Yes, Scuba Diving keeps you young - that's why scuba divers are all so beautiful(!)
We all know that
to learn is to grow and that those who fully embrace the concept of life-long learning are those who do seem to stay fresh, stay alert and young at heart. Challenging technically and physically, scuba diving is a great sport to learn. In fact the word ‘sport’ doesn’t really describe scuba well – beware! It is likely to start as a sport, become an obsession and then evolve into a
way of life.
When I asked a diving friend why he had learned to dive, it was the access to another, otherwise unreachable world that he had sought, the chance to learn what lay beneath the expanse of water that covers our planet and not just by watching TV images. And when I asked him what he loved most about diving, it is the view of the world as an uncrowded, largely unchartered space that he cherishes above everything else that Scuba diving has offered him. As noisy and frantic as the world top-side is, the world sub-aqua is calm, peaceful and somehow more pure. Plus, scuba was the first thing that he had ever chosen to learn and his pride in this was clear.
And there are some fantastic places to learn to Scuba Dive in the UK, so why not make a diving holiday of it? We've decided to celebrate these great learn to dive hotspots at Campsite Chatter with our scuba camping specialism: Camping near UK Scuba Diving. Reputable dive schools with fully accredited instructors often with vast experience are located around our coast (as well as at key points inland!) and the UK diving community is thriving. BSAC and PADI are the two main diving bodies running accredited courses in the UK. Which approach is best – PADI or BSAC? Ha! Throwing this question into a room full of divers can be a bit like lobbing a grenade! Whichever approach you choose to follow, both BSAC and PADI provide thorough programmes so that we can become independent, safe divers.
Diving in the UK offers learning experiences at all levels of diving competency, due to the geographical diversity and changing nature of the UK marine environment (tides, currents, seasons). Once you have mastered the basics, why not learn to night dive, drift dive, wreck dive, pinnacle dive and deep dive, each requiring a different sets of skills. So, divers tend to be a bunch of people who are no stranger to learning new things…probably one of the reasons they are such a lively (hem hem!) bunch!
As part of Campsite Chatter’s Scuba Camping specialism, we have identified learn to dive UK hotspots with campsites nearby, locations in which you can undertake your first open water experiences or undertake further accreditation, exploring the world beneath the waves before relaxing with your diving buddies each evening over a few drinks and a hearty meal back at your tent, caravan or at the local pub accompanied by a few jars.
Porthkerris in South Cornwall is a fantastic place to learn to dive, with reputedly one of the best shore dives in the UK, plus the Manacles with hundreds of wrecks to dive once you become more proficient. It's a great place to do your Advanced Open Water certification, as the drift diving is legendary in this area. Diving in Cornwall, Porthkerris
When asked what he loves most about diving, Darren England, dive enthusiast, seasoned camper and Campsite Chatter member since 2012 told us, "It's being underwater in places that not a lot of other people have been. It's about never knowing what you may find or see. One amazing shore dive sticks in my memory - we were coming to the end of a nice dive off Porthkerris in Cornwall and were met by a couple of cuttlefish who were as interested in us as we were in them. We all lay on the sea bed, our faces only about 20cms away from the cuttlefish for 15 minutes. At one point one of the cuttlefish stuck out its tentacle and touched my mask. WOW what a privilege!"
Campsites near scuba diving, South Devon I learned to dive in Torbay and Plymouth. This area, stretching from Teignmouth in the East to beyond Plymouth in the West provides great shore diving at many locations, ideal for learning to dive or for honing your skills. Although I have dived abroad in Thailand, the Canaries and in the Med, some of my most exciting and memorable dives have been at Thurlestone on the Louis Sheid wreck, in the underwater gardens off Wembury Bay and off the many coves and beaches of Torbay. And not quite so tough on the purse, either! Contact our friends at Divers Down in Babbacombe, Torbay (tel: 01803 327111 and www.diversdown.co.uk) for information about learning to dive in the Torbay area.
Apart from the fact that Pembrokeshire is just a wonderful place to visit anyway we have added the stretch of coast at St Brides Bay and into the Dale peninsula as a great place to learn to dive because the quality of the water here is so fantastic and because, even in the most inclement weather, the sheltered nature of this region makes good diving experiences possible. Click here to find campsites close to scuba diving along the Pembrokeshire coast. Campsites near scuba diving, West Wales Contact our friends at the West Wales Dive Centre (tel: 01437 781457, www.westwalesdivers.co.uk) for more information about learn to dive or skills-honing packages.
Thanks to Darren England for this great photo.
