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[The Dogmother]

I'm sure I remember someone on here taking this course not long ago....

 

Anyroad, Rosie wants to take a PADI course - she intends to be a marine biologist when she's older - and while I can look up the details on t'interweb, it would be good to hear your personal thoughts.

[Ziggy]

Hi Clare,

 

I took a Padi course in a previous life, and while it was neither recent nor local, neither was I over willing (the things you do for love!!), it was a good course. I remember sitting on a beach going through an intense short time course, studying a full text book, and watching videos. It covered most things very well, most importantly safety aspects, and I have never had problems diving or renting diving equipment since. In my experience Padi take stuff seriously.

 

Marine biologist... very nice indeed! Your Rosie and my Suki would get on like a house on fire... maybe we should take our dogs out together one of these days, and give the girls an opportunity for a chat...

 

Best of luck to Rosie,

[Angie]

My YD did a PADI course when she was 12 yrs(1993) when we lived in the gulf, because of her age my OH did it with her so he could dive with her until she was old enough to become a BSAC diver, she converted at age 14 and became an advanced diver at 16 yrs ( OH and myself were BSAC Instructors/Advance divers).

We have spent many an happy hour underwater in the years we lived overseas.

(I learnt in the cold North sea back in 1982, i taught OH to dive in the north sea in 1984).

Snorkelling is fab but you can't really get up close and personal unless you can get down there for a while.

I haven't dive since 2006 .......go for it.

My nursing speciality was Hyperbaric and diving medicine which i studied in Adelaide Australia.(Did a lot of work with the forces.(i was Brit Army )

[sadietoo]

My OH did his course in Eilat. ...clear waters and lovely diving there...Any chance you could book her onto something abroad..I just think it is a much better experience than the local swimming pool or the murky cold waters in the UK

!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My YS has wanted to be a marine biologist since he was kneehigh to a carpet shark . He's just about to finish his intro to scuba course then will go on to the next stage.

 

This is the company we're using. The link shows the PADI system which might be of interest to you if you haven't found it already.

 

Tell Rosie to check out Stirling Uni - they have an excellent Marine Biology department by all accounts. YS has decided to apply for Conservation Management and Biology there - his thinking being it might have more job opportunities than Marine Biology.

[Couperwife]

me and kev started this - and the instructor did a runner - we never finished

 

sort of tainted it so we dont really appreciate it

 

cathy

x

[The Dogmother]

Thanks for all the feedback so far peeps; we're in the research and digesting stage at the moment. She 's hoping to make use of a free trail session that she's been offered before deciding. There's a course run out of Oxford, but I'll need to do lots of research and start saving!

 

Rosie is a brilliant swimmer and is just waiting to start the final step in her lifeguard qualification at the local pool. This combined with her love of conservation and all things critter-orientated makes it seem a local choice, but we'll look into that course at Stirling Uni ANH (thanks for the tip) - I am keen for her to study something that is commercially viable and has a use, but she's got her head screwed on and knows that she will need to be able to work and earn her keep. She's 13 now, so time to start planning.

 

Ziggy, does Suki think that National Geographic is light reading too? Yup, we'll have to meet up... let me get half term out of the way and I'll look at the diary

[Purplemaniacs]

Oh dear I read it as PADI driving course.

 

I thought is was like an HGV or trailer license

 

Hope it all works outfor Rosie, it sounds great.

 

Chrissie

[bellekatz]

DS is doing his Open water Padi on his trip to Kenya this summer. He is 16. Only thing my GP said was that it is much nicer to dive where it is warm and you can see rather than in cold quarries and the sea round the UK. I wish I was going diving in the Indian ocean with him but I dont think there is room in his rucksack!! Good luck to Rosie and I sure she will love it. I wanted to be a marine Biologist when I was her age, but I was rubbish at science in the end

[The Dogmother]

Hi all, thanks for your feedback, we've been away with my folks in Greece, and the question was prompted by a local dive school doing a free taster session in the pool there. Rosie had a one-to-one trial and really enjoyed it. The instructor was impressed with her strength and I think that I will be saving up for her to take the PADI at the Oxford centre next year.

[bellekatz]

Excellent

[TAJ]

My daughter did PADI Seal Team aged 8, Master Seal Team at 9, Openwater aged 10, then advanced aged 12 and has since done a number of speciality courses. She really enjoys it and is a lot better diver than her dad. The national dive show (normally November @ NEC) is great for seeing all the options and being able to have a try dive.

 

Tracy

[The Dogmother]

Thanks Tracy, it's worth knowing about that show.

[TAJ]

Here's the link: http://www.diveshows.co.uk/

[The Dogmother]

Thanks Tracy, I'll be sure to go up there

[Ms Marple]

Hi Claire

Sorry to be a bit late been away but not diving this time!!. I dive, not as often as I'd like because I too prefer warmer water to dive in, although there is a lot to see around the British coast. My thoughts are this:

Diving is expensive as a sport.

To dive in the UK you really need to invest in a drysuit and good thermal layers to keep warm (and even then I find it chilly at times!). A drysuit is approx £450-550. They can be hired from local Dive shops etc, along with the rest of the kit which will cost around £1000 in total, if you were buying.

Diving needs to be done regularly to 'keep your hand in'. I have not dived since last November (Capernwray quarry just north of Lancaster). If I was going on holiday I would go up there to refresh my skills etc before I went, although first dive of any trip is usually a 'shake down dive' where you just do a gentle shallow dive to get yourself going!

I think if Rosie has enjoyed it, then go and visit your local diveshop, they will run courses that she can go on. They usually train in a local pool and then head off to a nearby quarry or similar to to the open water dives which are a compulsory part of the training. Alternatively, wait until you go somewhere warm on holiday and let her do the course there in the warmer water - it is much less stressful when you are not constantly cold!! There is the added advantage of some amazing fish too I am BSAC trained but my OH has done the PAdi courses (to keep me company on holiday!!)

This is probably enough for now but I can offer more thoughts if you need further help.BTW how old is Rosie?

Edited June 10, 2011 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

Thanks for your advice and experience Terri. Rosie is 13 and an excellent swimmer.

 

I will do some research this year but don't intend doing anything about it until next year - I need to save up for starters! I'm also not one for snap decisions, especially when they involve expenditure so I intend to see if she's still just as keen next year.