Discovery Diver course

BSAC's Discovery Diver course is open to anyone from the age of 10. 

You’ll just need to demonstrate that you can comfortably swim 200m in a pool, and the only kit you’ll need is a swimsuit and towel.

Your instructor will start by getting you comfortable breathing underwater in a pool or sheltered water and then develop your skills so that you are competent to dive safely in open water. After that, you’ll head out for a series of at least two open water dives to develop your skills and confidence in open water.

On your BSAC Discovery Diver course, you will:

• Learn how to use basic dive gear, including your mask and snorkel
• Control your buoyancy and underwater movements
• Understand your basic scuba diving safety skills – you’ll find out the importance of time, depth and gas
• Discover how to plan and manage your diving
  
  

BSAC's Discovery Diver course includes three theory modules, three pool or sheltered water modules, and at least two open-water dives.

What you’ll be qualified to do as a BSAC Discovery Diver

As a qualified Discovery Diver, you can dive in open-water in controlled conditions to 12m under the direct supervision of a Dive Leader or higher-grade diver.

If you want to expand your experience by exploring different locations and conditions, you can easily do this accompanied by a Dive Leader or higher-grade diver, while under the supervision of a Dive Manager.

Your open water diving certification will be recognised worldwide. That means you will be qualified to use breathing gas mixtures of up to 36 per cent Nitrox to increase your safety on dives (you’ll learn all about Nitrox on the course). Many ‘learn to dive’ courses don’t teach Nitrox, but at BSAC we believe they are important skills to start learning from the start of your scuba journey.

Please note: Discovery Divers are not qualified to carry out any dives requiring mandatory decompression stops.

How do I kickstart my Discovery Diver course?

Start your scuba journey today... 

It's a great time to learn to scuba dive. Commence your online learning now, ready to get in the water later!

Submit a learn to dive enquiryBook a Try Dive with a BSAC club

Training at your local BSAC club allows you to learn at your own pace, spreading your training sessions over several weeks. You’ll be taught by volunteers who are keen divers, and you'll attend club training sessions with other BSAC members.

What benefits are there?

One of the best parts of becoming an open water diver is that you can get involved in social events at your club. You’ll start building a network of friends to go diving with in future. 

Another benefit is having access to professional diving equipment. Many clubs have access to boats, compressors, and diving kit that members can use.

Doing your Discovery Diver course at a BSAC centre means you can reduce the time it takes to learn to dive to 1-2 days.

What equipment do I need?

You don’t need any special kit to become an open water diver – a swimsuit and towel should be enough, although you may soon want to buy your own mask and snorkel.

You’ll receive an online training pack when you sign up, which contains all the learning materials you’ll need. We recommend you also buy a Dive Profile Red Logbook available from the BSAC shop.