BASIC EQUIPMENT
Basic equipment will include a Mask, Fins and a Snorkel. Typically these wil cost about £30-£40 for a Mask, about £20-£40 for a set of pool fins, and about £10-£20 for a snorkel. These can be provided, but it will be generally expected that you buy your own as soon as possible.
| Mask (image awaited) | Fins (image awaited) | Snorkel (image awaited) |
|---|
SCUBA EQUIPMENT
SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) comprises a Breathing Gas Cylinder (usually air, but never pure oxygen), a Demand Valve (or Regulator), and a BC (Buoyancy Compensator).
A Cylinder can vary in size from 10 litres, 12 litre or 15 litres, and will be priced from £90-£110. Generally these are made of steel, although aluminium cylinders are also available. A cylinder is pumped up until it is full (about 230 - 300 times atmospheric air pressure) at your local dive shop. How long you can stay underwater will depend upon your breathing rate and the depth you dive to. More advanced diving can involve breathing a special gas called NITROX rather than air. Nitrox has benefits in reducing the risk of the "bends", although you cannot dive as deep.
All training in the pool and your first sea dives will be with air.
A Regulator will generally range from £200-£400. The regulator allows the air (at the high pressure within the cylinder) is REDUCED to the ambient pressure around you at any particular depth. A modern regulator achieves this in 2 stages. The first stage included the clamping devive to connect the Regulator to the cylinder. The 2nd stage includes the mouthpiece.
A BC will generally range from £250-£350.
| Cylinder (image awaited) | Regulator (image awaited) | BCD (image awaited) |
|---|