Learn to Scuba Dive from £199

As you are reading this, you must at least be thinking about learning to dive, even if it’s only one of those “I’ve always wondered what it’s like to breathe underwater” daydreams. Well now’s your chance to find out!
The first step is to attend a 'try dive’ session on a Monday evening during our regular pool-training slot at The Palatine Pool Blackpool. The session is taken by one of our qualified and experienced instructors. First they will show you the basic scuba equipment and how to assemble it. Then it’s into the pool to show you how to breathe and move about under water.
We provide all the equipment - all you need to bring is a swimming costume and a T-shirt or similar. You will also be given a talk about our club and the training you will be given. Try Dive sessions are run on a regular basis, and cost £15, this will be deducted from your first subscription if you decide to join the club. Please note that you will be asked to sign a medical self-declaration to confirm that you have no known significant medical problems (especially heart conditions, serious ear or sinus problems, lung damage, fits or epilepsy, and some forms of asthma). Unfortunately, whilst we can do ‘try dives’ for 8 year olds and upward, there is a minimum age limit of 12 for those wishing to learn to dive. If under 18 a parent or guardian must be present during all training and only then if they are both a diver and a member of West Lancashire Sub Aqua Club.

West Lancashire Sub Aqua Club is a BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) branch and we teach using the BSAC training system. As a new diver training with BSAC you will be guided and supervised by qualified divers and instructors. They will help you to broaden your experience and ability, enabling you to progress first to Ocean Diver grade. As your experience grows, and you receive more instruction, you can gain the Sports Diver and Dive Leader qualification, or even go on to become an Advanced or First Class Diver.
Ocean Diver training involves some 7 hours of theory instruction and 7 hours of practical lessons. This is followed by 5 dives in the openwater to complete your qualification. The aim of this training is to teach you to be competent in the safe and correct use of all appropriate open water scuba diving equipment in a sheltered water training area; and then to introduce you to open water diving under the supervision of a BSAC Nationally Qualified Instructor. Training takes place at the Palatine Pool on Monday evenings at 8.45 p.m. These wet sessions are proceeded by a one-hour theory lesson either at the Palatine Pool or St Anne’s Cricket Club. The training generally takes 3-4 months to complete, weather permitting. The Ocean Diver qualification enables you to dive to maximum depth of 20 meters either with a diver of a higher qualification or another Ocean Diver with supervision on the surface by a qualified Dive Manager.
Equipment: Initially we can supply all the training equipment you will require. This will be for both pool sessions and some of your initial openwater dives. You will however need to have some form of diving suit for openwater this is usually a drysuit which you can either purchase or hire from the dive centres were we you will carry out your first openwater dives. We will be giving you advice on what to buy when you start the course, so you don’t need to worry about it too much at the moment. As with most things, you can spend as much or as little as you like on kit, to give you some idea of the costs and the order you will need the kit see the following list.                                     
•    Mask - £20.00 – £50.00
•    Fins – £40.00 - £90.00  
•    Snorkel - £12.00 - £20.00
•    Drysuit/Semi Dry Suit - £550.00 – £700.00 (BSAC Northern Diver offering £185.00 off)
•    Buoyancy Compensator - £200.00 - £400.00
•    Regulator & Gauges - £300.00 - £700.00
•    Air Cylinder - £150.00 - £170.00  
•    Knife - £20.00 - £50.00
•    Weight Belt - £50.00 - £80.00
•    Watch/Dive Timer/Dive Computer - £50.00 - £600.00
•    Torch - £30.00 - £100.00
•    Reels & Buoys - £30.00 - £ 80.00
However, there tends to be a healthy supply of good safe second hand equipment available. Once you have completed your Ocean Diver training, you will hopefully want to get your own gear and continue diving with us and we can give you further advice on what and where to buy. If you buy new, some guide prices for the essentials. Even hardly used equipment is often half the price of the new item. With a little luck and patience you may be able to buy most of what you need for £1600.00 or so. And remember - diving equipment is built to last!

Costs: Pool work, course materials (“The Diving Manual”, Student Notes and Qualification Book), air, use of equipment and lectures cost £199, this payment can be made by a initial payment of £50.00 then the balance over 12 months by direct debt. You can also pay this in one instalment if you wish, there is also a charge of £3.00 each time you use the pool. You must also complete the 7 open water dives, which you pay for as you go, usually the cost of registering and each dive at one of the inland dive sites we use. You will also become a social member of St Anne’s Cricket Club, receive s monthly copy of BSAC Scuba magazine; and Public Liability Insurance cover up to £10 million.

Further training: Diver training does not have to end with simply learning to dive and members are encouraged to progress through the BSAC qualifications. We do not charge for subsequent training to Sports Diver and beyond, other than for training materials (approx £20/grade), provided you are a full diving member of both the Branch and BSAC. However, you will be expected to have your own equipment by this stage. BSAC also offer lots of skill development courses (SDC’s) on topics such as Boat Handling; Navigation and Chartwork; Dive Planning and Marshalling; First Aid for Divers; Practical Rescue Management; and many more, and again these are generally charged at cost.

Medicals: You must complete a Medical Self-Declaration before commencing pool training. In particular circumstances we may require you to consult a medical referee to confirm your fitness to dive.

Want to know more? either fill in the form below, or give us a call: Neil 07976 884154 or Peter 07874 696213

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