Bigpower

Scuba diving has always been something I've wanted to do and have done a few dives on holidays so am starting to think about doing the proper qualification. Have to get a bit fitter first so thinking about setting myself a plan for 2010.

Does anyone have a PADI or BSAC ? Which would you recommend ?

Anyone go to anywhere in Norwich ?

my mate has a padi , i;ll have aword for you .
he s also a member on here .
will let you know or get him to pm you
his user name is friendly bacteria

I recommend PADI as it's the most internationally known diving organisation and in my opinion the most user friendly. Most of the best diving sites in the world are well covered by PADI. Myself and Hazel qualified in 2007 at Dive Northampton just before taking a trip to go diving in Fiji. We did our final dives for those all important open water pass stamps at Stoney Cove in Leicestershire. It was so well worth it i can't recommend it enough.

BSAC is fine if you're into diving around the UK only or are into wreck or cave diving and want to go more into to Technical Diving but to be honest having dived with and gotten to know some BSAC divers even they agreed that for your average diver that wants to go and do just recreational diving PADI is the more appropriate although you can go all the way with PADI and gain advanced, rescue, divemaster or instructor qualilfications. When both myself and Hazel have lost enough weight we'll get back into our dive suits and do advanced and possibly rescue diver courses with emphasis on Nitrox and deep diving. I have to say though in my experience all the best stuff you will see under the sea will be anywhere from 0-25 meters. The Open Water qualification allows you to go down to 18 meters although in Fiji Hazel and i went down to 25meters with the Divemaster and all was well.

BSAC divers dive all over the world and are generally known as some of the better trained divers around but PADI schools are absolutely everywhere. By the way,when you're abroad diving you'll get to know who the British divers are as they generally suit up in all black gear. It's just a tradition thing but in all honestly you're better off in the most bright coloured gear so you're easily spotted under water.

Norwich PADI schools:

http://www.norwichsub-aqua.co.uk/

http://www.scuba4me.co.uk/index.html

http://bluewaterdivingschool.co.uk/

Go and talk to all 3 diving schools and see which one best fits your needs and gives you the best feeling. There will be course materials and a DVD to purchase and kit hire at preferential prices when you become a member of that school.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy!!

I went all the way to Rescue Diver qualification with a local PADI school and thoroughly recommend the PADI way of doing things.

I've spoken to (and dived with) quite a few BSAC trained divers too. PADI tends to be more structured and professional whereas BSAC seems (my perception only) to be more dependant upon individuals willingness to teach.

I think PADI may work out more expensive but it felt safer to me.

Safety is paramount where scuba is concerned, never forget that you are deliberately venturing into an environment where you can't survive without life support equipment.

Because the conditions in the UK are generally colder and more changeable than many other locations, the standard of training over here is (again in my opinion) some of the best you will get anywhere in the world.

If you go with a reputable PADI school and do your training in the uk you will be properly equipped to dive most other leisure locations around the world.

I've only dived outside the uk a handfull of times, most of my scuba career has been uk based and can tell you that contrary to what you might think there are some awesome dives around our coastline, especially the mulberry harbours off Littlehampton where there are some extremely large cuttlefish.

As ScoobieWRX says, Stony Cove is a great place to dive (if a bit crowded in the summer) and there are some very tame and quite large carp often to be found taking an interest in divers. I dived at Lakeside once and won't do it again.

Be prepared though, SCUBA is without a doubt the most infectious hobby I have ever had, I seriously regret no longer having the time or the money to do it

Good luck and trust me, you will almost certainly wish you had done it years ago

Agreed about Stoney Cove but it is probably one of the best inland open water diving centres in the UK. A lot of the divers from Dive Northampton dive Cornwall/Devon and scotland coasts as well as regular trips to Egypt. Also agreed about UK divers being better trained and safest.

The gear they had in Fiji was pretty old and i'm not sure how regularly bottles or regs were serviced because all the hoses and suits were cracked and regs kept sticking open a lot. All the BCD's we tried were bloody old, threadbare and properly faded to nothing. Also you were encouraged to keep the regulator in your mouth at the surface but when training over here you're encouraged you to use your Snorkel. Quite right too!!

My advice if you decide to take it up, gain your Open water quallification and even if you just go diving 2 or 3 times a year when on holiday is buy your own suit, fins and mask that fits you properly and invest in your own BCD (Bouyancy Control Device). Bottles and regs you can always hire when you get to your destination or if you're feeling flushed get some regulators as there is nothing quite like using your own gear. You can buy 2nd hand equiptment through the dive club you join that has been properly maintained and serviced and will give you good service till you decide to step it up a gear.

Do it.....you'll love it!!

Cheers for the replies guys, I did a couple of diving trips in Mauritius down to about 8 metres and was blown away by it !! Wall to wall fish, octopus, lionfish, moorish idols etc etc. Also did a couple in Gran Canaria and whilst a different experience there was still plenty to see. I dont have any adversion to diving in the UK waters and sounds like this could be completely different too.

My fitness is rubbish at the moment so will spend the winter getting back into shape and then see about starting this march time next year I think (plus gives me time to save, it looks about

http://www.stoneycove.com/directions.htm

It's not that BSAC prepares you better but it can go into the real in-depth technicals of diving.

It's not something i ever wanted to do that's for sure as i'm a lot more interested in being a very competent and super safe recreational diver down to 30/40mtrs which is deep enough for probably 90% of divers. Even then you'll get into the benefits of breathing Nitrox to keep you down for loinger. Any deeper or longer than Nitrox diving and you need to look at things like breathing Trimix and all of the other safety issues concerend with very deep diving or long immersion times. It's already a pretty serious subject at that without going into the super serious stuff, and technically it will become a lot more demanding.

Do the PADI and get up to rescue or adventure diver and that will get you up to a very high standard indeed. More than good enough to dive wherever you like with experienced divers that won't feel they have to nursemaid you.

If that's really not enough then once you've done Rescue or adventure diver and logged 50 dives go for Master Diver and that gets you up to the highest qualilfication for non-professional recreational diving and that's pretty technical in itself.

Reach Master diver and it's a very high distinction getting you up there with the very best divers around the world if you really end up living and breathing diving. Personally speaking Rescue or Adventure Diver is a very high level to get to and thereafter it's all down to experience. The more dives you do the better diver you will become. Dive with the right people and you can only gain positive experiences and have the most fun.

Here is the main PADI website and gives you the complete range of what's what. http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-courses/ ... fault.aspx

Gareth, gareth, gareth ... speak to me, my mate colin is a PADI instructor - my mate Lee is a BSAC instructor, and I know I can beat those prices .