The British Sub-Aqua Club or BSAC has been recognised since 1954 by UK Sport as the national governing body of recreational diving in the United Kingdom. The club was founded in 1953 and at its peak in the mid-1990s had over 50,000 members declining to over 30,000 in 2009. It is a diver training organization that operates through its associated network of around 1,100 local, independent diving clubs and around 400 diving schools worldwide. The old logo featured the Roman god Neptune (Greek god Poseidon), god of the sea. The new logo, as of 2017, features a diver with the updated BSAC motto "Dive with us". BSAC is unusual for a diver training agency in that most BSAC instructors are volunteers, giving up their spare time to train others, unlike many other agencies, in which instructors are paid employees, or self-employed. Given that UK waters are relatively cold and have restricted visibility, BSAC training is regarded by its members as more comprehensive than some. Specifically it places emphasis on rescue training very early in the programme. BSAC also maintains links with other organisations, such as NACSAC. Science writer and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke was a famous member of BSAC. The current President of BSAC is William, Prince of Wales. His father Charles III, and grandfather Philip also held that position and his brother Harry, Duke of Sussex also trained with BSAC.

Timeline

Recognition

BSAC is the National Governing Body (NGB) for sub-aqua within the United Kingdom, a role it has held since 1954. The body is recognised by Sport England as the NGB for sub-aqua in England, and by Sport Wales as the NGB for sub-aqua in Wales.

Regional bodies

The Scottish Sub Aqua Club, formed in 1953 (the same year as BSAC) is recognised by sportscotland as the NGB for sub-aqua in Scotland. The Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs is recognised by Sport Northern Ireland as the NGB for sub-aqua in Northern Ireland. Sport Wales previously recognised the Welsh Association of Sub Aqua Clubs as the NGB for sub-aqua in Wales until January 2016.

Competitive sub-aqua

While forms of sub-aqua, many competitive forms of sub-aqua are not governed by BSAC, as BSAC is not a member of the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) who is the global governing body for competitive sub-aqua. Underwater hockey in Great Britain was governed directly by BSAC with the sport being invented by one of its branches in 1954. BSAC remain the NGB until 1977 when they recognised the British Octopush Association (BOA), who formed a year prior, as the new NGB. BSAC remained a governing body for a limited number clubs who didn't switch to BOA governance. In 2013 the BOA affiliated itself to BSAC to legitimaise its safeguarding procedure. The BOA is recognised by CMAS as the NGB for underwater hockey in Great Britain. BSAC was the first body to govern underwater rugby in the United Kingdom, though only two clubs are affiliated to the body. The British Underwater Rugby Association (BURA) is the UK's governing body affiliated with CMAS.

Diver Training Programme

Diving Qualifications

BSAC currently has seven diver qualifications (five standard and two intermediary):

Instructor Qualifications

BSAC has eight instructor grades:

Grades no longer awarded

The following grades which are no longer awarded may still be encountered: The distinction between Novice I and Novice II was mostly for practical reasons to do with the difference between hiring a pool and travelling to the coast. A Novice I diver would normally complete the two open-water dives as soon as possible, but if this were not possible straight away (perhaps over winter) they would at least have a specific grade within the club. The lengthy and club-oriented Novice syllabus was replaced with the Club Diver and Ocean Diver syllabuses in the late 1990s. (However, some argue the Novice description was usefully accurate and aided diver safety because nobody with such a qualification would attempt dives beyond their capabilities).

CMAS equivalencies

The following CMAS equivalencies have been agreed with the Sub-Aqua Association.

EUF Certification

BSAC obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2007 and re-certified in 2012 and 2019 for the following recreational diver grades:

Snorkeller Training Programme

Snorkelling Qualifications

BSAC has four snorkeller grades:

Instructor Qualifications

BSAC three snorkel instructor grades: BSAC scuba instructors can also teach all or parts of the Snorkeller Training Programme subject to meeting pre-requisites including additional training.

Skill Development Courses

BSAC offer range of specialist diving courses known as Skill Development Courses (SDCs). While mainly for scuba divers, a number of courses can be taken as snorkeller, and some without any dive qualifications: Courses in brackets indicate pre-requisites for the SDC Club Diving: Safety and Rescue: Seamanship: Special Interest:

Technical Diving Courses

BSAC offer a number of technical diving courses: CCR Courses: Open-circuit mixed gas courses:

Organizations

People

Wrecks