Where o base myself in the UK

Robert Cook · 28th September 2005, 04:06

Guys, I'm going to be coming to the UK to live (& work, dive etc) for a while. The problem I'm having is trying to find somewhere that has plenty of diving, and also has work going (preferably admin stuff). At the moment, I'm thinking of the south coast in general and Plymouth in particular, but has anyone got any other ideas?

At this stage, the plan is to do a year or two in the UK, a year in Ireland, a year in Canada, and after that I'm not sure. As for what will actually happen, that's anyone's guess

Thanks,
Robert

Ben Field · 29th September 2005, 10:26

Remember- you are never more than 70miles from the sea in the UK

The south coast is fine, diving hotspots are Weymouth/Portland, Lyme Bay, Plymouth, Devon.

I live in London and can drive to the major south coast locations in 2-3hrs, I can get to Oban in Scotland in 10 and drive overnight to Scapa Flow in Orkney with little difficulty.

As long as you have a car and a map you can dive anywhere in UK and Europe without much difficulty

***schford*** · 29th September 2005, 12:06

I would position yourself some where to the west, south or ideally south west of London - work is a plenty in London and the commute is easy on trains.

It also means you are as little as one hour from the South Coast for diving.

I live round that area and would be happy to give you a hand finding some where suitable to live / hooking you up with some diving.

Plymouth has great diving but much less admin work than London and it is too far to commute - where as its not too far to drive for a weekend or even a long days diving.

Stuart

Janos · 29th September 2005, 13:28

I would stay in Australia!

But if you are determined to move, then in the commuter belt to the South of London is good. I currently live in central London and it takes me about an hour to drive out

Janos

Mark Chase · 29th September 2005, 14:27

WTF you comming here for I have just had my last three dives blown out making it 19 cancled dives this year. Dosent look like we are going to get the points required for our moove to Oz coz i am too bloody old

OK the wreck diving here is fantastic but the wether truley sucks

ATB

Mark Chase

Robert Cook · 30th September 2005, 03:33

Thanks for the info, guys - keep it coming. I'm still getting my head around the distances over there - I hadn't really thought of long-distance commuting. One small problem is that I probably won't have a car for the first few months.

Mark, I've lost at least 60% of this years diving to weather so far

- it's shit over here too

,

Thanks,
Robert

Janos · 30th September 2005, 09:45

Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook)

I hadn't really thought of long-distance commuting. One small problem is that I probably won't have a car for the first few months.

If you're working in London then the lack of a car isn't a problem. Most people come in by train. Of course, you have to get to the station at the other end.

Janos

**Simon TW** · 12th October 2005, 21:11

Chasey, if you want to live in a place where you hardly ever get blown out then move to the Red Sea. Work is non existant so no problems with commuting and your free to dive every day.

How good is that, all you need to do is learn how to live off the sand.

pchanning · 13th October 2005, 13:30

Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook)

Guys, I'm going to be coming to the UK to live (& work, dive etc) for a while. The problem I'm having is trying to find somewhere that has plenty of diving, and also has work going (preferably admin stuff). At the moment, I'm thinking of the south coast in general and Plymouth in particular, but has anyone got any other ideas?

There is plenty of admin work in Plymouth, sont worry about that. If you go any farther west you get good diving, but not much work. Also the street lights stop

I work in the city and a mere 5 minutes from some of the best shore diving in the country. There are stax of boats that go out from here and cornwall is on your doorstep. The wrecking is great as most of the ships bump into this part of the country first. On some of the headlands in Devon and Cornwall there can be 5 ot 6 wrecks (big) on exactly the same site..!! Great stuff. Move to Plymouth, its the diving capitol - there are stickers to prove it.!

You know it makes sense.

warizz · 14th October 2005, 17:11

I'm surprised no-one has suggested Scotland so far. The Edinburgh economy is booming and there are lots of jobs. Diving is excellent on the East Coast with St Abbs less than an hour away from Edinburgh and good wreck and scenic diving from Dunbar and North Berwick which are only half an hour down the coast.
The West Coast is just over an hour to the West with lots of wrecks in the Clyde. Also in the West are the Sea Lochs of Loch Long and Loch Fyne where you are guaranteed diving even in the depths of winter. Oban is about two hours away and Scapa is not too distant.

There is a sizeable community of rebreather divers here including four in our small BSAC branch.

Let me know if you need any more info.

28th September 2005, 04:06	#1 (permalink)
Robert Cook Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 107	Where to base myself in the UK Guys, I'm going to be coming to the UK to live (& work, dive etc) for a while. The problem I'm having is trying to find somewhere that has plenty of diving, and also has work going (preferably admin stuff). At the moment, I'm thinking of the south coast in general and Plymouth in particular, but has anyone got any other ideas? At this stage, the plan is to do a year or two in the UK, a year in Ireland, a year in Canada, and after that I'm not sure. As for what will actually happen, that's anyone's guess Thanks, Robert __________________ Do not underestimate the power of the dark side
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29th September 2005, 10:26	#2 (permalink)
Ben Field CK+Shearwater Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 1,771	Remember- you are never more than 70miles from the sea in the UK The south coast is fine, diving hotspots are Weymouth/Portland, Lyme Bay, Plymouth, Devon. I live in London and can drive to the major south coast locations in 2-3hrs, I can get to Oban in Scotland in 10 and drive overnight to Scapa Flow in Orkney with little difficulty. As long as you have a car and a map you can dive anywhere in UK and Europe without much difficulty __________________ Know your PPO2, Pre-breath, Use checklists, Validate cells at 6mtrs, Use pure O2 at or near surface, Use a BOV, Don't dive Solo, Change Slime and Cells as recommended by Manufacturer and RTFM! Beware Fridge Suck! www.hugsac.org.uk
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29th September 2005, 12:06	#3 (permalink)
*schford* RBW Founder Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,564	I would position yourself some where to the west, south or ideally south west of London - work is a plenty in London and the commute is easy on trains. It also means you are as little as one hour from the South Coast for diving. I live round that area and would be happy to give you a hand finding some where suitable to live / hooking you up with some diving. Plymouth has great diving but much less admin work than London and it is too far to commute - where as its not too far to drive for a weekend or even a long days diving. Stuart
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29th September 2005, 13:28	#4 (permalink)
Janos "Two Sheds" Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East Surrey Posts: 632	I would stay in Australia! But if you are determined to move, then in the commuter belt to the South of London is good. I currently live in central London and it takes me about an hour to drive out Janos __________________ You can lead a horse to water but you can't climb a ladder with a large bell in both hands - Vic Reeves www.hellfins.com/shed
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29th September 2005, 14:27	#5 (permalink)
Mark Chase RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kent Posts: 2,854	WTF you comming here for I have just had my last three dives blown out making it 19 cancled dives this year. Dosent look like we are going to get the points required for our moove to Oz coz i am too bloody old OK the wreck diving here is fantastic but the wether truley sucks ATB Mark Chase __________________ See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!! Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08 [/quote]
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30th September 2005, 03:33	#6 (permalink)
Robert Cook Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 107	Thanks for the info, guys - keep it coming. I'm still getting my head around the distances over there - I hadn't really thought of long-distance commuting. One small problem is that I probably won't have a car for the first few months. Mark, I've lost at least 60% of this years diving to weather so far - it's shit over here too , Thanks, Robert __________________ Do not underestimate the power of the dark side
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30th September 2005, 09:45	#7 (permalink)
Janos "Two Sheds" Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East Surrey Posts: 632	Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook) I hadn't really thought of long-distance commuting. One small problem is that I probably won't have a car for the first few months. If you're working in London then the lack of a car isn't a problem. Most people come in by train. Of course, you have to get to the station at the other end. Janos __________________ You can lead a horse to water but you can't climb a ladder with a large bell in both hands - Vic Reeves www.hellfins.com/shed
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12th October 2005, 21:11	#8 (permalink)
Simon TW Martini Diver Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Evolution Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hurghada (Egypt) and Lancaster (England) Posts: 167	Chasey, if you want to live in a place where you hardly ever get blown out then move to the Red Sea. Work is non existant so no problems with commuting and your free to dive every day. How good is that, all you need to do is learn how to live off the sand.
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13th October 2005, 13:30	#9 (permalink)
pchanning PFO free :) Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: fixed! Posts: 454	Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook) Guys, I'm going to be coming to the UK to live (& work, dive etc) for a while. The problem I'm having is trying to find somewhere that has plenty of diving, and also has work going (preferably admin stuff). At the moment, I'm thinking of the south coast in general and Plymouth in particular, but has anyone got any other ideas? There is plenty of admin work in Plymouth, sont worry about that. If you go any farther west you get good diving, but not much work. Also the street lights stop I work in the city and a mere 5 minutes from some of the best shore diving in the country. There are stax of boats that go out from here and cornwall is on your doorstep. The wrecking is great as most of the ships bump into this part of the country first. On some of the headlands in Devon and Cornwall there can be 5 ot 6 wrecks (big) on exactly the same site..!! Great stuff. Move to Plymouth, its the diving capitol - there are stickers to prove it.! You know it makes sense. __________________ Cheers Paul The key to enlightenment... is survival.
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14th October 2005, 17:11	#10 (permalink)
warizz New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2	I'm surprised no-one has suggested Scotland so far. The Edinburgh economy is booming and there are lots of jobs. Diving is excellent on the East Coast with St Abbs less than an hour away from Edinburgh and good wreck and scenic diving from Dunbar and North Berwick which are only half an hour down the coast. The West Coast is just over an hour to the West with lots of wrecks in the Clyde. Also in the West are the Sea Lochs of Loch Long and Loch Fyne where you are guaranteed diving even in the depths of winter. Oban is about two hours away and Scapa is not too distant. There is a sizeable community of rebreather divers here including four in our small BSAC branch. Let me know if you need any more info.
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