Diving Adelaide

[Scubamat]

New addict here and can't wait until my next SEA holiday to dive. I'm visiting family near Adelaide over Christmas and want to get some dives in. I'm a newbie on my own what are the good options for easy dives guided or finding a dive buddy. I have a full 3mm plus hood gloves and boots will thus be enough for summer diving or should I rent a suit or pick up a vest to wear in addition. Also need to do some dive related shopping as dive shops as none exist in my part of Oz where do the locals recommend.

I'm staying near Gawler and will likely head over Port Pirie at some so anywhere reasonable driving distance is on the books.

 

[bergersau]

Hi Matt, Suit will depend on your tolerance for cold. Expected water temps near Adelaide would range from 18* to 22*C in December, a 3mm suit will likely leave you feeling cold if you are acclimatised to Darwin temperatures.

I use a 7mm torso / 5mm limbs wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots right through summer in Melbourne (comparable temps) and switch to a drysuit through the colder months.

As a new diver moving from tropical to temperate water. I suggest you start with one or two simple dives to get used to the increased buoyancy swing and reduced mobility that thicker wetsuits cause, you'll also need to dial in your weighting to compensate for the thicker suit.

 

[Scubamat]

Was planning it to be some easy dives as I will be using all new gear so will as well just need to pick up a face mask is Adelaide as I couldn't find one I liked yet and really need to try it on. I will look at renting a wet-suit then not planning much diving outside the tropics for a couple of years a vest I could justify buying a vest but a second wet-suit at this point not so much.

 

[diver257a]

Hi Scubamat

I live in Adelaide and have the following comments.

Wetsuits - I agree with what was advised by bergersau.

Stores - there are six stores that offer the full service (i.e. training, organised dives and equipment sales & service) and a seventh store that only offers equipment sales & service. While all of the stores are located in the centre of the metropolitan area, the following are the closest to Gawler and would be OK for the purpose of buying a mask - Underwater Sports Diving Centre at Holden Hill and Scuba Commercial at Regency Park (not open on weekends).

Suggestions for stores for equipment hire and organised diving will depend on what you want to do. Stores that provide these services include Underwater Sports Diving Centre, Divers Delight (Stepney), Diving Adelaide (Glandore), Divers Service (Welland), Adelaide Scuba (Glenelg North) and The Dive Shack (Richmond).

Diving -for an entry-level certified diver, I would suggest the following shore dive sites on the east coast of Gulf St Vincent - Port Noarlunga, Second Valley and Rapid Bay, and Edithburgh Jetty on the west side of the Gulf. I can do a day’s diving with you subject to our respective availabilities - I have promised to do dives with two other parties.

Can you please advise what days you are in Adelaide?

 

[Scubamat]

Gday thanks for the information and the offer. I am very much a newbie and was even going to try lock in a pool session somewhere just so I can spend more time really locking in basic skills with distraction like pretty pretty fish and do my nitrox so I'm set for my next trip to Bali. I fly in on the 17th and would need all diving done on/by the 6th to be clear for flights however I'm vising family for Xmas and don't really know what they have planed for me. I wasn't originally planing to dive on this trip but I got hooked and set my self up with some gear for travelling with and thought I would test it travelling before heading overseas and having to figure out how to clean, dry and repack gear in a hotel room overseas.

I'm thinking of doing one of the leafy sea dragon guided dives.