We pride ourselves on offering an excellent level of service to our customers. During 2002 we introduced a feedback and comments system into our training programs, a selection of comments and personal endorsements are included below.
To send feedback on any aspect of our service please go to our comment page. Your comments WILL be taken seriously.
Michelle, May 2010
Hi,
I just wanted to say thank you to Dan and Paul for an excellent weekend – they were both great.
I loved it and am looking forward finishing off my certificate in Spain.
I’ll definitely be recommending London Scuba to other friends!
Regards
Michelle
Hester, April 2010
Hi Ian
Just a quick note to say that I've just returned from Sharm and has the most wonderful time diving -think I have the bug for it now. Thank you very much for you and your team's dedicated training. Special thanx to Simon, Duncan and girl who's name I can't remember -she did my refresher just before I went. Hope to come along to a club night soon.
Best wishes,
Hester de Kock
R, October 2009
I thought your course run by Duncan Jagger was excellent. As a fairly active serviceman of over 20 years experience I have done many, many practical training sessions of a similar nature (though not diving) and I found the referral course to be extremely well instructed, easy to follow, pitched to the students and very professional. I was slightly surprised really by how good it was. Feel free to use my comments as a reference, though not my personal details please.
Anyway, I've always said I'm a bird not a fish (I am a pilot by profession and all my hobbies involve flying or the wind) but now I might become interested in being a fish...
I'm looking forward to open water diving in the BVI next month for sure. I don't think I'll just be doing the 4 qualifying dives. Let's see what I can crack in 2 weeks.
Jon Buchanan, September 2009
Hi all, Just a quick note to thank everyone for this week. Ben and I have been made to feel very welcome and have had a tremendous time (too many people to name individually). Special thanks to Simone and Gianni who have been very patient and given us all the help that we have needed. Also to the excellent Italian DMs and DMTs (you know who you are - Paola, Max, Enrico, and Luca) who have been really inclusive. We have shared in all our experiences with them and from whom I have learnt a lot from just observing. It's been fun and hard work (damn that faulty compressor!) I now truly know what it is like to be a TB (tank bitch). Which incidently doesn't translate well into Italian so don't try it! (the nearest is 'tank slave').
I would thoroughly recommend an internship week to all the London Scuba DMTs. Invaluable experience and a great way to tie up any loose ends and finish the course with a working holiday - not that it really feels like work. I would certainly not hesitate to come back and do the IDC in March with Miles and co (that is if I feel ready for it - lots of great DMing to do back home first!)
Luca - hopefully see you for a return internship at London Scuba (build on that English so you can teach the entire world to dive).
Thanks also to Daz for smoothing the way for this week. And all the top tips and rude Italian words (they were great ice breakers!).
Ciao
Sam Scuba Moraira, May 2009
Hi Ian
Just thought I would drop you a quick note to complement you and your team.
We are a PADI Dive Centre based in a town called Moraira on the Costa Blanca, Spain. A few weeks we had Giselle Coomber did several dives with us. We have also just recently certified Alice Dudman, her sister Hannah Oram and Will Oram. All of whom did their theory and pool session with yourselves. As we are lucky enough to be based in a particularly nice part of Spain and next to several Blue Flag beaches, we regularly receive referrals from UK dive centres.
The reason for my email is pass on my thanks to you and your team for the comprehensive training received by the divers I have mentioned. I must say it makes our life a lot easier when people come to us having been well trained in the classroom and pool. I am sure you know yourself that the quality of instruction does seem to vary.
Any way that's all I had to say, I am sure you are busy.
Hope you have a good summer and please keep sending your great students.
Henry "Scubes" Perkins, March 2009 Just wanted to say a major thanks to everyone for the OW course at Wraysbury. Howard and Dave managed to make the cold seem enjoyable! London Scuba is a friendly and professional outfit that I will not hesitate to recommend to anyone and I'm sure you'll see me for my advanced and rescue courses when I get round to them. First I think a nice long hot bout of dives in Majorca and California is in order!!! Many thanks again and keep up the good work!
Melanie Seligman FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN, July 2008 Dear Steve, I am just writing to you on behalf of our team at Families for Children to thank you and your staff members for a lovely day at your centre recently. It was a pleasure to arrive at your facility, being warmly welcomed, and to experience great hospitality from your team. We felt very comfortable using your venue and we all agreed that we'd like to book again for our next team day out. Your staff were very friendly and incredibly helpful, and service like that is a pleasure to receive. We hope we didn't leave you with too much mess, and we hope we didn't disturb the examination/lesson too much during the afternoon. As soon as we've got next year's dates sorted out with our team, we'll be in touch to book again. Looking forward to next year's day out already. Thank you! Regards, Melanie
Darren Baldwin, Open Water Referral, DUP Level 1&2, PPB Sept 2006 My wife Stefi and I took our open water referral course in June with Simon and were very impressed with how professional the set up was as well as the attention and care of the instructors and divemasters. We completed our certification in Belize we were able to put what we had leant in the pool with Simon to good use and completed 11 great dives. Since returning, we have been to one of the club nights and were made really welcome. Last week, I did the new Digital Underwater Photography level 1 and completed level 2 along with Peak Performance Buoyancy this weekend with Taz another great instructor, whose guidance (especially with regard to the buoyancy), really helped. Taz “ I am still visualising by the way!!! All in all, the club has given us a great entry into the world of scuba and we look forward to many more dives together.
Graeme Moore, Open water & Advanced open water diver July 2006 It started as a nail biting lead up to my confined water dives and theory in Lingfield and ended with dives in Marsa Alam, Red Sea and qualification of open and advanced open water diver certification.
My confined water instructor, Kevin Black, was so safety conscious and thorough, how can I forget those eyes boring into mine, when I started a rapid ascent in the pool because of a coughing fit, when those commanding eyes compelled me to stop (which I did) I then descended and carried on. Those commanding eyes I will not forget, and the appropriate words after.
The whole bunch were great, from my fellow students and holiday divers, in attached picture, (who all supported each other when we were a bit nervous on our first time ever in open water) and who really blended together as a group on land and sea, and of course the one and only Dave Brown - Instructor, a credit to London Scuba and a unique ability to drive home the learning and more importantly the safety and for that I thank you Dave, your style may not always be orthodox, but drive it home you certainly did.
Marsa Alam, well, what a place! The Hotel, the Emperor Divers set up, the boats, crew, guides and dive sites, Dennis the resident Dugong, giant turtles, moray eels, dolphins and the wonderful reefs on every dive.
My wife Linda joined us in Marsa Alam on dives, a diver herself with many years experience, who has dived in various places throughout the world, considers the Red Sea reefs of Marsa Alam to be the best she has dived, with its variety and abundance of marine life.
So it is with many thanks to Linda for encouraging me into the world of diving and her unique patience, calming influence and encouragement when I was going through my training and during our dives together since. Dave and Kevin for their unique teaching with good results, Kate for her support in overcoming certain hurdles and of course Ian, for putting together this excellent holiday and teaching establishment called London Scuba.
Thank you all for one of the very best holidays and experiences of my 63 years of life
Will we return to Marsa Alam? - Would we go with London Scuba?
A definite YES to both - It was brilliant and we cannot wait!
Ed Taylor, Referral course July 2006 Thanks for an excellent couple of days tuition, not only did the instructor, Kevin Black teach me the basics about diving, but also made me hugely excited abou doing it again. Thankyou!
Sarah Barlow, Referral Course April 2006 Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for the last two days - it was really great!! Sometime ago, the suggestion was made for me to do the theory based stuff in the UK and at the time, I was a little unsure. However, you've very much proved why it was the right decision, in every which way possible. More than anything else, through your thorough organisation and planning and ensuring that we have a full understanding of the knowledge based material - I have come away, with a lot more confidence for embarking on the Open Water activity than I thought possible. Coupled with you clear, concise and encouraging communication and support in the water - it was hard not to feel that anything was possible.
Sam vaughan , Open Water Course April 2006 Just a quick e-mail to say thank you to Cate and anyone else involved for your part in a fab weekend! I was diving with Dave Brown, and Simon as the dive master on Sat, then Taz on Sun and we had a fantastic time. Looking forward to doing it again soon ... heading for Tobago in about 3 weeks, yippee. Fingers crossed the temperature and visibility will be a bit better and I'll see lots of turtles / manta rays / etc :) .
Chris Hales, Bubble Maker April 2006 I just wanted to say thanks for the training last night, Sam thought it was absolutely brilliant the "best birthday present I have had" - so can't do much better than that ! Freya will not forget the propulsion "thingy" and equally was badgering us on the way home as to when she can do it as well.
Vivienne Harris , March 2006 A big thanks to you all for my basic skills. My MA diving instructor commented on how good my grounding was so smiles all around. Roll on the advanced diving!!
Marcus Burrell , March 2006 Anyway, this is just to say thankyou to you and everyone else at London Scuba for a brilliant couple of days. We couldn't have asked for more!!!!!!!!! Thankyou! You'll be pleased to hear we put almost all of the exercises taught in the pool into training out in the Indian Ocean. Anyway, we landed at midday today at Gatwick and my completed/signed PADI application form was in the last post of the day!!!! Once again a huge thankyou to you and everyone at London Scuba!
Stuart Ferguson , Rescue Course March 2006 I would just say thanks to London Scuba and especially Robbie who was a very good and patient instructor. I am now a rescue diver even the though conditions were as challenging as the course.
Katherine Burke , Open Water course March 2006 I just wanted to say a big thank you for managing to get me diving over the past week..... its been emotional!! Cate, the pool session was really awesome preparation and thank you for all you patience and advice on the day. Rob was such a good teacher: very patient, as I was quite nervous about the cold, especially when I arrived at Horsea to see what we would actually be going in to!! His good humour and disputable quick wittednedd made for a really good weekend - so a big thank you!!
Sara Dickinson , Referral Course January 2006 just a note to say thankyou for looking after our son ali dickinson so well during the two day course. all the staff and the other course members were friendly and helpful and so he wasn't worried about being the only junior in the group. now he just can't wait to hit the water. thanks again
Jaimal Kothari , December 2005 I just got back from mauritius where i completed my open water dives. Was excellent fun. Now I can apprecaite the great instruction and teaching that you provided on the referral course, everything came back to me very quickly. The fact that i had that background made me feel much better. Many thanks again for the great instruction on the course
Liz Gillett , December 2005 Hi Cate!I just wanted to let you know that I’m still beaming from the last two day's while on the Referral Course in Lingfield! Thank you so much for the excellent, relaxed, well covered and entertaining classroom work and the wonderful experience from the pool work. Having never been scuba diving or snorkelling before, this experience has been indescribable. Many thanks again, a job well done and appreciated!
Gay Spershott, December 2005 Had a great holiday in Kenya which naturally had to include some diving and snorkelling! It was a great feeling that I was actually diving as a qualified diver and not just on a 'discovery'! Thanks for all your help (and everyone else involved) in getting me to this stage. Oliver Slack ,Open Water Course, December 2005 'Thanks for the course last weekend. I loved it and enjoyed the weekend a lot. Struggled a little day one but felt much more accustomed to it day 2. Good teaching, good facilities, cold water!!! See you for advanced course in the new year sometime!'
Mark Rutland ,Open Water Course, December 2005 'Just a quick email to say thanks for all your time and efforts getting us though our open water course. We're both very excited to have passed, and can't praise you staff enough on their patiences and the confidence they gave us.'
Jonathan Davis , Open Water Course, November 2005 'We were told by the Marine Life Divers in Negril, Jamaica that we had received excellent instruction on our referral course. They were very impressed, so this is a note to say thanks.'
Georgie Froggatt, Open Water Course, Lingfield, November 2005 'Just wanted to say a big thanks really for making the last couple of days a truly enjoyable experience. Was really impressed with the standard of facilities and equipment and all round everything. Many thanks again.'
Katie Cockburn, Open Water Course, London,October 2005 'I just wanted to say thank you to the team and especially Matt and Bernard who instructed me yesterday. I really enjoyed the day, although it was extremely hard work! I am looking forward to getting into the sea and trying out what we learnt. Here's to the start of a new obsession and I look forward to discovering lots of things under the sea in Belize next week (hurricanes permitting!!)'
Sally Thomson , Open Water, October 2005 'As soon as I had completed all parts of the theory and pool sessions, I hit the open water in Egypt and completed my 4 dives, so am now a fully qualified open water diver. I did 2 further dives out in egypt and loved it! Shame to be back at work now, but will have to plan the next trip! '
Philippa Martin, Red Sea, August 2005 'I have just returned from one of London Scuba's shorebased holidays in Sharm El Sheikh - it was FANTASTIC! Dave Brown, our instructor, was great .. the people in the group were all fab fun and the diving was beautiful! Everything was well organised and we are all now advanced open water divers! Thank you London Scuba! I am going to reccomend you to everybody! :- '
Imi Gray: age 10, Red Sea, August 2005 'This summer I have had the best time I have had in ages learning to dive with London Scuba.I did two days at Lingfield and Cate made sure that I had loads of fun learning all the skills. When I heard that I had passed my classwork I was looking forward to the Red Sea in Egypt where I would complete the course. When we got there we met our kind instructor Hatem who was very impressed by my skills. He said I must have had a very good teacher! '
Hayden Syers, Open Water April 2005 'I just would like to express how impressed I was with how everthying was so well organised. I would also like to acknowledge Philip Howard, for his brillant teaching. He was such a great teacher and made everything so much fun. I would also like to thank Jenny who assisted Philip. She was equally as good. I will reccomend London Scuba to all my friends.'
David Simms, Open Water April 2005 'Just a quick note to say a BIG thank you to you, Jo, Phil, Simon, Jenny and the team for all your help at the weekend. I had a really good time and was totally inspired by such an enthusiastic and patient group of Instructors and Dive Masters. Please keep in touch with all the stoney trips in the summer.'
Bromley Jones, EFR & Rescue Diver, April 2005 'I am writing to thank Robert and the team of divermasters (especially Jen for being a willing victim even though she was suffering with the cold ) for a great 2 weekends of training. I did not expect the training to be so relentless yet so much fun.'
Kevin Farrelly , Referal Course, Feb 2005 'Charlette Holt-Taylor and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and the teaching both in the classroom and the pool was both entertaining and informative. As someone who started off more as a makeweight in a couple than an outright enthusiast, I now cannot wait for my open water dives.'
Paul Gendle, Referal Course, Feb 2005 'Could you at London Scuba pass on thanks to Simon, Dave and Ben for their efforts in teaching us that weekend, since I'm not convinced I would be looking forward to next weeki as much as I am without the benefits of their infectious enthusiasm.'
Sam Peacock , Referal Course, Jan 2005 'Apart from being COMPLETELY knackered (!), you couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I'm SOOO chuffed!!!! Thank you SO much for your time and effort. You're a great trainer - very clear, and communicative. As well as calming, when I was at my most nervous (specifically, the mask removal in the shallow end!).. Great experience, and loved every minute of it. Thanks! '
Paul Rew, Referal Course, Jan 2005 'Can I please thank you for your efforts and proffesional appraoch with your instructions and lessons Which I took at Lingfield in December.Never having dived before was very worried that I would not be as good as they others guys doing there refferal dives, My instructors there Lincoln was very compimentry in my standard and I was far more advanced in my knowledge that guys from other Uk dive companies . This I put down to you. Karen Fredericks, Discover Scuba, 28 September 2004 "Many thanks to all involved at the taster session. The trainers are superb, friendly, proffessional and in my case very patient! we both came away with the feeling of achievement and will certainly look into further courses.regards, Kaz " Gareth Day, Open Water course, Sept 2004 "Hello Nicola and I just wanted to write a quick e-mail to say that Dave and Phill, our instructors for the open water over the weekend, were excellent. They put the class at ease from the start and emphasised the fun aspects of diving throughout the course. Their enthusiasm was infectious and they have given Nicola and me the confidence to carry on with the sport and go for our advanced qualifications. With thanks Gareth Day and Nicola Harvey " Louise Carter, Referral course, July 2004 "Hi Cate And I am pleased to say that I managed to take my mask off and replace it several times. I even filled it and emptied it voluntarily at about 10 metres when the mask got steamed up! We had a fantastic time - although are now very tired and not please to be back at work at all. Whilst we were away James also proposed to me and I am sitting here typing with a tan and a diamond ring! Thanks for teaching us so well - it was great to be on holiday and find it all fairly easy. There wasn't anything we were asked to do that we hadn't covered. Let us know when the next social is. Louise" Nicola Harvey, Referral course, July 2004 " Hi Cate, Just a note to thank you for the weekend. Gareth and I thoroughly enjoyed the course and thought you were an excellent trainer. I've actually recommended London Scuba to my boss, who is interested in doing his PADI with his wife and son (15yrs - don't think he'll eat chocolate bars all day, so don't worry about that!) We'll be in touch again when we arrange to do our dives in the UK. Until then, take care. Nicola" James Briggs, Referral course, July 2004 "Cate, You asked for feedback, so I'm happy to report that Gamal, Chief Instructor at the Nesima dive centre - says (and I quote) "Thank you Cate for sending me James and Louise. Very good instructor." Completely hooked. Both went straight on to complete AOW and ended the week with dives at the Bells, Blue Hole and Canyon. Along with a couple of friends we made along the way, we're now itching to get back in the water. What do you have in the way of UK fun for the overqualified and underexperienced? Regards, James" PS We did our AOW and fun diving with a fantastic place called dive-urge (www.dive-urge.com) who are english-run and very chilled compared to the rather hectic Dahab dive industry. They have a really great complex outside town and only take small groups. The only time I didn't feel like I was diving and living with a bunch of mates (rather than divemasters or instructors) was when I paid the bill. I said I'd recommend them to everyone - so that's a start. Mandy Shepard, Red Sea Holiday, June 2004 "Hi Cate, Just wanted to let you know the holiday went very well. Both Annette and I really enjoyed ourselves. It was the first time I had dived and successfully completed my open water course. This was in no small part due to Gary. He was an excellent instructor, very patient and I felt complete confidence in him which is very important, but he also made it really good fun. As for the actual diving, I loved it. It was just magical, like being in another world. You felt invisible because the fish were not at all bothered by you. It was amazing being totally immersed in their world & I will always remember it. Thanks for everything, Mandy"
Chris & Jen, Referral course, May 2004 "Hi all! Just a note to thank you greatly for a wonderful course. I have never dealt with a company who were so kind and helpful from start to finish. You made us feel so welcome, such a rare thing these days! Special thanks to Cate for arranging our course, and Phil Howard and Chris Chubb, guys, amazing training and well done for putting up with us! You were all so friendly we will see you in the summer for a refresher before completing our referral in Bandos, Maldives in September. Once again, thanks a million and see you all soon! Chris and Jen."
Gerry Egan, Referral course May 2004 "Hi, I completed an open water referral course at the Blackfriars site on Saturday (22/5.) I thoroughly enjoyed the day from beginnning to end. All the London Scuba crew present made me feel welcome right from the outset, and the information and pool training was spot-on. My instructor was Neil Clayton and his relaxed, informal and good humored style made the training a lot of fun. He even loaned me some of his own spare kit when I got cold in the water - it was much appreciated. Thankfully I am off to completed my open water dives in Bermuda which should be much warmer! Many thanks to everyone and to Neil in particular. Gerry"
Jim Harding, Referral course, October 2003 "Ian/Matt, I completed my Open water course last weekend in the sublime waters of Horsea Island! Just wanted to thank the team for a great weekend. Steve Mays was my particular instructor and he was thoroughly professional, knowledgeable and entertaining - but then so was everyone. You have a good outfit and I'd have no hesitation in recommending Londonscuba. Thanks, Jim"
Caren Dennis, Referral course, June 2003 " Hi Matt and co I was on your open water referral course on the 28th & 29th June I just thought I'd let you know that I've just come back from Malta where I completed my open water course and did more than a few dives on top, have to say I think I'm a little addicted now... am working out where I can go next Have attached a couple of pictures as proof, just wanted to say thanks alot for all your help and encouragement during the course, it was time well spent Like the news letters by the way, might just see you at the next social Caren"
Sally Case, Referral Course, July 2003 "Hi Caroline Just a quick note to let you know that my brother Dale & I passed our open water diving in Kefalonia last week. The diving in Kefalonia was fantastic. I don't have any photo's but the images are still vivid in my mind and will be for a long time...it was all fantastic. What an unreal sensation it is being 18m under water and still being able to breathe. Amazing!!!! We saw loads of star fish and sea urchins, and few octopus & squid (which was really cool) and lots and lots of beautiful fish. Finally, our Instructor in Kefalonia said that we were two of the best students she's had to teach because we had such good knowledge and basic training from you guys before we went. I can't wait to do it again. See ya at one of the socials. Thank for all your help. Sally Case"
Mark, Paul and Simon "hi Caroline, just an update of what we have been up to since you taught us all your skills and knowledge to get us through our openwater course with London scuba. me and Paul began our diving journey soon after we passed our padi openwater and became regular divers at stoney cove in all weathers freezing + boiling we did not care we just loved being underwater. we both went on to complete our advanced open water at stoney cove and not long after that we both went to Dominican republic to sample some exotic diving I bought myself a digital camera and underwater housing and took over 200 pictures in the week I was there and everyone of them came out brilliant it was so fantastic to dive there I have never been so relaxed diving as my air seemed to last forever. Paul went to Cuba last month to sample their diving and had a great time. and im off to Spain diving next month in the beautiful resort of cala san vincente Then me and Paul are off to the red sea in November to lap up some more diving we are doing a part hotel part livaboard in sharm so we are well looking forward to that what a mad time we have we just think about diving 24/7 like where can we go next ?????? we both would love to go to truk lagoon so you never no it could be our next destination and its all down to you and London scuba for starting us off on our diving frenzy. hope all the team are well and diving as much as we are." lots of love and bubbles Mark, Paul and Simon
Caroline Buffard, Open Water Diver, March 2003 "Hi Steve, Hope you don't mind me e-mailing you? I got your email address from the scuba school's website... It was a pleasure meeting you and the staff at London Scuba. Just a quick email to say hi and bye!! I'm off travelling (next weekend) to Australia and New Zealand for a year (and hope to get lots of diving experiences out there!!) I would like to say thanx to you and the other instructors, who taught & helped me gain my PADI Open Water cert. I had a great time learning with London Scuba, thank you. I've booked my Advanced Open Water as well, hopefully it goes well !! Anyway, I'd better stop waffling... Best of luck!! I hope everything goes well for you, and with your physio course. Hopefully keep in touch, I'll try and email you and the school with pictures of my experience in the barrier reeve (if I can scan). Best regards Caroline"
Mike Lowe, Open Water Course, March 2003 "Hi Andy, Chris, Dorota, Jon, This is the message as promised to let us all know our email addresses. I hope I've got them all right. I hope you've all recovered from the weekend - I have to admit I was rather stiff and tired yesterday - but happy! It was excellent and I'm so pleased to have completed the course. It was good fun and thanks to all of you for being great buddies! Steve - I'm sure I speak for all of us - thank you again for your expert training. I think we've had the best possible start to diving by being trained in tough conditions by a real expert with so much experience and wisdom. Thank you! I look forward to seeing you all again sometime, maybe at a social or maybe diving! Best wishes, Mike."
Sharon Marsh, Referral Course, February 2003 "Fantastic course... Really enjoyed it! Everyone I know who has done the course with other companies moaned about how hard and uninteresting it was! I would say it was a great weekend, fun and very interesting!"
Julie Page , Referral Course, February 2003 "I thought the course was excellent from start to finish. Extremely well paced, professional and fun. I would highly recommend London Scuba"
Peter Chalice, Referral Course, December 2002 "Hi Guys, Just a quick e-mail to say thanks for last weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and thought the organization of the two days, the instructors and the other assistants in the pool were all first class. I'm without doubt that I will be taking part in a UK dive or one of your holidays next year and as I am keen to further my qualifications as I clearly have the bug! My thanks again Peter"
Ole Angel, Referral Course, December 2002 "Hi Arthur, Thanks for a very good course last weekend (14 - 15 Dec). I must say I was impressed by the good team spirit and the professional staff at London Scuba. Seems to be a very good culture. I will most likely join you for the open water dive in March to take the last bit. Well have a good festive season, and most likely see you in March down at the coast. Cheers, Ole"
Julie Round, Referral Course, November 2002 "Hi Arthur! Just a quick note to say thanks for your expert tuition on the referral course a couple of weeks back. Got my Open Water on my trip to Mexico - Cozumel was just lovely and the diving was excellent - coral and sea life were good and drift dive was fun. Thanks again! Julie (now expert at reg "trick" Number Three!!)"
Jeremy Burnell, Referral Course, November 2002 "Morning Arthur, Just thought I'd drop you a note about how we got on in Nuweiba, Northern Egypt, with our open water dives. Got back into the UK in the early hours of Monday morning just gone. We had a great time last week, completed our open water, and advanced open water courses (I said we were enjoying it...) with a really good instructor, a guy called Nick Benson, from Cheshire. Both Oona and myself did 11 dives, (including a night dive which was an experience) and just under 8 hours diving. Temperature was a pleasant 24 Deg C in the water, and about 28-30 Deg C on dry land, so this cold snap in UK is a bit of a shock! After nearly running out of air 3 times (well, getting pretty low anyway), they eventually gave me 15ltr steel tanks - I still got pretty low on air a couple of times - I seem to enjoy breathing! As a little praise for yourself, Nick did comment that "we'd obviously been taught well in our theory and confined water training in the UK", and we were both really pleased that we had done the referral course with yourselves - it was quite noticeable any of the other divers that had supposedly covered their full open water courses with lesser quality training - their confidence was lower, we watched unbelieving as a fin floated past just prior to one dive and then saw another woman's tank slip out of her BCD (that's Brazil & Tenerife training for you) :-) I would certainly be interested in maybe doing some diving in the UK - (I must be mad having just come back from warmer climates!) so would be good to hear of any trips that you're organising (I assume that you go to places other than Portsmouth?) Let me know. Anyway, keep us up-to-date with events/trips etc, (even just for a beer or two!) See/speak to you soon, Best regards, Jeremy Burnell (& Oona Hardy)"
Martin Turner and Sally Coutts, Referral Course, September 2002 "Dear Rob (London) and Janet (Cairns), We wanted to thank you both for guiding us through our PADI Open Water certification, specifically Pool/Theory (Rob, in a swimming pool in West London), and Open Water dives (Janet, on a slightly warmer Great Barrier Reef!). What started out as a "slightly different" birthday present for Sally became the highlight of our September evenings, and later the holiday in Australia. We feel lucky to have had two such enthusiastic and knowledgeable tutors through both parts of the course and would recommend it to all our friends (even if Rob did call us "wusses" for going tropical). Come the Spring, I think we might even sign up for Portsmouth UK diving after all! Thanks so much again, Martin Turner and Sally Coutts"
James Chapman, Referral Course, 2002 "Hi Ian, Completed my Open Water dives in Majorca this week and passed without difficulty thanks to the excellent confined water and classroom training from London Scuba. Visibility was fantastic, as was the water temperature. I really recommend these guys http://www.scubamallorca.com/ as I found them to be very experienced, safety conscious, professional, friendly, well organised and fun to dive with. Looking forward to getting a few more purely recreational open water dives under my belt before progressing to Advanced. All the best James"
Donna Bewers, Referral Course, August 2002 "I completed the pool work and exam with London Scuba on 03/04 August. I'd arranged to complete the Open Water section in Spain because I'm a bit of a wimp and don't like the cold etc. The London Scuba course was very well run but of course I didn't have any other scuba experience so I expected that it was perfectly normal. However, I took my certification and medical along to the Spanish company that I'd found on the internet (www.scubamar.com). I'd arranged to do the Open Water on 28/29 August, all four dives were boat dives and a wonderful experience. I'd talked to Warren about my reservations about the Open Water and my concerns that I'd get very anxious and nervous, he put my mind at rest and gave me some advice as to how I could handle the nerves etc. My Instructor in Spain told me that the standard of training for 'Referral's was "hit and miss". Some people, he told, me have never had to complete a mask clear for example. He informed me that the standard of training that I'd received was very good and I wanted to pass this feedback on to you. I enjoyed diving so much that I also completed the Advance stage in Spain, it was excellent. Thanks very much to staff at London Scuba. Donna M Bewers"
Rob Swan, Referral Course, August 2002 "Hi, The weekend diving was great fun and very enjoyable, I can't wait for my first diving experiences. Thanks to all the team! best regards, Rob"
