Has this been done elsewhere?

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DutchDown

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #1

Yesterday afternoon a friend and I went to an entertainment complex in the east of Holland. In addition to the multi-screen cinema, several restaurants and the bowling alley, there is a 10 meter deep tank run by a dive shop which is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. for diving. It's a purpose-built circular tank with platforms at different levels and portholes so divers can look out and envious non-divers can peer in. I went to check some new equipment and to practice my newly-learned open water skills. I thought it a great idea and can imagine that such a place could attract new divers as well as allow people who don't own a dry-suit to practice through the winter. Are there facilities like this in other places?

 

Amanda

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #2

In France, we don't actually have that kind of pools in the big malls you're talking about, but rather when there are Diving "Salons", Expositions or Festivals.

And yep, they're great

 

C

chiara

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #3

The deepest indoor tank in Europe, 33 mts, should open in Brussels sometime around Christmas.

There is another one in the outskirts of Paris, I think it goes down to 20 mts.

Both of them advertise 30°C water, windows for outside viewers and music underwater.

I wonder how they cope with hygiene issues.

As far as I know neither PADI nor LIFRAS (Belgian branch of CMAS) will consider this as open water dives.

I'll do it once just for the fun, but it doesn't really appeal to me.

 

RICHinNC

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #4

Small town USA...

My lds has an indoor pool that half is about 5ft deep and the other half is 12ft deep.

It is just fine for what you asked about...practicing skills .... especially if you dont have a dry suit. You can come in and use all your gear and tanks...or just get tanks....or get everything you need from him. It is $5 if you use your tanks and equip... $10 if you use your equip and his tanks....and $20 if you use all his gear.

 

Hooked4Life

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #5

DutchDown: I think that its a cool idea for non-divers to take a closer look to see what diving is all about. A lot of my friends have asked me about diving and are interested in know what scubadiving is all about. It would be cool for the public to see someone diving uo close.

 

MonkSeal

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #6

I've heard about such tanks somewhere in Germany. Maybe somebody from Germany can confirm that.

 

D

Diver0001

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #7

DutchDown once bubbled...
Yesterday afternoon a friend and I went to an entertainment complex in the east of Holland. In addition to the multi-screen cinema, several restaurants and the bowling alley, there is a 10 meter deep tank run by a dive shop which is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. for diving. It's a purpose-built circular tank with platforms at different levels and portholes so divers can look out and envious non-divers can peer in. I went to check some new equipment and to practice my newly-learned open water skills. I thought it a great idea and can imagine that such a place could attract new divers as well as allow people who don't own a dry-suit to practice through the winter. Are there facilities like this in other places?

Click to expand...

Where is it exactly?

R..

 

OP

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DutchDown

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• Apr 9, 2003

• #8

30 people in my sprawling metropolis.
Diver0001, it's in the city of Enschede near the German border. I found it quite nice to be able to practice at 10 meter (33 feet) rather than in a 4 meter deep pool.

 

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Diver0001

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• Apr 10, 2003

• #9

DutchDown once bubbled...
30 people in my sprawling metropolis.
Diver0001, it's in the city of Enschede near the German border. I found it quite nice to be able to practice at 10 meter (33 feet) rather than in a 4 meter deep pool.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I actually live in Holland too. I'm an expat Canadian living in Rotterdam. We do most of our training in a conventional swimming pool and the Oostvoornsemeer. Have you ever been to that astronaut training centre in Germany? People from our club usually make a field-trip there once a year (I haven't been yet) but this thing in Enschede might be worth a looking-at too. Can you give me a name/address? I'm likely to be in Twente in a couple more weeks. My wife's family lives is Vasse (talking about small villages )

R..

 

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DutchDown

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• Apr 10, 2003

• #10

The address in Enschede is Colosseum 72. As you enter Enschede, follow the signs to FC Twente Stadion. The shop, Dive Inn World, is just across the parking lot from the stadium. The fellow there is very friendly and the prices, I thought, were very reasonable. Here's the web site link www.diveworld.nl

My buddy and I are planning to go at least another time...probably in about two weeks. The water was about 20C and was clean. Lots of chlorine, though.