We meet at 8pm every Thursday at The Pingles Leisure Centre, which is where your training will take place. This is also when reports are given, trips planned and news is exchanged so it’s an important event every week. On average 5 hours in the pool will have you ready for your open water training but your pool training will not be rushed and will be totally dependent on your confidence, competence and attendance at training sessions. We also have a lecture room at the centre which may be used for theory training, although students have the option of completing the theory over 2 days arranged to suit the student and instructors.
The pool is also used by qualified members for swimming, to practice techniques, test new kit and train new skills throughout the year. In addition to the BSAC Diver training we hold training sessions in the pool for first aid, rescue management, photography and many others. Use of the pool and access to the extra courses are included in our membership subscriptions.
Ocean Diver Syllabus
The Ocean Diver Course consists of the following elements:
- seven classroom lessons
- a theory assessment
- a basic swimming assessment
- five Sheltered Water lessons
- five Open Water lessons
Sports Diver Syllabus
The BSAC Sports Diver Course includes theory lessons in a classroom, practical lessons in a swimming pool or similar sheltered water, and four open water dives. This course programme is used to develop BSAC Ocean Divers and holders of entry level qualifications issued by other diver training agencies, into BSAC Sports Divers.
The Sport Diver Course consists of the following elements:
- six classroom lessons
- a theory assessment
- a dry practical lesson
- one Sheltered Water lesson
- one optional Refresher/Orientation dive
- five Open Water lessons
All of your open water training is tailored to meet your needs. Sessions can take place on most days during the diving season, subject to club instructors’ other commitments.
We benefit from our close proximity to Stoney Cove, the country’s leading inland scuba-diving venue. This 13 acre quarry of clear, sheltered spring water provides a great location for teaching new divers. A variety of entry and exit points, depths of 7, 22 and 36 metres and on-site facilities provide the perfect safe site to take the first plunge . As a new member this is where you will do most of your open water training. In addition trainees can usually join in with our organised trips to the coast or to other inland sites where there will always be time for training as well as just diving for the fun of it. Even as a trainee, when training with a club, not every dive is a formal ‘training’ dive but every dive is a training opportunity.
