We could see acceptable conditions for Scuba Diving on the South Wales coast this weekend. Swell shouldn't be too high, 2ft - 4ft, however we could see some southerlies and westerlies at times which could cause problems. Wind strength on Saturday should be lower than Sunday, however swell will be larger on the Saturday than the Sunday.
We've also seen some fairly unsettled conditions in South Wales over the last few days, and we're still on a spring tide over the weekend meaning we'll have a large volume of water movement which could affect visibility.
Heading to the more sheltered bays, such as Stackpole Quay and Oxwich Bay should see the better conditions and always remember the rule of twelfths, ensuring you dive on the incoming tide. Be aware of the swell size and wind, particularly for shore dives and how it could affect your entry and exit.
Inland sites, such as The National Diving and Activity Centre (NDAC) in Chepstow will offer you diving less affected by the environmental conditions meaning you can concentrate on just enjoying the dive.
We're having a break from the training this weekend but we'll be back in the pool soon with our next batch of PADI Open Water Diver students. We were also back in Chepstow last weekend with Sam, Robert and Alicia on their PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course. It was an incredibly enjoyable weekend and now they are PADI Advanced Open Water Divers they'll be able to dive anywhere in the world up to a depth of 30m, such huge congratulations to them.
CAUTIONS – The sea temperatures are slowly starting to raise, but we'll still need to take precautions with regards to thermal protection (wetsuits, drysuits, hoods, gloves). If you are planning to dive off the coast in South Wales, ensure you are aware of the changing conditions, making sure you know the conditions for both the beginning and the end of the dive.