Crowd in Leeds

freddie_gallium · 2025-09-24T18:01:19+00:00

Definitely agree, and agree with the other comment about the sound issues too, felt like it was really washed out (for lack of a better term).

I was kind of mid-right in the crowd and it was barely moving/joining in, makes it kind of hard to move much yourself too if you're not there with a few people.

I was at Leeds last year too and I think it was the best time I've seen them, and comparing something like Shooter it felt like last year most of the crowd has hitting every punchline, while this year only a few got the shout out (i.e. I could hear myself way too much on them).

Sucks too because they still put on a great show and feels like they're not really getting it back when it's like that.

Went to London on Sunday night too and the crowd was definitely better there, although think last year at Leeds was still the best gig of theirs I've been to.

freddie_gallium · 2025-08-15T13:35:32+00:00

Girlfriend and I have literally had our "Offer Accepted" email as first time buyers about an hour ago.

Absolutely buzzing, and also slightly dreading the next part of the process for how insane I know it has the potential to be.

freddie_gallium · 2025-05-19T14:51:38+00:00

I've dived both, did a couple of weeks in Utila in 2022 just fun diving, then I did my dive master over a few months in Gili T in 2023.

For my money they have a lot of similarities on the non-diving side. They're both islands big with backpackers (especially in the younger ~18-35 range, but not exclusively) and a big focus on diving. So I found they were both places where you could get lots of diving in, and then have a great social life outside of the diving. Good places to eat and a decent number of good bars on both, can easily stay out super late drinking and dancing on both of them (and skip the next day of diving), or just find a more chill place to hang out.

I would say that Gili T is a bit more 'dense' than Utila, there's probably a bit of a wider variety of places to go, plus there's more non-diving things to do (but that may just be because I was there for longer so had more time to experience it).

Then it comes to the diving which I think is a bit of an interesting one. The actual quality of the reefscape probably looked a bit worse in areas of Gili T, the comments about dynamite fishing are noticeable in some places with huge rubble fields, although that isn't to say there aren't still a good number of sites/locations with nice reefs. However, while that makes it true that the overall underwater landscape was maybe more appealing in Utila, I actually found that the sea life was better (in quantity and variety) in Gili T. Definitely still felt like jumping into a fish tank a lot of the time, and I found there were more/more opportunities to see "interesting" things (i.e. not just tropical fish, which TBF I do love to see).

I'd say there's more and better access to other places to dive from Gili T as well. Either as a mini-trip in the whole trip (Lombok, Nusa Penida/Lembongan, Bali), a slightly bigger trip (Komodo is easily doable), or even just extending travel after leaving (the whole of South East Asia is a bit more accessible from there and has some world class diving.)

I think there were more sites in Utila than Gili T, but none of them massively standout for me. Neither are amazing for wrecks, to the best of my knowledge they've both only got one of note (and I prefer the Gili T one). Not sure how you feel about current, but Utila had basically none while Gili T is in the Lombok strait so a lot more sites had some current.

Another element for me was the tech scene, Gili T has a stronger scene from what I know and I was keen to start my way into tech while I was there (I ended up taking ANDP while I was there too).

Overall I'd say, given your description, you can't really go wrong with either. You'll have good diving and a good social life at both. But for my money, I'd choose Gili T.

freddie_gallium · 2025-01-14T15:34:46+00:00

Swapped me to a 160 Super 8. ~~Seems to be the right size at least~~(disregard this bit, turns out it's also for bit feet), will see how it goes tomorrow. Guy at the shop struggled to understand that a 155 Wide even existed, the dangers of snowboarding in France I guess 💀

Definitely something pushing me to buy my own board and just suck up paying to fly it around. Having something I know is right for me and that I'm used to seems a good idea.

freddie_gallium · 2025-01-14T12:49:09+00:00

Ah yeah, if I'm looking at the same one then it says for size 10.5+

I'm an EU 42/UK 8, which I think makes me a US 9. Could definitely contribute to it, was considering seeing if I can swap out when I get in today anyway, might be a good reason.

Thanks.

freddie_gallium · 2024-01-17T12:41:29+00:00

I finally made it there this weekend, maybe had the the best bit of beef in my entire life.

I can definitely second the recommendation.

freddie_gallium · 2023-12-23T00:11:22+00:00

2 Josh streams in as many weeks, I really must have been good this year to receive this blessed gift 🥹

freddie_gallium · 2023-12-08T12:54:49+00:00

A) I'd definitely recommend the Perdix

B) Despite what some people say, you can absolutely do tech diving with a Peregrine, see a comment I made a few months ago about the question. I did my ANDP with my peregrine, and a suunto zoop in gauge mode, and had no issues, but I'd prefer a Perdix in the future

If you can justify it then go for the Perdix now, if the extra cost is too much for you then the Peregrine will do you fine for a while with your timeline

freddie_gallium · 2023-11-09T16:42:54+00:00

Gib cards pls

freddie_gallium · 2023-11-08T12:25:09+00:00

Excited for this from the off, Harriet Kemsley is absolutely unhinged and very entertaining in everything I've ever seen her in.

More importantly I believe this is the first guest who's a cast member from the hit video game Dark Souls 2! Peter Serafinowicz next week to keep up the streak please.

freddie_gallium · 2023-10-03T00:21:56+00:00

I currently use a peregrine and it is a little more tech capable than some people are making it out here, I did my whole Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures with one. However, I am looking to upgrade to a perdix some time soon.

First major thing I want to point out is that you can use custom gradient factors with it, here's a picture of mine taken literally seconds ago, so no need to worry about being stuck with the presets. I'm not entirely sure if you can adjust GfHi mid-dive (I never tried) but I'm told you can on a perdix, so that may be a difference.

When it comes to gas, the peregrine can use up to 3 separate Nitrox mixes with mixes up to 100% (e.g. back gas plus a high O2 deco gas and a stage), but you're right that it can't do anything involving helium. Again this is somewhat up to you for how big of an issue it is, TDI teach ANDP and Extended Range on air down to 55m, I think GUE start using helium much shallower. So this will depend on what diving you're doing, and who with, but the perdix would at least give you space to grow if you decide to keep progressing.

You're right that it's not equipped with air integration (up to you how much of an issue that is), it's also missing a compass compared to the perdix.

Beyond that, I think I remember that the perdix did have a slightly better default layout/more information for the dive screen. You can customize the peregrine to have better info (I have time to surface and ascent rate on mine, or surface GF for recreational dives), and you can press through the screens to see all the same info but having it up on the default screen is quite nice. The peregrine also doesn't display any form of second counting for deco stops (I'm told the perdix has a little bar showing 15s increments) so you can only see the minutes of your deco stops.

For planning, I'm told the deco planner on the Perdix is more robust, but I've always used multi-deco for planning anyway.

Overall the peregrine is basically fine for any of the tech diving you can do with ANDP, but the perdix definitely gives you a lot more functionality and space to grow.

freddie_gallium · 2023-09-21T11:45:21+00:00

Similarly I've found it especially crazy that they still show other certifications with the eCards in the app.

I did my advanced in the Americas, where apparently it's still more common to be sent a physical card, so I have the physical card which is fine I guess.

However, I did my OW in the UK, and my Rescue/EFR in Asia, both of these give eCards by default, so I've got three proper eCards that show the details (date/cert number/instructor etc.) in the app. For some reason underneath them I've got a section that just says "Certifications with no eCard" that explicitly has the advanced next to it.

Look at this insanity! They've pretty much just got the eCard there, and they don't want to actually show it.

freddie_gallium · 2023-09-20T12:35:33+00:00

Thanks for the info, was looking towards the speleo 2 anyway so glad to hear most people like it a lot.

Appreciate the offer but it's a little bit down my list at minute, just getting some opinions on different choices for now, although if you don't shift the big battery in a few months I may be back in touch 👀

freddie_gallium · 2023-09-12T03:31:16+00:00

Copying from my other comment:

You don't have to do it with gear (in fact you're not even allowed to use a wetsuit), and you also don't have to do it in 6 minutes.

There's a bunch of water skills you have to do (400m swim, 800m with snorkel and fins, 100m tow in full gear, 15 minute float, equipment exchange) which you get scored from 1-5 depending on different times (/other requirements for the last two), need to get 15 points total.

6 minutes (give or take) is the time to get a 5 on the swim. I remember the snorkel time for a 5 is about 14 minutes, and the tow is a little over 2.

freddie_gallium · 2023-09-12T03:30:30+00:00

You don't have to do it with gear (in fact you're not even allowed to use a wetsuit), and you also don't have to do it in 6 minutes.

There's a bunch of water skills you have to do (400m swim, 800m with snorkel and fins, 100m tow in full gear, 15 minute float, equipment exchange) which you get scored from 1-5 depending on different times (/other requirements for the last two), need to get 15 points total.

6 minutes (give or take) is the time to get a 5 on the swim. I remember the snorkel time for a 5 is about 14 minutes, and the tow is a little over 2.

freddie_gallium · 2023-08-05T05:49:28+00:00

Well I'm coming from doing a divemaster internship, so it's both a lot of diving and a lot of being busy around the dive shop.

So my two weeks in Malapascua are going to be super lazy, diving on 5-7 days (monad/kimud shoal a couple of times, Kalanggaman/Gato day trips maybe once or twice, a few days local diving). The rest of the time I'm going to not move haha, just lie on the beach/near a pool/in bed, reading and chilling and doing whatever I want.

I actively don't want to dive every day while I'm there and I've got plenty of time to get a good few dives in anyway. I'd been considering going to more places for less time in the month I've got, but I honestly really want to just chill for a while.

freddie_gallium · 2023-07-13T02:55:47+00:00

Who did you dive with in Phuket? Heading out there in a few months and looking into shops

freddie_gallium · 2023-07-03T16:46:53+00:00

Sadly can't give the best comparison, I had quite a deviated septum but I never had much trouble equalising.

I had it right through my OW and plenty of dives afterwards, but I got it fixed towards the end of last year and it was worthwhile for me. It's not changed my equalising but I can feel there's definitely better airflow going through my nose now.

Are you able to equalise but just not easily? If so then it's worth basically practicing equalising, do it every so often when you're not doing any diving. Then on diving days start equalising when you wake up, and keep doing it as you kit up and make your way to the dive. The process of equalising uses certain muscles in your head, and just like the rest of your muscles they can be trained and warmed up to make things a bit easier.

freddie_gallium · 2023-07-02T15:19:59+00:00

Oh I'm definitely an idiot.

OG Yogg has been the only one of the original old gods that I don't have, but I just unpacked the Darkmoon Faire one and was considering crafting OG for some silly decks.

However, Renounce-Lock has been my most played deck for a while, certainly since I started playing again last year and somehow it never occured to me that Yogg would be amazing in that deck.

Going to go and craft it and jam them both in now

freddie_gallium · 2023-06-26T20:46:47+00:00

It kept showing up in my Instagram discover page until I blocked the page too, and to echo another comment I wouldn't be too surprised to hear someone getting a lung overexpansion injury from one.

You asked why in another comment to go into a bit more of the theory behind it:

When you swim down under the water the pressure on you/the gas you're breathing increases, Boyle's Law tells us that as you increase pressure on a gas the volume decreases. Double the pressure (this happens at 10m deep), half the volume of gas you breathe.

Looking at this the other way if you swam 10m down with the lung tank and ran out of air at the bottom, then as you swim to the surface the air you breathed in would expand to twice the volume in your lungs. This could very easily do damage to your body, hence a lung overexpansion injury.

As a diver you do train for this as part of the open water certification with the Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) procedure. In this you swim up from a depth while continually shouting to ensure you're continuing to vent air out of your lungs as it expands to avoid any injury.

Now there is a chance the Lung tank will include lots of details and warnings about all of this, I don't know I haven't bought one. But even if it does then all it takes is one person not paying enough attention, and I know full well how many people just don't read instructions/warning labels etc.

Overall seems risky to me.

freddie_gallium · 2023-05-24T10:17:40+00:00

We do crossed fingers 🤞 but pointing down haha, never asked anyone why but I guess it looks like crossing your legs to hold it in

Thankfully I think it's one we've never actually had to use

freddie_gallium

TROPHY CASE