Divers? Anyone else?

[marcosgt]

I guess it's a sport.

Any other Scuba divers here?

I'm pretty new to it, having got my PADI OW in November 2010 in Sharm El Sheikh.

I did a few diving courses in the UK last winter/spring and then some dives in the lovely Wrasbury lake.

I did an AOW 'course' (not really much of a course compared to OW) in Madeira, but have recently joined my local BSAC club and am looking to cross-train onto Sport Diver over the next few months.

Anyone else?

M

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 21st February 20:12

[marcosgt]

Du1point8 said:

PADI OW here after doing 8 previous dives on intro to scuba in various locations that I was not staying at long enough to do OW (Gili Trwangan and Dahab to name 2)

Got it in Dahab and hope to return to go and get the AOW choosing nitrox as one of the courses so I can stay under for longer, would also like to do the photography and camera work... maybe a deep dive too.

Don't like the idea of a night dive.

You do know that the nitrox element of AOW isn't enough to qualify you on Nitrox, I take it? It might count as part qualification to complete, but it's a bit pointless as part of the AOW, IMO, especially as you can do it as a 'dry course'.

M.

[marcosgt]

Ganglandboss said:

It's an alternative to the jacket style BCD. Many feel they help maintain better trim in the water, although some say they do not hold you upright on the surface (those that use wings say this is nonsense).

The main advantage is it's a modular system so you can mix and match different bits. The wing (the inflatable buoyancy cell) can be swapped according to what cylinders you have on your back (a bigger one for twins).

You can change the harness system too. That is a 'one piece harness' meaning it is a single piece of webbing. You can get luxury harnesses like the one below with shoulder breaks, more padding and adjusters but a lot of tech divers (GUE in particular) prefer the simplicity of the one piece harness.



Because it is stainless steel, it weighs around 2.2kg so that is some weight off your weight belt (you can get aluminium or even plastic backplates too which are easier to travel with). I have added the Apeks SureLock weight pockets to the rig.

People claim they're more adaptable, so if you move onto twinsets and tech diving, you don't need to replace so much.

In terms of floatation, the air is all behind you, so there's more propensity to push you onto your chest and face than with a vest style BCD.

Most people learn with a BCD, some progress to a wing (a few start with a wing or go the other way, I guess), but if you'll only ever dive with a single tank, there's not a huge argument in favour of a wing as far as I can I tell (although it does tend to become a bit of a holy war on the diving forums - Think FWD vs RWD ).

Interested to hear someone recently say they're aiming for Rescue Diver. I was going the PADI route, but it's pretty expensive. I joined my local BSAC group in January for less than a single PADI course and I've already learnt enough to justify the expense, in my view.

Working to convert over to Sports Diver, which should be done later in the year, which covers stuff that AOW doesn't (DSMB/SMB deployment and Rescue mostly).

Off for my first open water dive of the season tomorrow and two more in April, including a PADI Wreck Dive course on the Scylla!

I've got a week booked in September in Scapa Flow too and hoping to go somewhere warm and, at least mildly, exotic in the summer.

M.

[marcosgt]

Du1point8 said:

honest_delboy said:

Off to mexico in 2 weeks and considering doing a refresher dive before i go out there, i've not dive in 4 years due to poor health.

Worth doing in the UK or just do it out there? Any recs for somewhere near surrey? I guess i't going to be in a quarry but can it be done in a pool?

Whats wrong with spending a few dives in the warmth of Mexico doing the refresh course?

My local does it for £75 and its in the swimming pool, so if that is better ring up your local...

course is as follows:

Skills

Equipment assembly
Review of signals
Buddy check
Giant stride or
Backward roll entry
Buoyancy check
Regulator recovery
Fin pivoting (neutral buoyancy exercise)
Mask removal
No mask swim
Mask replacement
Equipment removal underwater
Equipment removal surface
Alternate air source use
Deep water exit
Equipment disassembly

Try your local BSAC club (Google/Bing it ) I think most do a refresher course for less than a PADI review, in the hope you'll join up (up to you, but a refresher and trip to Mexico might pique your interest).

To be honest, I could probably go through the above with most people and I'm far from an experienced diver

I'd do it before you go though, it'll probably all come rushing back and, as you're not a beginner, why waste time you could be 'properly' diving in Mexico.

M.

[marcosgt]

I'm thinking of going to Cuba this summer

Off to Poole on the 14th April though!

Seems to me that diving's like a lot of things, the more you do, the more natural it becomes. Where you learn's less important than getting the basics right and then getting a variety of experiences.

M.

[marcosgt]

Ki3r said:

I got my PADI OW when I was at school, but only been once. Shame as I really enjoyed it. People I did it with, I'm no longer in contact with (think the company closed down infact). Does anyone know of any diving places in Dorset? Guessing I'll need to do some kind of refresher course?

Plenty in Dorset - Poole, Swanage and Weymouth are big centres for diving on the south coast.

Try http://www.padi.com/scuba/locate-a-padi-dive-shop/... or http://www.bsac.com/findit.asp?cat=clubs&secti... for PADI (you pay for training) or BSAC (Pay to join the club and get the training for free - slower, but cheaper and if you find a good club, you can do plenty of diving).

M.