Conditions Report for Scuba Diving in Cardiff, Swansea & South Wales

We've got a big change in conditions from last weekend here in South Wales due this weekend. There's a large area of low pressure in the Atlantic that is moving across West and South Wales over the weekend, bringing with it strong Westerlies and Southerlies (20 - 30 knots) and huge swell, up to 15ft, along all of the coast, including Cardiff, Swansea and all the way down to Tenby.

We also see the return of the big tides this weekend, with high tide on Saturday being almost 10m. With all this water movement, visibility is going to become a real issue and entry into and exit from the water is also going to be a challenge.

With diving off the coast completely off all is not lost, even for those not lucky enough to be able to head abroad to calmer waters. We have some of the best inland dive sites in the UK here in South Wales and nearby, so there is always to opportunity to head to Chepstow and the National Diving Activity Centre or Vobster Quay in Somerset and get your dive in.

Scuba Diving Training in Cardiff, Swansea & South Wales

We back at Chepstow this weekend with a busy schedule of diving courses across both days. We've got Sam from Swansea and Dave from the Valleys hoping to complete their PADI Rescue Diver course, having already completed the pool sessions and Emergency First Responder part of the course.

We also have our latest batch of PADI Open Water Diver students who will be completing the open water dives for their qualification, allowing them to then dive up to 18m deep anywhere in the world. We also have a couple of guided dives to ease qualified divers back into scuba diving having not dived for a little while.

CAUTIONS – It's summer but the British sea temperatures will still only be around the 12 degree mark, so we'll still need to take precautions with regards to thermal protection (wetsuits, drysuits, hoods, gloves). Even though we seeing neap tides across this weekend, there is still a large volume of water moving so proper dive planning is still absolutely vital.

Even though winter is now in full swing and the days are getting colder, here at ocean quest we are still running the PADI diving programme to all applicants. This is due to both the pool training sessions that we run as part of the PADI Open Water qualification, and the specialist equipment that we use when doing our open water dives to keep you (and us) warm. The pool session aims to teach you all the skills that is needed to dive in the open water, in a controlled pool environment. This enables you to be safe while learning the fundamental skills of diving. The theory test that follows the pool session aims to broaden your knowledge on the topic of diving. The theory covers many aspects of diving from details about the equipment, to biochemical effects that occur during diving. All this is aimed to give you a vast knowledge prior to the open water dives that occur over a weekend, which are assessed by dive masters. In these open water dives, the skills that were learned in the pool will be repeated in an open water environment in order to make sure these skills can be correctly transitioned from the warm pool environment, to the colder open water environment at different depths. The course is run in the South Wales area around Cardiff, Swansea and Newport and anyone from the age of 10 or above can learn these skills and get this amazing qualification.

Try the the scuba Cardiff experience rivals anything you'll find abroad.

Variety is the spice of life, as they say. There are certain things that you know

are going to be fantastic but for some reason you've always kept putting

them off. Some people have their own 'bucket list' – a mental rundown of

experiences they would like to try while there's still time, but getting round to

ticking the items off the list is often another story! Scuba diving often features

prominently on such lists. The possibility of exploring a whole new underwater

world; getting close up to sea creatures and moving freely over a completely

unfamiliar sub-aqua terrain. It's certainly enticing. So what's putting you off?

Scuba diving is easier, cheaper and more accessible than you think. If you've

always fancied having a go, there really is nothing to stopping you!

It's time to dispel three of the most frequently-encountered myths that stop too many people taking the plunge, and here they are:

“Scuba-diving is only for abroad”

Wrong. Here in the UK, we're blessed with countless locations for scuba

diving. After all wherever you are in the UK, you're never more than a couple

hours drive away from the sea and most of us are a lot closer than that! The

range of sites is amazing and we have thousands of miles of coastline dotted

with reefs and shore beds of all different varieties. These locations are home

to a spectacular array of marine life – from native crustaceans, impressive

anemones and spectacular shoals of fish right through to seals, sea-otters,

whales and even sharks. Also, if wrecks are what attract you, our rich

maritime history ensures you're spoilt for choice. South Wales is no exception

to this. Thanks to being on the doorstep of hundreds of miles of stunning

Heritage Coast, you can guarantee that the scuba Cardiff experience rivals

anything you'll find abroad.

“You have to be super-fit to scuba dive”

Wrong. Scuba diving is a universal sport and is enjoyed by children as young

as ten right through to people who've been diving for 60 or more years! In

fact, it's the ideal family activity and is a great way to keep fit. You can be

introduced gently to it as well to make sure that when you do take to the open

sea, you'll be doing so with full back-up. Firstly, an instructor will make sure

you fully understand the theoretical side of things before getting the basic

technique right in a pool setting. Very quickly, you'll find that scuba diving

becomes second nature and when you do venture into open water, you'll be

able to do so with complete confidence.

"Scuba diving is expensive."

Wrong. You don't have to shell out on hundreds of pounds worth of kit in

order to learn how to scuba dive. For one thing, it's possible to hire out

equipment at incredibly attractive rates. What you probably want to do first of

all is to try and get a feel for the sport and a  scuba diving taster course

at Ocean Quest is the ideal way of doing that. Once you finally dive in, the

chances are that you'll be hooked.

Try scuba diving for £15 and if you go on to book a diving course the £15 is taken off course price.
Get 10% off total price of course when 2 people book at the same time.

What are you waiting for? Give scuba diving a go and find out for yourself.

Well we've had a great weekend of scuba diving with the guys from Cardiff and swansea, we have another great week coming up with the PADI Open Water Diver Course and the Advanced PADI Open water diver course.

we have been training hard for the Jubilee weekend and hopefully will make a big splash, Rose, dan, alex and Ray are all ready and prepared and cant wait to dive in.

We will keep you updated on their progress next week on completion of their course. Watch how they get with facebook as well and see the course unfold.

We are currently enjoying a fantastic weeks diving in Lanzarote, crystal clear waters and plenty to see! Now even more excited about the up and coming dive season at home in the UK. It's time to start preparing for the good dive times ahead with pool sessions for the PADI open water, advanced open water, rescue and Divemaster courses starting weekly in Cardiff , Swansea and across South Wales!

Jump in and enjoy learning in our fantastically warm, heated pools ready to take the plunge into the open water when winter losses its grip!

Winter is just around the corner but there is no better time to start diving! The water is at its warmest and to top it off we are heading to Sharm El Sheikh, the worlds premier dive spot in November and February. Why not take a course while your there and take advantage of our free equipment hire for PADI Open Water, Advanced and Rescue courses? To join us on one of these fun filled tours contact us today! Also don't forget we have PADI Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Divemaster courses starting weekly across South Wales.

Well done to everyone who gained their refferal diver qualification yesterday! Don't forget we have PADI scuba diving courses starting weekly across South Wales. Get started now while the waters nice an warm!

Well done to everyone who has completed the pool section of the PADI open water course! On to the open water next! Then Advanced and Rescue and for any of you budding instructors the 'PADI Dive Master Challenge'. Dont forget new course starting across South Wales every week. Also Save the Children Paddle for life coming up on 10th September, see our website for entry details.

Busy week of diving over and another about to begin! PADI open water and advanced open water courses running in Cardiff and Swansea and rescue course just finioshed! Well done to all newly qualified PADI divers, welcome to the underwater world. Also congratulations to all the guys who passed their advanced and rescue course last weekend at Chepstow and to our two new dive masters (you know who you are)! Dont forget courses from novice right up to instructional level starting weekley all across South Wales and school groups catered for accross the whole UK.