| In a hurry? Here’s the summary |
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| – We welcome women and men over 18 years of age as members, and children of members aged 14+ – Join the club for £50 per annum plus BSAC membership – Get qualified as a scuba diver on Thursday evenings 8pm-10pm from £180 plus course pack fee |
The beauty of the underwater world was certainly what drew me to diving initially, but it’s the sense of adventure I get that keeps me diving when the water temperature drops!
My favourite aspect of diving is just getting to try something new in a safe way with people that I know and trust (and have more experience). I’ll continue to try different aspects of diving with the club!
JOSEPH TAYLOR
Club Member, April 2023
How do I get qualified?
For the entry-level Ocean Diver course, which qualifies you to dive to 20 metres, an average of five hours in the swimming pool will have you ready for your open water training. You won’t be rushed though the pool training and so the duration depends on your progress and attendance at training sessions.
The course is a mixture of:
- Classroom (theory) lessons, which can be done face-to-face on alternate Thursday evenings from 8pm to 10pm at the Griff and Coton Sports Club, or as e-learning if you prefer to study at other times
- Sheltered water training in the swimming pool at Pingles Leisure Centre on alternate Thursday evenings from 8pm to 10pm, and
- Open water training at Stoney Cove inland dives site during two full days either at the weekend or during the week to suit you.
A typical training schedule is shown below:
| ID | Title | Type | Location |
| OT1 | Adapting to the underwater world | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| OS1 | Being underwater | Sheltered water | Pingles |
| OT2 | The effects of diving on the body | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| OS2 | Basic skills | Sheltered water | Pingles |
| OT3 | Going diving | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| OS3 | Developing skills | Sheltered water | Pingles |
| OT4 | Dive planning | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| OS5 | Beyond the basics | Sheltered water | Pingles |
| OT5 | What happens if | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| OS6 | Safety skills | Sheltered water | Pingles |
| OT6 | Enjoying your diving | Classroom | Griff & Coton |
| Theory test | Classroom | Griff & Coton | |
| OO1 | Introduction to open water | Open water | Stoney Cove |
| OO2 | Developing open-water skills | Open water | Stoney Cove |
| OO3 | Open-water rescue skills | Open water | Stoney Cove |
| OO4 | Buddy-diving skills | Open water | Stoney Cove |
Frequently asked questions
During your training the club provides most of the scuba equipment you need so there is no need to buy kit yourself. The cost to get you started on the Ocean Diver course after you join the club is:
- Ocean Diver training fee £180 (includes equipment loan and two days open water instruction)
- Course pack fee (varies depending on format)
Once you move to the open water part of the course there are additional costs that are charged per day and are not included in the above fee. We suggest you budget for two days of open water training:
- Your entry into Stoney Cove (per day) £27
- Hire of a wetsuit or drysuit from Stoney Cove (per day) £18-£40 (correct as of March 2023)
Marlin Sub-Aqua Club is currently able to offer training to new members from 18 years of age.
Children aged 14+ are able to undertake training providing that a relative is a diving member of the club.
Diving is a physical activity but you don’t need to be super fit to dive. Women and men of all shapes and sizes enjoy scuba diving! The equipment you start off with is relatively lightweight and teenagers should be able to lift it – in the water you are weightless.
In order to start diver training you need to be able to answer No to the questions on the BSAC Medical Form. If you have answered Yes to any questions that doesn’t mean you cannot dive, but that you will need to get a certificate from a specialist diving doctor.
The most cost effective way of obtaining a fit to dive certificate is to book a telephone consultation with DDRC Healthcare, who are a charity that run the hyperbaric chamber in Plymouth. They may sign you off over the phone, but if you require a face to face consultation the nearest facility is at the Midland Dive Chamber in Rugby.
We encourage you to join the club first and we can assist with answering any questions – if it turns out you aren’t fit to dive your membership fee will be refunded.
We will start Ocean Diver training courses through-out the year in response to people joining the club and needing to learn.
Learning to scuba dive is a great way to make new friends! You are assured of a warm welcome whether you are male or female, and join on your own or with a friend or relative.
Contact us with questions or join the club online at bsac.com, and we will then arrange a start date for your training course.