Someone once told me that BSAC requires their divers to dive in a broad range of conditions, from warm to cold to murky to... so as to become well-rounded divers. This may or may not be true. Regardless, I like the idea. To me a diver who has 50 dives in waters that are warm, cold, in strong current, and in limited visibility is a better and more well-rounded diver than one who has 200 dives in crystal-clear warm water with little or no current.
From the BSAC instructor manual for each grade I've listed the range of conditions and experience required (Note: not everything is required, but a high proportion):
Ocean Diver:
● shore dive – dive commencing and ending on either a gently shelving shore or a deep water entry/exit
● dive using a breathing gas mix – 32% or 36% O2
● low visibility dive – dive in visibility in the range between 2 and 4 metres
● drift dive – dive in moving water in the speed range between 0.25 and 0.5kn
● small boat dive – dive from a boat of less than 8m overall length, where water entry is via a backward roll, and egress from the water requires removal of equipment in the water
● large boat dive – dive from a boat of greater than 8m overall length, where the water entered is via a stride entry, and egress from the water is accomplished via ladder without removal of any equipment
except, possibly, fins
● wall dive – dive along a vertical or near vertical wall with no solid bottom closer than 4m below the divers
● dive in protective clothing – dive wearing either a wet suit or dry suit
Sports Diver:
● shore dive - dive either commencing and/or ending at a gently shelving shore requiring a wading entry/exit
● nitrox dive - using a breathing gas > 21% Oxygen up to a maximum of 36% (Nitrox)
● dive using shot line - dive commencing with a deep water entry, using a shot line as the only visual reference for the descent and ascent, and ending with a deep water exit
● low visibility dive - dive in visibility in the range between 2 and 4 metres
● drift dive - dive in moving water in the speed range between 0.25 and 0.5kn
● small boat dive - dive from a boat of less than 8m overall length, where water entry is via a backward roll, and egress from the water requires removal of equipment in the water
● large boat dive - dive from a boat of greater than 8m overall length, (where the water entered) is via a stride entry, and egress from the water is accomplished via ladder without removal of any equipment except, possibly, fins
● wall dive - dive along a vertical or near vertical wall with no solid bottom closer than 4m below the divers
● dive in protective clothing - dive wearing either a wet suit or dry suit
Dive Leader:
● 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
Advanced Diver:
● planned decompression dive – dive involving at least two planned decompression stops, of a total of at least 6 mins., using an appropriate equipment configuration and decompression technique
● dive in tidal waters - dive involving a direct descent following a shot line, to dive on a specific site 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 to a minimum depth of 15m in water moving at a speed which precludes a return to the point of entry
● navigation dive - dive requiring navigation around a site, involving multiple changes of direction throughout and returning to the entry point. Compass and/or pilotage/and/ or distance line techniques used as appropriate. Minimum duration 30mins.
● search dive - A dive involving the utilisation of underwater search techniques.
● no clear surface dive - A dive involving no clear surface, either cavern, wreck penetration or ice diving.
● mixed gas dive - A dive involving use of mixed gas, (Nitrox alone does not qualify) either closed circuit rebreather or open circuit.
● advanced decompression dive - A dive involving extended decompression at different depths and emergency gas deployment using either a decompression trapeze or a lazy shot.
● surface location dive - A dive involving the surface location of an unknown site using surface searching techniques, followed by suitable precautions when diving an unknown site.
● at least ten dives should be carried out from boats. Of these, at least three should be carried out from boats of at least 9m in length, and at sites in exposed locations with surface water conditions producing significant boat motion
● on at least ten dives the student should act as dive leader
● at least six dives should show depth experience greater than 30m
● on at least five occasions the student should act as Dive Manager (including taking responsibility for carrying out all planning activities):
• Dive Manager - at least two should be full day diving activities, to sites which are unknown to the student Dive Manager (Note; Practical lesson AP2 may qualify as one of these)
• Dive Manager - at least one should be for a duration of at least two days, involving the need for organising logistics and suitable accommodation, as well as planning and management of the diving activities, including site location. (Note: this should follow after completion of practical lesson AP1)
• Dive Manager - the remaining two may be to either known or unknown sites
• At least 6 should show experience of dives to greater depths than those suggested for skills training, and to be adventurous.
Regards
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