Scuba Diving. The Carnatic, Abu Nuhas, Egypt
The Carnatic is a great 19th Century shipwreck that lies on Sha’ab Abu Nuhas Reef in the Red Sea. It is accessable from both Sharm and hurgada (bit of a trek and weather permitting). It is quite shallow which means that it is accessible to all levels of diver. The Carnatic sank in 1869 but is still remarkably intact. Inside the wreck you can see the remains of broken bottles and there are shoals of glass fish inhabiting them. Penetration into the holds is easy for any level of diver and there are plenty of open areas to get out of. The story is that the Carnatic was carrying Gold when it struck the reef. Rumor has it that it was never recovered…Though, I didnt find any:)… A great dive.
- Photo (c) by Marc Van Espen
300 bar cylinders, for air rifle use
Steel Cylinders for Scuba Diving or Airguns
I don’t normally use this blog to sell. However, Steel cyliders normally associated with scuba diving are also used by air gun users. These are supplied with different valves, not used in Scuba Diving. Anyone interested in buying cylinders for air gun recharging, here is a great deal. These are not suitable for use as scuba diving cylinders.
Brand New 6Litre 300Bar Steel Cylinders with a 5 year hydrostatic test life. DIN VALVE
LIST PRICE £240.00
REMAR DIVING PRICE £185.00
SAVING £55.00
Anyone interested can contact me directly on 44 (0) 7970311017
or by dropping me an e mail to paul.bradbury@breezeemail.com
UK only. Collection from Cardiff Area. Deliveries UK wide.
scuba diving cylinders for airgun recharging
Sponge in great condition
Tube Sponge
Picture by Sally Rix
If you are on the north shore of the Dominican Republic I can highly recommend Northern Coast Diving on Pedro Clisante, Sosua for your dives. It is a very professional outfit, doing 3 dives a day and offering night dives and trips to the awesome caverns in Cabrera. See the site here and tell them Scuba man sent you.
My first dives. For the PADI ADVANCED course I was taken to Dosthill Quarry. October 1994. Yep, Cold.
Reading the dive log, I didnt sound that impressed with the underwater life. Remember these were FUN DIVES straight after the open water course ! Anyway, It would be good to hear from anyone still diving in Dosthill.
Dive Dosthill
It was a cold October day that I will never forget. After the much needed cup of hot chocolate I plucked up the courage to don my wet suit…..YES wet suit…the water just 4 degrees above freezing. Great. Once the briefing was over we walked to the edge of that platform and stared at the bleak looking pond below……What fun…..and with a perfect giant stride, I was in. After the initial shock the suit did warm up…..but to be fair, the face and hands, which were in thin gloves never do. Visibility….Mmmm about 2 meters, which is not bad, depending on where you have to compare it with. Some say that peeing in your suit helps with the cold…..It does for approx 0.4 seconds, but trust me the hassle with your partner later when you remove the suit is not worth it LOL.
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- before the water was in
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- Waiting for the plunge
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- Blue waters ;)
The first module skills were carried out and I am so glad that there was only one other person to wait for. My dive buddy and good friend Steve……. I look back now and wonder how we actually managed to get back in the water for the second dive…AND go back the next day to finish the course. However, after all is said and done, learning to dive altered my life, my lifestyle, my outlook and even my personality…all for the better I must add. Here is a link to stoney cove. It is one of the best inland dive sites and does have a great safety record and all of the needed facilities, including a cafe. SCUBA MAN says Dive safe.
www.stoneycove.com
Great Pic by Sally Rix
PADI CAREER CHART
SCUBA DIVING CAREER
Thought I would post this chart. It shows the career path or recreational path you can opt for in the PADI (Professional association of diving instructors) system.
Where to start?
It is very important to find a good reputable diving school/instructor.
Also of course decide if you do actually want to get wet in the UK !
I am a big fan of learning in the UK as I think that once you have dived in the UK you can dive anywhere. Definitly TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Equipment I mean… Do a try dive. In a pool then the sea. If you enjoy it, then start thinking about buying your own kit. So many people buy kit, then find out that for some reason they dont like it. !! Yep some strange folk out there LOL.
GET CERTIFIED. There is nothing like having that open water certification. Its like freedom..or it was for me !
Let go diving………………………….
In future posts I will be relating to my first dives and posting some real life experiences. I hope that you join in.
Happy bubbles Paul. SCUBA MAN
Eagle Ray
Bahama Islands
Scuba Diving Video
This video is of a High Current dive off the Bahama Islands in an area known as the Washing Machine.
Paul doing saftey briefing before a dive
Scuba Diving Expert
As a naturally adventurous person I have always had a love for the sea and whatever lived in it. I blame that on Jack Cousto.
I bought my first SCUBA Diving kit in 1994 and after purchasing it decided I should find out how to use it ! (This is NOT how I would recommend you go about it). After diving in quarries and mud pools as well as rough seas and hard to get to coves I discovered the warm water abroad !
I went on holiday for 9 days and stayed 4 years!!!!! (Girlfriend was not pleased) Oooopps.
I did my PADI exams to instructor level while living in the Dominican Republic and have taught over 1000 students at all levels mostly while working at Northern coast diving. I teach 12 specialities including DEEP DIVING, NITROX, WRECK etc etc.
I received my Master diving instructor in 2000 and moved to Oahu, Hawaii where worked in a great dive shop, DEEP ECOLOGY. While in Hawaii I also did a 100 ton ships captain licence.
I have instructor qualifications for several organisations including SSI, TDI/SDI and PADI.
So, why this blog?. Well, I do not envisage getting back into the classroom to teach anymore but I get lots of e-mails asking for advice. Where to learn and with who? Which organisation? Where to dive?, Where to see sharks and where not to?….so, ask away….
Most people that are laid back are people that get satisfaction in life by simply having a job, family and simple thrills. However, there are also those who want to make the most out of life. These people are naturally adventurous and want to try out everything that the world can offer. These people try extreme sports, such as skydiving and they also find great thrill in scuba diving. If you are such a person, then you will find that SCUBA diving can offer you the thrill, adventure and excitement that you have been looking for. ENJOY.
