Come diving
You are welcome to join BSAC as a complete beginner or as an already qualified diver.

How to learn
It's your choice - join your local Branch, go to a BSAC Training Centre near you or at an overseas destination.

Where to learn
We have a BSAC branch near you, as well as BSAC Centres in many locations in the UK and overseas.

BSAC Qualifications
Benefit from our flexible programme to teach you the basics or the finer points.

Try Dives
Many branches will offer you an introductory dive at their pool meeting.

Already qualified?
BSAC welcomes qualified divers.

Progress your diving
We offer qualifications in a wide range of special interests, technical skills and instructor training.

Where to dive
Visit BSAC Dive Centres all over the World or dive with a BSAC branch nearer to home.

How to join
Become a member of your local Branch, or join Direct.

How to teach
Becoming a BSAC Instructor

Skill Development
BSAC Skill Development Courses

BSAC Dive Leader

Dive Leader Course Outline
The Dive Leader Course consists of the following elements:
  • twelve classroom lessons
  • a theory assessment
  • seven open water lessons
  • two dry practical lessons
  • twenty dives (which may include the open water lessons), in a range of conditions, since qualifying as a Sports Diver
All practical training includes the achievement of specific performance standards at appropriate points throughout the lessons. The Ocean Diver and Sports Diver courses were biased towards learning skills and knowledge while underpinning this with appropriate experience. The Dive Leader course continues to build on these skills and knowledge, but the experience element becomes increasingly important. The definitions of the qualifying dives therefore cover a wide range of conditions to provide the essential consolidation of the skills and knowledge.

Open Water Conditions
The build-up of experience of diving in a wide range of conditions is as important a part of Dive Leader training as the specific lessons. Dive sites should include those encompassing a wide variety of topography and underwater life, and which have noticeable water movement due to waves or current (max 1.5kn). Water conditions should also include a range of underwater visibilities. Access from both shore and boats should be included. Until qualified as a Dive Leader depth should not exceed 35m. Subsequently, and with appropriate experience, this can be increased to 50m.

Dive Leader Theory Lessons
Classroom Lessons are structured to provide prerequisite knowledge appropriate to their counterpart practical lessons.

DT1 The Role of the Dive Leader
DT2 Basic Life Support
DT3 Oxygen and Diving Incidents
DT4 Casualty Assessment
DT5 Oxygen Administration Equipment
DT6 Oxygen Administration in Practise
DT7 Use of Oxygen Administration Equipment
DT8 Dive Planning
DT9 Rescue Management - Part 1
DT10 Helicopter Operations
DT11 Rescue Management - Part 2
DT12 Dive Management

Dive Leader Dry Practical Lessons
The dry practical elements of the Dive Leader course build on the theory knowledge and allow the student to practice in a set of training scenarios.

DP1 Dive Management Part 1
DP2 Dive Management Part 2
Dive Leader Open Water Lessons
The emphasis on the Open Water dives is to build on the skills already learnt during Ocean and Sports diver. The lessons also extend the practical knowledge of the student.

DO1 DSMB Use
DO2 Dive Leading Demonstration
DO3 Dive Leading Practice
DO4 Shot Recovery by Simple Lift
DO5 Rescue Management Scenarios
DO6 Diving and Rescue Skills Review
DO7 Rescue Skills Review
Experience dives
The Dive Leader syllabus includes open water lessons and experience dives which should total a minimum of 20 dives and 600 mins. Underwater time since qualifying as a Sports Diver. To ensure that students receive experience in a range of conditions, the open water dives must include at least 5 conditions from the following, appropriate to the local conditions in which they will subsequently be diving:
  • planned decompression dive - dive involving at least 5mins, planned decompression, using an appropriate equipment configuration and decompression technique
  • navigation dive - dive requiring navigation around a site, involving multiple changes of direction throughout, and returning to the entry point. Compass and/or pilotage techniques used as appropriate. Minimum duration 30mins.
  • low visibility dive - dive in visibility in the range between 1.5 and 3 metres
  • night dive - dive during the hours of darkness, using artificial light as the sole source of illumination.
  • wreck dive - dive in tidal waters, involving a direct descent to the wreck following a shot line, to dive on the wreck in a slack water window. Ascent either via shot line or under DSMB as appropriate to tidal conditions at end of dive.
  • drift dive - dive in moving water in the speed range between 1.0 and 1.5kn
  • wall dive - dive along a vertical or near vertical wall, with deep water below the divers
Only one of the above conditions may be logged per dive.

Of the twenty dives:
  • at least six should be carried out from boats
  • on at least eight the student should act as dive leader
  • at least ten should show depth experience greater than 25m.


BSAC TRAINING
  • BSAC Ocean Diver
  • BSAC Sports Diver
  • BSAC Dive Leader
  • BSAC Advanced Diver
  • BSAC 1st Class Diver

  • BSAC Snorkelling

    FURTHER INSTRUCTION
  • Diving Specialties
  • Rescue
  • Technical
  • Seamanship
  • Scientific
  • Instruction

     
  • British Sub Aqua Club, Telford's Quay, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FL