At Southsea Sub Aqua Club we offer training to internationally recognised standards with the British Sub Aqua Club. Training is offered free of charge as part of your membership of SSAC and is conducted by club members who are qualified BSAC instructors. We deliver training at all levels: BSAC Ocean Diver, Sports Diver, Dive Leader and Advanced Diver. Having our clubhouse and training equipment means we can offer a wide range of training for beginners and more experienced divers. We host several BSAC regional Skills Development Courses (SDCs) such as Diver First Aid and can also arrange specialist courses such as RYA/Boat handling if there is sufficient interest. Please discuss your training requirements with the Training Officer or Diving Officer.

 

 

Page Contents

 

 

About BSAC (and where SSAC fits in)

BSACThe British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) is the national governing body for Scuba diving and snorkelling in the UK. As well as at home BSAC has a network of clubs (branches) and centres overseas with the same core values of excellence in training, safety and growing the sport.

Southsea Sub-Aqua Club is a branch of BSAC and can offer training courses created by BSAC. Some of our instructors are also able to offer other courses.

These courses are provided by nationally qualified instructors and meet international standards for diver training. Trainee divers are nurtured to become self-reliant excellent scuba divers.

 

Go to Top

 

Try Dive

Whilst not strictly a training session, a "Try Dive" is intended to provide someone with a simple experience of swimming with an aqualung in a sheltered environment as a taster session. Typically this is in a swimming pool. If you are unsure whether you would enjoy diving, why not give this a go?

More on Try Dives

 

Go to Top

 

BSAC Diver Qualification Structure

Within Southsea Sub-Aqua Club we can teach people to dive from the beginner level (BSAC Ocean Diver) to the BSAC Advanced Diver. The final diver grade is only taught nationally. The skills provided at each level build upon those skills taught in previous courses to expand the knowledge and skill set of the diver.

We are also able to take divers who have learned through another agency and increase their diver knowledge.

  1. Ocean Diver – Beginners course that provides essential knowledge and skills to prepare you for diving in Britain and overseas. Dive to a maximum depth of 20m (BSAC Website)
  2. Advanced Ocean Diver Dive to a maximum depth of 30m (with Sports Diver or above), with the additional use of SMB and dSMB, and ability to dive using Nitrox tables/computer settings (BSAC Website)
  3. Sports Diver – Dive to a maximum depth of 35m, further rescue skills along with the introduction of decompression stop diving (BSAC Website)
  4. Dive Leader – Dive to a maximum depth of 50m, further dive leadership, improved rescue skills and plan club dives (BSAC Website)
  5. Advanced Diver - Furthering the skills and knowledge required to plan club dives and expeditions to new sites (BSAC Website)
  6. First Class Diver - A nationally run course for those who wish to push their knowledge and skillset to the pinnacle of recreational diving (BSAC Website)

 

Go to Top

 

Divers from Other Agencies

BSACMany of our members and instructors began their diving careers with other agencies and have chosen to join SSAC to meet and dive with other people with a passion for UK diving. If you would like to join us, then we are ready to welcome you.

You don't even have to retrain to dive with us. So long as your existing qualifications are suitable for the dive/s, then as a member of the club, we would welcome you. Once a member of the club, should you wish to improve your training, we would be able to offer a suitable BSAC course.

Already a Diver? Why not see what SSAC can offer?

If you have additional skills that you would like to learn, then please read on below...

 

Go to Top

 

Courses for additional skills

As a branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club, we are able to run a selection of courses for our members to help improve their knowledge for diving. In addition, members can also attend a regional course should we not be running one at the time.

For more information Click here!

 

Go to Top

 

Already a Diving Instructor?

For Qualified Diving Instructors from other agencies, the BSAC run regional courses to allow you to switch to BSAC as an Instructor. The process requires you to join a BSAC Club, such as SSAC, or a BSAC Diving Centre and participate in an Instructor Crossover Course.

For more information Click here!

 

Go to Top

 

Where and how we do training

SSAC makes use of a variety of resources to train members. These include:

At our Clubhouse, we have the space to host a number of people for a course, as well as refreshments. Nearby there are some burger vans for those courses run on a weekend. In the clubhouse, we have an overhead projector that is connected to the club’s computer and can also be connected to a laptop to help present a lecture.

We also have Resusci Anne manikins to help with teaching CPR and access to other equipment as required.

Recently the BSAC has introduced e-learning. This allows students to complete some lectures online in the comfort of their own homes.

Vobster Quay, September 2018  ©Robyn Peel 2018
Vobster Quay, September 2018 ©Robyn Peel 2018

We also have the use of a local swimming pool at Brune Park Community School, Gosport. This is a good place for us to run the Try Dives and Ocean Diver Course. If required, we can book a session at other local pools.

For open water training dives, we normally use one of the inland dive sites. These can include Vobster, Andark Lake and Stoney Cove. Of course, weather permitting, we can also do a shore dive somewhere such as Selsey or take the club’s RIB and go somewhere more adventurous.

 

Go to Top