

 

[chrisch]

I've done it where there was no permanent shot (storms, possibly a boat prop taking it) and had to put a blob up.

Fair enough, but I don't think our friend needs to get stressed about dSMB deployment as a visiting diver making a couple of easy dives. Let's encourage people to see what the UK has to offer not frighten them off before they start.

 

[rivers]

Not trying to scare him off, the diving here is fantastic. Hell, if he weren't coming mid-week just after my partner gets home from her contract, I would have offered to take him out.

 

[Redshift]

Let's encourage people to see what the UK has to offer not frighten them off before they start.

Stoney?

 

[rivers]

Stoney?

nobody should be subjected to Stoney. If we're going to send him inland, Vobster or Chepstow are better options

 

[flots am]

I think the advice above is good. The best diving in England is in the South West as a general rule. Plymouth is a big dive destination and you will find centres there that will rent kit and help you with a buddy.

Try Aquanauts - Dive Equipment, Plymouth Diving and Dive Courses if you head in that direction. There are two easy wrecks there the Scylla (artificially sunk for divers) and the James Egan Layne (liberty ship) that are very popular and well worth the effort.

I'd like to try some UK diving, but have never done any cold water ocean dives.

Does anybody have any idea how UK ocean dives compare to the Great Lakes? I've done a lot of wreck diving in Ontario, the St. Lawrence and Huron. While it's cold and dark, and Ontario and Huron are pretty big, and the St. Lawrence has a ton of current, I'm not sure how they compare to the UK.

Is it similar? Easier? Harder?

What months are best for relatively calm seas?

flots.

 

[rivers]

Can't comment on whether it is easier, harder, or similar to the great lakes as I have never dived the great lakes. Summer is the height of the dive season, and what do you consider 'relatively calm'? This summer has been okay for diving, haven't heard of too many people being blown out down on the south coast. But there have been days when it's been a bit choppy and made kitting up and moving around on the deck a bit difficult. But other days have been flat calm. Vis has been a bit hit and miss this year though.

 

[flots am]

Can't comment on whether it is easier, harder, or similar to the great lakes as I have never dived the great lakes. Summer is the height of the dive season, and what do you consider 'relatively calm'?

Depends on the boat. I'm not a big fan of small boats and big seas.

On a 46' tug, I don't care much what kind of seas there are. On a ~20' RIB, "dead calm" is more to my liking.

flots.

 

[Redshift]

Clubs have RIBs, but most dive operators have larger boats, often with lifts