Who appoints an Expedition Leader?
BSAC Expedition Leaders must be appropriately qualified and have sufficient experience for the Expedition or type of Expeditions they wish to lead.
For BSAC Regional, BSAC REDS and BSAC National Expeditions it is the role of the BSAC Expeditions Officer to formally approve the choice of Expedition Leaders on behalf of the National Diving Officer.
Each Expedition Leader requires a referee.
For Regional and REDS Expedition Leaders, the Regional Coach is responsible for the identification of suitable Expedition Leaders and recommends the Expedition Leader to the BSAC Expedition Officer for approval by acting as their referee.
For BSAC National Expeditions led by a BSAC First Class Diver, the referee should be another senior diver with expedition experience, or if a BSAC Advanced Diver is leading then it should be a First Class Diver mentor.
Written approval of the Expedition Leader is required from the BSAC Expeditions Officer before a BSAC Regional, BSAC REDS or BSAC National Expedition can proceed and be recognised as a BSAC Expedition. For further details see Expedition Leader Approval Form.
For a BSAC club Expedition, the club Diving Officer is ultimately responsible for the selection of the Expedition Leader.
How much does an expedition cost?
This depends on the Expedition! The more remote or exotic the destination, the more expensive an expedition is likely to be. The cost of the expedition is shared between all participants in the expedition including the Expedition Leader, otherwise, the Expedition Leader could be deemed as diving for hire or reward and therefore subject to HSE Diving at Work Regulations (1997).
Can expeditions be organised abroad?
There are BSAC clubs worldwide so BSAC expeditions occur worldwide. There are many examples of expeditions organised outside an Expedition Leaders country of origin. BSAC members from cold water areas are particularly keen to explore clear, warm water elsewhere! Expeditions abroad require extra care during planning to ensure that the expedition:
- Does not break local laws or the laws where the expedition was organised
- Has detailed and robust evacuation plans in case of emergency
- Is appropriately insured for all stages of the expedition
Can Expedition Leaders choose who they want to take on a BSAC Expedition?
Yes. Successful expeditions usually rely on the skills and teamwork of both participants and the Expedition Leader. The Expedition Leader may require individuals with certain diving qualifications and experience in order to carry out the diving they intend to organize. Indeed there may be other non-diving skills required depending on the expedition e.g. 4x4 driver, doctor, cook etc. The Expedition Leader is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the expedition and therefore is able to select participants.
How to fund your BSAC expedition
BSAC’s charitable arm, the British Jubilee Sub-Aqua Trust awards grants each year to help support club expeditions that have a scientific research or data collection objective. Applications need to be made no later than two months before the expedition starts.
