off to egypt on sunday to learn how to scuba dive and take my open water padi.

anybody any tips

Be careful. Look after yourself BEFORE others! Only you can get yourself into trouble if you are careful, and then you shouldn't have to get yourself out of trouble.
And don't expect to see sharks at Shark Reef or Turtles at Turtle Bay. They were seen at those places. Once. In 1945. If you get my drift.....
Don't touch the seabed.
Don't flush the boat heads (toilets) whilst at anchor.
Don't expect to wear any footware on the boat.
Take as much of your own gear as you can. STAB jacket, regs, mask, fins and whatever else you think you'd be better using your own and not feeling uncomfortable borrowing others!
Buy a cheap shorty wetsuit.
Buy booties if you intend to use your own strappy flippers.
Take a small torch in your STAB pocket.
Don't put your dive knife in your hand luggage (ahem!)
Tip the guys BEFORE the trip begins!! And do the same at the hotel. I got fresh flowers, cans of pop and chocolate every day!

Sleep with the instructor , you will get your rating then!

Enjoy it above all!.....

But...listen intently to all that is instructed before you dive..... especially hand signals....

If you are unsure of anything....ask......

Get to know your 'buddy'......

Oh....and enjoy!

ATB Fozzie

In addition to Owellys comments:

Take lots of immodium tablets, just in case.
Only drink bottled water, and make sure you see it opened in front of you. Better yet, insist on opening it yourself. Ideally drink sparkling water, as its harder to refill the bottles. Avoid eating things that might have been washed in or made from local water.
Do NOT touch the coral - apart from damaging it, some of it can be venomous
Do NOT touch the fish (some are extremely venomous, others have big teeth)
Keep a close eye on your buddy and your air supply.
Enjoy ... when I was last there the diving was really nice.
Cheers
Richard

quote:

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Originally posted by SixedUp
Take lots of immodium tablets, just in case.
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Immodium just bungs u up! most tummi upsets in eygpt are caused by bacteria u want them out asap. If u get a bad gut go see the hotel doctor, he'll give you some antibiotic's to kill it off you cant buy em here but theyre made by the french( :mad and come in a yellow pkt (sorry I cant remember the name will try find the pkt if I can!)

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Macbeast - 21/4/07 at 04:32 AM

If you normally wear glasses for short sight, get mask with lenses to your prescription. Not that expensive but I found well worth it.

Right at the start learn to rig and check your gear yourself. I did a course where the instructors fitted the gear to you and they once sent me into the water totally screwed up. I had to surface to sort myself out.

Antiseptic cream for cuts and scrapes - fish fcuk in that water

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ed_crouch - 21/4/07 at 07:26 AM

They'll teach you everything you need to know to dive safely.

Are you doing the Open water referral, i.e. have completed all confined water dives already?

If so you already have the basics. Going Open Water in Egypt will be superb. Vis, probably about 20 metres, temperature... Well, it wont be Maldives hot (Honeymoon last year, 27C at 20 metres according to my computer!!!), but a 3 or 5 mm wetsuit will be plenty, and the school will probably have some anyway.

Just dont come back to blighty, and jump into Swanage or somewhere expecting it to be that good!

Have fun. I am envious!

Ed.

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russbost - 21/4/07 at 08:31 AM

Good luck with it, went to Sharm a couple of years ago & just did an intro dive - absolutely awesome. Just snorkelling you can see thousands upon thousands of fish in every size shape & colour imagineable! Enjoy!

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Deckman001 - 21/4/07 at 01:25 PM

Having done my 'Padi' at Wraysbury' nr Heathrow on a cloudy/snowy Feb, a few years ago, I'm very jealous of the weather you'l be doing yours in !!

Jason

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