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Original poster

Anyone a scuba diver?

46 replies

Thomcat · 08/05/2006 17:35

I woke up this morning and decided to do something about the spark of interest I feel in learning to suba dive.

I found details of the London School of Diving that has a day where you can go along and try it to see if you like, cost - 25quid and takes an hour and a half.
If you like and book an open water course they refund you the 25quid and if you book the course the same day they take another 25 off.

The PADI open water course is 399quid and is spread over 2 weekends.

Does that seem reasonable to you?

How fab is scuba diving, how much am I gonna love doing it?

OP posts:
SueW · 08/05/2006 23:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Original poster
Thomcat · 08/05/2006 23:32

I persuaded a local stables to take her early so she did it ages ago. She went fro ,lovong it, to get me the hell off, to loving it, to get me the hell off and so on, constantly for the whole time she was on the horse. Same each time. Thought I might leave it a while until she actually fittd the riding hat at least! She's 4 and a bit now.

Not sure why it's a 'i think' re the thanks. Do you mean cos of the cost involved if she loves it. I really do hope that she falls in love with riding, what a wonderful, lifting, theraputic, rewarding hobbie to have. I started thinking that if lottie fell in love with riding and with horses whe might end up being taken on as a volunatary (or dare i wish it paid helper) mucking out and caring for the horses. What a great job / passion for someone who becasue of their special needs will find most jobs difficult if not impossible.

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 08/05/2006 23:40

DO it TC, you will love it. I did my PADI open water on the Great Barrier Reef, and have dived in many balmy tropical places BC (Before Child) My best experience - seeing manta rays and diving with dolphins.
Worst - a panic attack under water - I was rescued by a gorgeous Swedish instructor (swoon)
Oh, and you WILL fall head over heels in lurrve with whoever teaches you - it is like falling for the dishy doctor who saves your life.

Original poster
Thomcat · 08/05/2006 23:43

Hi you Smile LOL - ok so I should disuade DP from doing it with me then!!! Grin

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 08/05/2006 23:53

No, if he is anything like my DH, HE will fall in love with the instructor too Grin

leogaela · 09/05/2006 10:20

I learnt to dive in Bali but haven't had a chance to go since, it is really wonderful, amazing but I am not sure you will really enjoy the wonder of it until you see some really beautiful stuff in clear water. Not sure I fell in love wiht my instructor though, although I liked him very much and think very fondly of him now :)!

The worst thing for me was learning in a swimming pool that had strange salt (not chlorine) that stung your eyes really badly. I just wanted to get into the real water and see what it was really about.

I was friends with a guy who was hooked and would go ice diving (i.e. cut a hole in the ice in a lake and jump in Shock) apparently in lakes you only really get clear water in the winter when its frozen over.

sunandmoon · 09/05/2006 12:23

5 years ago, DH & myself got our PADI in Utila (Honduras), the cheapest place in the world to get it!!! it is the best thing we ever done, it is a wonderful feeling, we loved it so much that after 26 dives, we went to dive with black tip sharks in French Polynesia... it was the best experience and i could do it over and over and over... Our DD won't have much choice and our holidays will be going diving everywhere with us.. She is only 9 months1/2 and can already swim under water (after 15 lessons!!!) GO FOR IT THOMCAT, YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!

gscrym · 09/05/2006 12:26

Me and DH are both divers. I'm open water and SCOTSAC qualified and DH is a PADI divemaster. I go when I have time and DH goes every weekend and sometimes does a bit of quarry dooking during the week. Do the try-dive and see how you like it. Also check out BSAC. They may have a club near you which can either do a quick route to being qualified or take a more sedate route. PADI is a good system. My only issue is that if you have the time and money, you can be an instructor without much open water experience. I ahev heard good things about London dive centre.

gscrym · 09/05/2006 12:29

Viz in britain is dependent on a number of things. When better weather comes in, you get a plankton bloom. Also it can depend if you're in fresh or salty water. I've dived lochs in scotland with zero viz and 20metres so it just depends. It also helps if you aren't in the water with people who tend to drag their feet as it kicks up silt.

Am off to dig out drysuit for next opportunity.

gscrym · 09/05/2006 12:35

Sorry to bleat on, remembered some other details.

PADI involves 5 (sometimes 4) lecture sessions. These are usually done on the same night as pool or enclosed water ssessions. After that, there are 4 open water dives which allows you to dive instructorless to 18m. Advanced allows you to 30m but requires more open water dives. Used to allow you to 40 but that has been changed.

I would recommend joing a club becuase after qualifying, they send you in with more experienced divers until you are completely comfortable. DH did his firt led dive with his newly qualified friend after he had 8 dives. He had a problem with his drysuit which gave a rapid ascent and he ruptured his eardrums. Hasn't put him off, he has 200+ dives done.

sunandmoon · 09/05/2006 12:46

WOAHHHHHHHHHH, Gscrym, you and your DH experiences must be fantastic!!!!!!! Envy

gscrym · 09/05/2006 12:48

His more than mine. I'm just a bimble round, being impressed with fish kind of a gal. He's a jump off a boat, hit 45m and swim into a wreck bloke. Best was egypt. Like diving in a fish bowl. Had a turtle swim past me as well.

Off for the rest of my kit now.

RedZuleika · 09/05/2006 12:58

Have just skimmed this thread but...

I learnt to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. When I was in Australia and debating where to learn, looking at some places which were cheaper, someone pointed out to me that it worked out to be better value to learn to dive somewhere interesting / spectacular, because otherwise you're paying for a dive course somewhere mediocre, then paying again as a 'tourist' to see good dive sites.

On that basis, is there any way you could consider a dive course in, say, Sharm-el-Sheik, as a holiday (with or without partners, ankle-biters etc)? Just a thought.

I loved diving when I was down there, but I did have some moments of panic early on. Real serious panic attacks - and I'm usually fine in the water. Having something beautiful to look at distracted me.

RedZuleika · 09/05/2006 12:59

Good on you for doing something interesting, by the way.

(RZ repeats like mantra: must pull finger out more often...)

yeahinaminute · 09/05/2006 13:11

Yes - I went to Ocean College in Sharm - el - Sheik got my PADI open water, did a night dive too and my rescue dive - but that was a few years ago now.

I was/am a floater too - always had buoyancy problems - not surprised with my baps!

Incidentally, it can work out more cost effective to go abroad and book a dive holiday .... Golden Joy are good for the Red Sea.

Go on book something ... but above all ENJOY!!

SueW · 09/05/2006 13:19

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

blueshoes · 09/05/2006 13:57

Diving is great, but I would never dive in the UK.

I consider myself a lightweight PADI diver rather than hardcore BSAC. I have only dived in SouthEast Asia and the Red Sea where I was pampered, the water is warm, the coral/marine life is spectacular, relatively good visibility and I can use a wetsuit or less (rather than dry or semi-dry).

I have utter respect for British divers. I have been on a dive in cornwall where I had to bail and sit it out on a boat. It was freezing, I had to use a semi-dry for the first time, could not sort out my bouyancy, was panicking because visibility was zero, had to descend using a line etc etc. Like I said, I am a lightweight diver. Other divers had been to Scapperflow, were lugging a ton of equipment, launching the boat into the water, even women! Respect. I see British divers are more of technical divers, really proficient and self-sufficient.

Realising my limits, I no longer dive. Not when my skills are so poor and I have a dd that needs me to come home to.

Original poster
Thomcat · 11/05/2006 20:21

I've made the calls, spoke to a guy tonight who is going to sort out a try dive for me, only costs a tenner. Then if i go for it with him and his club it's 8 pool sessions before going off for a weekend outside dive to PADI trained or I go off and do it witht he London school of where I'll get qualified a lot quicker but will probably cost more. Anyway point is the ball is in motion. How exciting Grin

Thanks for all your posts.

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 06/06/2006 14:45

bump, TC did you have a go?

TravellingMark · 28/01/2017 17:26

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PurpleDaisies · 28/01/2017 17:29

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