Aboardman
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 08:39 AM |
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anyone with Padi diving qualifications
After doing some diving in Hawaii would like to do my Padi qualification, been looking around on a explorers diving website to lean in egypt.
http://www.explorers.co.uk/
what other places are good to get your qualification, any tips or advice.
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pathfinder
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:04 AM |
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I’ve done almost all my diving in the med (its dead) not a lot to see but ideal for learning. I worked a couple of seasons for the European diving
centre Turkey and can recommend them, their prices are also way cheaper than England etc. 
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F20 POWERED RUSH
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:18 AM |
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Hi Welcome to the underwater world, Basically two choices either join a local BSAC CLUB www.bsac.org free instruction you pay for membership to a
local club and membership to BSAC but you would complete the course in UK drysuit diving etc. Or book a trip with Explorers Tours ( have the best
choice in Egypt (SHARM)) Quick cheap an easy Padi qualifcation 3 days and you get a sun tan. So if you wish a fast track qualification to dive in warm
water go PADI / SSI / If you want warm water and the challenge of UK cold water diving then go BSAC As Diving Officer of my local BSAC club we have
many people who have trained with PADI then return to the UK and then do a crossover course to BSAC for UK wreck diving etc. Also BSAC clubs provide a
social side to the club.
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mackei23b
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:21 AM |
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Did my PADI Scuba in the Malidives.
It was excellent, did some boat dives, saw mantarays, turtles etc. One of the dives that week saw a basking shark, though I wasn't on that
one
Cheers
Ian
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Pants On Fire
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:33 AM |
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Why not try a resort course with PADI, do all your theory in the UK and complete your dives in the warm Red Sea, maximise your time on holiday. Your
local dive centre can run this for you.
Are you planning ever to dive in UK waters? If so you can do PADI courses in UK waters, if you can dive in UK waters you can dive anywhere.
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RazMan
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:33 AM |
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I did some wreck diving in Greece - shook hands with an Octopus which was a little scary  . You have to ask the locals to find the best areas.
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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pathfinder
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:47 AM |
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I’m with CaLviNx, do a padi course as it’s a more internationally recognised qualification and you can branch off into whatever speciality diving you
like, TEK REC etc.
I’m not going to slag off BSAC but there always seems to be animosity between the two groups!
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pathfinder
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:52 AM |
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Oh and buy yourself some kit to learn with eg mask fins and BCD. There is no point learning with cheaper/older school kit, and then going out and
buying top of the range stuff and finding out it behaves differently!
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Humbug
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 09:56 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by pathfinder
I’ve done almost all my diving in the med (its dead) not a lot to see but ideal for learning. I worked a couple of seasons for the European diving
centre Turkey and can recommend them, their prices are also way cheaper than England etc.
I did the basic 3-day qualification course with my family at the European Diving Centre in Turkey 2005 - enjoyed it and it was nice to be in warm
water!
(btw, I never did work out why it is called "European" as it is in Asia??!!)
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pathfinder
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 10:01 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
quote:
Originally posted by pathfinder
I’ve done almost all my diving in the med (its dead) not a lot to see but ideal for learning. I worked a couple of seasons for the European diving
centre Turkey and can recommend them, their prices are also way cheaper than England etc.
I did the basic 3-day qualification course with my family at the European Diving Centre in Turkey 2005 - enjoyed it and it was nice to be in warm
water!
(btw, I never did work out why it is called "European" as it is in Asia??!!)
Most probably because the owners were welsh! (only joking)
They also had centre spelt wrong on all of there T-shirts for a few years, never mind!
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Fozzie
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 10:14 AM |
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Welcome to the wonderful world of diving! 
I did BSAC back in the 80's, but never had the inclination to dive in our waters.
If I had my time again I would most definitely go PADI 
Totally concur with CaLviNx on this one...... and with pathfinder on his suggestion of getting your own basics to start, but have a couple of
'goes' first to make sure diving is for you before you part with your 'hard earned'!
I chose Australia to do my last ever dive, and believe me it was totally amazing....
I got a friend of ours into diving, and he adores it, he makes sure he gets to Egypt every year, usually in January/February, which suits both he and
his wife! She loves the sun and he gets to play with fish .
As suggested go PADI, then, if diving off our shores is of interest, join up and go BSAC but I too found them very much 'up their own
wotsit', but you may have a cool bunch in your area if you are lucky!
Enjoy but never forget S.A.F.E. and have fun!
ATB Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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Aboardman
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 10:24 AM |
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thanks for the replys
quote:
but have a couple of 'goes' first to make sure diving is for you before you part with your 'hard earned'!
i did a couple of 20min dives approx 20ft down in hawaii at a place called turtle bay would of been nice to see some turtles except the sharks scared
them away the day before
i normally go on holiday by myself so i need to find things to do as sitting around is boring (and try putting lotion on your own back) and have got
bored with disney world so i thought diving would be a good thing to learn.
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Fozzie
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 10:37 AM |
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Sounds like an ideal 'hobby/sport' for you then!
And meeting 'like minded' people whilst doing it! Brilliant! 
Have fun....go PADI!
ATB Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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F20 POWERED RUSH
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 11:14 AM |
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Just a quick comment there are good and bad divers in all agencies, and good and bad instructors in all agencies, and good and bad points qualifying
with all agencies. One thing to consider regarding with UK diving. During 2006 there were unfortunatly 16 reported fatilitys 12 of which were NOT BSAC
trained.
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Fozzie
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 12:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by F20 POWERED RUSH
Just a quick comment there are good and bad divers in all agencies, and good and bad instructors in all agencies, and good and bad points qualifying
with all agencies. One thing to consider regarding with UK diving. During 2006 there were unfortunatly 16 reported fatilitys 12 of which were NOT BSAC
trained.
Absolutely agree, hence the 'safety' advice and BSAC training if wanting to dive in the UK, given by many above!
You are so right! as with all sports, you just cannot be too careful!
Fozzie 
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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ibakes
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 12:25 PM |
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Did a dive in Fiji, and the instructor didnt have enough weights, my BCD didnt work, it kept blowing itself up so I didnt bother connecting it, and
the dive master killed the biggest fish we saw for his dinner ............ Brilliant tho
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Winston Todge
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 01:01 PM |
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Put Another Dollar In....
Love it though...
Spend a lot of my time diving when on my travels. Which is happening less and less often with mortgages and things looming. But certified upto Rescue
and found it the best of the early courses through PADI. Obviously Dive Master's a lot of fun but don't rush through that
qualification...
I know a few DM's that paid their grand and did it in 3 weeks and know sweet FA about diving. A proper live in apprenticeship for your DM is the
way to go. Plus you get so much more diving in!
This is related to diving mainly in Thailand, Australia and Malaysia. So not sure about other continents!
Chris.
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DaveFJ
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 01:37 PM |
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I did my PADI course in Belize
It's a fair old journey but has some of the best diving in the world... and the second longest barrier reef...
I got to swim with sharks/rays/turtles/manatees and even a conger eel.... fantastic!
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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Fred W B
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 01:52 PM |
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What about Sunny SA - Lots of dive activity here, and great steaks are cheap!
Cheers
Fred W B
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DaveFJ
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 01:55 PM |
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I have a brother in-law who is a diving instructor based in SA. He says the diving in Mozambique is second to none......
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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owelly
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| posted on 19/1/07 at 02:06 PM |
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Panic And Drown Imminenent!!
I'm BSAC trained and wouldn't slag off the other groups but the facts do speak for themselves when it comes to accidents and
fatalities!!
The attitude of the instructors can hardly be attributed to BSAC!
Incidentally, I switched to SAA when I fell out with the local BSAC branch because they all had their heads up each others arses..............
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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