Sophie Rennie, BSAC National Diving Officer (NDO) provides a brief retrospective of the year just gone, and looks ahead to a year of fantastic diving and snorkelling in the pipeline.
As we wrap up another fantastic year of diving (and snorkelling!), I want to extend a huge thank you to every one of you. Whether you’re taking the plunge from club boats, charter vessels, liveaboards or inland sites, it’s thanks to your hard work and enthusiasm that our clubs stay active, adventurous, and always ready to get wet. We truly are lucky to enjoy such a wide range of ways to explore the underwater world.
BSAC divers are made by our incredible clubs and centres, supported by an outstanding volunteer network of Regional Teams and Instructor Trainers. You are the heart of BSAC, and it’s your passion that keeps UK diving thriving.
This year has been a big one. Alongside the systems updates that Andy has highlighted, there's been a huge amount of work behind the scenes to keep our diving and snorkelling programmes moving forward.
We’ve run more Snorkel Instructor Courses than in recent years, and exciting developments are underway to refresh our snorkelling programme, with changes beginning to appear in 2026.
Our new Deeper Diver qualification launched this year, giving Dive Leaders and above the training and confidence to plan dives to 50m. And there’s more on the horizon - Twinset and ADP updates are due in early 2026, followed by a brand-new Sidemount Course. Our seamanship courses are under review, and updates to safety and rescue materials are also planned, helping us keep skills sharp and diving safer than ever.
The annual incident report was published recently. It’s well worth a read - there’s valuable learning in there for all of us. A few key reminders I’d like everyone to carry into the new year:
- Buddy Awareness: Self-reliance is important, but keeping an eye on your buddy can make all the difference.
- Checks: Don’t rush them. Buddy checks and proper prep prevent incidents before they start.
- Rescue Skills: Practice them! Make it a club pool night or a fun open-water exercise. It builds confidence and capability.
- Dive Management: Dive Leader 2023 brings brilliant improvements to teaching dive management. Instructors - please take time to absorb the new manual and use it to develop members or run club refreshers.
- And of course - stick to BSAC Safe Diving practices!
Thank you all once again for everything you do, and for supporting me in my role as NDO. If you ever need help or clarification in your role as DO, or have ideas for topics you’d like the two Sophies to cover, please get in touch - we’re here for you.
Wishing you a happy new year full of safe, exciting diving adventures in 2026!
Sophie Rennie
National Diving Officer
(Good Sophie)
