Weekend diving for a Uni club ???

[Sipadan]

Looks like I'm yet another of the new crop of expedition officers who doesn't know what's about to hit them in terms of institutionalised inertia. Did I mention that it's a uni club

I'd like to get things going a bit. I know there are probably plenty who said the same thing before and failed, all I can do is try. Basically, looking for ideas for a cheap weekend away diving somewhere, preferably in the sea.

Cost is important, don't mind roughing it a bit on the accomodation front. Would be good to have diving suitable for all levels of qualification as well. Good shore diving would be nice and the option of a hard boat trip. Just got back from Oban, something like that would be perfect. It gets worse, we're Midlands based , so venues not too far away preferred.

Any suggestions? Particularly interested to hear from other uni club people who can recommend doing it on the cheap, i.e. hostels etc.

[ratcliffe]

I'm assuming you get the minibus from the university to use, so all you have to pay is the fuel ? Thats a good start, then arrange it as a camping weekend too, which makes it really cheap. You can do a barbie with a little beer (not too much as you *are* going diving ), which makes it social as well.

If you go somewhere with some shore diving, there are no boat costs, and there are plenty of places with enough short for a couple of dives...

[Kev W]

Farne Islands or even better St Abbs two excellent places to take new and experienced.Both have shore or h/boat diving though the farnes is more limited with sites for shore diving.

[Snash]

Just to think of a few:

St Abbs/ Eyemouth - good shore dives; scabbyvans and camping as well.

West Wales (Dale) - good cheap accommodation - some shore diving.

Weymouth - bunk houses/ scabbyvans/ camping - shore diving (well some) and also hard boats and shuttles.

Swanage - camping - shore dives (well, the pier) and shuttles.

I've done all as part of Uni trips. Caravans and camping was the norm. With Uni minibuses it is dead cheap.

I'm now in Leamington and we do day dashes to Swanage, weekends to all of those places.
The great thing about being in the Midlands is that you are basically at the centre of the Motorway network so you can go north, south, east & west easily.

Lets face it anywhere is better than Coney Stove, Dosthell & Guildenbog.

Cheers

Snash

[adamr]

Definantly consider Farnes ans St Abbs as already mentioned.

St Abbs is cheaper then the farnes but it is about 1/2 hour further up the road. Diving from a hard boat in St abbs is about £15 a day. And accomadation is quite cheap. There is a caravan site with drinking facilities nearby. Or there is Billy's bunkhouse right by the harbour but no pub .
Plus you can do some shore diving if your on a real budget. There is a deepish (30-35m) wreck up there called the Glanmire which is good, plus plenty of shallower reefs so it caters for everyone.

ATB

Adam

[Sipadan]

Thanks guys, green on its way. May be in contact soon to get some details.

[J.D.]

We spend a week camping in Falmouth every year. Gives you access to plenty of wrecks around Falmouth bay and the Manacles and shore diving at Porthkerris and Porthouestock. If the clubs got a RIB theres a few places you can launch from.

[DAFFY]

How about Bovisand!!! loads off Caravan parks/camping sites and good location for wrecks JEL, Perseus ect and there's the breakwater for newbies

[garethwoodruff]

Get Group YHA membership, theres loads of hostels and if the clubs a member then as long as there is at least 6 of you, you don't have to be a member. There comfy, and modern these days. I would throughly recommend the one at Portland, its about £18 a night and a cracking breakfast. The welsh ones are about £14 a night as well.

From Warwick, its worth trying North wales and Abersoch, you can launch off the beach or from nearby slips and theres good shore diving near by.

There is a small campsite at Tyn Rhoss (spelt wrong i think), that has a compressor and a covered area where u can have a BBQ.

For training we like vivian quarry in north wales, make a weekend of it and if you have an instructor number you get to dive for free. There are some nice camp sites with convenient pubs near by as well.

[Woz]

Another vote for Plymouth here. From my house (west Nottingham) to Missus Woz's mum's house (Ivybridge) it's 3 hours on a (very) good run. Lots of shore diving and if you can book Furious for a weekend, you can get accom for £12 and his boat for £20 for the day. Bargain.

Or look at it another way- I chartered MV Faithful for a long weekend (3 day) liveaboard for 12 people. It cost £190 each but this includes absolutely everything- food, fills, accom. When you add up 3 days of accom plus food plus fills plus hard boat that ends up at not that far away- only about 15 or 20 quid less assuming £20 for fills, £20 per day for food, £20 per day for the boat and £12 per day for the accom.