The Med in winter?

Some of my buddies and I are considering a road trip to the Med in January or February for a long weekend of diving. Considering the equipment we have to carry (drysuits, double sets, and so on ) we plan on driving a couple of vans instead of flying. We figure that a destination within 15-16 hours drive from Amsterdam is reasonable. That means we'll likely head to the South of France or the Costa Brava. Can anyone suggest some good sites? Are any dive operations open during the winter? I suppose we'll be risking the possibility of storms during that period, so naturally we'll need to consider last minute changes to our plans, so if we can find sites that are sheltered and can still be dived, we won't have wasted our preparations. Water temps won't matter since it'll be a lot warmer than The Netherlands. Ideas? Recommendations? Forget the idea?

Regards,

Phil

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mobymark:

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I don't think that Malta can be reached by van (without help of ferry) especially in 12 hours driving.

We dive here in Croatia during winter but not many diving centers are opened during winter. However, you'll need more than 12 hours to reach seaside (probably somewhere around 14 to Istria or 17 to Dalmatia).

Talking about south of France - they are a bit strange there. They are very much CMAS so if you are something else they may refuse to co-operate or they would stick to things you are allowed to do by the book - meaning as OWD - 18 meters and that's it!!!!
I'd choose Croatia instead - bit expensive but great dives.
Mania

No. the 18m limit means nothing, as depth limits are regulated by the law and not agencies. It is more: OW 20m, but no autonomy allowed. And yes, some places refuse to take in account PADI certifications, but not all of them, hopefully. I do not know the med for diving, but I am enquiring.

Well - I know a story of a person that first of all was forced to take an instructor - they were there as a group but couldn't dive on their own and the depth was closely monitored - not even a meter more was allowed.
And it was Nth LDS that agreed to dive with PADI guys. Rest refused. In fact some guys were CMAS but they wanted to dive toghether.
Mania
I didn't know you have such strict state regulations about diving. Could write something more about?

The law is:
CMAS P*: 20m with a N4 (CMAS***) , 4 divers +N4 only in the group (eventually + second N4)
CMAS P**: autonomous at 20m (no more than 3 in an autonomous group) if director allows it, down to 40m with DM (same number of divers as previously)
CMAS P***: autonomous down to 60m
N4 is the french name for CMAS P*** with full rights. N3 would be also CMAS P*** which cannot lead dives with lower level divers (ratings specific to France)
More agencies than CMAS are listed, whith equivalences of levels. Unfortunately, PADI is not. So usually a PADI diver should be evaluated at the first dive to be ranked in this list. And right, OW would be ranked as CMAS P*, so autonomy is forbidden (it has nothing to do with the good will of the shop). Except that a very experienced OW could eventually ve evaluated higher, but as a group, not to loose time to evaluate everybody independantly, they would be ranked as P*.
To get the equivalence of a P**, it is possible that some rescue skills are required by the shop (be able to bring an unconscious diver to the surface from 20 m)
Now diving by yourself, without any help of a shop, is not regulated.

Hi

Well, in fact all the dive centers affiliated with ANMP (a french profesional cert agency) will accept Padi Divers. It can be a bit more tricky with dive centers affiliated with french federation. In all case, the most important will be your dive log.

The french diving regulation allow a dive center to give equivalence up to the level 3 CMAS diver, which allow you to dive on air to a maximum depth of 60m.

Trimix diving is allowed to a maximum depth of 120m (in dive center, because if you dive on your own, you do what you want : regulaiton is only for dice center diving)

Keep in mind, that in general, people there are very reluctent to dive with divers who want to keep there profil inside the NDL

Depends of kind of diving you like, you can go :

- Marseille : a big city, but very good diving reef and wrecks. A good dive center there is Massilia Dive

- Cavalaire : a must for wreck diving. A good Dive Center there is Eau Bleu.This dive center can blend trimix.

Those two centers are opened all year around

Most of the wreck in Cavalaire are in the range of 40-60m, and some more on for "trimix range"

In Costa Brava, all certs are widely accepted and there are three good diving spots there with dive centers opened all the year around :

- Cabo de Creus
- Estartit
- Llafranc

and some others ones, but not at the same standards

Feel free to email for more details, about french coast or Costa Brava

Regards

François

FCM:

Keep in mind, that in general, people there are very reluctent to dive with divers who want to keep there profil inside the NDL

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I second that.
Thank you François.

Bretagne - Thanks for explaining. Poland is also dominated by CMAS but we don't really have any state ruling as diving and the depth limits is concerned.
I'll keep all this in mind when I'll be going to the south of France (Marseille is where I go although not very often)
Mania