The British Sub Aqua Club and its associated branches have been training divers since 1953. The contents and style of the training is continuously under review to keep it current with teaching techniques and safety standards.
The training programme reflects the needs of safe diving in UK and other temperate waters but is equally valid for those wishing to dive anywhere in the world.
The diver training programme is progressive, introducing new skills and experiences in a step by step manner. For those who have never experienced the joys of moving weightless in a three dimensional world your first steps are taken in the confines of a swimming pool where the equipment and techniques are introduced. Once competent in the pool the training moves into the open sea at sheltered areas of easy access and egress.
The training programme has been broken down into a number of grades, starting at Ocean Diver and developing through; Sports Diver, Dive Manager, Advanced Diver and ultimately First Class Diver.

The initial grade of Ocean Diver is attained on completing

• 7 Classroom lessons ~ these cover the what you need to knows
• Theory assessment ~ this proves you know, what you need to know
• Basic swimming assessment ~ You really do need to be able to swim but not to Olympic standards !
• 5 Pool / Sheltered water lessons ~ This is all about getting used to the equipment and being underwater.
• 5 Open water lessons/dives ~ This is where you find out that being in the sea is way more fun than the pool.
• Minimum of 120 minutes underwater time ~ About 3 to 5 dives.

It sounds a lot but its huge fun. The classroom lessons are interleaved with the pool lessons and you move through the course at your own speed. The last component of 120 minutes underwater is about 3 to 5 dives depending on the conditions.
On completing this grade you are able to go diving with another Ocean Diver or any other grade to a maximum depth of 20 metres. The BSAC training is right up to date and includes the use of Nitrox breathing mixtures. This is a way of using oxygen enriched air to make the diving even safer.
All the training material is provided as part of joining Deeside Sub Aqua Club as we are part of BSAC.
After Ocean Diver you can keep progressing your skills and experience by going onto further dive grades and by taking a day or weekend to attend Skill Development Courses. These can be used as equivalents to thee classroom sections of the dive grades but also bring in other knowledge and skills out with the core training. For example VHF radio and power boat handling.


The people who do the teaching in BSAC are all volunteers and all started of as ocean divers or similar. As you progress through the dive grades you can also move into teaching diving. This is in itself a new skill and you really learn your stuff when you have to try and teach it.

Training others to dive is great fun and very rewarding. As with the dive grades the instructor grades are progressive and you attend courses on how to teach. You may well find that the skills you learn are applicable outside of diving.
Lots of information about the dive training can be found at

or come along to Deeside SAC and find out first hand.

Below is a list of all dates, prices, locations & availabilty of Skill Development Courses in N.E Scotland for 2010.
(If you click the link below & are not re-directed, hit the "Try Again" button & you should get there, the problem appears to lie with them)

We can arrange Try Dives for a small fee (just to cover costs) at a local swimming pool, so if you fancy just trying it out without any commitment, feel free to contact us.