Question for the divers....

[biffer]

Originally Posted by willk

A lad I know well is in a similar situation. He has a headful of metal plates and screws. Diving is a no-no. However, he's relatively fit and does a quiet spot of SCUBA in the 3-8 meter range. He's got no risks from Deco and less than a BAR of extra pressure to contend with. Frankly, I think he often sees more life on the dives too. Your problem will be finding someone you can dive with... You could simply go for a try dive and stay shallow.

I'm not sure you'd like diving though. And then there's the hairy mary diver wimmin Generally, they have to show ID just to get into the Ladies showers

i'm with you on this one, shallow dives give you load more fun, no surface interval times, longer dives, better light, usually more life

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by biffer

i'm with you on this one, shallow dives give you load more fun, no surface interval times, longer dives, better light, usually more life

True to a large extent, but also prone to surge and surface wave action, and lacks many of the critters that don't like the barely subtidal zone.

Around here (Central California coast) there's often a 5 to 20 foot layer of plankton; having a boat lets me get under that layer without having to do a long surface swim (or wasting a good part of the dive in soup.)

Just a differing opinion;

jky

[JSP]

Lads, I know the sensible thing to do is to stay well clear. But there's a couple of factors involved.

1: I don't want to go deep, just experience a bit of time underwater.
2: The next 3-6 months are make or brake for me. If the new medication doesn't work it'll either take me an hour to walk 10 yards or I'm 6ft under. No jokes this time, the shit is flying through the air and is about to hit the fan. So I want to do somethings, mainly to say I have but also to look back on a bit. I'm 32 this time and haven't had enough time to do it all.

I've already got a rep on here for not going out in my RIB much, fair enough I haven't since i decided to put in a new console and everything. But now it's looking like I may not get much use out of it at all.


Live life to the max lads and ladies, you'll regret it.

BTW, anyone know of some good looking, open minded ladies? They can help me with 80% of my list.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by JSP

BTW, anyone know of some good looking, open minded ladies? They can help me with 80% of my list.

I know I've mentioned it a few times but Wind Street in Swansea was full of naughty ladies.

I've done quite a few shallow dives around here and really enjoyed them, you can stay down for longer in shallow water too.

[markg]

contact your local club and do a try dive in the pool, some people cant equalise due to sinus trouble and cant dive either. if that works out get yourself out to el gouna for a week, longwood do cheap holidays and there is an outfit named dive tribe who are very good, its easy stress free diving usual depth around 15-18m with loads of species diversity
i could take you in for a dip around anglesey but it is cold and stressful and not much to see
good luck

[BruceB]

Incidentally folk that think it isn't possible to get bent in less than 10m or water are mistaken.
It is also the area of greatest pressure changes and in consequence is not quite as safe as some folk think, moving up and down in a see saw profile even in 10m is asking for trouble.
If you are on this sort of medication and regime I really wouldn't recommend it, really.
As far as 0-10m life is concerned I would agree in places like the Red sea but not in the UK where current is the major factor in the amount of life.

[willk]

Originally Posted by BruceB

As far as 0-10m life is concerned I would agree in places like the Red sea but not in the UK where current is the major factor in the amount of life.

Sorry BruceB, not in my experience. Having said that, I'm not advocating JSP should take the plunge.

[chewy]

He could do inland dives, I dived here and although it was cold I enjoyed it:

http://www.dive-site.co.uk/

[David G]

Contact a diving medical referee local to yourself and ask them for an opinion.

No-one on here can tell you if you'll be allowed to dive or not.

You can find a list of medical referees here:

http://www.bsac.com/core/core_picker...st+of+Referees

You can find some other general medical info here:

http://www.bsac.com/page.asp?section...edical+Matters

You may find that a telephone conversation and £10 for them to endorse a medical form is all you need. You may however need to submit for a medical exam or they may tell you it is a non-starter.

I have been diving for 26 years () and would not dream of making a diagnosis for you on a forum!!!

Go on....see what they say, it can be great down there.......especially in the shallows; you don't have to go deep to have a good time

Orve

[willk]

There have been moments, such moments!, when I found myself suspended over coralline sands, picked out in stray shafts of light that filtered down through gently moving kelp, where small fry darted around me and Life went about it's business on the wall of rock ahead. And I have thought; "If it had to be, now would be a good time..."

Ah John!

[biffer]

this is going to sound bad, but i've just come back from a do and am a bit full of the amber nector but here goes, we're here for a good time not a long time

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by willk

Sorry BruceB, not in my experience. Having said that, I'm not advocating JSP should take the plunge.

On the scottish west coast in summer the first 10-15m is kelp most places or bare sand/rock where there is significant wave action. Then again my thing is wrecks and have just booked next summer for the Laurentic, Audacious and Justiticia again. Only 45-70m or so!
I don't do fish!

As far as self certified medicals go it is almost certain that if you are on regular prescription drugs and/or have heart problems you will be referred to a referee for a full medical. For several reasons I need this every time I get one as I always tick not one but two of the "oh shit" boxes on the self cert form

[willk]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Then again my thing is wrecks and have just booked next summer for the Laurentic, Audacious and Justiticia again.

That should be nice. Assuming it's with Loyal Watcher, you'll be mooring up in our inshore cruising grounds. We could collect you for a beer & pizza run to town!

[BruceB]

Nope, did a couple of trips before on the LW but this time is with John Thornton on the Karin.
Don't have an iterinary as yet other than the planned wrecks, no idea on berths or mooring places at the moment.
I haven't managed the Empire Heritage as yet on any trip so keeping the fingers crossed

[JSP]

Originally Posted by biffer

this is going to sound bad, but i've just come back from a do and am a bit full of the amber nector but here goes, we're here for a good time not a long time

[Lundy Osprey]

Sorry if this has been answered, at work and no time to read through the whole thread.
Two events of bends in our club due to a hole in the heart.
First, a young guy in his second year of diving, regulation dive within the tables and not a deep dive.
That ended his diving.
Second guy, nearly 30 years diving, regularly dives a hundred dives a year, nickname man fish.
Diving on his second dive of the day, again both regulation dives, surfaces and needs help to get on board, those on board the boat knowing this guy imediately know something is wrong.
They administer Oxygen and put in a call to the coastguard and he is airlifted to Plymouth DDRC.
To cut a long story short, ends up in a wheelchair for several months, our club are commended for their swift action by Phil Bryson of DDRC.
All is well now with the guy, but he no longer dives.
Transpires he has been diving for all these years with a hole in his heart.

If you really want to dive get in touch with Dr Phil Bryson with details of your condition at the Diving Deseases Research Centre at Derriford Hospital Plymouth, you may well be able to dive with restrictions.

Good luck

Steve

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Lundy Osprey

Sorry if this has been answered, at work and no time to read through the whole thread.
Two events of bends in our club due to a hole in the heart.
First, a young guy in his second year of diving, regulation dive within the tables and not a deep dive.
That ended his diving.
Second guy, nearly 30 years diving, regularly dives a hundred dives a year, nickname man fish.
Diving on his second dive of the day, again both regulation dives, surfaces and needs help to get on board, those on board the boat knowing this guy imediately know something is wrong.
They administer Oxygen and put in a call to the coastguard and he is airlifted to Plymouth DDRC.
To cut a long story short, ends up in a wheelchair for several months, our club are commended for their swift action by Phil Bryson of DDRC.
All is well now with the guy, but he no longer dives.
Transpires he has been diving for all these years with a hole in his heart.

If you really want to dive get in touch with Dr Phil Bryson with details of your condition at the Diving Deseases Research Centre at Derriford Hospital Plymouth, you may well be able to dive with restrictions.

Good luck

Steve

Thanks Steve but I know what Dr Bryson will say. Besides he wont know anything about the condition or if he does then I'll shake his hand. I have to travel from the NW of England to London just to see a doc who knows something about the condition.
Ah well, mark it down as a fantasy. Got to remember I've got kids here who need all that I can give.
Thanks for the in put everyone

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by chewy

.. Wind Street in Swansea was full of naughty ladies.

Originally Posted by chewy

I've done quite a few shallow dives

[m chappelow]

have a go at snorkelling as pablo said ,if thats ok medicaly for you ,the basic scuba kit nowadays weighs a lot ,just getting from the car to the waters edge carrying kit is physicaly demanding in itself,,,i dived for over 25 years starting off in 72 with home made wetsuit kits to commercial full face band masks with umbilical ,,,,but my last final dive was a snorklel dive on a shallow wreck ,, CHEWY will know this one the MOUNTOBAN or frenchman wreck ar Redcar ,,,and it was the best dive that i ever did ,,,just using an old wetsuit and mask that i kept onboard my fishing boat .you dont even have to dive down if the waters clear or shallow enough,,,,either that or a bucket with a perpex bottom stuck in with silicone ,kids love it leaning over the side of the boat and you dont even have to get wet ,,,good viz helps though lol

[dawesy]

Originally Posted by JSP

Diving is something I've always wanted to try ever since I got a Job working in the Northern diver factory in my early teens. Was told I couldn't do it due to having a small hole in my heart.
But I was wondering, is there any kind of diving I could do? I'm not sure of the ins and out's but I guess I'm restricted to pressure?

I had to stop diving some years ago due to angina and hypertension. Although I feel fine and the tablets keep the condition stable ,it was never life threatning. Medical opinion was indecisive and I could have carried on.
I did consider however if I was wrong and got into trouble,someone else would have to bring me to the surface, putting there saftey at risk. This was the reason I reluctantly stopped diving.
Hope this helps
PS Nothern dive dry suits are the best you can get, mine is hanging up in the garage, looking forlorn and crying out for a new owner..... any takers?