BSAC Ocean Diver
British Sub-Aqua Club entry-level cert · €480, 5 days, twin-tank-friendly training. The right card for UK club divers.
BSAC Ocean Diver is the British Sub-Aqua Club's entry-level qualification, equivalent to PADI Open Water but with deeper theory, twin-tank exposure, and the UK club-diving culture baked in. We run it for divers who want the BSAC card specifically · usually because they're joining a UK BSAC branch back home, or because they prefer the more theory-heavy syllabus. Five days in Hurghada, six dives, and the same Red Sea sites our PADI Open Water students dive (Gota Abu Ramada, El Fanadir).
- Duration
- 5 days
- Dives included
- 6
- Minimum age
- 14+
- Price
- €480
What you'll do
Five days. Day 1 classroom theory plus pool/confined water session. Days 2-4 open water dives, two per day, working through the BSAC skill set (alternative source breathing, controlled buoyant lifts, surface marker buoy deployment, basic compass nav). Day 5 final theory exam (paper, 80% pass) plus the certifying dive. BSAC Ocean Diver card and logbook issued same day.
Prerequisites
- Minimum age 14
- Basic medical fitness (BSAC self-declaration · doctor's note for flagged items)
- 200 m swim unaided plus 50 m surface tow · assessed day 1
- Avoid flying for 18-24 hours after final dive
01 · Day 1
Classroom theory + confined-water skills
Morning: BSAC Ocean Diver theory module 1-2 · physics, physiology, equipment, basic dive planning. Afternoon: confined-water session in shallow water · regulator drills, mask clear, controlled buoyant ascent, alternative-source breathing.
02 · Day 2
Open Water dives 1-2
Boat to a beginner-friendly Hurghada reef. Two dives at 12 m max · skills repeat in open water, then a guided reef tour. BSAC manual modules 3-4 in the evening.
03 · Day 3
Open Water dives 3-4
Boat to a slightly deeper site (15-18 m). Two dives · surface marker buoy deployment, basic compass nav, buddy rescue tow simulation. BSAC manual modules 5-6 in the evening.
04 · Day 4
Open Water dive 5 + theory revision
Single morning dive to consolidate skills · open-water entries, controlled buoyant lift practice, full equipment kit-up in the water. Afternoon revision session for the theory exam.
05 · Day 5
Theory exam + certifying dive 6
Morning: BSAC paper theory exam (multiple choice, 80% pass). Afternoon: certifying dive 6 · the instructor evaluates the full skill set in one continuous dive. Card and logbook issued at the surface.
✓ What's included
- BSAC instructor (Open Water Instructor minimum)
- All scuba equipment for the duration of the course
- BSAC manual + logbook + diver record card
- 6 boat dives at Hurghada training-friendly sites
- Hot lunch on the boat each day
- Hotel pickup and dropoff inside Hurghada
- BSAC Ocean Diver certification (lifetime, internationally recognised)
Not included
- Travel insurance
- BSAC branch membership (separate · ~£75/year if you join a UK branch back home)
- Underwater photos and video
“Best decision of our trip. Got my Open Water in three days with Karim, then we did two daily-dive days · the captain picked the sites and we ended up on quiet reefs with almost no other boats around. Pickup was on time every morning.”
Maria R. · EN
“Finally a dive center that does exactly what it says. My guide spoke perfect German, small groups, well-maintained gear. Abu Nuhas was a highlight.”
Thomas K. · DE
“A genuinely international team. No deposit required, transparent prices, and a different dive site every day. We'll definitely be back next year.”
Sophie M. · FR