New to scuba diving? Take the plunge with us!
Learning to scuba dive can be a life-changing experience, bringing a whole host of exciting underwater opportunities and friends to enjoy them with.
From beginner to advanced, Castlereagh Sub Aqua Club provides the full BSAC training programme enabling divers to progress through a framework of qualifications at their own pace.
BSAC’s Ocean Diver course is the place to start. This entry-level open water diver qualification will equip you with the core skills to dive to a maximum of 20 metres in open water, in the UK and abroad.
With BSAC diving skills are taught progressively, with each new skill and experience built upon, step-by-step. The blend of theory, swimming pool and open water skills sessions along with continual technique practice enables you to develop your diving in a safe and enjoyable way.
With BSAC there are five internationally-recognised diver grades, from the entry-level Ocean Diver through to First Class Diver.
Learn to Scuba Dive with BSAC from BSAC on Vimeo.
What will it cost?
To learn to scuba dive with Castlereagh Sub Aqua Club will cost you around £400.
This includes your £60 BSAC membership fee, £240 branch fee and £100 for your first year’s training materials.
This is the best value for money when it comes to scuba training, you will have a club of divers with knowledge and experience to help you learn at your own pace.
How much time will it take?
Pool sessions are run on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm at the Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre to go through the practical training. Pool sessions run from November to March, after then you will be moving on to open-water. Each session of training lasts about a hour.
Theory lessons are run on Thursday nights at 7:30pm at the CSAC Clubhouse on the Castlereagh road.
You will need to donate two nights a week to fully commit to the diving courses.
In your first year you will have completed you Ocean Diver Course (20m) and moved on to Sports Diver (35m).
What gear will I need?
As a beginner, you will have lots of questions about scuba diving equipment. Do I need all the dive kit from the very start? How expensive is it to get all the kit I need?
Once you start your Ocean Diver training, it’s a good idea to purchase your own basic gear – a mask, fins and snorkel.
When you progress to open water you will require a wetsuit or drysuit. These can be borrowed/hired from a local Dive Centre, but you may want to purchase your own to ensure a good fit and familiarisation. It is often only when you are qualified that divers obtain their own full set of gear, although some prefer to hire it, especially when travelling overseas.
As with most specialist gear, there can be a huge range in prices, but budget on £100 upwards for a pair of fins, mask and snorkel. Wetsuits for UK diving start from around £150 and drysuits from £500, going up to over £1,000 for a top-end drysuit. To fully equip a diver, expect to pay around £1,500-2,000 although if your kit is well-maintained this will be a long-term investment.
Start your scuba diving training!
Learning to dive with Castlereagh Sub Aqua Club is fun and great value. For many learning to dive starts with a Try Dive, why not take the plunge yourself to try it out?
Castlereagh Sub Aqua Club 