Newly qualified diver saying hello!

Hi Folks,

Well, I qualified (PADI Open Water, PADI Adventure Diver, and one piece of
written work away from PADI Advanced Open Water) in Cairns, Australia (with
the "Cairns Dive Centre" on one of their live-aboard boats, which was quite
nice), in June/July 2003, and then did a couple more dives in Benalmadena
(near Malaga) in Spain (with one2one diving), where my dad lives, in August
2003.

Since then, I've gotten back to the UK (I was away for 8 months of fun
travelling, now back to work!), settled into the new house, and back into my
old job (boy, was that difficult!) and am missing diving.

I've been lurking here, and reading everything I can find on the net to get
me used to the idea of the differences of diving out in the warm, and back
here in the cold. Shockingly, this hasn't put me off (yet).

So, I thought i'd say hello to everyone here, and start solicting advice &
information.

I live in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and work in Cambridge, so am looking for a
friendly club with whom I can, primarly, go diving, I'd also like to train
up a bit, doing a rescue course, which will make me feel more confident in
UK waters, and converting over to BSAC / getting myself up to sport diver (i
think), and at some later date, further beyond that.

I also know I'll have to get myself a lot of kit. I currently have a decent
set of mask/snorkel/fins, but nothing else. I'm obviously going to require
a suit, bcd, tank, regs, computer, etc. I intend initially to try to source
most of this second hand, so that I can get it cheaply, and get into the
water as early as possible, then start saving and moving on to better / more
advanced equipment as I advance, and the cash becomes available. Advice on
the kind of thing to get / where from, would be most welcome.

Anyway, as I initially intended, hello! and here's to my starting in the
wonderful world of UK diving.

Gav.

Gavin Carey wrote:
> Hi Folks,

Hi There,

You could try:

http://www.easod.co.uk/

They have a club with a mixture of PADI and BSAC Members.

HTH
John

"Gavin Carey" <gicarey@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:btpa0h$64c$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi Folks,
>
> Well, I qualified (PADI Open Water, PADI Adventure Diver, and one piece of
> written work away from PADI Advanced Open Water) in Cairns, Australia
(with
> the "Cairns Dive Centre" on one of their live-aboard boats, which was
quite
> nice), in June/July 2003, and then did a couple more dives in Benalmadena
> (near Malaga) in Spain (with one2one diving), where my dad lives, in
August
> 2003.
>

Welcome, Gavin. Warn your bank manager what you are about to do!!!!!!!!

Which centre did you dive with in Benalmedina?

Keith

"Gavin Carey" <gicarey@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:btpa0h$64c$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi Folks,
>
> Well, I qualified (PADI Open Water, PADI Adventure Diver, and one piece of
> written work away from PADI Advanced Open Water) in Cairns, Australia
(with
> the "Cairns Dive Centre" on one of their live-aboard boats, which was
quite
> nice), in June/July 2003, and then did a couple more dives in Benalmadena
> (near Malaga) in Spain (with one2one diving), where my dad lives, in
August
> 2003.
>
> Since then, I've gotten back to the UK (I was away for 8 months of fun
> travelling, now back to work!), settled into the new house, and back into
my
> old job (boy, was that difficult!) and am missing diving.
>
> I've been lurking here, and reading everything I can find on the net to
get
> me used to the idea of the differences of diving out in the warm, and back
> here in the cold. Shockingly, this hasn't put me off (yet).
>
> So, I thought i'd say hello to everyone here, and start solicting advice &
> information.
>
> I live in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and work in Cambridge, so am looking for a
> friendly club with whom I can, primarly, go diving, I'd also like to train
> up a bit, doing a rescue course, which will make me feel more confident in
> UK waters, and converting over to BSAC / getting myself up to sport diver
(i
> think), and at some later date, further beyond that.
>
> I also know I'll have to get myself a lot of kit. I currently have a
decent
> set of mask/snorkel/fins, but nothing else. I'm obviously going to
require
> a suit, bcd, tank, regs, computer, etc. I intend initially to try to
source
> most of this second hand, so that I can get it cheaply, and get into the
> water as early as possible, then start saving and moving on to better /
more
> advanced equipment as I advance, and the cash becomes available. Advice
on
> the kind of thing to get / where from, would be most welcome.
>
> Anyway, as I initially intended, hello! and here's to my starting in the
> wonderful world of UK diving.
>
> Gav.
>
Gav
Maybe somebody from your area will be along soon, but I'd suggest you look
for a club that suits you whether they be BSAC or SAA.
http://www.bsac.org/branches/eastern.htm
http://www.saa.org.uk/
The SAA club page doesn't tell you where the club is, unless it's embedded
in the name of the club. The only recourse you have is to contact the area
rep.
FWIW I trained with the SAA in the N of England and on moving to the
Midlands I crossed over to the BSAC because I couldn't find a SAA club
within striking distance that suited me.
Cheers
Graham

"Gavin Carey" <gicarey@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:btpa0h$64c$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi Folks,
> Anyway, as I initially intended, hello! and here's to my starting in the
> wonderful world of UK diving.
>
> Gav.

Welcome to the madhouse Gavin. Doubtless you will loads of advice from
others here about equipment, so all I will suggest is that you ask for
justification whenever someone says buy such-and-such a piece of kit.

Cliff.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 16:41:54 -0000, "Gavin Carey"
<gicarey@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
>Well, I qualified (PADI Open Water, PADI Adventure Diver, and one piece of
>written work away from PADI Advanced Open Water) in Cairns, Australia (with
>the "Cairns Dive Centre" on one of their live-aboard boats, which was quite
>nice), in June/July 2003, and then did a couple more dives in Benalmadena
>(near Malaga) in Spain (with one2one diving), where my dad lives, in August
>2003.
>
>Since then, I've gotten back to the UK (I was away for 8 months of fun
>travelling, now back to work!), settled into the new house, and back into my
>old job (boy, was that difficult!) and am missing diving.
>
>I've been lurking here, and reading everything I can find on the net to get
>me used to the idea of the differences of diving out in the warm, and back
>here in the cold. Shockingly, this hasn't put me off (yet).
>
>So, I thought i'd say hello to everyone here, and start solicting advice &
>information.
>
>I live in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and work in Cambridge, so am looking for a
>friendly club with whom I can, primarly, go diving, I'd also like to train
>up a bit, doing a rescue course, which will make me feel more confident in
>UK waters, and converting over to BSAC / getting myself up to sport diver (i
>think), and at some later date, further beyond that.
>
>I also know I'll have to get myself a lot of kit. I currently have a decent
>set of mask/snorkel/fins, but nothing else. I'm obviously going to require
>a suit, bcd, tank, regs, computer, etc. I intend initially to try to source
>most of this second hand, so that I can get it cheaply, and get into the
>water as early as possible, then start saving and moving on to better / more
>advanced equipment as I advance, and the cash becomes available. Advice on
>the kind of thing to get / where from, would be most welcome.
>
>Anyway, as I initially intended, hello! and here's to my starting in the
>wonderful world of UK diving.
>
>Gav.
>
WELCOME GAV TO THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT IN THE WORLD! (excl Motor
racing).

Best bet is too hook up with your local BSAC branch www.bsac.org where
you will get loads of free advice, people are always selling stuff
which you can be sure has been well looked after. Or better still if
they are a large club, most will have equipment you can borrow for the
od weekend dive.

PADI advance to BSAC Sports doesn't take too long and you'll learn
valuable rescue skills along the way.

All the best and welcome.

Ray.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 19:19:02 +0000, Nutter <Nutter@MyHouse.com> wrote:


>
>Ray.
>
Thought you had posted this...... Nutter.

Could not hack it in rec.scuba then?

--
Steve Barlow

> Welcome, Gavin. Warn your bank manager what you are about to do!!!!!!!!

Shhhhhh i think that could be the worst thing in the world, actually, make
that second wost, if the misses finds out........

> Which centre did you dive with in Benalmedina?

one2one Diving (http://www.one2onediving.com), where my father did his PADI
Open Water, and I think has now started on his PADI Dive Master course.

"Steve Barlow" <steve.barlow@steve.hi-wide.net> wrote in message
news:h0p000tenbrm7s80j22mrlafbrihvj8o8n@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 19:19:02 +0000, Nutter <Nutter@MyHouse.com> wrote:
>
>
> >
> >Ray.
> >
> Thought you had posted this...... Nutter.
>
> Could not hack it in rec.scuba then?
>
> --

It takes a special sort of nut to survive R.S.

rhys

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message

>
> Just thought you guys would have some fun with it.
>
> Lee

Welcome back Lee,

Good Holiday?


DaveA



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