We really hope that you enjoy this copy of BSAC Talk. If you have any comments regarding this issue, please let us know by email at maryt@bsac.com

A PDF copy of this issue of BSAC TALK can also be downloaded from the BSAC TALK index page on our website at www.bsac.org/page/93/bsac-talk.htm.

We're delighted to announce that Dive Philippines have renewed their partnership with BSAC's Go Dive campaign for another 12 months. Dive Philippines - part of the Philippines Department of Tourism - will now be the official sponsor for both our Go Dive and Try Dive campaigns that run throughout the year, raising awareness of BSAC across the UK and abroad.

This is the second year that Dive Philippines has supported the BSAC and sponsored these exciting campaigns.

Register your branch for Go Dive…

And in preparation for our Go Dive with BSAC campaign, which will run from May through the summer months, we are now urging branches to sign up to the scheme.

'Go Dive with BSAC' is a call to all existing divers to contact the BSAC so they can go diving with one of our branches. Go Dive is also a fantastic way to gain new members for your branch and, ultimately, get more people diving in the UK and abroad.

Go Dive allows all qualified divers from different organisations to attend a British Sub-Aqua Club branch during July for free. There will be a variety of activities, including the chance to participate in the BSAC branches diving weekends. The campaign will appeal to divers who have already trained through other agencies, lapsed BSAC members, divers who have had a break for whatever reason or divers who have learnt while away on holiday.

For more information on Go Dive with BSAC and how you can register your branch for the campaign, please visit http://www.bsac.org/page/862/go-dive-registration-page.htm. Alternatively, contact Mary Tetley on 0151 350 6200 or by email at maryt@bsac.com.

Thousands of people descended on the ExCel Centre over the weekend to enjoy the very best of the London International Dive Show 2007, including our own 'BSAC World' stand.

This year's LIDS proved to be a great weekend for 'BSAC World', with our main stand, shop and rebreather pool drawing in the crowds to find out more about diving with the BSAC.

All visitors to our stand were entered into a fantastic show competition. We have now picked our prize draw winner - Amy Rice from London who gets to choose an item of dive gear, courtesy of Typhoon International. Congratulations Amy!

For everyone who visited the BSAC World stand at LIDS, it was great to see you all. See you at the NEC in October for the Dive Show!

BSAC will declare Sean Gribben as our new National Diving Officer at our AGM in May. Sean - who is currently South Scotland Coach and a former BSAC open water instructor and examiner - will take over the role from Clare Peddie, who steps down after several years in the post.

A BSAC member for 21 years, Sean has been the diver training group leader on the national diving committee since 2004. Sean is looking forward to taking up the NDO role and building on the fantastic work already achieved by our outgoing NDO.

Sean says: "I believe we should continue to enhance the effectiveness of our position as a National Governing Body through closer association with other agencies and by being proactive in awareness of issues that influence diving"

Other council changes to be announced at the May AGM include council member Andy Moll, who will step up to the role of Honorary Secretary. Andy takes over from Mike Todd, who has been a long-standing and highly respected council member. Mike will be staying in touch with the club and will still attend council meetings as a Vice President.

Also joining as new council members are Eugene Farrell, from the West Midlands and currently part of the national diving committee, Rachel Sharp, a member of the Kingston & Elmbridge BSAC branch and BSAC member for 22 years, Alan Robinson from the Cheshire based Xaverian Diving Club and Merseyside SAC member Don Quilliam.

Centre of Excellence, Discover Diving, based in Ballasalla, Isle of Man, got into the fundraising spirit with an evening of diving and snorkelling fun in aid of Comic Relief.

Nearly 50 people joined the BIG SPLASH IN on Friday 16th March and managed to raise an impressive £300 for Comic Relief.

King Williams College generously donated the pool time for the event while members of Castle Rushen dive club and the Isle of Man Sub Aqua Club staffed the event.

Participants were entertained, or rather subjected, to a series of underwater jokes provided by the junior snorkellers from Discover Diving. Laminated joke sheets were attached to weights and placed around the pool to provide an underwater laughter trail.

The highlight of the evening was the chance to try out the latest cutting edge diving technology in the form of seven rebreather units. Unlike traditional scuba, there are no bubbles and divers experience a truly silent underwater world.

All the instructors wore their Red Nose Day t-shirts with pride, as they racked up three hours in the pool.

Organiser Michelle Haywood said a fantastic evening was had by all. "The jokes provided by the junior snorkellers were truly awful but everyone still had big smiles on their faces! Thanks go to everyone who supported the evening, the staff at Discover Diving and King Williams College, the instructors and members of the dive clubs and the brave souls who came into the water for a laugh. They may not have laughed but they certainly splashed in!"

Project Neptune will be entering a critical stage of operation during the 30th April and 3rd May where a system freeze will be required. This is for final back office implementation of Events, Merchandising and Finance.

The process involves stopping the database and putting it on hold whilst information from the Events database (ITS, SDC and Technical information) is converted into Integra to complete the back office implementation.

Unfortunately, during this time, membership processing, shop orders, events bookings and changes of details will have to be on hold until the system is available again on 3rd May in a fully operational state. Once this phase is complete, all events details will be stored with members records in one central location.

Dive England's Greatest Wrecks

Dive England's Greatest Wrecks is a perfect companion for any diver interested in exploring England's most exciting shipwrecks, preserved as time capsules of an era of sea power and majesty that has now passed into the history books. Among the ten featured here are the Salsette off Weymouth, arguably England's most famous shipwreck; the SS Kyarra off Dorset; the British submarine M2 and the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Hood, both lying off Portland; the American Liberty ship James Egan Layne off Plymouth; and the fabulous P & O liner Moldavia.

Dive Scotland's Greatest Wrecks

Accomplished diver Rod Macdonald has carefully selected 10 of Scotland's most famous shipwrecks in this practical and authoritative guide. The story of the sinking of each vessel is dramatically recounted and accompanied by a detailed description of the wreck today. Each wreck is brought vividly to life by specially commissioned illustrations and the dives are depicted with charts and underwater photographs.

Accomplished diver Rod Macdonald has carefully selected 10 of Scotland's most famous shipwrecks in this practical and authoritative guide. The story of the sinking of each vessel is dramatically recounted and accompanied by a detailed description of the wreck today. Each wreck is brought vividly to life by specially commissioned illustrations and the dives are depicted with charts and underwater photographs.

Order NOW from the BSAC Shop by calling us on 0151 350 6222 and we'll be happy to help you.

For more information on these dive guids and other, please visit http://www.bsac.org/page/672/dive-guides.htm.

Aquasure Adhesive
Aquasure urethane repair adhesive & sealant, repairs Wet Suits, Dry Suits and All Watersports produtcs. 28.4 gramme (1 oz).

The industry standard for maximum strength repairs to wetsuits, dry suits and all watersports products'

Members Price £6.00 (inc P&P)
Retail Price £8.00 (inc P&P)



Hungry Shark Pool Game
A great new game by Speedo with six rubber blocks in two colours and two Hungry Sharks. You throw the blocks into the bottom of the pool and the swimmers dive down with their hungry shark and collect the balls into the mouth of the shark. The rubber mouth of the shark naturally opens to 'eat' each block when pressed onto the block. The winner has all of their coloured balls in the shark first. Ideal stage 3 learning to swim game for developing swim techniques. To be used under parental supervision.

Members Price £9.00 (inc P&P)
Retail Price £11.00 (inc P&P)



Speedo Shellseekers Water Confidence Game
The Shellseekers are deigned to encourage confidence under water. Ideal stage 3 learning to swim game for developing swim techniques. There are 4 complete shells comprising of two halves with a printed graphic inside. Suggested game. The shell halves are dropped into the pool and allowed to sink after which the swimmers dive down and match the halves under water to make one complete shell and then return to the surface. The game ends when all the shells are complete. Only to be used in water in which the child is within its depth and under supervision. Not suitable for children under 3 years due to small parts. Item is supplied with a handy carry bag

Members Price £14.00 (inc P&P)
Retail Price £16.00 (inc P&P)



Seal Search & Rescue Water Confidence Game
Zoggs Seal Search is designed to encourage confidence in and under the water. Each Zoggs Seal Search pack contains 4 seals, 3 of the seals have the image of a fish on their belly and the 4th seal has the image of Zoggy the seal. Suggested Game. Find Zoggy the seal - The 4 seals are dropped into the pool and allowed to sink after which the swimmers dive down and retrieve the seals and return to the surface. The swimmer who returns with the seal with Zoggy the seal on the belly wins. Suitable for age 5 years + . Item is supplied with a handy carry bag.

Members Price £11.00 (inc P&P)
Retail Price £13.00 (inc P&P)

Order NOW from the BSAC Shop by calling us on 0151 350 6222 and we'll be happy to help you.

For more information on these products, please visit http://www.bsac.org/page/517/accessories.htm.

BSAC AGM 10am, 19th May 2007 - Mountbatten Centre, Plymouth, hosted by Totnes SAC.

We've a packed programme this year, including guest speakers, a dive on the wreck of the Scylla plus evening dinner at the National Marine Aquarium.

For more information and tickets visit http://www.totnesbsac.co.uk/bsac_agm.

INSURANCE COVER
Insurance cover is designed to compensate the person taking out a policy for losses arising from certain risks covered by the policy. There are a wide range of specific risks covered by different diving insurance policies and whilst there is no one coverall policy for diving risks it is important to ensure that you adequately cover yourself for the relevant risks to safeguard against your loss.

BSAC Members Third Party Liability (TPL)
As a member of BSAC you have a TPL cover which covers you for legal costs and compensation awards arising from claims made against you for your negligence. It is not an "Accident", "Travel" or "Dive Equipment" Insurance. You should insure these risks yourself with an appropriate insurer.

Travel Insurance
When taking out travel insurance you should ensure that it will cover you for diving to the limits of your qualification. If the policy has a depth limit stipulated then you should both ensure that you dive within such depth limits but also check that the policy allows for inadvertently exceeding such limits where this does not impact on the incident and also allows for exceeding limits in attempts to provide assistance to another diver. You should also check that cover will pay for any medical treatment and possible early repatriation costs and if appropriate for the early return of your partner as well.

Life Insurance
The Life insurance industry has a poor understanding of the implications of diving and the tendency is for policies to be significantly penalised for any type of diving and especially for certain types of diving. The important thing to do is shop around. Fortunately there are a number of insurers who are starting to develop products specifically for divers and hopefully this market will grow.

Equipment Insurance
Diving and related equipment represents a substantial investment for most divers and unless you can afford to replace it all you should ensure it is adequately protected. Some house contents insurance may provide some cover but this is unlikely to cover the equipment whilst 'in use' or for 'emergency jettison'. For Photographic and video equipment you should also consider cover for accidental flooding.

Think SAFE - Dive SAFE

Jim Watson
BSAC Safety & Development Manager
For more detail and information please visit http://www.bsac.org/page/45/diving-safety.htm

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