Oban & Sound of Mull Advanced Diver training expedition

In 2020, the first Advanced Diver training expedition took place in order to assist aspiring ADs with completing the qualification.

Members have reported that it can be difficult to complete Advanced Diver training. This expedition aimed to help solve that problem by augmenting other BSAC training both within the branch and at a regional level (e.g. regional training days for rescue skills at inland sites) to help fill in the gaps.

The student must dive a range of sites predominantly unknown to them to fulfil the requirements of Advanced Diver. 

Whilst this expedition included some of the best 'known’ sites to the wider diving community, experience from other expeditions shows that many people will not have dived these yet in their diving career and so they fulfil the criteria. We also planned to dive lesser dived, forgotten, and generally unknown/undocumented sites; truly unknown!

Subject to weather and tides dives were selected from the main sites: SS Hispania, SS Rondo, SS Breda, SS Thesis, Risga Pinnacle, Elizabeth Rock, WWII Flying Boats amongst others.

The key aims of this expedition were:

• To complete module AP1: Expedition Planning of the Advanced Diver syllabus
• Carry out between 4 and 6 of the 20 required experience dives
• Conduct ad-hoc coaching and exposure to a wider variety of expedition diving techniques
  
  

Time-dependent, we hoped to:

• Complete any additional / missing lectures for Advanced Diver
• Provide optional additional day (on Mon & Tue at a reduced rate) to add additional experience dives

Advanced Diver training expedition

• Current BSAC member (with an in-date self-declaration medical)
• BSAC Dive Leader (or equivalent)
• Dived up for 30-40m dives
• Capable of launching a DSMB confidently and competently from midwater unaided

Though non-essential, it would be useful to have the following SDCs:

• Boat Handling
• Diver Cox'n
• Chartwork & Position Fixing
  
  

Read more on the Advanced Diver exped