Snorkel training in Hull and East Yorkshire? FORGET IT!!!

[HU1 Diver]

What good is it when BSAC HQ spend a small fortune revamping the snorkelling syllabus, when my local branch decides that snorkelling isn't important enough to be taken seriously and/or decides not to cater for local wannabe snorkellers. In the past I have received offers to go snorkelling in open water, but only if I secure some form of accreditation.

Obviously there are those clubs that rise to the occasion, and I would like to praise the Scarborough Sub Aqua Club, which is my nearest opportunity to learn snorkelling. Sadly, their training sessions start after the last train and bus leave for Hull on an evening!

So I’m still high-and-dry and with me just securing a new wetsuit suitable for the job (bought on eBay for just 1p). Still looking for weights, but there will come a time when I’ll just go off on my own.

I think it's time that BSAC stop peddling snorkelling and let a more professional outfit take the lead - such as the Amateur Swimming Association! At least ban BSAC branches from securing BSAC national awards and trophies, unless they offer snorkelling!

[MSutcliffe]

Whilst we can, I'm sure, all sympathise with your predicament, it has to be said that the vast majority of us are interested in SCUBA diving rather than snorkelling. A branch which offers snorkel training will do so because it has an interested member/members.

Perhaps, BSAC being a club, once you find a way to resolve your accreditation problem (BSAC branches further afield, BSAC centres) then you might consider joining your local branch and enlightening them as to the benfits, become a snorkel instructor, and attempt to progress the discipline locally.

I'm not sure any other organisation would have any better luck in progressing snorkelling as a sport - the fact is you don't really need a qualification to do it - you can more or less teach yourself! It's just not that popular in the UK.

It is notable that in a previous thread you started (http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=26846) you have had the regional coach offering help, someone living locally who seeks the same, and a club offering to welcome you with open arms.

Sadly your transportation problem is yours to resolve, although you will often find lifts forthcoming if there are members close by. The pool is available when it is available I'm afraid.

[bootneck]

I think this a very confused area of BSAC, no one really knows in many clubs who cant train who and in what. I did ask on this part of the forum what I can teach as a OWI, as I thought it could be something else our club could offer our local area. but never got an answer

[Spirit_of_Guernsey]

Basic snorkelling isn't rocket surgery, but if you want more info and help, this is a good place to start.

LINKEY (http://forums.deeperblue.com/)






.

[bootneck]

I know its not rocket science as I have to teach it as part of the OD training, where its got me a little confused now is with the change in the snorkel syllabus is is my teaching confined to the pool for snorkelling training or could I take people who wish to snorkel in to open water as I could under the previous syllabus.

We do not have any snorkel only members at the moment but if some one came along to the club and asked I would like to be able to give a sensible reply.

Thanks for the link I will have a good read this evening when finish work.

[SUNDODGER]

I taught myself to snorkel in a couple of hours, in the sea while on holiday in Oban.



I was about 7. :rolleyes:

[HU1 Diver]

I taught myself to snorkel in a couple of hours, in the sea while on holiday in Oban.

I was about 7. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry but that was highly illegal (under the eyes of the scuba police) and you must be cautioned or at least fined the equivalent in unpaid BSAC Junior Snorkeller membership fees :O)

You should have also waited another year!!!

The common consensus is that snorkelling is an easy sport to master, which in all honestly is something I learnt the basics in 10 minutes circa 1981 and when at school. But according to the great and the good of BSAC/SAA and those who have offered to take me snorkelling, I have to be qualified. Yes they have my best interests at heart or don't want anything to go wrong. In all honesty I am in the wrong place! Hull is not the best place to be if you want to go snorkelling - unless you like mud!

I will be contacting a few individuals who in the past have expressed an interest in helping or advising. Finger's crossed!!!

[bythesea]

snorkelling 101..

If you get a wet mouth when you breath in you are too deep.

To rectify this only breath in when the end of the snorkel is above the water line.

Here endeth the lesson on how to snorkel successfully.

Now, if it is freediving you are interested in that is a whole other ball game and there are some great clubs about that specialise in it, none of them to my knowledge are BSAC clubs though.

[HU1 Diver]

snorkelling 101..

If you get a wet mouth when you breath in you are too deep.

To rectify this only breath in when the end of the snorkel is above the water line.

Here endeth the lesson on how to snorkel successfully.

Now, if it is freediving you are interested in that is a whole other ball game and there are some great clubs about that specialise in it, none of them to my knowledge are BSAC clubs though.

"bythesea" you forgot to charge me for the above advice! And what about BSAC club/branch fees? :rolleyes:

Freediving maybe the only option, but it is a different sport or discipline, though perhaps not being affiliated with BSAC might be a bonus! :)

[PeteM]

"bythesea" you forgot to charge me for the above advice! And what about BSAC club/branch fees? :rolleyes:

Freediving maybe the only option, but it is a different sport or discipline, though perhaps not being affiliated with BSAC might be a bonus! :)

You seem to be getting annoyed with BSAC because they don't offer snorkel training, frankly I think that a bit unreasonable.

My old branch did not do snorkel training. Why? Because no one in the club wanted to go snorkelling. My guess is most branches are the same. What is unreasonable about that?

[bythesea]

In the past I have received offers to go snorkelling in open water, but only if I secure some form of accreditation.



Who is it that wants you to get accredited and for what reason, I just don't get it, snorkelling is so basic as has been said, kids on holiday work it out for themselves, usually after the second gob full of salt water...

[HU1 Diver]

You seem to be getting annoyed with BSAC because they don't offer snorkel training, frankly I think that a bit unreasonable.

Okay, let's say I decide to have-a-go at Flamborough Head in June or July and I end up in trouble. The local dive clubs would be the first to criticise me for being reckless and for endangering the lives of others, including the rescue services. Snorkelling is an easy sport to master, and in all honesty you don't need a certificate to prove your worth. The problem is that no one will take you seriously unless someone signs you off. This includes the withholding of advice and banning club members from physically helping out.

It is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to offer or endorse snorkelling when this enthusiasm isn't shared by branch clubs.

[Mike Halligan]

Okay, let's say I decide to have-a-go at Flamborough Head in June or July and I end up in trouble. The local dive clubs would be the first to criticise me for being reckless in for endangering the lives of others, including the rescue services.
Would they? I very much doubt that is so. What has actually been said to you?
Snorkelling is an easy sport to master, and in all honesty you don't need a certificate to prove your worth. The problem is that no one will take you seriously unless someone signs you off. This includes the withholding of advice and banning club members from physically helping out.Several have suggested this is not so. I have no reason to doubt them. However, if you were to approach my branch with a request for detail advice and tutoring, you might well be asked to both join our branch and undertake a recognised course before we allowed you to say we have trained, tested, certified and supported you. I don't know, it is not in fact my call.

It is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to offer or endorse snorkelling when this enthusiasm isn't shared by branch clubs.
BSAC HQ is the governing body for snorkelling and supports huge effort across Britain but BSAC HQ is not a particular branch. If you contact HQ or research the web-site, you should find a snorkel branch willing to help you, but please do not assume that every scuba branch is necessarily a snorkel branch.

I hope this helps,

[TerryH]

It is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to offer or endorse snorkelling when this enthusiasm isn't shared by branch clubs.

TBH I'm not sure you've grasped what BSAC is about.

Just because it endorses snorkelling doesnt mean that every club will do it
anymore than every club will do Training, Trimix, CCR, First Aid, Boathandling
and a whole list of skills.

Each club has the right to pick what it wants to do, usually matching the
demographic of it's members.

BSAC (rightly) promotes all disciplines, but leaves what each club adopts
up to them. Some do snorkelling, others dont, its the club's (not BSAC's) call.

[PeteM]

It is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to offer or endorse snorkelling when this enthusiasm isn't shared by branch clubs.

So you think that I, as an unpaid, over worked volunteer instructor should teach snorkelling just because HQ endorses a course in that?

Do you grasp the concept of volunteer?

[bythesea]

Okay, let's say I decide to have-a-go at Flamborough Head in June or July and I end up in trouble. The local dive clubs would be the first to criticise me for being reckless and for endangering the lives of others

I doubt they would be in the slightest bothered and don't understand why you would care.

You don't need a license to snorkel, you don't need a license to dive, you are a grown up, I assume, you can do what ever you want, whenever, wherever.

[GaryC]

Okay, let's say I decide to have-a-go at Flamborough Head in June or July and I end up in trouble. The local dive clubs would be the first to criticise me for being reckless and for endangering the lives of others, including the rescue services. Snorkelling is an easy sport to master, and in all honesty you don't need a certificate to prove your worth. The problem is that no one will take you seriously unless someone signs you off. This includes the withholding of advice and banning club members from physically helping out.

It is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to offer or endorse snorkelling when this enthusiasm isn't shared by branch clubs.
The problem with Flamborough is that there is a fairly stiff current runs round it most of the time. If you go out too far then you get swept along with the current and its not the dive clubs who will criticise you but the coastguard and emergency services. But they would do that anyway even if you were trained.

For your average dive club and especially in Yorkshire where the coast is either miles of sand or Chalk cliffs, snorkelling is not that popular. Indeed snorkelling really just gets in the way when you are running a dive club. It diverts resource to something that is fairly non productive in the short term. I think many dive clubs would probably like to have snorkellers from the point of view that the trainees could be divers of the future.

I would suggest that you go and have a (non abrasive) chat with your local club. Maybe you could set up and run a snorkelling section for them. Take advantage of the BSAC snorkelling inititive and be productive.

To be honest wingeing at divers about lack of snorkelling facilities will not get you far or make any friend for you.

Gary

[Drew MacIver]

to be fair i can see both sides of this, it is sometimes hard to find decent training locally, i agree, but on the other side, and this to me is the most important side....
Are you wanting to just get in the water and go snorkeling, or are you wanting a buddy?
If its the first, you are an adult, you decide, nothing anyone says is really going to make a difference to you.
But if you are after a buddy, well that's a different story, its not about training to snorkel or getting accreditation, its about knowing the person you snorkel with is a decent enough snorkeler to be able to help you if things go wrong, to know when and where to snorkel, how to read tides and predict slack water, someone who knows what is safe and what is not, that's the person i want to get into the water with. Anything else just endangers
How do you learn this stuff? through study, where do you find the information to study, biggest resource is local knowledge aka clubs, dive/surf shops, etc.
It is up to you what you decide to do, lets be honest here, the actual act of sticking your head in the water and breathing through a shaped tube is pretty simple but you aint getting in the water with me unless i know you are not gonna get me, or anyone i am with, injured, the easiest way for me to know that is for you to have some sort of accreditation.
That's what its about,
I do snorkel regularly off of Flamborough, North Landing is amazing for it, but as Gary says, the currents are nasty for the unprepared when they change, but for the knowledgeable person it is amazing to snorkel from North Landing round to Thornwick bay, takes a good couple of hours, there are boilers in there that stick a meter out of the water at low tides but are 3 meters under at high, if you wanted to come with us, could you keep up with the rest, can you swim the 2 miles open water required, carry all your gear 3 miles from the car park down the hill in NL, and then carry it up a very steep hill from Thornwick back into the car park, in all are you going to hepl me enjoy my day, or am i going to spend my day babysitting you.
That's why we train in the pool, to get you fit enough and strong ( in a swim sense) enough, that's why we have lectures ( on safety, rescue skills, surface diving / basic physics, signals) all these things are done to make everyone safe. I like that, maybe you don't, but then after all you are an adult, decide for yourself, but unless i know you are safe, you aint getting in the water with me, and that's my decision, not the clubs, not BSAC's, mine because i am an adult and i want to minimize the risks for everyone so we can all enjoy it.

Drew (climbing down off soapbox apologetically)

[Richard Whitcombe]

I can completely understand the lack of people training snorkel courses and clubs as such.

Clubs are amateur, they're staffed by volunteers. They dont get paid for this.
People have limited free time and limited funds. Most of them are divers and therefore want to use that free time and money they have to actually go diving instead of wasting it doing something they hate like snorkelling.

Ultimately snorkelling does not need a course - its a bog standard activity that quite literally kids can teach themselves. HOWEVER, the waters around the UK are subject to large tides and currents and its this that people need to be aware of and where the risk management stuff comes in (it would be no different if they just went swimming) so i can see why clubs need to cover themselves legally by insisting on a "qualification".

Certainly there's no chance of me ever dedicating my time to teaching snorkelling as i loathe it and i cant actually think of another instructor i know of who would be prepared to turn down a dive to do it either.
That isnt the clubs fault or the instructors fault, its not even BSACs fault. Its quite simply an activity that isn't very popular so limited demand to take part in or teach.

[TerryH]

Since the sponsored BSAC snorkelling Instructor courses early in 2010,
all snorkelling in my club has been run by the newly appointed SI's.

Two of them got such a buzz out of it that they signed up and completed
the IFC and are now half-way through DL and itching to get on the
Instructor exams. Last night in the pool they each had a group of Sports
diver trainees happily sending DSMB's up to the surface :D

Now they might have done this in there own time anyway, but I've got
no doubt that having gone on the SITC/SIE, that paved the way for the
diving IFC.

It's extremely narrow-minded IMO to look on snorkelling as a negative, get
the dymanics of how you use it right and it can be a real benefit.

[HU1 Diver]

I was brought up on a diet of BSAC/NSC literature that clearly stated that to snorkel in open water required three elements, namely (a) the ability to swim like a fish, (b) a myriad of BSAC/NSC certificates and (c) someone to snorkel with. These requirements appear to be true today as they were when I first read one of Lionel Blandford’s training handbooks (National Snorkellers Club) back in the 1980s.

I have no worries about spending months in the pool before being allowed to progress to open water (great fun!) and I am clearly aware of my obligations towards the safety of others. That’s why I haven’t just buggered off to Flamborough Head on my own. That said my options are limited and I am looking for somewhere just to get wet and wallow in the shallows (3 metres). Thornwick Bay appears to be an idea spot, though I understand that it is difficult to get to the shore from the road on top of the cliffs there?

I agree with some of the sentiments expressed by those who have contributed towards this thread. Snorkelling is easy and snorkelling is fun, but I reckon two things have killed snorkelling, namely PADI and the lower age limit set by this commercial organisation. Virtually overnight (within ten years) snorkelling has become superfluous.

PeteM wrote: “You seem to be getting annoyed with BSAC because they don't offer snorkel training. Frankly I think that a bit unreasonable.”

I think it unreasonable for BSAC to promote snorkelling when the vast majority of its branches do not offer snorkelling. Why bother wasting BSAC HQ funds creating marketing material and a new training syllabus when very few branches are interested in offering snorkelling to new customers.

If you ignore those who really insist on buying the top of the range must-have-every-accessory, scuba diving can be an inexpensive sport, albeit after you‘ve re-mortgaged your spleen or sold the kids for experiments. Even eBay has played its part in making scuba diving more affordable. My 5mm wetsuit cost just 1p and is in excellent condition (and it fits!!!!!!).

I don’t consider it unreasonable for branches to be disinterested in snorkelling, but I do consider is unreasonable for BSAC HQ to build up a false promise of affordable and accessible training, only for me and others ending up being disappointed. Imagine Tesco HQ offering a new service or line of products - only for its stores to be nonplussed. We need a scheme that can be easily administered by a wide range of interest groups, including BSAC, PADI and ASA. I would suggest (though I am sure I have mentioned this before) three levels of snorkel training provided by accredited sports centres and clubs:

Snorkel Diver (pool training covering the basics)
Provisional Open Water Snorkel Diver (additional training to include life-saving skills needed to prepare snorkeller for the open water)
Open Water Snorkel Diver (not all training providers would be able to progress you onto the open seas. The concept is that you would take your “Provisional Open Water Snorkel Diver” certificate to a BSAC branch or PADI school, who could earn a few shekels by putting into practice what is learnt in the pool - to sign you off as a fully fledged “Open Water Snorkel Diver”.)

But I guess the common consensus is that Scuba is now definitely in and Snorkelling is out. It cannot compete.

I am looking for a buddy, but someone nearer my abilities and I‘m looking for a club closer to home who might accommodate, but I guess that‘s out of the question. “Drew MacIver” wrote: “But if you are after a buddy, well that's a different story, it’s not about training to snorkel or getting accreditation, its about knowing the person you snorkel with is a decent enough snorkeller to be able to help you if things go wrong; to know when and where to snorkel; how to read tides and predict slack water, someone who knows what is safe and what is not, that's the person I want to get into the water with.”

Agreed!

“Drew MacIver” added: “I snorkel regularly off of Flamborough, North Landing is amazing for it, but as Gary says, the currents are nasty for the unprepared when they change, but for the knowledgeable person it is amazing to snorkel from North Landing round to Thornwick Bay, takes a good couple of hours, there are boilers in there that stick a meter out of the water at low tides but are 3 meters under at high [water].”

“[SNIP] can you swim the 2 miles open water required, carry all your gear 3 miles from the car park down the hill [at North Landing] and then carry it up a very steep hill from Thornwick Bay back into the car park [SNIP]? In all are you going to help me enjoy my day, or am I going to spend my day babysitting you?”

Three miles from the car park at North Landing to the shore near the former lifeboat station? Are you sure it isn’t more like 100 metres? Also, why swim from North Landing to Thornwick Bay? I understand you can enter the water at Thornwick Bay?

“Drew MacIver” Added “That's why we train in the pool, to get you fit enough and strong [SNIP] enough. That's why we have lectures (on safety, rescue skills, surface diving / basic physics and signals). All these things are done to make everyone safe.”

That’s why I want to join a club who can teach me these skills, but Scarborough is the nearest branch. I understand it is also one of the best clubs in BSAC. I guess I should be posting this on a public transport forum. Scarborough SAC start their training sessions just as the last buses and trains leave for Hull :O(…

[David Cowan]

HU1 Diver,

Thanks for an interesting post; I have the following comments.

We need a scheme that can be easily administered by a wide range of interest groups, including BSAC, PADI and ASA. I would suggest (though I am sure I have mentioned this before) three levels of snorkel training provided by accredited sports centres and clubs::O(…

Before I open my mouth, I must advise that I live in faraway South Australia & therefore I have limited knowledge of what happens in the UK. My observation is that someone must be training snorkellers in the UK - the NDO in his report at the recently-held Diving Conference stated that in 2010, 330 members qualified as OWSIs while 400 members qualified as SIs (refer page 19 in DIVE April 2011). It would appear to me that there must be a BSAC-aligned snorkel training scheme operating in parallel to the branch system - please correct me if I am wrong about this.


But I guess the common consensus is that Scuba is now definitely in and Snorkelling is out. It cannot compete. :O(…

I don't fully agree with this perspective. My understanding of the market is that scuba has been in decline for about 15 years. This is apparently due to its popularity with the Baby Boomer generation.

I have personally noticed resurgence in snorkel-based diving activities (particularly freediving - 2 shops in Adelaide now offer training) in the last 10 years. In fact, I recently read in the local diving media that the fastest growing sector in the Australian diving market is spearfishing which has been a mainstream diving activity down here for over 60 years.

My branch is considering offering snorkel training in the future because of interest expressed by members' WAGs (as well as Husbands & Boyfriends) and offspring, and as part of an expanded strategy to recruit new members.

[ChristianG]

I was brought up on a diet of BSAC/NSC literature that clearly stated that to snorkel in open water ...
Gosh, back in my day I purchased a mask (called goggles actually), fins (called flippers) and a ginormous and heavy aluminium, spring based, double action speargun - and got on with it. Actually my parents bought this stuff, given that I had no idea about money in those days. IIRC the speargun was about twice my size but at least I apparently kept us well supplied with fish whilst temporarily in that country (summer school hols).

Yup, the learning curve was decidedly steep but last time I looked I'm still alive.

[littlerattle]

snorkelling has a place in any branch and when taught correctly can be a useful tool working hand in hand with the scuba side of the branch.
If a new Ocean Diver has a problem with confidence, buoyancy, fining our instructors often advice they do the basic snorkel diver course as it addresses these problems without kit, without worry and is fun.
All who have done the course have said it was great and improved their own skills when diving.
Please don’t knock it go and try it, even if you have dived for years you may find that you are told your fining technique is not good, don’t get upset that a snorkeler is telling you this, he or she is probable correct, listen learn and reap the benefits of some sound advice.

[bythesea]

Snorkelling is sooooooo gay.....

[HU1 Diver]

Snorkelling is sooooooo gay.....
Depends where you stick your snorkel?

Me thinks that "bythesea" has confused this forum with facebook!!!

[bythesea]

Depends where you stick your snorkel?

Me thinks that "bythesea" has confused this forum with facebook!!!

I've never been confused....

[HU1 Diver]

Snorkelling is sooooooo gay.....

So why is Snorkelling sooooooo gay.....? :O)

[Drew MacIver]

Three miles from the car park at North Landing to the shore near the former lifeboat station? Are you sure it isn’t more like 100 meters? Also, why swim from North Landing to Thornwick Bay? I understand you can enter the water at Thornwick Bay?

Actually we tend to do it the other way round, this is because of 1)the car park at north landing is council run and costs a blooming fortune, at the top of Thornwick there is a private car park, costs £2 all day, 2) there are some great caves only accessible at low tide/slack just south of North Landing which are better to explore when you are fresh, at the start of the snorkel as opposed to after a lengthy swim,so we tend to enter the water at North Landing, 3)Thornwick bay is just a more private/nicer place for the post snorkel Bbq, and finally 4) the path from Thornwick to the car park is not as steep as the one into North Landing, so is easier at the very end of the day.

That’s why I want to join a club who can teach me these skills, but Scarborough is the nearest branch. I understand it is also one of the best clubs in BSAC. I guess I should be posting this on a public transport forum. Scarborough SAC start their training sessions just as the last buses and trains leave for Hull :O(…

Due to our members work/life commitments we cannot change the times of our pool sessions to suit 1 or 2 persons, unfortunately the needs of the many do outweigh the needs of the few in this instance, if you manage to sort out your transport problems then you would be welcome to join us at Scarborough Sub Aqua Club, until then there is not much anyone can do to help you, but as i said before, you are an adult, the choice is yours.

Drew

[DRW]

I've watched this thread evolve from a local difficulty to a debate on the worth or otherwise of snorkelling as a sport. I grew up snorkelling in the late 1950s at a time when a young swimmer with a mask, a snorkel and a pair of fins was a common sight in public pools. In fact, I owe my ability to swim to my use of fins to propel myself across the surface on my back. Those fins liberated me from the pool bottom as I taught myself to swim. Although my secondary school had a pool, formal swimming instruction, as found in ASA handbooks, was absolutely useless in my case.

Nowadays, I doubt whether young teenagers would have the same freedom as I did to practise snorkelling in the safety of a swimming pool. In my experience, modern pools are either laid out like competitive swimming arenas, with roped-off lanes, or they're dressed up as helter-skelters with shallow water basins to cushion swimmers' falls. Baths attendants have become "health and safety" officers, ready to order out of the water anybody daring to strap on even a pair of short-bladed training fins. I agree with other contributors to this thread that you can teach yourself to snorkel, but most parents would prefer their teenage sons and daughters to learn how to snorkel in the safety of a swimming pool before they venture into open water.

I've been a snorkeller for over half a century. I'm not a scuba diver, I'm not a freediver. I've never wanted to be either, so there's no point in saying "how much better" these activities might be. I snorkel these days in the cold water of the North Sea, off the Northumberland coast. I'm not a "fairweather" snorkeller who thinks you have to jump on a plane and travel as far as Sharm el Sheikh or some other tropical resort to strap on a pair of fins, a mask and stick a snorkel in my mouth. Yesterday, I went snorkelling from my favourite beach, 8 miles from where I live in Newcastle, and I returned home happy and ready to get on with my day. As I snorkelled in the glorious spring sunshine, I didn't have a care in the world and I would have laughed off any suggestion that I would be better off either scuba diving or freediving.

Long-standing, experienced, divers, whether scuba or breath-hold, tend to have a broader, live-and-let-live view of other watersports. The inexperienced tend not only to overestimate the extent of their knowledge and skills but also to look around for somebody to look down on. Snorkelling is a convenient object of such condescension, because they see it as the "baby" stage of scuba and free diving. Well, perhaps snorkelling would be better off cutting itself loose from scuba and free diving and associating itself instead with finswimming and open water swimming, both of which have gained a lot of "street-cred" in recent times. Snorkelling doesn't have to be about just floating on the surface in some warm but boring spot in the tropics with occasional forays beneath the surface. A book called "Swimming free", published in 1973, described how one man used snorkelling gear to swim across rivers and lakes while "swimhiking" around Britain. The sport of "swimtrekking", popular in the Mediterranean, is about using snorkelling gear to swim from one Italian island to another. On ScubaBoard, there's a lively debate about "river snorkelling" in the USA, white-water swimming with fins, mask and snorkel. If the world of scuba diving wants to separate itself from the world of snorkelling, I'd suggest the latter can find a natural home in the Outdoor Swimming Society or the River and Lake Swimming Association rather than ASA, whose methods signally failed to teach me to swim and whose focus seems to be on loftier topics such as which swimming costumes are legal in competitions and which aren't.

[HU1 Diver]

What are the views of others on the PADI Skin Diver course? With no way of securing BSAC accreditation in Hull, PADI might be the only way to secure formal training, thereafter finding a snorkelling buddy might be easier! Several people have promised to help but only after I've secured formal training.

[garethwoodruff]

Why don't you join scarborough BSAC and do the snorkeling training with them?

Get a hostel the night of the club meet for when your doing training and then just go once a month to the club meets to see whats going on. Most diving and i would guess snorkeling is organised by email to a certain extent as well.

[TerryH]

Why don't you join scarborough BSAC and do the snorkeling training with them?

Get a hostel the night of the club meet for when your doing training and then just go once a month to the club meets to see whats going on. Most diving and i would guess snorkeling is organised by email to a certain extent as well.

What !!! and miss the chance of a good rant that BSAC arent laying on a limo
to take hime to the pool. Jeeze :rolleyes:

[HU1 Diver]

Why don't you join scarborough BSAC and do the snorkeling training with them?

Get a hostel the night of the club meet for when your doing training and then just go once a month to the club meets to see whats going on. Most diving and i would guess snorkeling is organised by email to a certain extent as well.

Good idea, Scarborough SAC appears to be the best run BSAC branch in the region, though I might just join as a member, but train with PADI as a Skin Diver. No need sleeping in a hostel nor a limo.

[Toblerone]

I happen to have known HU1 for a couple of years now and I'll be happy to take this up with him offline.

I came to snorkelling because I was medically disqualified on a technicality. Because of that I resolved to teach myself to dive and went out and bought the kit. However, having read a whole bunch of diving manuals, I spent some time talking with local divers. The consensus was that snorkelling/freediving would be a great way to get used to the underwater environment and teach problem solving. I was a bit reluctant to spend another substantial amount putting a set of freediving equipment together, but I've never looked back and there is now a virtually unused set of APEKS regs, Buddy Commando BCD and two steel 300DIN 10 litre cylinders in my shed.

Living in Orkney I have some of the best snorkelling in the country at my doorstep. I have a really nice lady from the field club to go out with twice a week and we're having a brilliant time. Much of it is spent in water less than a metre deep, but we'll happily drift out into the flow and enjoy seals swimming around us in the middle of huge shoals of fish. Penny recently returned from three weeks snorkelling from a yacht off Grenada and reckons Orkney has a lot more variety of coastline and marine life to enjoy and is much better! More and more of my colleagues and friends are getting interested and one (a 57 year old lady from Wales) is coming up from South in July to give it a go. To popularise it I've put up a rather crappy website which will hopefully grow and improve over the coming months.

http://underwaterorkney.co.uk/

If I have one message to HU1 (and I'll talk to him offline) it's one put quite eloquently by another poster here. You don't need a licence to snorkel or dive. BSAC may be the 'governing body' of snorkelling but they have absolutely no control on what non BSAC members do and I don't see anyone claiming otherwise. We all have to plot our own course to happiness and I hope HU1 forgets about BSAC, PADI et al and just goes for it.

[Toblerone]

Who is it that wants you to get accredited and for what reason, I just don't get it, snorkelling is so basic as has been said, kids on holiday work it out for themselves, usually after the second gob full of salt water...

LOL! A 44 year old kid in my case! :)