View Full Version : dive sites for mobility challanged
i have alot of mobility issues stemming from chronic knee pain and weekness as i have difficulty in moving over uneaven ground and i have alot of trouble when i am using my dry suit due to the extra weight i carry (20kg) even over tarmaced surfaces due to my leg giving way under the strain,
during the summer its ok as i only need 10kg with my semi dry but the lack of mobility makes using ladders difficult, not impossible just difficult and painfull
ribs are almost impossible for me to get back into
also due to cost constraints doat diving si beyond me most of the time.
i am having alot of trouble finding shore dive sites or information about the acessability they have for the UK and north wales in particular.
does anyone have any advice or know of any decent sites or guides
depth isnt important as i am limiting myself to 20 meters max and i am happy even in very shallow dives like 4 meters. id dive a bath tub if there was life in it.
the main thing for me is marine life and the possibility of some decent photo oppertunities so it is mainly reefs but i am not adverse to wrecks. like i say ill dive anything pretty much
Hi
I have similar issues. Although these limitations are person -specific and its difficult to generalize- I find Trefor pier convenient. You can park close to the water and there are steps down.
Good luck
i have alot of mobility issues stemming from chronic knee pain and weekness as i have difficulty in moving over uneaven ground and i have alot of trouble when i am using my dry suit due to the extra weight i carry (20kg) even over tarmaced surfaces due to my leg giving way under the strain,
Paul I know you have posted about your difficulties before and we have similar problems but with hugely a different outcome, but if your knee is giving way even on a tarmaced surface then surely you have to consider the safety issues of you falling while carrying kit.
Have you thought about using a trolley to move your kit around and then kitting up by the water, I don't use one myself but I have seen people at Capernwray using them.
The alternative is sympathetic dive buddies, I think I mentioned I have both knees replaced in the summer and got back in the water around September some dives weren't good and some were OK. I have dived with people happy to help me carry kit and a few weeks ago, when I wasn't sure how I would exit the water at Stoney I dekitted in the water and one of my dive buddies got my kit out for me. The following dive I exited using the ladder something I have not done for years.
If I were you I would be looking more at the inland sites rather than shore dives as these would give you a more stable footing.
partialy its pure stubbornness. even admiting than i am not up to scratch and need to consider it is a big jump for me. thats why i am looking for proper open water sites to dive which are doable for me. sorry i cant ABIDE quarrys unless its for training or playing witgh a new peice of gear
i do carry my gear in stages and kit up in the water when possible its walking long distances fully laden which is hard for me
again funds limits what i can do, so buying a trolly is beyond my present means if i am also to dive
again funds limits what i can do, so buying a trolly is beyond my present means if i am also to dive
Sorry Paul I can't help you then, if £20 for a trolley is beyond your means then I would say so is diving. From Manchester you can't get anywhere for £20 so I would give up one dive trip if a trolley was something which helped me dive.
As for being stubborn, yep been there even this year I would pick up the twinset even when someone had offered to carry it just to prove a point or to see just how much I can do not can't do.
The one thing I have been afraid of this year is falling while carrying kit, it just isn't worth the risk.
For years I couldn't abide quarries but now they have their uses, if only to keep the skills up, because of dodgey knees I haven't done shore dives it was too risky.
admire your determination paul ,keep it up mate. i imagine that when your bouyant is just about the only time your knee joints get a rest whilst exercising.try argos i think they do a trolley for about £9-10.
capernwrays fairly good for access although bit lumpy in parts, concrete ramp leading to gravel on entry.if you ever plan a trip up there pm me, would be happy to lug some lead about for ya.(i need the exercise)
Yazzyfooty
19-12-2008, 21:09
Paul sorry to say this but your stubborness as you call it may lead to stupidity. One fall, fully kitted up could lead on to far more serious long term disability which could result in never diving again. Why take such a risk for the sake of a small sum of money?
With regards to easily accessible shore dives why not contact HQ and see if they can recommend sites for people with reduced mobility.
kris. spot on there it is the only time i get the respite.
as much as i dont like quarries when my GP oks my back after my recent RTA ill give you a PM even a river dive would be ok by me to get into the water.
as to risking more damage, when the NHS can FINALY tell me what is actualy wrong with me and give me a definitive option on what they can do i have to carry on as i always have, as in my entire life always, as i am sick of not having a quality of life over could bees. i would rather risk it and do something and have the memories than never get the chance to have them due to over caution.
ive been bounced through the NHS channels too many times and seen to many different speciaists all of whome are unable to give any results. and despite a second opperation sheduled which is worryingly described by the doc as well maybe it will work i just dont know im going to carry on.
as for falling when my leg gives out the knee drops out from under me and it happens enough for me to have learnt how to lock my leg to stop me falling
keep going buddy. I,m sure that even the ultra sensible ones amongst us have hidden admiration for someone who would fight on rather than sit back and admit defeat.
I have been looking at places for me snorkelling with assistance so I can go on holiday with my hubby. Hubby is hydrophobic and can't swim. The red sea has specialist centres for disabled divers. You will have to look through web for exactly where. They help people in wheelchairs all the time to have the freedom of moving in the water. I believe one is in Egypt - Sharm el Shek, and another in Eilat.
I will tell you Maldives is not great on disabled access! I am only going because my daughter helps me - get to the water, carries my stuff, holds on to me when I put boots etc on, and pulls me through water when I have cramps (so I don't drown).
Good luck finding someplace, and someone to help. The water is so freeing when land movement reminds one all the time that you're disabled.
who would fight on rather than sit back and admit defeat.
Who is suggesting sitting back and admitting defeat ?
What Yazzy and I are suggesting is there are ways of doing things which make life easier and frankly doing something like an uneven entry for a river dive isn't one of them.
Yazzyfooty
20-12-2008, 16:32
keep going buddy. I,m sure that even the ultra sensible ones amongst us have hidden admiration for someone who would fight on rather than sit back and admit defeat.
I am an occupational therapist with 9 years experience working with people with physical disabilities and 9 years working in forensic mental health, so feel that I have some knowledge of the psychology of illness and disability.
Can I just say it has nothing to do with sitting back and admitting defeat, it is about being sensible and grading the activity in order that it can be achieved successfully with minimal trauma or risk. So if that means the OP requests help from his buddy or investigates alternative ways in order that he can continue with the activity all well and good. But to continually carry on as normal causing further damage to his body is self defeating, but then again he can place all the blame on the NHS!
this is mainly in reply to yazz. and i mean no offence to you at all as sometimes my written word is taken not as i mean it on forums. .# so if you do have any questions or comments about what i have written please ask.
why would i blame the NHS if they can diagnose me and inform me what is and is not bad? as it stands i have had 8 different diagnosies which were all different and all "wrong" in the sence that they have still to find any cause of the pain and to either be able to correct it or to inform me that there is nothing they can do.
diagnose ranging from simply that i am lying and there is no issue, needed physio to rebuild musle tone, needing shoe inserts to correct leg length issues, needing my leg straitening at the tibia (done but failed), possibly having osteoartiris in my knees, moving the tendons on around my knee as they could be tryinbg to rip the knee cap off, having a bannanna shaped leg(slightly proved via CT scans yet nothing further was done) all the way to having twisted hips and pelvis to even considering replacment knees which was slapped down casue of my age
i dont mind them not firguring it our strait away but i have had this issue scince i was 6 or possibly even earlier, ok at that age there isnt much they can do and my leg hurts mummy isnt that easy to diagnose but at 28 it is kinda taking a LONG time to get anywhere.
and im sick of putting my life on hold. i want to live now not when i am 70 and i wanted to live when i was a teenager as well which is hard through a viel of pain.
do i blame the NHS. no, all the people i have seen have worked to help me to the top of there ability its just that for some reason i am an unusual case.
do i blame nature. no but why should it stop me totaly in the one thing in my life which i am able to do on a physical level and brings me joy.
also on the topic of the trolly.
i do live in a 1 bed flat with my partner, my car doesnt have that much space in it and it would mean on shore dives having someone to drag it up and down the beach or quay for me.
on a psycological level having to have someone "fetch and carry" for me in my personal mind is degrading and reduces my feeling fo self worth. i wont do stupid things like try to shift a car say but "normal" things i should be able to do i will always push myself.
hence why i am asking for info on sites which would be accessable to me even with a little effort or planning on my part ie multiple trips to the car with less gear in each load instead of all of it.
johnyhog
22-12-2008, 00:47
Good on you mate, too many people are happy to sit back and moan about what never goes right for them. Some nice shore dives in pembroke West Wales. Abercastle for one, get the tide right and you've got a 10 meter walk to the sea. nice underwater scenery, caverns, loads of life. (got accosted by a huge seal there, stayed around for 20 mins and was as playfull as a puppy.) Can even swim to a wreck if your up to it the Laysion http://www.westwalesdivingschool.co.uk/wrecks.htm
(ps no I dont work for the Welsh tourist board, just love the place)
If I'm ever about I'll carry yer gear for you, All the best. John
thanks for that link, loosk like a great option for me.
2nd Trefor pier - car parking close and pretty good access so long as steps are OK.
Lamorna cove in Cornwall - the drive down is narrow and twisty but it is a lovely shore dive - good for a night dive) with a very close car park and slipway to walk down
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Mousehole,+Penzance,+Cornwall,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=15.194454,46.582031&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=Fbk4_AIdVX2r_w&ll=50.061909,-5.563191&spn=0.002011,0.005686&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr
kath2407
22-12-2008, 17:18
I have a trolley for my twin set that I got from BnQ or homesbase - can't remember which - it was about £15 and folds completely flat either in the boot of my car, in the footwell of the rear seat behind one of the front seats or down the side of the cupboard where all my kit is stored. It is lightweight, compact and rohbust - it carried my twin set + my decanting 15l in Plymouth in 1 trip.
There is a specific group - they were act the dive show and I can't remember the name but I'll google it in a bit - but this organisation specifically trains and helps people with disabilities learn to and access diving. Now I'm not saying you are disabled - BUT they will presumabley have a wealth of resources and information available and be able to share with you.
As for "normal things" personally, I feel as tho carrying 100kg,s worth of gear the measley 100 - 250 yards are Capernwray to be anything but normal. We often talk about people having to be "dive fit" in that the people without mobility issues still need to maintain a certain level of strength or fitness over and above the average man in the street in order to do our sport.
Persevre, by all means, but don't be afraid to ask for help. You don't have to be a hero to do this sport.
K XX
kath2407
22-12-2008, 17:19
http://www.scubatrust.org.uk/HTML/home.htm
The Scuba Trust! contact them - I'm sure they'll be able to advise.
K XX
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