Scuba diving qualifications

cantersaddick

Anyone got an experience?

I'm a water baby and love the ocean. Have done loads of snorkeling and have decided (definitely not a midlife crisis on turning 30) that I'd like to take up scuba diving. Mainly as something I'd do abroad in the sea.

I've heard you can do theory and pool stuff here and then open water bits abroad to get basic qualification is that right? 

Any particular courses better than others or recommended places to do them? Any insights at all basically?

eaststandmike

I worked with a lady who was a very experienced diver, had plenty of fascinating chats with her and I am sure she did all her training in the waters around the UK. She used to say if you can dive in the English Channel where the visibility is 2-3 meters you can dive anywhere.

Good luck, I have done 2 x 10 meter dives (Cyprus and Turkey) and it was fantastic, feeding the fish and watching all the different species was very special 

Arthur_Trudgill

I got my PADI Open Water last year in Crete: you do the theory online and then the practicals when you get there, I think it was 3 dives on three different days. Visibility was good and we saw a lion fish and a small octopus. Loved it, and I wish I had done it earlier, as I'm 57 now and not as fit as when I was 30 😂

GreenWithEnvy

PADI open water is universally recognised by dive schools around the world and taught at many centres in the UK. Will take you deep enough to where you see most things if you go abroad on to reefs and wrecks. Lots of specialty qualifications too for fun. Open Water shouldn’t take too long and theory is pretty straightforward. 

Siv_in_Norfolk

I've done PADI Open Water (Thailand), Advanced (Phillippines) and Rescue Diver (Thailand). 

In all 3 cases, I decided to do the course while travelling and so did the theory element alongside the practical on location. 24 years ago when I did the first one, that was pretty standard. However, you are right - many people now do the theory elements at home in advance so they don't need to spend a couple/few  days of holiday studying and cramming. 

It's also correct that you could just get certified in the UK before heading off to the tropics and getting straight onto some "fun dives" e.g week in Thailand with a package of 6 dives from a dive school of 3 days with 2 dives each, for example.

For the Open Water the first stages can be done in a pool, so I think it's just maybe the last dive or 2 that you'd be in cold UK waters (or a quarry, I believe).

In any case, am sure you won't regret it. From your snorkeling I guess you already know this!

You've reminded me that I really must get around to diving a wreck off the north Norfolk coast. Quite a departure from the tropics, but something I want to experience for the contrast. 

Redrobo

I would contact the British Sub Aqua Club.
They will take you through all you need and more.
They will have equipment that you can borrow until you get your own, which also enables you to decide what suits you best.
The club will probably have boats etc and you can really practice your skills off our shoreline. 

Belonged myself for years and ended up an instructor, boat handler, navigator and dive planner.
Don’t be put off by our weather - we have some of the best wrecks to dive on!

Redrobo

Oh, and training is free as by trained volunteers 

Friend Or Defoe

I did my advance in Fiji and open water in Carnies in 2006. Not sure what you would see diving in the UK, shopping trollies?!

Solidgone

Did my PADI Open water on the Barrier Reef, Advance in Bodrum Turkey and Rescue Diver in Dhabi Sinai. I was thinking of taking a Dive Master qualification but decided against it due to age. I also had difficulties taking the theory exams because of the way the questions were phrased. For me I found them somewhat ambiguous (I knew the answers for either way the question was interpreted). I actually caught the examiner out with one of the questions he said I had got wrong but he came out with the same answer as me when we did a rerun.
My advice is to just do the open water and stay within 20m dives where you see all fish activity and the splendour of the fishes. 

guinnessaddick

Just get the t shirt.

Dippenhall

The Muff Diving Club in Donegal teaches divers how to deal with hairy experiences you might encounter.

usetobunkin

No Sea to Rough, No Muff too Tough!
We dive at 5!

dogpat65

I'd also recommend the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC).  Did my training in the UK and on some of the CLub's organsied trips to Egypt. Some pretty adventurous diving available on the South coast. The training is pretty thorough. My Kids have also trained under ESA when in Italy and they were very good.  Depends where you are living now, but there are BSAC clubs in most areas. Relatively cheap (if anything in SCUBA is) and operated by volunteers.  I was a member of CLIDIVE BSAC 410 on City Road. Really good athmosphere. The cost of raising 3 kids put paid to my adventurous holidays though. Have also spent a lot of time in Donegal and highly rate Muff.