Dive schools

Have you been diving for long? yes then you have definately seen the decline in Dive Centres in the UK, Most of us know of a Dive Centre closing down and usually they are missed by all of us. Why did they close? they didn't make enough money to pay the bills thats why.

So what...
I hear a lot of people say. Dive Centres and Clubs are what keeps the buzz going and the industry ticking, getting divers together and spreading the word to aquire new divers to join us in our underwater world.

Dive shows...
A definate decline over the years of the number of companies displaying their wares and even the regulars have down sized their stands. I remember when the Dive Show in Birmingham spread across several halls

FREE AIR! wow I wish....
In most Dive Centres air is a loss leader meaning it actually costs the operation more than you pay to have your cylinder filled. Compressor Servicing/maintenance is an expensive game. With 5L oil costing £100+, filter stacks, Valves, lines, bank cylinders, flow panels, air purity tests and to top it off the extortionate insurance costs to cover anything that does go wrong. If you think its expensive to maintain your personal gear just think how much it takes to keep the Dive Centre equipment in servicable condition and meet HSE guidelines and BS/ISO standard

So what if another dive centre closes down...
If you want to try equipment before you buy where do you go? If you want a reputable air fill where do you go? If you want to plan a trip on a liveaboard who can arrange it for you? If you need your regulators serviced by a fully insured technician where do you go?, If you need your cylinder testing where do you go? Where can you go to meet up with like minded people and have a good time or just pop in for a cuppa? Yes... your local Dive Centre.

Experience....
Experience is something you can't buy, it comes with time so everyone has a time in their lives where inexperience in diving is a problem. You can get help from friends and family if they are divers. but what was good for them may not be the best thing for you as not all people want the same thing or built the same shape, a mask for instance is probably your most important purchase as a leaky, ill fitting mask can destroy an otherwise good dive because you feel uncomfortable throughout the whole time underwater.
A good Dive Centre will show you a range of masks, the pro's & con's, the price ranges and most of all how to correctly try it on for size to ensure it is as good a fit as possible.
This goes for not just masks but for a whole range of diving equipment and courses to get you that all important experience for yourself.

So What Can You Do?....
Pop in to your local dive centre or club and get your name down on their contact list to inform you when they are going diving next or having their next social evening (It's not all about getting wet), Although tempting remember not all things on Ebay are a bargain, when you look at the delivery charge and getting it into serviceable condition, thats even if it is serviceable. You may have paid good money for a item thats not fit for purpose and only worth its weight in scrap. Something to maybe think about, as it's a lot more difficult to return a faulty item to an Ebay seller.

Please support your dive local Dive Centre, They are there to support the industry and YOU — at Wavecrest Scuba.