what training agency for the UK ?

[OzPommie Diver]

hi all - bet most you guys are asleep - well, its a friday mid morning in rainy old Melbourne Australia !

quick question - I am a qual'd PADI Rescue Diver, IANTD Deep Air, and I am doing my IANTD ADv EANx pretty soon. I am looking at the possibility of coming back to the UK (australia aint all its cracked up to be work-wise) next year, and was wondering.....

my gut tells me that if i want to teach / dm / instruct back in the UK, then I should do my PADI DM course before coming.

problem is - i dont particularly like the PADI system of doing things any more. i find agencies like IANTD are more thorough and produce better divers than PADI. but, how prevalent is IANTD in the UK ? could i expect to find clubs that would utilise my skills if i were to procede down the IANTD DM - Inst route ?

anybody got any clue what i am talking about ?

anybody care ??

sorry - friday, and its 8 hours to Beer O'Clock

thanks
a

 

[Jonathan]

morning, and welcome! Try posting to the UK Wreck Ferrets area you may get a better response.

From my experience in the UK the main agency is PADI and then there is BSAC (not an agency as such). IANTD does of course exist there as does TDI and if you hunt SSI - you would really have to hunt for others.

If you are moving to a popular wreck diving area - you would probably be OK with IANTD but if you are going to be inland a bit and want to make some money (OK get free air fills!) then my gut feeling would be PADI - but I would do it in the UK, diving there is a bit different (colder, murkier etc) and it would better prepare you.

Just my thoughts

Jonathan

 

[OzPommie Diver]

thanks for that Jonathan - will post on the Wreck Ferret forum now.

i dive in melbourne - average temp is 13celcius, average vis is about 5mtr - not too dissimilar from the UK !

cheers

 

[Jonathan]

fair cop - my Aussie geography is not too hot and we all think of GBR when people ask about Aus.....

You'll like diving in the UK just as much....