Ariel Sub Aqua Club (ASAC) is a club built on exploration. While Dive Leader focuses on managing the safety of a dive site, the BSAC Advanced Diver qualification is about the big picture: planning and executing complex, multi-day expeditions in challenging or unfamiliar locations.
An Advanced Diver is a highly skilled, self-reliant “all-rounder” who can organize diving from a variety of platforms—from small RIBs to large hardboats—and manage everything from logistics to emergency contingencies.
In the BSAC world, the Advanced Diver is the person who says, “There is a wreck 20 miles offshore that hasn’t been dived in years—let’s go find it.” You aren’t just a leader; you are an expedition organizer. This grade is respected worldwide as a mark of a truly competent and knowledgeable diver.
The course is designed to broaden your horizons and refine your technical understanding:
Advanced Diving Technology: Deepen your knowledge of mixed gas diving (Nitrox/Trimix) and the use of sophisticated dive computers for decompression planning.
Search and Recovery: Learn the patterns and techniques used to locate lost objects or undiscovered sites.
Small Boat Skills: Master high-level seamanship, including advanced chartwork, weather prediction, and boat handling in varying sea states.
Expedition Planning: Learn the “project management” of diving—organizing accommodation, gas logistics, and safety cover for remote trips.
Leadership in Action: Refine your ability to manage a team of divers during challenging conditions or remote expeditions.
Becoming an Advanced Diver at ASAC means you are ready to lead the club’s most ambitious trips. This grade allows you to:
Plan International Expeditions: Be the architect behind trips like our Iceland Diving (August 15th) or the Kenya Safari & Diving (November 8th).
Mentor the Next Generation: Provide the highest level of guidance to Dive Leaders and Instructors within the club.
Maximum Depth: This qualification is the final step toward personal depth progression, allowing you to dive to 50 metres with the appropriate experience.
The Advanced Diver course consists of four theory modules, two group discussion sessions, and a minimum of 20 dives in a range of conditions, including at least two expeditions. At ASAC, we focus on “learning by doing,” integrating this training into our most adventurous weekends away.
Advanced training is best completed during our more remote or technical trips:
Boat Handling Practice: March 21st (Essential for the small boat modules).
Scilly Isles Expedition: August 1st (Ideal for expedition planning and leadership experience).
St Abbs / Norfolk Diving: September (Great for deep diving and drift dive management).
