[MattDowner]

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Hi all, Thought it'd be rude to join and not introduce myself.  I'm based in Herts and have been diving for 4 years. After training with Padi and having a couple of years of fantastic UK diving I had a big interest in the Tech diving scene and went on to train with TDI  and now dive "Twins and Sides" Being an engineer and interested in most thing mechanical I am a self confessed Wreck Head. I do also enjoy yearly jaunts abroad but can't get enough UK for my liking. Most of my UK diving is South coast but have done Scapa and North East as well but not had the privelige of Scottish West coast (Oban, Mull etc) but is very high on my list to do!! Anyway thats the basics and look forward to talking to you.

Matt

 

[Mary]

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<font color='#000080'>Hi Matt

Good to meet you, hopefully we'll see you around some time on one of the trips. If you fancy the west coast then the guy to talk to is Peter K, there may even be space left on one of his sound of mull gigs over the next few months.

Mary

 

[DanE]

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Aha! The Hertfordshire contingent grows!

Welcome to YD, Matt.

dan.

 

[MattDowner]

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Hi Mary

Thanks, I am just finding my way around the site and like the way there are people from all over the country offering trips to all, I have been to Mull and Oban at least half a dozen times but never to dive, Very frustrating I can tell you!!!!

 

[MattDowner]

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Hi DanE

Yer Herts is not the best place for Diving venues but is a good base for getting to most places, Good choice of dive shops in the area too but I always use Croxley divers, Great blokes, Know there stuff.

 

[[email protected]]

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Hi Matt

Nice to see new members, I, like yourself, have yet to dive Oban though have visited it many an occasion. You never know, maybe this year??

James

 

[MattDowner]

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Hi James

I always like to make a mental list at the start of the year of "Must do" places trouble is there are only 52 weekends in the year!!!!!

  The West coast is a definite this year though.

 

[DanE]

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I use Croxley a lot too - or rather I go in to get a fill and come out having bought something...  

dan.

 

[angleseydiver]

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<font color='#000080'>Hi Matt,
         Wot no Anglesey on yer wish-list??  

 Ya don't know what yer missin! (not much with weather as it is) Mind you we have a nice 40m wreck that can be done in a SW gale- then there's always Dotty as a last resort.
Welcome to YD, the friendliest dive-forum around!

ATB,
Terry

 

[Diving Dude]

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Welcome Matt to the wild world of YD.
Yippeeee another southerner............

l wish you'd joined earlier and booked yourself onto Peter K's march SO mull trip, we could have shared the driving on the billion mile round trip.

l also use Grumpy Pete's, sorry Croxley divers and l think they're very good.

Next time you're in there ask about the guy that ordered three made to measure Polar bear crazy coloured dry-suites.

So coming from Herts are you a Hornet? if so we'll have loads to commiserate with each other.

 

[Mr T.]

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Hey Matt,

Welcome to YD mate! See if you can get yourself on one of the spare places for the second boat on the March trip to the Sound of Mull - see Planned Trips for full info!

 

[Snash]

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Hi Matt - am also from Herts and also just started on YD. Am based up near Royston and before anyone says it - yes, it is a local place...

still sometimes it does feel like being at the edge of civilisation (apologies to Camdiver and other Fen Folk  

) but once you get out of Herts it is like entering Middle Earth  

and before Dude asks, nope am not a hornet, but I do remember a trip up to your gaff for a FA cup game with the not-so mighty Fulham a few years back when you were in the 1st (as was) and we were in the 2nd (as was).

Simon

 

[AdmiralHanson]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Hi Matt, welcome .....

 

[Conor]

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Welcome aboard Mat

As snash said I'm from the fens (Cambridge), but I'm not a local Hobbit, I'm Irish really.

Hope you enjoy

Conor

 

[louigi]

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<font color='#FF0000'>All this referral to the fens as homes for hobbits is likely to end in damage to a ring as they can get a little bit uppity around here. So mind out when you put your fins on in Guildy.
It aint quite as exiting as Middle earth anyway.  

 

[Conor]

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except at kicking out time on a saturday night

 

[Snash]

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Quote[/b] (louigi @ Jan. 02 2004,15:24)]All this referral to the fens as homes for hobbits is likely to end in damage to a ring

Ooooouch - mind me Farmer's  

Simon

 

[MattDowner]

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Thanks All for the welcome.

To answer a few questions, I live in sunny Welwyn Garden City and I am not a Hornet as I can't stand football!!!

Sorry for not adding Anglesey but the list is long and I would be here forever but it is definitly up there.

I'll take a look at the Mull trip and see if I can fit it in, thanks for the pointer.

Matt

 

[Rob Meddes]

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<font color='#8D38C9'>Hiya Matt.
  How's things? Nice to see your about. Still think of our dive on the Kronprinz Willhelm. Some pics from Scapa on my website below. Having fun in Cyprus. Dived the Zenobia about 15 times. Bought a VR3 now so you won't be leaving me & Sarah on deco now.
Good to hear from you.
Rob

 

[MattDowner]

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Hi Rob

Thought I'd join in the chat, I liked the look of the site.

Scapa was good, I'm going back again this year.

Deco.....Er sorry about that but you did get a cuppa waiting even though I make cr*p tea!!!

Read your email I sent you one about VR3's yesterday.

Matt