Hi, I'm Ruth

[RuthH]

I have already posted in the Equipment forum and got some really helpful advice so I'm very impressed with you guys already!

I am a newly qualified OW diver and I'm not yet entirely convinced it's for me, because I have ear problems. I qualified in Portland, where I saw lots of silt and murk, a male cuckoo wrasse and some pollack. The best thing about diving so far has been the people, and the quality of the instruction, not the diving itself! But I'm off to Mersa Alam in September - I hear they have a strange type of water you can see through? - so I'm reserving judgement.

I live in St Albans, nowhere near the coast, but am hoping to move to Vancouver in the next few years.

[Chris Hall]

Hi Rurth

Welcome to the site, any problems you have with your ears may be solved here! You never know.

I live in west yorks & a long way from the sea, but that doesn't stop the diving.

[Mark Powell]

Hi Ruth,

welcome to YD. As you have found it's a great place to get some useful help and advice.

I hope you keep at it and don't let your ears put you off. You might find that your ears become less of a problem as you continue to practice.

[John Gulliver]

If you're planning to move to Vancouver, you've just GOT to continue diving. British Columbia (the Emerald Sea) has the best cold-water diving in the world, according to Cousteau (and according to me )
You'll love diving in southern Egypt, by the way.

[Mr T.]

Glad we were some help and please feel free to ask any questions you like.

If you need advice on diving in Canada, then John, above, and Lou and Caroline have done the trip and rate it as probably the best 'cold water' diving they've ever done.

Enjoy the site.

Cheers,

[hawkeye]

Hi and welcome to YD

[RuthH]

Thanks everyone!

The main reason for moving to Vancouver is snowboarding and quality of life but also the fact that you can do almost any outdoor activity you want. I have heard great things about the diving and the clear water. And the giant octopus...

I've been viewing the medical thread and got some tips about doing all I can to make my ears behave. Everyone I meet has advice too... it's all good, and I'm sure I'll fall in love with diving like everyone else I know who's tried it!

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by RuthH

Thanks everyone!

The main reason for moving to Vancouver is snowboarding and quality of life but also the fact that you can do almost any outdoor activity you want. I have heard great things about the diving and the clear water. And the giant octopus...

I'm the process of emmigrating to canada as well of to calgary in Oct, But now thinking of looking into BC .

[John Gulliver]

Originally Posted by hawkeye

I'm the process of emmigrating to canada as well of to calgary in Oct, But now thinking of looking into BC .

I'm off to BC for the third time on September 13th. You can read about my last trip, on a liveaboard to the Queen Charlottes, here:
http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/canadaqci.htm
On the first trip, we stayed at two centres, Rendezvous Dive Ventures and God's Pocket Resort. Both were excellent. This time we're going to Quadra Island, where Lou and Caroline were last year:
http://www.divedynamike.com/index.html
We did a couple of dives in that area on the way back to Vancouver last trip and thought the diving was awesome. Hence the recommendation to Lou and Caroline to go there. They were not disappointed and I'm sure we won't be either.

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by John Gulliver

I'm off to BC for the third time on September 13th. You can read about my last trip, on a liveaboard to the Queen Charlottes, here:
http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/canadaqci.htm
On the first trip, we stayed at two centres, Rendezvous Dive Ventures and God's Pocket Resort. Both were excellent. This time we're going to Quadra Island, where Lou and Caroline were last year:
http://www.divedynamike.com/index.html
We did a couple of dives in that area on the way back to Vancouver last trip and thought the diving was awesome. Hence the recommendation to Lou and Caroline to go there. They were not disappointed and I'm sure we won't be either.

Cheers for that looks fantastic