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CUK SCUBA thread

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    CUK SCUBA thread

    As we have a number of divers on here I thought I'd start a thread for all our diving related stories/recommendations/experiences/horror stories etc.

    Ok, I'll start shall I...

    Anyone got any experience of the NDAC near Chepstow and/or diving off the Welsh coast?
    Time of year? Any good? What suit?

    #2
    Why you should never accept a novice buddy

    I was diving off Sharm after and was paired with a novice, who about 20 meters down freaked out knocking his air out, I swim over with my spare regulator he twats me on the nose, as the blood slowly fills my mask I shoot to the surface and precede to berate him as the look of fear covers his face when someone mentions he will be locked in a hyperbaric chamber with me for a length of time, I get to shore and go for a beer instead while they patch up my broken nose.
    Originally posted by Stevie Wonder Boy
    I can't see any way to do it can you please advise?

    I want my account deleted and all of my information removed, I want to invoke my right to be forgotten.

    Comment


      #3
      Wow. Any ill effects from a rapid ascent from 20m?
      My subconscious is annoying. It's got a mind of its own.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by pjclarke View Post
        Wow. Any ill effects from a rapid ascent from 20m?
        I got drunk quicker that night?!

        It was early in the dive so was no where near the no-deco limit as I was on nitrox, if we were in the UK I probably would have been forced to go to the chamber, not sure if the other guy did never saw him afterwards.
        Originally posted by Stevie Wonder Boy
        I can't see any way to do it can you please advise?

        I want my account deleted and all of my information removed, I want to invoke my right to be forgotten.

        Comment


          #5
          My diving provenance: After many years sea-swimming and snorkelling on hols, qualified in 2000 at the Crystal Seas centre on Menorca (now defunct). Now have 144 logged dives, nearly all on holiday in the Med, Canaries or the Red Sea. Tried UK diving at Capernwray a few times with my local BSAC but the charms of a near-sterile cold and dark quarry in a restrictive drysuit cannot compete with the viz of the Med or the teeming wildlife of the Red Sea....

          Just back from a fortnight diving the wrecks and caverns with Bluewater Scuba in Cala N Bosch on Menorca, whom I recommend heartily.

          Not many incidents or horror stories. Things generally only go wrong when people dive outside their ability or fail to follow their training .....e.g. had a similar experience in Sharm. Was doing a refresher dive at the start of the holiday, kneeling in a circle at about 15m on sandy bottom when another diver panicked and made for the surface. The leader signalled us to stay put and went after him. His air was fine but his gauges were showing empty and instead of following procedure, he panicked, and we had to abort the dive after that.

          Another time we 'lost' 2 divers. We were swimming in a group of 6 to The 'Church Door' cavern on Menorca, I was buddied with the leader at the front. About half way there we noticed that there were 2 divers behind us rather than the expected 4. We aborted and swam back to the entry point but no sign of the missing pair. In quick succession the leader started chainsmoking, radioed in to base, sent one person along the coast path to see if they'd surfaced, instructed one person remain at the shore entry while 2 of us went back in to implement a search pattern. After a few mins, the missing pair emerged from the surf. They had found a cave, mistaken it for our destination and gone inside, when they realised their error and came out again the rest of the group were nowhere to be seen. One panicked and surfaced and the other had to go with him. When they'd calmed down they resubmerged but we'd missed them, either in the cave or on the surface....

          Another time, diving the Malakov wreck in about 35m, we lost another pair. Turned out one had blacked out and the other had implemented a controlled ascent. Sadly not up the line, and they drifted about 2km from the boat, no SMB and so had to surface swim back against the current. A reminder that a snorkel is an item of safety equipment.

          To end on a cheerful note ...the only fatal incidents I've heard about were not strictly diving acidents. One guy had an arm taken off by the propellor of a dive boat as it implemented an illegal manoeuvre and died of blood loss, another was carrying a full cylinder on his shoulder, with a dodgy valve which blew out and took his face off, rendering him first unrecognisable and, shortly after, dead.
          My subconscious is annoying. It's got a mind of its own.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by pjclarke View Post

            Just back from a fortnight diving the wrecks and caverns with Bluewater Scuba in Cala N Bosch on Menorca, whom I recommend heartily.
            What was the water temp PJ? What sort of suit did you need/feel comfortable in?

            In other news... just back from a week diving with Rubicon as per your rec. Cracking bunch to dive with. Saw maybe half a dozen bright blue octopi and loads of rays.

            Temp was 24 on the surface going down to 21 deg at depth (20m). I was comfortable enough in a full 5mm suit & a rash vest. Mrs P would have preferred thicker but she's a wuss.

            Comment


              #7
              Anyone remember this?

              'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

              Comment


                #8
                Water temp was a steady 22C. I have a 2-piece 5mm dungarees and jacket and other than on the Malkakov, I was fine in the dungarees and a rash vest ...
                My subconscious is annoying. It's got a mind of its own.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Pondlife View Post
                  Mrs P would have preferred thicker but she's a wuss.
                  You sure you were both on the same conversation?
                  'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Having done my first two open water dives in the sea last weekend I'm very tempted to finish my Open Water certificate abroad! I had two wetsuits, gloves, hood and the usual kit and it wasn't the easiest way to practice skills underwater (or walk, come to that). Very difficult to put a mask on and off when you can't feel your fingers.

                    I did see a few nice fish (blenny, pollack, pipefish, little white ones), a medium sized crab and lots of plant life, and it was very pretty looking up through the water as the sun shone down illuminating a herd of little fish. But also quite cold, and vis of only about 2m by dive 2.

                    One of the guys on the course came back up from 6m with a mask full of blood due to his nose bleeding on the way down. Quite freaky to see when you come back up.
                    ContractorUK Best Forum Adviser 2013

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