Couple of questions on UK diving

[rivers]

i think you have just had your first lesson on just how regional we are over here. dive trips out of london are essential - thames mud does not make for good diving

when do you get here?


wales hmmmm do you speak welsh?


i think i would miss cameras underwater, thankfully their head office is in deepest darkest Devon so could be salvaged

I'm aiming for the end of February. I can't apply for the visa until beginning of Feb, and once expedited, I should have by mid-feb and then it depends on the plane ticket prices. I just bought a new wetsuit today. Figure I can layer it with my shorty, and be reasonably warm. I'm good in a 3mm full suit at temps of about 20C. I can't afford a drysuit yet, but I've got a feeling it will be essential if I want to extend my season once I'm there.

 

[Hickdive]

I'm good in a 3mm full suit at temps of about 20C. I can't afford a drysuit yet, but I've got a feeling it will be essential if I want to extend my season once I'm there.

Eek! The only place you'll find water as warm as that round the UK is in the bath.

 

[flw]

If/when you get to planning your diving in Scotland drop me a line.

And there's some great diving in Wales, but just to far to go now.

Regards

Scotlandshire's quite a muckle place - I'm in the far north, if you ever get this far drop me a line

 

[flw]

I'm aiming for the end of February. I can't apply for the visa until beginning of Feb, and once expedited, I should have by mid-feb and then it depends on the plane ticket prices. I just bought a new wetsuit today. Figure I can layer it with my shorty, and be reasonably warm. I'm good in a 3mm full suit at temps of about 20C. I can't afford a drysuit yet, but I've got a feeling it will be essential if I want to extend my season once I'm there.

Most folk in the UK always use a drysuit - it's not so much the water, it's the temperature outside that's the problem. Most places a 5-7mm et suit is fine - for 1 dive as long as you can get changed straight away - in the summer. On the S coast I've had 17deg on deco, here in Scotland 12 deg in the shallows is warm - and there is almost always a wind to chill you even on the warmest days.

 

[Terry2Puds]

No one seems to have mentioned Yorkshire Divers (YD) which is an internet forum like scubaboard.

I am Padi trained and crossed over to BSAC some 6 years ago.

The club I am in talks a lot about diving but there are only a few of us who dive all year round.

Dry suit for me all year. I have seen so many people loose the second dive due to getting cold on the first dive and not getting warm during the surface interval. I suppose it realy depends on how cold you get.

If you join YD and ever visit Manchester way look me up (same name on YD) and if I am free I can show some of the delightful diving we have in the UK.

 

[Edward3c]

The club I am in talks a lot about diving but there are only a few of us who dive all year round.

Dry suit for me all year. I have seen so many people loose the second dive due to getting cold on the first dive and not getting warm during the surface interval. I suppose it realy depends on how cold you get.

If you join YD and ever visit Manchester way look me up (same name on YD) and if I am free I can show some of the delightful diving we have in the UK.

Most clubs suffer this syndrome of talking, but not diving.

In Loch Long yesterday there were only about 12 at the site, from at least 3 different clubs. Water 8’C at 20m and 7 to 4 above 10m. Air temp 1’C.

Toasty in my 8mm dry suit had a pleasant 45 min dive.

Great that I’m not back in the office (Old Trafford) until next week.

Regards

 

[KY]

Contact these guys:

BSAC London No. 1 Scuba Diving Club - Scuba Diving in London and around Britain

Highly organised dive club who'll sort you out...


Okay, you got lots of Bioprene??? if not, and i suspect not, invest in a drysuit. You'll need it. UK waters is cold, and with moving from the Caribean to the Uk, you'll find it especially cold, and will very very quickly give up. At least with a drysuit, you'll be a tad more comfortable in the water, and on those ohh soo long rides back to shore, which are absolute killers when you are in a semi dry.....

if money is short, look up seaskin drysuits.....

 

[Mark Milburn]

People would learn that Scotland and Wales are not parts of London.

Not only are they not parts of London they don't want to be part of the UK

I'm not sure a couple of wetsuits will do, a semi dry is the minimal requirement.

I just bought a new wetsuit today. Figure I can layer it with my shorty, and be reasonably warm. I'm good in a 3mm full suit at temps of about 20C.

There's a big difference between 20C and 7C

Timed right, in the summer and I can get you 20C on a shore dive without running the bath. We have some nice coves that if warmed by the midday sun will warm the water up, 21C is the highest we've recorded.

 

[flw]

Most clubs suffer this syndrome of talking, but not diving.

In Loch Long yesterday there were only about 12 at the site, from at least 3 different clubs. Water 8’C at 20m and 7 to 4 above 10m. Air temp 1’C.

Toasty in my 8mm dry suit had a pleasant 45 min dive.

Great that I’m not back in the office (Old Trafford) until next week.

Regards

Did you bump into the 3 amigos from Bo'ness? - they did describe it at Baltic though!

We're diving Loch Carron ths weekend, assuming the roads improve, I'd be very surprised if we bump into any other divers

 

[rivers]

Thanks for all the advice guys. While I definitely want a drysuit, it's just not feasible price wise right now for me. Also, for at least my first few dives in the UK, I don't anticipate doing more than one dive at a time as I acclimate to cold water. I think it will be too much of a shock to my system to just up in with 2-3 tanks in cold water. If I find a decent amount of work by summer, I'll definitely be getting a drysuit :cool2: