Looking to expand your diving skills or explore your underwater interests this winter? Then why not make the most of your seasonal diving downtime with a trip to one of BSAC’s overseas centres.
Many overseas BSAC Centres not only offer the Diver Training Programme but also Skill Development Courses (SDCs), meaning you can combine a winter holiday with progressing your diving.
From honing your search and rescue skills to marine life identification, there’s a host of SDCs to choose from, whether your interest is in safety, first aid, technical, or specialist diving skills. And, by using BSAC’s online Find a Centre tool – bsac.com/findacentre – you can match the location to the SDCs you’d like to do.
The opportunity to train overseas, ready to use their new skills back in the UK has already been embraced by Midlands couple, Debbie and Carl Roberts, who are both members of Black Country Barracudas. BSAC members since 2020, the couple are both Dive Leaders and travelled to the Canary Islands in late September to complete the Accelerated Decompression Procedures and Twin-set SDCs to become Advanced Twin-set Divers. Their BSAC centre of choice was Lanzarote Dive Centre.
Debbie said the decision to do their chosen SDCs overseas was an easy one.
We wanted to do the courses in warm, clear waters, with good viz, which we struggle with in the Midlands as we only have inland sites close to us. We met Paul and Val from Lanzarote Dive Centre on a previous trip to the island, and after being greeted so warmly, we decided we would like to go back and do the course with them.
After such a positive experience, Debbie said she would recommend completing SDCs overseas during the winter.
The centre and the warm weather made it all really enjoyable!
As an Open Water Instructor, Debbie now hopes to share her new skills with others in her branch.
Val Williams, from Lanzarote Dive Centre, said that they offered a wide range of SDCs, as well as BSAC diver grade training, including opportunities to complete individual modules of their course in warmer water. Val explained:
It is great way of having a winter holiday and getting some winter sun whilst also getting in some winter diving. It is also really good way for us to build relationships with BSAC clubs. And, by keeping your skills up during the winter months you’ll be ready to dive back in to the UK waters without delay and with increased confidence, skills and experience.
Dive and train with BSAC overseas
Start planning your blue water training! Use the locator to find an overseas BSAC Centre. For more information on BSAC’s Skill Development Courses, go to bsac.com/sdcs
