Any Scuba Divers on the forum?

[Chancer]

I had a really pleasant day today at Nemo 33 in Bruxelles, its a fosse, I dont think we have a word for it in English but perhaps divers tank or divers pool.

It was really impressive, 33m deep and 33 degrees celcius with various decompression levels and underground grottes at 10m depth where you can surface and breath fresh(ish) air at twice atmospheric pressure.

I am told that it is the best of its kind in Europe and judging by the different nationalities that had made the journey I can believe it, several parties from the north of England.

Throughly recommended.

[Théière]

One day maybe, still remeber Stoney Cove

[AnOther]

Sounds interesting, is there a web site ?

It might be a relatively cheap way of checking out how my ears are doing before splashing out on trip to the Maldives or wherever only to find I can't dive more than once in 3 or 4 days [:(]. I've always had trouble with them but it seems to have got significantly worse over the last 3 or 4 years.

[Pierre ZFP]

I was checking out the possibility of learning to dive when I saw a flyer for this place in a dive shop. Can I ask how much it is to use the facility?

 I assume that you would have to be an experienced diver to go to those depths.  I've only had a couple of 'Try Dives' (one in the sea, one in a pool) but loved it so it's on the 'To Learn' list

I've also realised that I seem to have a talent for learning sports in 'wrong' countries.  I leant to ski in very flat Holland and now I may learn to dive in land-locked Luxembourg [8-)]

[Thebiga]

Hi AnOther, Don't let it stop you going to the Maldives as plenty to see snorkeling on the house reefs 'If you pick the right island' and always guaranteed clear water, Unlike on a dive!

The maldives is just majic and hope to afford to go again someday as want our children to see things that we did and not just in the local ocearium.

Went to Villamendhu (Villamendoo). Memories oh Memories.

[Swissie]

I had a trial in Gran Canaria a few years back and loved it. Joined a course and sadly burst an ear-drum on first deeper dive and I was sick for 2 days. Shame as I loved it- but lots of ear infections as a child left me with weakened drums. Will have to stick to snorkelling in future.

[Chancer]

Pierre, it cost €22 but the others that had subscribed nd printed off their membershipon the net got a €1 reduction, I think with this card you can profit from off-peak and night dives, there is a table on the website.

I dont think that you need to be advanced diver as there were plenty of open water divers there, the only problem would be limiting your depth to 25m (its 20m for niveau 1 in France) as I dont think there is a palier at that depth.

It was refreshingly free of regulation, everyone in my club was doing a beaker impression (the one on the muppet show) and saying that I would not be able to dive with my SSI diplôme as they have no idea of diver certification, or indeed anything else outide of France (I am having to do all the niveau 1 training from scratch with the debutants, I dont mind as I prefer to start again after a break of several years. anyway they just recorded the number on my dive card and took my money, it turned out they were an SSI dive centre.

The briefings were in Flemish, French and English, other than that there were no controls and people were autonome although most sensibly dived bi-nome, their rules now insist that everyone use a dive computer (they can be hired for a nominal fee) but I just used my tables and my watch kept within the no decompression limits and did a 5 min safety stop at 5 metres, the seances arent really long enough for you to go beyond the no deco limits except for on repetitive dives, nobody checked or commented that I didnt have a dive computer. I also was eroneusly wearing bootees with semelles.

I would advise against taking your own gear as they provide everything and your P.M.T. etc  are likely to be picked up and used by someone else whilst you are dismantling the bloc.

A.N.O.  The website is  nemo33.com and I read that it is the deepest fosse in the world!

Regarding equalising of the ears, I had terrfific pain for all of my dives untill I did my advanced course, it turned out that I had been badly tought by my PADI open water instructor (a local farmers son that I knew from the pub that had returned from Thailand and wanted to earn some cash) and was not trying to valsalva until I felt the pain which of course was always at depth, once I saw that the other divers were clearing their ears from the first few metres, asked why and understood the physics of it I never again had any problem.

Oh and I forgot to add that there is (according to my French friends) a fantastic asiatic restaurant on the premises, its actually (allegedly) a Thai restaurant but sadly all the dishes lack spice and are sweetened for the Belgium/French palate, dont have the crispy fried duck (thats why I said allegedly Thai) as you will be very dissapointed, looking at the other dishes I would recommend any of the noodle ones.

[Chancer]

A.N.O. There may well be fosses closer to you, the swimming pool for the HLM complex at Amiens Nord has a 15 meter one and our club also uses another one not too far away on a reciprocal basis, possibly Arras.

I would make enquiries of your local dive club t se if they will let you come along to a fosse seance, you will probably find them from - ffessm.fr

If no joy and you want to visit Nemo but need a dive buddy I will go at the drop of a hat [;-)]

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Chancer"]

 it turned out that I had been badly tought by my PADI open water instructor[/quote]

 

As a BSAC diver, why am I not surprised at the above comment ?   [:P]