Sports Diver
Becoming a Sports Diver is a great way of developing your experience and knowledge whilst still learning under the supervision of a qualified Instructor.
Sports Diver training builds on the scuba skills you learnt in the Ocean Diver course (or entry level qualification from another agency) and helps develop your confidence, skills and experience in the water to allow you to enjoy a wider range of diving sites and conditions.
The qualification provides you with the essential techniques to prepare you to dive to 35m, dive in more challenging conditions and to explore the exciting underwater world both in the UK and abroad. This qualification will allow you to do most of the diving that you would want!
To enrol on the BSAC Sports Diver Course with ESAC you must be 18 years or older and have completed the Ocean Diver qualification or equivalent from another recognised training agency.
Your own diving kit is recommended but can continue to be rented from ESAC as required.
The course has four main stages:
- Six theory modules
- One practical session on how to support a Dive Manager
- One sheltered-water rescue skills session (usually conducted in the pool)
- Six open-water dives with plenty of time to practise your skills which include:
- Rescue skills
- Surface Marker Buoys (SMBs)
- Delayed Surface Marker Buoys (dSMBs)
- Navigation
Qualified Sports divers can conduct dives to 20m (increased in 5m increments to 35m if the post qualification progress dives are undertaken).
They can dive with:
- a BSAC Ocean Diver within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered by the Ocean Diver
- another BSAC Sports Diver, within the restrictions already encountered during training
- a Dive Leader or higher grade, to expand experience beyond those encountered during training, under the supervision of a Dive Manager
They can:
- use breathing gas mixes up to Nitrox 36%
- plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression stops
- rescue a casualty and provide basic life support
- support the role of the Dive Manager by acting as a competent Assistant Dive Manager
BSAC’s Dive Leader qualification provides further experience, knowledge and depth progression.
Become an Assistant Instructor and undertake the first BSAC instructor course – the Instructor Foundation Course.
Take a greater range of Skill Development Courses.