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goldfish · 26-11-2008, 09:05 AM

I know if I were on another popular forum, a certain 'toad' would chime in with a plug for the 'scuba-diving-toads' based in Tamworth I believe so not that far (ish) from you. I think the point of the group is that it is non-affiliated...just a bunch of enthusiasts with various qualifications who meet and dive all year. Easy to Google. I can't comment on them other than seeing their 'plugs' from time to time but i thought i'd pass on the thought anyway...

EllieCee · 26-11-2008, 09:31 AM

I'm sure there must be some decent laid back clubs around but I've failed to find any round this way. With rules like 'You MUST get written permission from the diving officer and fill in a risk assessment before you are ALLOWED to dive' and having to do a risk assessment for each pool session ( no, really! ) I think I'm inclined to say Ummmmmmmmmm no thanks!

Ellie

bottlefish · 26-11-2008, 10:12 AM

(26-11-2008 09:05 AM)goldfish Wrote: I know if I were on another popular forum, a certain 'toad' would chime in with a plug for the 'scuba-diving-toads' based in Tamworth I believe so not that far (ish) from you. I think the point of the group is that it is non-affiliated...just a bunch of enthusiasts with various qualifications who meet and dive all year. Easy to Google. I can't comment on them other than seeing their 'plugs' from time to time but i thought i'd pass on the thought anyway...

Not any more you wont. That particular user on the other forum was banned for a barrage of incredibly inflammatory posts.... if his attitude towards diving is anything like his attitude to people, then I'd strongly suggest you stay well away.

Argonaut · 26-11-2008, 11:42 AM

(22-11-2008 10:32 PM)gerald1961 Wrote: whats with the beard cracks at bsac club members

Just looking through some old dive mags (feet up after knee surgery) ... and each month there were BSAC / SAA meetings, appointments, award nights etc. ..... almost everyone had a beard, and an arran crew neck pullover.

I might do a post on 'that was then' .... PADI did not exist in UK at that time, and kit & attitudes so different.

Scrawn · 26-11-2008, 12:58 PM

Been said before but you get good clubs, and you get bad ones..I'm lucky in that I seem to have stumbled across a good one...lovely people, none of this "politics" nonsense..

'tis trial and error I'm afraid...I hope you're as lucky as me and find a good bunch of people! Until then, you're stuck with us lot..sorry..

divingdoc1 · 26-11-2008, 01:22 PM

(26-11-2008 09:31 AM)EllieCee Wrote: I'm sure there must be some decent laid back clubs around but I've failed to find any round this way. With rules like 'You MUST get written permission from the diving officer and fill in a risk assessment before you are ALLOWED to dive' and having to do a risk assessment for each pool session ( no, really! ) I think I'm inclined to say Ummmmmmmmmm no thanks!

Ellie

i just think thats more a sad indictment of the world we live in ellie

clsaynor · (This post was last modified: 26-11-2008 03:38 PM by clsaynor.)

I've had experience of diving in (currently) and out (when I first learnt) of a club.

The experience that I have had with my club - Sheffield Uni has only been positive and I wouldn't do it any other way. My club was supportive, friendly, relaxed, and has never stopped me diving (apart from one time when I was still drunk and wanting to dive in my earlier days Sad

) and the politics and paperwork has never been an issue.
Our club is fairly unique though because being a Uni club we have such a high turnover of committee members/club members that arguments are short lived and never get in the way of what we all love doing - diving.

My best recommendation is get in touch with the clubs in your locality (someone posted earlier about a PADI system for finding clubs - BSAC have this too on their website), pop along for their club night and see if they seem enthusiastic, friendly, encrusted to the bar stool...... You don't have to join any of them if you don't think that they are your scene, but if you do you may find that you have a fantastic new set of friends who share your passion - I found my boyfriend this way and now I have the added bonus of not feeling guilty/or not being allowed to go away for weekends on dive trips Big Grin

One other option that I know of is joining BSAC as a direct member - ie you have all the benefits of the agency but with none of the costs/politics of clubs. I believe it's like this forum where people advertise trip spaces, buddy's needed, training that they want to complete and take it from there

HTH
Claire x

kelloggs · 26-11-2008, 03:46 PM

(26-11-2008 09:31 AM)EllieCee Wrote: I'm sure there must be some decent laid back clubs around but I've failed to find any round this way. With rules like 'You MUST get written permission from the diving officer and fill in a risk assessment before you are ALLOWED to dive' and having to do a risk assessment for each pool session ( no, really! ) I think I'm inclined to say Ummmmmmmmmm no thanks!

Ellie

exactly the same here just doing BSAC training now and already the club has so many rules as said above, i've a few friends that have invited me to dive with them (outside the club) but asked the question at the club and they stated NO!!! and said that once qualified we can only dive with a more qualified diver not one of equal training!!! i thought thats what we were training to be able to do!! Huh

gerald1961 · 26-11-2008, 04:19 PM

exactly the same here just doing BSAC training now and already the club has so many rules as said above, i've a few friends that have invited me to dive with them (outside the club) but asked the question at the club and they stated NO!!! and said that once qualified we can only dive with a more qualified diver not one of equal training!!! i thought thats what we were training to be able to do!! Huh

[/quote]

so what will happen if you want to dive with someone from here ?, will you be asked to leave the club.

kelloggs · 26-11-2008, 04:25 PM

(26-11-2008 04:19 PM)gerald1961 Wrote:
(26-11-2008 03:46 PM)kelloggs Wrote:

exactly the same here just doing BSAC training now and already the club has so many rules as said above, i've a few friends that have invited me to dive with them (outside the club) but asked the question at the club and they stated NO!!! and said that once qualified we can only dive with a more qualified diver not one of equal training!!! i thought thats what we were training to be able to do!!

so what will happen if you want to dive with someone from here ?, will you be asked to leave the club.
[/quote]

who knows ive asked the same question lots and get the same answer, i think its strange but i pressume its to do with liabilities within bsac!!! so if i dive with anyone else who's responsible ? thats the issue i think, but having only started my coarse what do i know!!!!