Courses & costs

[Dewar]

Hi, I've been offered a place on a "British Sub Aqua Club Snorkel Instructor Traning Course/Assessment - Module1" at a cost of £150 with a corporate snorkel instructor. Its a 1.5 - 2 day course, think there are 15 places in a local public pool. From what I can see elsewhere on this site, this seems way over the top! Before I part with my cash, can anyone shed any light as to why this might be the case? Its not a residential course but have I missed anything obvious? Appreciate any advice.

[garethwoodruff]

Dewar,

Hi and welcome to the forum, whats your background, are you already a diver and if so at what qualificatin level??

What sort of snorkelling qualification do you have??

Might help putting an answer together.

Cheers,

Gareth.

[Dewar]

Hi Gareth

I am a qualified swimming coach but have no diving experience. Understand its a very basic course, mainly covering technique so I can introduce snorkelling to advanced swimmers in lessons.

Thanks

Dewar

[garethwoodruff]

Dewar,

Form looking on the BSAC snorkelling site, first of all you must be a member of BSAC to become a snorkel instructor and that will be an ongoing cost per year. It might be £45.50 a year, but i'm not sure, thats for full snorkelling membership.

You need to be a qualified snorkel diver, which is a one day course:

http://www.bsacsnorkelling.co.uk/training/SDsyllabus.htm

Then you need to do the 2 day snorkel instructor course:

http://www.bsacsnorkelling.co.uk/training/sitc.htm

I'm not sure whats being offered fits in with that, if I were you I would ask some more questions, to then award and teach the BSAC snorkel diver qualification you then need to be a memeber of a snorkelling branch. It sounds overly beuracratic, but its not really designed to be taught outside of a branch / centre environment. What this instructor is offering seems a little odd.

at £150 per student, sounds rather expensive as well.

BSAC HQ will be able to provide some advice on the requirments and if this course can be offered like this.

0151 350 6200

Not sure thats been much help,

Cheers,

Gareth.

[ChristianG]

Dewar,

Form looking on the BSAC snorkelling site, first of all you must be a member of BSAC to become a snorkel instructor and that will be an ongoing cost per year. It might be £45.50 a year, but i'm not sure, thats for full snorkelling membership.

You need to be a qualified snorkel diver, which is a one day course:

http://www.bsacsnorkelling.co.uk/training/SDsyllabus.htm

Then you need to do the 2 day snorkel instructor course:

http://www.bsacsnorkelling.co.uk/training/sitc.htm

I'm not sure whats being offered fits in with that, if I were you I would ask some more questions, to then award and teach the BSAC snorkel diver qualification you then need to be a memeber of a snorkelling branch. It sounds overly beuracratic, but its not really designed to be taught outside of a branch / centre environment. What this instructor is offering seems a little odd.

at £150 per student, sounds rather expensive as well.

BSAC HQ will be able to provide some advice on the requirments and if this course can be offered like this.

Gawd, I seem to remember that as a young kid, most likely nowhere near my teens, I jumped into the water (a lot of years ago) with fins and mask and, well, became a snorkeller. Now that was serious Hi-tech in those days.

Yes, no snorkel, it was incorporated into my mask, two of them in fact, Ping Pong balls at the ready to seal them. IIRC it was called a "Medusa".

How times have changed and no wonder that when I got to my English school they thought I was a good swimmer when I was nothing of the sort, certainly not by the standards of where I'd come from.

And now you have to qualify to become a snorkeller? Oh dear!!!

[Chris aka divingchef]

Gawd, I seem to remember that as a young kid, most likely nowhere near my teens, I jumped into the water (a lot of years ago) with fins and mask and, well, became a snorkeller. Now that was serious Hi-tech in those days.

Yes, no snorkel, it was incorporated into my mask, two of them in fact, Ping Pong balls at the ready to seal them. IIRC it was called a "Medusa".

How times have changed and no wonder that when I got to my English school they thought I was a good swimmer when I was nothing of the sort, certainly not by the standards of where I'd come from.

And now you have to qualify to become a snorkeller? Oh dear!!!


Yepp I remembered those days, I also remember going to 30msw now I need a cylinder and a pony (safety blanket)!:roll eyes: the scary thing is that I dived with SCUBA with no training/knowledge at all except stick this in your mouth and when there is no more air come up !!!!!

But progress is a good thing when the inherent dangers of the sport become apparent and courses can be designed to give the diver the best information available enhancing their enjoyment !!

Anyway not long to the visit !!

Chris

[MattS]

And now you have to qualify to become a snorkeller? Oh dear!!!LOL. I did a lot of swimming and some of it underwater between the ages fo about 4 and 14. I sort of got bored of it and rarely went in the water even on holiday. At age 29 I started SCUBA and I was taught how to clear my ears....now if only someone had taught me that 15 years earlier :D

[Dewar]

Thanks, much appreciated.

[Alistair Reynolds]

Dear Dewar
The course you have been offered sounds like one of our commercial courses that we offer to leisure centre staff and not branch members. It is referred to as the Corporate Snorkel Instructor Training Course (CSITC) and is usually charged to the centre rather than individual clients.

The course is indeed a two-day event and teaches you the BSAC Snorkel Diver grade and also the BSAC Snorkel Instructor programme. At the end of this event you will be qualified as a BSAC Corporate Snorkel Instructor, which will allow your centre to provide snorkel training to its clients up to the BSAC Basic Snorkel Diver level.

If you require any further information, please contact BSAC HQ on 0151 350 6200 and speak to Mike Clack the Commercial Co-ordinator.

Alistair Reynolds
Diver Resources Team Manager

[Hamish]

Dear Dewar
The course you have been offered sounds like one of our commercial courses that we offer to leisure centre staff and not branch members. It is referred to as the Corporate Snorkel Instructor Training Course (CSITC) and is usually charged to the centre rather than individual clients.

The course is indeed a two-day event and teaches you the BSAC Snorkel Diver grade and also the BSAC Snorkel Instructor programme. At the end of this event you will be qualified as a BSAC Corporate Snorkel Instructor, which will allow your centre to provide snorkel training to its clients up to the BSAC Basic Snorkel Diver level.

If you require any further information, please contact BSAC HQ on 0151 350 6200 and speak to Mike Clack the Commercial Co-ordinator.

Alistair Reynolds
Diver Resources Team Manager

Alistair,

It is nice to see that when required, someone can be very quick with off the mark with an answer, have a green.:D

Hamish