What to do in the winter

It's cold and grey and miserable outside. And it's probably raining.  At least it is if you live in the UK and it's somewhere 'twixt November and March! None of these things make you want to yell "LETS GO!" grab your dive kit and rush headlong towards the sea.

So what do you do if aren't diving during the winter months? Yearn for warmer days, browse through countless travel sites or stare longingly at your dive kit? Well there are tons of things you could be doing - read on for thoughts, inspiration and perhaps the odd lightbulb moment!

So lets look at what we could be doing...

1. KIT FIDDLING first on the list is that firm favourite for most divers !  This is the time to get ALL your kit out and check it, play with it and make sure it is fit for purpose and still does what it is mean to do!

Computers: Are the batteries fully charged - if they're ones you can't charge yourself get them into the dive centre NOW. Time will run away with you and the turn-around time for things like this can be several weeks. Is the strap good? Do you need a new screen protector (if you cant read the screen ... you need a new one!)?  Is it still as good a diver as you are?  Having just been through this process myself I have a computer that I've had forever but the cost of a new battery outweighs what the computer can now do for me. 

Buoyancy: Be it BCD, wing or combo does it still fit (be honest!)? Are the clips strong and do you have enough D-Rings and octo/spg holders? Does the power inflator work properly and does the deflator work?  Most important of all: inflate it and leave it for 24 hours, if it's remains fully inflated then fabulous, if not get it serviced.

Regs: When was the last time you had them serviced? Check the documentation - bet it was longer ago than you thought!  Now call the dive centre and book your regs in! But if they are in date then check the mouth piece and check you stored them properly and they are working!

Cylinders: Check the test date and the Oz clean date! If either are out ... click here! 

Everything else: Clean it, check it, put it on (suits do 'shrink' you know!). Give it some love and attention. Do it now because before you know it you will heading for the beach or boat!

2. PLAN YOUR SEASON.  What dives do you want to do? Where are they and when are they best dived? Check out all the local dives - there are LOADS of amazing dives right on our doorstep. We dive them all regularly, you can be guided and you'll always have people with you who know the site.  But if you're hankering for further afield check the PADI BLOG out, there are loads of hints and tips on where to go, what tho think about and what to expect.

Get hold of your buddy, go into the centre or simply email for some ideas!

3. JOIN THE CLUB  There is really nothing better than having membership of a club of like-minded people. You can book diving together, swap kit thoughts and ideas and even (not that we could possibly promote this) go for a swift libation or 2 together. Kit fiddling, dive planning, diving and trips are all so much better if you're part of the group.

4. GET READING!  Diving is all about being in the water, yes? Well no not really. In order to have fun when you dive you need to be relaxed and that means feeling confident. To feel confident you ned to not only be able to do the underwater stuff but you need to know and understand what is happening to your body, what the safety issues are and how to deal with things if they do go wrong.

Ask yourself honestly when the last time you read anything about diving - can you remember how to work out what pressure you're under at say 18 metres? What is the best gas to be diving on, and why? How does your computer work and what are the alarms on it?  How does your regulator work? Are you confident you can plan a dive properly rather than just jump in and go? What is decompression diving and why do we need to know about it? 

Get your manuals out going right back to the start of your diving.  Re-read them.  Bet you'll be surprised what's in them and what you've forgotten!

Get some novels on diving - there are some great reads. Immerse yourself in words if not water!

5. PRACTICE  We have a pool session every Sunday.  Why not call the centre and book in. Bring your kit (or get some form the centre) and go and practice your diving in the pool! Keep your skills up to date and remind yourself of why you love what you do so much! It's fun, it's warm and it'll mean you hit the mani season ahead of everyone else!

6. GO DIVING  Eh? Thought this was about what to do when I'm not diving.  Well yes but why wouldn't you dive in the winter?  The viz is often stunning, there are fewer divers around so you see more and you're doing the thing you love. Yes you need to dress properly and yes that will mean a drysuit and undersuit, but going down this route will change and improve your diving throughout the year.

Suddenly you can dive whenever you want, more often and for longer.  As someone who wears their drysuit 12 months of the year I can tell you it is the only way as far as I'm concerned - POV obviously!

Do a drysuit course. Learn how to dive properly in one and what the different sorts of suit are.  Find out about undersuits (they're great for dog walking too hahaha!) and what thickness you need. Really push the boat out (forgive the pun) and get a heated undersuit - forget warm and think hot!

You're missing so much if you don't dive in the UK year round.