PADI vs BSAC (part II)...Andrew Collins - BSAC OWI Advanced/Production ManagerDecember 10, 2006 at 09:11:55As a final comment, regarding my recent post, I'd just like to say that I'm not necessarily against
PADI. The more people diving the better since this benefits us all in terms of better and cheaper kit and a wider range of diving sites supported. Our club welcomes divers of all persuasions. Last year, for example a Lady joined our club with PADI Rescue diver Quals. She had previously only ever dived in warm tropical seas. She has proven to be an excellent diver and I recently had the pleasure of conducting her final assessment dives to become a BSAC Dive Leader
which she passed with flying colours. These Dives were conducted in a dark quarry in N.Wales during November with a water temp of around 7C. In fact she has proven so popular within the club that at our last AGM she was voted in as our Chairman. I hope this shows that my club and indeed the vast majority of BSAC clubs welcome any divers onto their membership. What we don't like is PADI divers 'telling us like it is'.
Please remember we probably know a lot more about your system than you know about ours! Because of the diverse background of our membership we regularly get to dive with people trained from many different agencies. When was the last time you dived with, or even had a conversation with a BSAC diver? UK diving is very different from most of the world. Dry suits are pretty much mandatory, visibility can often reduce to zero, temperatures rarely get above 17C and
6 metre tides with 3-4 knot currents are not uncommon. Many people might ask, well why do it then, if it's so difficult? That's why we do it! For many UK divers, tropical reef diving is just a pool with a view, whereas every time we dive in the UK it presents a real challenge and that's what we enjoy. | 
