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[Malwilson]

hi all I live in the north east of england
i am thinking of taking up scuba diving after a dive I did on holiday in the red sea
what will I need to start, which book do I need and what will the costs be and where should I buy gear is it right to buy second hand or should I buy new only
thanks

 

[Pinecube]

hi all I live in the north east of england
i am thinking of taking up scuba diving after a dive I did on holiday in the red sea
what will I need to start, which book do I need and what will the costs be and where should I buy gear is it right to buy second hand or should I buy new only
thanks

First step I took was to just google "dive shops" in the area. I hear England has a bit of water around it, so I'm sure there'll be a dive shop or two nearby

I'm not sure about other agencies... but with PADI you are probably looking for an "Open Water" certification. The course material (books and such) is likely included in the price of the course. As for the cost... I'm not sure, I'm not from around your neck of the woods.

Personally I would recommend buying a mask (No swim goggles! Anyone in a dive shop should be able to help with selection), snorkle and fins, but hold off on buying any more gear until you've at least gone through the course and understand the gear better.

Happy Diving!

 

[industrious95]

The best thing you can do, IMHO, is to find a local dive shop where you like and trust the owner/instructor.

I'd buy the minimum amount of equipment that you need for the course (I'm assuming that's mask and fins, but it may be different where you get trained). Rent gear until you have some experience and find out what you like.

Second hand can be good, but until you get a little experience, it's going to be hard to know what to look for. IOW, being educated will help you make better decisions.

Where you intend to dive also dictates your equipment needs. If you plan to fly down to the Red Sea several times a year, buying tanks and weights will be a waste for you, unless you like to give the airlines a lot of money for overweight luggage. And if you decide to dive in the North Atlantic every weekend, you need a different exposure suit than you'll bring to the Caribbean.

 

[victor]

I see you are in the UK. Have a look for your local BSAC club.
As with all clubs some are more active than others and some friendlier than others.
If you have a good one near then they will be your best option.
Normally they meet once a week to once a fortnight. with a pool training session and a visit to a local pub afterwards for a social session.
BSAC is recognized everywhere and you can switch to PADI, CMAS, etc if necessary. Don't worry whose card you have they are all much the same. The quality of the training is more important than the name on the card.
The good think about BSAC is they are not just trying to sell you gear and training that you don't really need. Also they provide a local diving option where you can constantly work on improving your skills. They can advise on gear, let you try the various rigs that they use, etc.
P.S. I am not a BSAC member.

 

[rivers]

In the UK, you have quite a few options.
PADI- OW course will run you about £300, but at this time of year you need to do it in a drysuit, so you're looking at £400-£450ish. Can get the course done in 4 days (which isn't necessarily a good thing). Most places include all kit hire in the price. Qualified to 18m.
BSAC- Club based (Learn to scuba dive in UK and snorkel dive the BSAC way - there is no better!! You have the BSAC fee (£55), the club fee (which varies from club to club), plus the possibility of other fees (equipment rental, fees for the Ocean Diver manual which is about £40, other misc fees the club may tack on). The training will be longer than a PADI OW course, but if it's a good club, it will be 2-3 months (theory, pool, OW dives), and the training will be quite thorough. Downside is you will be expected to get your kit pretty sharp-ish. You're qualified to 20m, can use 32% or 36% nitrox on air tables, and most of the time it's done in a drysuit
GUE Recreational Diver 1 course (Recreational Diver Level 1 - Nitrox diver | Global Underwater Explorers) There hasn't been many GUE Rec 1 courses in the UK (I know of 3), but there is a very large, active GUE community (most people have come up through PADI/BSAC and taken fundies but that's another conversation) in the UK (check out the GUE-UK facebook page). The course itself will take at least 5 days (i think), and I'm not 100% certain on the price as each GUE instructor sets their own, but they tend to be around the same. The course qualifies you to 21m, using mainly 32% nitrox, but also air, a drysuit if you chose, plus DSMB deployment. There are 4 GUE instructors in the UK and their contact info can be found here(scroll down to England): GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers
The GUE kit configuration is quite specific, I think most of the instructors can provide kit for training besides the basics like masks and fins. And there are enough of the GUE lot kicking around to lend kit to a newbie until he/she can purchase their own.

Note: I am an active member of GUE-UK, a working PADI DM, and a member of BSAC. I don't really have any loyalties

 

[Phil_C]

A second vote for finding your local BSAC club. Most clubs will be able to take you through the training process using club equipment so you will not have to rush out to buy gear straight away. You will get access to a wealth of knowledge both about where to buy gear, what gear to buy, and local dive sites. The club is almost certain to organise diving trips as well so you can join in dives at an appropriate level to your training as you develop as a diver.

Many local BSAC clubs, and BSAC itself have also negotiated discounts on diving products with different manufacturers and outlets, so it may save you money on that front as well.

Finally you will have a ready supply of dive buddies !

Best wishes

Phil.

 

[Edward3c]

hi all I live in the north east of england
i am thinking of taking up scuba diving after a dive I did on holiday in the red sea
what will I need to start, which book do I need and what will the costs be and where should I buy gear is it right to buy second hand or should I buy new only
thanks

+3 for BSAC.

See here for BSAC Plus benefits: like discounts on high street shopping, insurance travel, gym memberships etc.

There is some fantastic diving around the UK coastline. There is also the Sub-Aqua Association (SAA).

With all the agencies you will get the required training materials as part of the course. Its a HSE requirement for commercially run courses like GUE and PADI and part of the Code of Practise for clubs like BSAC and SAA.

However, if your only looking to dive on holiday in warm waters then don't learn to dive in UK waters.

Kind regards

 

[Diving Dubai]

+4 for BSAC (from a PADI certified person)

I am a member of a BSAC club (although in a nice sunny place) The nice thing about the clubs are the following:

You get mentored by other members - no question is too dumb to ask. Being around experienced divers in a club means you learn an awful lot more than what is just taught as part of the course.

Someone will always point you in the right direction with gear, advise you where to go and not to go.

YOU suddenly get a new collection of social friends who all share the same passion

Clubs organise pool training as well as weekend dive trips. I've never dived in UK waters, I don't like cold but everyone I've spoken too says it's fun.

You get more learning opportunities. In the past two years I've been with BSAC I've done the following

Boat handler - great fun!
Diver Coxswain
Accelerated Decompression (ADP)
Gas blending
Dive Leader (I'm also PADI Rescue)

I'd have done none of these if I'd have just been diving outside a club as I would have had no need. Apart from ADP I chose to complete the others to allow me to contribute more to the club.

 

[Malwilson]

Thanks for this