Latest news...

We're doing our best to keep everyone up to date with what's going on. As well as putting news up here, we also send out emails letting everyone know when events or dives are running. If you want to be added to the mailing list please click here.

07Jul2008	Truk trip report It's taken a couple of months, but the trip report for Truk is finally up. Actually, Truk was so good we wrote two! Both can be found in the previous trips page - a short version from Andy and a longer version from Steve.
26Jun2008	HydroDive Specialties of the Month for the Summer Each month at HydroDive we offer a specialty at a special rate of 20% off, and here's what we are offering over the summer: July - Wreck Diver: Learn how to navigate and penetrate a wreck for only £120 (normally £150) August - Drysuit: We know it's the summer, but what better time to learn how to keep warm for the winter? Only £72 (normally £90) September - Digital Underwater Photographer: Do you know your o-ring from your f-stop? With this course you will! Part 1 is £56, Part 2 is £104, or the full course for £136 (normally £170). Don't forget, these offers are for the given month only. You'll also need a crew pack, but that will have the 20% discount too. Call the dive centre for more information or to book your place now.
24Jun2008	Upcoming weekend trips We still have some spaces left on the next 3 dive weekends: 9-10 August - Porthkeris down on the Lizard in Cornwall 16-17 August - Dartmouth diving with Ian Noble on his cat 13-14 September - Plymouth with Richard Lock on Kara-C Call the dive centre if you're interested in joining us.
17Jun2008	Next Rescue Diver course running in August Our next rescue course will be running to lead up to an open weekend on the 30th and 31st of August. There will be pool sessions on two Sundays before this, or mid-week evenings for those who can't make Sundays. As a Saving the Summer special, we're offing the course with a 20% discount, bringing it down to £240 from £300. Call the dive centre to book your place on the course everyone says is serious fun.
17Jun2008	Tech Diving Lecture Series - Gas Planning and Gas Management Many thanks to Ian Dennis for a very interesting lecture on the gas planning and management aspects of technical diving. We had a wide range of people present, ranging from newly qualified open water divers to experienced rebreather divers. Thanks to Ian's fun approach, everyone enjoyed the evening and took away some interesting facts and ideas.
15Jun2008	The Seal Team Return No, not Navy Seals or the dives we run for youngsters, but a group of HydroNauts who visited the Farne Islands in search of seals. And by all accounts they found lots of them, close up too.
10Jun2008	New Certifications! Congratulations to Steve Want for completing his DiveMaster course. Look forward to continuing working with you Steve!
08Jun2008	New Certifications! Congratulations to everyone who joined us at Stoney Cove and certified this weekend! Open Water: Lesley Over, Richard Over, Emma Robinson, Paul Salmon, Joe Roberts Junior Scuba Diver: Emily Dunham Advanced Open Water: Andrew Burgess, Stephen Carvell Peak Perfomance Buoyancy: Andrew Burgess, Stephen Carvell, Stephen Dunham
27May2008	SeaSearch Lecture Many thanks to Jolyon Chesworth who came and gave a lecture on the SeaSearch in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Who knew that there was such little marine reserve round the UK shores, or that you can find seahorses off the Isle of Wight and Swanage? If you were inspired to take part in the introductory SeaSearch Observer course, get in touch as we're planning on organising one for later in the year at the SeaSearch offices in Botley, Hampshire.
17May2008	Back from Truk! A group of HydroNauts has just got back from Truk with some of the biggest grins on their faces you've ever seen. It sounds like everyone had a great time diving with Captain Lance on the SS Thorfinn.
13May2008	Recompression chamber in Reading A new diver recompression chamber has just opened in Reading at the MS Hospital just off the Oxford Road. We're going to try and organise a club visit soon, so let us know if you're interested. Visit them at The Diver Clinic website.
22Apr2008	Tech Diving Lecture Series - Intro to Tech! The first in a series of Tech Diving related lectures, Ian Dennis presented an overview of what technical diving is, how it differs from recreational diving and dispelled some common misconceptions. A few people might even think about buying a twinset after hearing what Ian had to say...
21Apr2008	New Certifications! Congratulations to Martyn Boxall and Steve Wells who have completed their Assistant Instructor course. Hurry up and finish the paperwork so you can get certified Martyn!
08Apr2008	Photography lecture a great success Many thanks to Maria Munn of Ocean Visions for a really informative and fun lecture on using compact digital cameras underwater. We had a large audience for her presentation, and everyone was stunned by the quality of the pictures she gets on a point'n'click camera. Congratulations to Andrew Gill who won the canvas print by correctly identifying which picture had been taken on a compact camera.
06Apr2008	New Certifications! Congratualtions to those who came with us and braved the cold and snow this weekend! Open Water: Claire Bold, Andrew Burgess, Stephen Carvell, Chris Cheshire, Daniel Ings, Emma Newman, Navneet Rai Dry Suit Diver: Grahame Gibbs, Karl Gibbs, Edwin Lewis, Llian Stephens Wreck Diver: Gary Joiner, Chris Spinks, Eric Keane, Sharon Keane Deep Diver: Shawn Bold, Rachael Webster
20Mar2008	Technical training - coming soon Hydrodive has hooked up technical diving instructor Ian Dennis to start offering IANTD technical diving courses. You'll start seeing more information on these over the coming weeks and months, but let us know if there is a particular course you would like to sign up for.
17Mar2008	Easter opening times Over the Easter weekend, the dive centre will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday. We will be open as usual on Easter Saturday.
11Mar2008	Compact Digial Camera - Evening Lecture (8th April 2008) A presentation by Maria Munn of Ocean Visions. Maria set up Ocean Visions to help divers with compact digital cameras realise that they can take superb photographs underwater, and it has been an amazing success. She set off round the world in 2001 following her love of whales, dolphins and sharks with a Sony Cybershot and later an Olympus 5050 with filters and strobes on hand to record her underwater memories. She is a self-taught photographer using a range of Canon SLR Cameras both above and underwater too and has visited over 30 countries in total and loves nothing more than sharing her hard-won tips and techniques learnt to help her guests take beautiful photographs. Contact the dive centre for more information or if you want to come along.
02Mar2008	New Certifications! Congratualtions to all the students who braved the cold of Stoney Cove this weekend... Open Water: David Buckley and Richard Stock Advanced Open Water (+PPB): Anita Morar and David Hedges
01Mar2008	April HydroDive Specialty of the Month The Hydrodive Special Specialty for April will be Deep Diver. Contact the dive centre to book onto this course running the first weekend in April. 20% off this course for April only!
23Feb2008	2008 Calendar now out We have just published the 2008 dive and training calendar, packed with activities for those ranging from novice to very experienced. Take a look here.
19Feb2008	We're becoming a Cressi-Sub Dealer We've just got to complete a few more bits of paperwork and then Hydrodive will offically be a Cressi-Sub dealership. You should start to see Cressi-Sub products (such as masks, fins etc) appearing in the dive centre in the next couple of weeks. If there are any Cressi-Sub products you want let us know, and we'll include them with our first order for you.
14Feb2008	Farewell Sharon After over 2 years working in the Dive Centre, Sharon is moving on to other things. She's off to become a Learning Support Assistant at Alfred Sutton School. Sharon will still be about completing her Divermaster training though. Good luck in the new job Sharon!
03Feb2008	New Certifications! Congratualtions to RUBSAC students who gained their Open Water certifications with us over the weekend at Wraysbury and Horsea: Hakan Arabaci, Guner Arioglu, Victoria Bird, Bryony Brooke, Emily Cervi, Dani Dunn, Chris Garvey, Patrick Hathway, Luke Hutchinson, Steven Oldfield and Julie Ta