What to do.............................

[Hickdive]

Don't give up on the UK yet...

Firstly, forget the Lochs. The Lochs are fine for training or for just keeping your hand in but they are not the be all and end all of west coast diving. I'm always slightly puzzled by people who cheerfully drive four hours to the lower reaches of Loch Fyne each week to experience conditions and sea life identical to what they would get at Finnart.

Secondly, forget what you are 'qualified' to do. Do you really believe that you, personally, need to do a PADI Deep Diver Speciality or similar before you can do the Kintyre? Some people probably do need that extra qualification but I've seen you dive and you are more than competent to do planned decompression dives to 30m or more. I know you've done your fundies and have been told that you mustn't ever use a computer for deco dives and that you must do Tech 1 and learn how to work it all out in your noggin as you go along before you can do planned stops but remember, tens of thousands of divers have been doing planned deco dives on computers safely for over twenty years. The GUE way is superior and I'm sure you should go for it but at what point does it actually hold you back from doing interesting dives that you are competent to do before you get that Tech qualification? Get yourself on the hardboats in the Clyde and Forth and get doing those wrecks in the 30-50m range and get doing stops so you get the best out of them. Forget what the little stickers in your logbook say, they are based on the lowest common denominator of divers, start believing in your own abilities instead and let yourself do the decent dives.

Or, thirdly, just sell your kit and use the money to go boarding instead. I'll give you £500 for the whole lot, I'll give you cash and even collect it (It isn't worth more than that, the colours are all wrong and the suit won't fit me, I'm doing you a favour, honest!)

[gwilson]

Originally Posted by Hickdive

Don't give up on the UK yet...

Firstly, forget the Lochs. The Lochs are fine for training or for just keeping your hand in but they are not the be all and end all of west coast diving. I'm always slightly puzzled by people who cheerfully drive four hours to the lower reaches of Loch Fyne each week to experience conditions and sea life identical to what they would get at Finnart.

Secondly, forget what you are 'qualified' to do. Do you really believe that you, personally, need to do a PADI Deep Diver Speciality or similar before you can do the Kintyre? Some people probably do need that extra qualification but I've seen you dive and you are more than competent to do planned decompression dives to 30m or more. I know you've done your fundies and have been told that you mustn't ever use a computer for deco dives and that you must do Tech 1 and learn how to work it all out in your noggin as you go along before you can do planned stops but remember, tens of thousands of divers have been doing planned deco dives on computers safely for over twenty years. The GUE way is superior and I'm sure you should go for it but at what point does it actually hold you back from doing interesting dives that you are competent to do before you get that Tech qualification? Get yourself on the hardboats in the Clyde and Forth and get doing those wrecks in the 30-50m range and get doing stops so you get the best out of them. Forget what the little stickers in your logbook say, they are based on the lowest common denominator of divers, start believing in your own abilities instead and let yourself do the decent dives.

Or, thirdly, just sell your kit and use the money to go boarding instead. I'll give you £500 for the whole lot, I'll give you cash and even collect it (It isn't worth more than that, the colours are all wrong and the suit won't fit me, I'm doing you a favour, honest!)

I think you hit it on the head with the Lochs, they are repetative and i think our version of quarry diving, Id rather be on boat in the Clyde just need you to dodge yr wife and get out diving. So far as deco stops go im happy to do them and even have a card to satisfy life insurance. hahaha

£500 if you have that to spend im sure i saw a 2nd hand approx 2 year old Suunto D9 for sale on this very forum for nearly that much

[Hickdive]

Originally Posted by gwilson

£500 if you have that to spend im sure i saw a 2nd hand approx 2 year old Suunto D9 for sale on this very forum for nearly that much

Yes, but it's a piece of old tat worth 28p your kit's nearly new and worth a wee bit more

Maybe out on 4th May down to Girvan. Definitely out to U77 on June 8. Might be space on both if you're in country and interested, let me know.

[John_C]

Originally Posted by gwilson

Im booked on two trips so far this year however i seem to have lost all interset in diving at the moment, I have not cancelled my trips due to A: not letting down the people im going with and B: im turning Scottish

However at the moment i have no inclination whats so ever to dive, this time last year I'd done nae on 20 dives this year I havent even pulled my dry suit out since 13th November last year. Its not a case of giving up I just cannot be arsed getting cold and wet on the side of a loch getting change or spending an hour or so stood there cold between dives.

Soooooooooooooooo to get myself back in the water and re-discover what makes diving good where do i go or what do i do? Not the UK ( thats too easy) not Scapa as im there in June and not the Red Sea as thats September.

Thank you

IF you have the dosh, get yourself on a plane to Grenada, and spend two weeks diving the Bianca C, King Mitch, Hema 1, Shakem, and for ease do the Veronica....... great wreck dives with pleanty of small and large fish life to boot.

[TerryH]

Easy awsner - go Lanzarote and it's never been easier to go :-)

While i'd agree with the Med if later in the year, the best bit about the
Canaries is there isnt a bad time. So with an all-year round destination
you can pretty much guarantee good diving.

Of the Islands I prefere Tenerife and Lanzarote, but tend to stick with Lanz,
because while you do use the boat for the odd dives, most of the reefs are
accessable from shore. This means you dont ever have to worry about the
boat logistics, any day can be any site.

Best bit now is that internet booking has become so easy, that you dont
need to bother about 7 days, you can do short term, odd numbers. Even
Easyjet start running flights in March.

Accommodation? Well that's easy too and if say you are doing a long
weekend, then just book the week and use it for 4 days. I've got prices
around now for a decent apartment in Costa Teguise at £115 for the
room/week and that sleeps 6 !!!!!!

I did Lanz in January and since then have been back in the cold stuff,
wouldnt have been so happy without that warm break, so it's definatley
good therepy to get away.

[Gogs]

Originally Posted by gwilson

I think you hit it on the head with the Lochs, they are repetative and i think our version of quarry diving,

Dam right! They are not the be all and end all of scottish diving.... they serve a purpose-a dive if the weather is sh*t and you cant get in anywhere else or for getting in training. If you asked anyone in Central Scotland if there was a 'Stoney' type dive up here there they would say Loch Long....

Dont give up diving, yeah everyone has peaks and troughs of doing something they like. Get yourself on a plane for a couple of weeks away and dive somewhere nice and warm and come back ready to take on some nice rusty wrecks over here in the Forth!

Gogs