We're expecting strong winds along the South Wales coast and in the Bristol Channel this weekend, gusting to over 30 knots and in a Southerly and Westerly direction. This will have an effect on the visibility in the water and although the swell is moderate at around 3ft - 5ft the wind will create a lot of water movement.
Sea temperatures are still low at around 10° so if you do intend to head out for a coastal dive this weekend you'll need to ensure you have the correct thermal protection; dry suit, gloves, hood, warm undersuit, etc. You'll also need a detailed dive plan for your dive, including entry and exit from the water and proper thermal protection for before and after your dive too.
Our advice would be to head to one of the inland dive sites in or near South Wales, where the visibility is likely to be less affected by the wind. Water temperatures will still be low in these sites though, so proper equipment and planning is just as important.
Next week we'll be returning to Hebron Hall in Cardiff for the 1st part of our PADI Open Water course. This part of the course will teach the students the basic scuba diving skills they need in the pool as well as the theory required for any scuba diver. After they successfully complete this part of the course, they'll need to complete their 4 open water dives before they become qualified to dive up to 18m deep anywhere in the world.
We'll also planning some of our other courses for the next couple of months, such as the PADI Rescue Diver course, so wherever you are in your scuba diving journey, get in touch and we can discuss your next steps.