I'm a BSAC-qualified diver living in Basel, and wanted to test the water (as it were) on the possibilites of buddying up with someone in the Basel region from time to time to dive around the region. I've got fairly heavy family commitments, so this would be an occasional day trip, but I do have wheels and I'm happy diving with relatively inexperienced divers (I'm a certificated instructor).

I'm also looking for tips on any good dive sites within striking distance of Basel and any inside info on shops providing air and doing kit maintenance in the Basel region.

Not sure of Basel but there is an upcoming paid Tessin event with PADI river and current specialty from 16 - 18 May 2008 (organized by dive shop in Zürich).

Hi,

I have no experience at diving and was wondering if you could recommend a place to learn here or nearby in English if possible? I'm a strong swimmer having raced competitively for years and am keen to learn the basics of scuba.

Any help would be appreciated,

Barry

Check out this thread here for some recent recommendations.

HTH.

Hello;

I have just arrived in Basel and quite keen to find a decent dive shop and good tips to go diving around. Any kind of information will be more than welcome.
Thanks.

Cheers

I'm PADI qualified for 'open water' (I think, it's so long since I did the course, I've forgotten!) but have only dived in warmer climes. If SCUBA were to become a viable leisure-time option here in Basel, I'd definitely be interested but I think step one would be to convert to a drysuit diving qualification and to metric measurements! I'd thought the lack of sea-coast would limit the diving opportunities and had resigned myself to being an ex-diver anyway.

I'll be following this thread with interest.

I've heard relatively good things about diving around Zurich and have seen divers in Lake Geneva. I swam in Lake Luzern recently and the viz was OK. I suspect that, if you like tropical diving or cold water wreck diving, Swiss diving is going to be limited. However, these seem to be the positives:

• Diving in the Lakes gives you the opportunity to keep your skills honed ready for your next dive holiday.
• You get a chance to check out your kit ahead of a dive trip.
• In summer and probably Autumn and even late Spring the water is warm enough for diving in a wetsuit, nicely complementing the ski season.
• If you live here, it's the only possibility for diving at the weekends given you can't fly and dive.
• It's just a lot of fun being underwater even if there isn't a lot to see, especially if you can find somewhere with good viz.
• It can be quite social.

There is a dive shop in Basel, but it is in the process of closing down. The owners are retiring. It is located next to the Tram 1 and Bus Route 36/50 stop at Kannenfeldplatz. They have a lot of stuff heavily discounted last time I went in.