First off SORRY ! recently joined the site and have asked a few questions, but did not say hello to start with. Used to be with BSAC way way back, loved the sport but could not do that and skiing. I have been wanting/meaning to get back into the sport for probably 10-15 years now but one thing and another just never did. I recently did my Padi confined water dives and training here in the UK but did the open water dives in just very slightly better conditions lol in Malta. In the process of buying gear and servicing gear which is making getting up to Capers or Eccy difficult for now but plan is to be there in the new year, hopefully I will get some pool sessions in before then. Planning on taking AOW be it with Padi or SSI for the summer and shortly after that join a local BSAC club as well. I hope to be at Eccy or Capers at least once a month after all getting my OW is just the start of a long learning curve. Once sorted with gear I am Manchester based so anyone fancy a dive mid week at either of the two sites I have mentioned drop me a message. Steve.
Welcome Steve. Kit's the perennial challenge. Asking on here does help although sometimes may not seem like it. Main thing is practice and time in the water. Even a grotty low-vis, high current dive gives you the opportunity to gain experience.
And another welcome Steve, but might be worth looking at doing BSAC Sport instead of AOW even if that's with a professional school. Once you join a BSAC club you can use your PADI AOW to dive to the limits of that qualification with a club, but a lot of UK dives are square profile and will go into deco, so this will be denied to you with the non-deco AOW and could restrict what dives you can do with the club. . Many PADI/SSI divers end up doing the likes of a TDI deco course, so you end up with two courses rather than the one BSAC.
