Learning in Australia

[Mark Duignan]

Having completed our pool work for the Ocean Diver qualification in the UK, we (me and Erin) ran out of time to do our open water before our planned year out in Oz, so does anyone know of a good BSAC dive school where we can complete our training?
We will be looking at doing it in the Cairns area, so any experience of schools / recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Mark & Erin

[Dave]

Having completed our pool work for the Ocean Diver qualification in the UK, we (me and Erin) ran out of time to do our open water before our planned year out in Oz, so does anyone know of a good BSAC dive school where we can complete our training?
We will be looking at doing it in the Cairns area, so any experience of schools / recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Mark & Erin

There is approximately 1 BSAC school around Australia and that is based in Sydney. If you wish to complete in the Cairns area, you will pretty much need to complete the PADI Open Water qualification. If you phone a few up, you may well find that they will take you on to complete the OW element if you take the theory test and demonstrate in water skills in a pool over a couple of hours. I did this type of thing myself. I went to Pro Dive in Cairns and did their 3 day 2 night liveabord where the 1st 4 dives were spent doing the requisite dives for Open Water Diver and then had 5 free dives after that. It was v good value at around AUD500.

Padi OW does have an OD equivalence so you should be able to continue BSAC training, if you wish to, towards Sports Diver and beyond. On the plus side, you will have also gained experience seeing how another agency operates as well as a more flexible basic qualification .

Dave

[Gordon Archer]

Having completed our pool work for the Ocean Diver qualification in the UK, we (me and Erin) ran out of time to do our open water before our planned year out in Oz, so does anyone know of a good BSAC dive school where we can complete our training?
We will be looking at doing it in the Cairns area, so any experience of schools / recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Mark & Erin

Try this link www.mikeball.com they are in Cairns I believe, not BSAC but you could complete a dive qualification to dive the reef and enjoy the experience.
Pick up BSAC again when you return.

[Mark Duignan]

:=Having completed our pool work for the Ocean Diver qualification in the UK, we (me and Erin) ran out of time to do our open water before our planned year out in Oz, so does anyone know of a good BSAC dive school where we can complete our training?
:=We will be looking at doing it in the Cairns area, so any experience of schools / recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
:=Thanks, Mark & Erin

There is approximately 1 BSAC school around Australia and that is based in Sydney. If you wish to complete in the Cairns area, you will pretty much need to complete the PADI Open Water qualification. If you phone a few up, you may well find that they will take you on to complete the OW element if you take the theory test and demonstrate in water skills in a pool over a couple of hours. I did this type of thing myself. I went to Pro Dive in Cairns and did their 3 day 2 night liveabord where the 1st 4 dives were spent doing the requisite dives for Open Water Diver and then had 5 free dives after that. It was v good value at around AUD500.

Padi OW does have an OD equivalence so you should be able to continue BSAC training, if you wish to, towards Sports Diver and beyond. On the plus side, you will have also gained experience seeing how another agency operates as well as a more flexible basic qualification .

Dave

Thanks Dave,
sounds like it will be worth doing it that way, since after posting the message we did some more internet hunting and discovered the 1 bsac school near Brisbane. Will get in touch with pro dive and see what they have available when we are in Cairns. Thanks, Mark

[Lindsey Doyle]

Hi,
A word of warning if you want to return to your original branch & continue with next level of BSAC training:
One of my Club Diver trainees went on holiday mid-course, did PADI OW but then BSAC wouldn't let us give him a Statement of Alternative Training (like for any other new member who's an OWD)because he had started with BSAC! So he's had to complete CD training before starting on SD.
If you have a spare weekend before you go, a BSAC school in UK should be able to do your OW dives if your branch can't.
Good luck!
Cheers, Lindsey

[Stuart Cannon]

If any of you have issues about where to dive in Australia or where the local schools/branches are please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail. My address can be found on the BSAC Overseas Coaches list.

Cheers

Stuart
BSAC Coach - Australia

[Alan Taylor]

If any of you have issues about where to dive in Australia or where the local schools/branches are please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail. My address can be found on the BSAC Overseas Coaches list.

Cheers

Stuart
BSAC Coach - Australia

Good man, all is not lost.

Alan