South Bristol Divers - Bristol Scuba Diving Club's Training Information amd Facilities

Training With South Bristol Divers


Complete Beginner Already Qualified


South Bristol Divers has a number of experienced instructors and have been training divers for over four decades. Our club offers a training standard that is exceptionally high. You will continually learn from your buddies, more experienced divers and instructors throughout your training and continued diving. Much more is taught than a minimalistic syllabus, to make you a more rounded and knowledgeable diver, and most importantly a SAFE DIVER.

South Bristol Divers has a number of experienced instructors and have been training divers for over four decades.

Our club offers a training standard that is exceptionally high.
You will continually learn from your buddies, more experienced divers and instructors throughout your training and continued diving.
Much more is taught than a minimalistic syllabus, to make you a more rounded and knowledgeable diver, and most importantly a SAFE DIVER.


Training we can offer includes: Diver training from complete beginner to BSAC Advanced Diver. Continued training for qualified divers from any recognised diving organisation such as BSAC, PADI, SAA, NAUI, CMAS etc. to further develop and improve skills. Skill Development courses including:

Training we can offer includes:

Diver training from complete beginner to BSAC Advanced Diver.

Continued training for qualified divers from any recognised diving organisation such as BSAC, PADI, SAA, NAUI, CMAS etc. to further develop and improve skills.

Skill Development courses including:


Boat Handling Wreck Appreciation Buoyancy and Trim Oxygen Administration Drysuit Training Search & Recovery Practical Rescue Management Lifesaver Advanced Lifesaver Diver Coxwain Advanced Nitrox Diver First Aid For Divers Chartwork & Position Fixing Marine Life Appreciation Dive Planning & Management And many more.

Boat Handling
Wreck Appreciation
Buoyancy and Trim
Oxygen Administration
Drysuit Training
Search & Recovery
Practical Rescue Management
Lifesaver
Advanced Lifesaver
Diver Coxwain
Advanced Nitrox Diver
First Aid For Divers
Chartwork & Position Fixing
Marine Life Appreciation
Dive Planning & Management

And many more.


Diver Grades:

Diver Grades:


Ocean Diver This course provides you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to prepare for open water diving. Learning to dive is all about learning to use your equipment properly and safely. The Ocean Diver training course concentrates on preparing you for this in the safety of a swimming pool or sheltered water and then introducing you to open water in a controlled and safe manner. This also gives you the opportunity to practice safety skills in the company of a qualified instructor or experienced diver. Definition of an Ocean Diver An Ocean Diver is defined as a diver who is competent to conduct dives: With another Ocean Diver or with a Sports Diver, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered during their training With a Dive Leader or higher grade, to expand their experience beyond the conditions encountered during their training, under the supervision of a Dive Manager. Within BSAC safe diving recommendations

Ocean Diver
This course provides you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to prepare for open water diving. Learning to dive is all about learning to use your equipment properly and safely. The Ocean Diver training course concentrates on preparing you for this in the safety of a swimming pool or sheltered water and then introducing you to open water in a controlled and safe manner. This also gives you the opportunity to practice safety skills in the company of a qualified instructor or experienced diver.

Definition of an Ocean Diver

An Ocean Diver is defined as a diver who is competent to conduct dives:

With another Ocean Diver or with a Sports Diver, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered during their training
With a Dive Leader or higher grade, to expand their experience beyond the conditions encountered during their training, under the supervision of a Dive Manager.

Within BSAC safe diving recommendations


Sports Diver In Sports Diver training, the emphasis is on building a sound foundation of open water diving skills and experience through a series of structured practical lessons. Once you have gained this open water experience with a qualified instructor, you are ready to take part in dives with other Sports Divers or those of higher grades. Definition of a Sports Diver A Sports Diver is defined as a diver who is competent to: Conduct dives with an Ocean Diver within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered by the Ocean Diver during their training, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager Conduct dives with another Sports Diver, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered during their training or previous experience Conduct dives with a Dive Leader or higher grade, to expand their experience beyond that previously encountered, under the supervision of a Dive Manager Dive to a depth which is initially limited to 20m, but which can subsequently be extended progressively, under the supervision of a Nationally Qualified Instructor (NQI), to a maximum of 35m Use breathing gas mixes up to Nitrox 36 Plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression stops Rescue a casualty and provide Basic Life Support Conduct dives where other divers, capable of providing assistance and rescue management skills, are available at the surface Conduct dives within BSAC safe diving recommendations

Sports Diver
In Sports Diver training, the emphasis is on building a sound foundation of open water diving skills and experience through a series of structured practical lessons. Once you have gained this open water experience with a qualified instructor, you are ready to take part in dives with other Sports Divers or those of higher grades.

Definition of a Sports Diver

A Sports Diver is defined as a diver who is competent to:

Conduct dives with an Ocean Diver within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered by the Ocean Diver during their training, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager
Conduct dives with another Sports Diver, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered during their training or previous experience
Conduct dives with a Dive Leader or higher grade, to expand their experience beyond that previously encountered, under the supervision of a Dive Manager
Dive to a depth which is initially limited to 20m, but which can subsequently be extended progressively, under the supervision of a Nationally Qualified Instructor (NQI), to a maximum of 35m
Use breathing gas mixes up to Nitrox 36
Plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression stops
Rescue a casualty and provide Basic Life Support
Conduct dives where other divers, capable of providing assistance and rescue management skills, are available at the surface
Conduct dives within BSAC safe diving recommendations


Dive Leader Dive Leader training concentrates on the responsibilities and safety aspects of leading other divers on an open water dive. Practical lessons in rescue management and rescue skills will give you the confidence and ability to deal with those unforeseen emergencies. Leading a dive will develop your enjoyment, confidence and experience as a diver. Definition of a Dive Leader A Dive Leader can plan and lead a range of dives including those requiring detailed dive, breathing gas and decompression requirements planning. They have the skill and level of knowledge to progressively extend their own skills to take part in a wide range of adventurous dives. Dive Leaders have rescue management skills, and are competent to manage and supervise branch dives to locations well known to the branch, or using experienced skippers, or in conditions not normally described as 'challenging'. Dive Leaders can dive to a depth which is initially limited to 35m, but which can subsequently be extended progressively to a maximum of 50m. They can conduct dives with divers of any grade, to expand their experience beyond that previously encountered by those divers, under the supervision of a Dive Manager. They may also conduct experience building dives with trainee Ocean Divers, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered by the trainee Ocean Diver, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager. The Dive Leader course continues to build on the skills and knowledge of the diver. However, the experience element becomes increasingly important. The definitions of the qualifying dives therefore cover a wide range of conditions to provide the essential consolidation of skills and knowledge.

Dive Leader
Dive Leader training concentrates on the responsibilities and safety aspects of leading other divers on an open water dive. Practical lessons in rescue management and rescue skills will give you the confidence and ability to deal with those unforeseen emergencies. Leading a dive will develop your enjoyment, confidence and experience as a diver.

Definition of a Dive Leader
A Dive Leader can plan and lead a range of dives including those requiring detailed dive, breathing gas and decompression requirements planning. They have the skill and level of knowledge to progressively extend their own skills to take part in a wide range of adventurous dives.

Dive Leaders have rescue management skills, and are competent to manage and supervise branch dives to locations well known to the branch, or using experienced skippers, or in conditions not normally described as 'challenging'.

Dive Leaders can dive to a depth which is initially limited to 35m, but which can subsequently be extended progressively to a maximum of 50m. They can conduct dives with divers of any grade, to expand their experience beyond that previously encountered by those divers, under the supervision of a Dive Manager.

They may also conduct experience building dives with trainee Ocean Divers, within the restrictions of the conditions already encountered by the trainee Ocean Diver, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager.

The Dive Leader course continues to build on the skills and knowledge of the diver. However, the experience element becomes increasingly important. The definitions of the qualifying dives therefore cover a wide range of conditions to provide the essential consolidation of skills and knowledge.


Advanced Diver The Advanced Diver course further develops your knowledge and skills. You will gain experience in planning and organising dives at different sites and under different circumstances. Additional experience will be gained in using small boats, chartwork. navigation and many other related skills. The BSAC consider this grade as being a fully trained diver. The Advanced Diver Award is the BSAC's highest diving grade awarded within a Branch or Centre. Following the completion of a series of Classroom Lessons, Open Water Lessons and Dry Practical Lessons, the Advanced Diver course prepares the diver to manage all branch diving activities to both known and unknown locations. Definition of an Advanced Diver An Advanced Diver is defined as a diver who is comprehensively trained, experienced and responsible, and who can manage and supervise A wide range of adventurous and challenging diving activities Branch diving expeditions to explore unfamiliar locations Branch diving activities including dives utilising developing technology and techniques While Advanced Divers do not necessarily need to be qualified to use emerging technologies themselves, they need to know enough about them to understand how to safely incorporate them within branch diving. Open water diving should encompass each of the following, each on at least three occasions: planned two stop decompression dive, drift dive, dive in tidal waters. In addition a further six dives should include at least three of the following conditions: navigation dive, search dive, no clear surface dive, mixed gas dive, advanced decompression dive, surface location dive. Of the 20 dives at least 10 should be carried out from boats, on at least 10 the student should act as dive leader and at least six dives should show experience of depths greater than 30m. On at least five occasions, including at both known and unfamiliar sites, the student should act as Dive Manager. Training towards Advanced Diver relies much more on the progressive build up of experience than on 'formal' lessons.

Advanced Diver
The Advanced Diver course further develops your knowledge and skills. You will gain experience in planning and organising dives at different sites and under different circumstances. Additional experience will be gained in using small boats, chartwork. navigation and many other related skills. The BSAC consider this grade as being a fully trained diver.

The Advanced Diver Award is the BSAC's highest diving grade awarded within a Branch or Centre. Following the completion of a series of Classroom Lessons, Open Water Lessons and Dry Practical Lessons, the Advanced Diver course prepares the diver to manage all branch diving activities to both known and unknown locations.

Definition of an Advanced Diver

An Advanced Diver is defined as a diver who is comprehensively trained, experienced and responsible, and who can manage and supervise

A wide range of adventurous and challenging diving activities
Branch diving expeditions to explore unfamiliar locations
Branch diving activities including dives utilising developing technology and techniques

While Advanced Divers do not necessarily need to be qualified to use emerging technologies themselves, they need to know enough about them to understand how to safely incorporate them within branch diving.

Open water diving should encompass each of the following, each on at least three occasions: planned two stop decompression dive, drift dive, dive in tidal waters. In addition a further six dives should include at least three of the following conditions: navigation dive, search dive, no clear surface dive, mixed gas dive, advanced decompression dive, surface location dive.

Of the 20 dives at least 10 should be carried out from boats, on at least 10 the student should act as dive leader and at least six dives should show experience of depths greater than 30m. On at least five occasions, including at both known and unfamiliar sites, the student should act as Dive Manager.

Training towards Advanced Diver relies much more on the progressive build up of experience than on 'formal' lessons.