Festive fun at Vobster
THE EVER-POPULAR VOBSTER SANTAS EVENT IS RETURNING ON SUNDAY , 15 December , and BSAC divers are invited to don their Santa suits and get involved .
The mass Santa dive event has been held almost every year since 2007 and to-date , has raised over £ 52,000 for Help for Heroes and the RNLI . And , in 2015 , the Vobster Santas claimed the world record for the most Santa divers – 188 – in the water at the same time .
With this record yet to be beaten , organisers are hoping as many divers as possible will take the plunge at the Somerset-based diving and open water activity centre for a pre-festive fun dive .
The Vobster Santa event is open to divers of all levels , who need to dress in their best Santa outfits for the mass dive . Participants will also be encouraged to raise funds for the two adopted charities through individual sponsorship and online donations .
Organiser and Vobster Quay owner Amy Stanton is confident that this year ’ s event will be one of their biggest yet .
“ Vobster Santas is a great way for divers to say a massive thank you to the RNLI and Help for Heroes – two very deserving charities close to our hearts . We ’ re immensely proud of all that Vobster Santas has achieved and hope that even more divers will join this year ’ s event !”
Divers can register for the Vobster Santas event at www . vobster . com / event-vobstersantas . php
2025 year planner
THE BSAC YEAR PLANNER IS now available for 2025 , enabling members and clubs to organise trips for the year ahead .
As well as space to add notes , the planner shows spring and neap tide information throughout 2025 . The PDF can be printed off in either A4 or A3 , perfect for the dive club noticeboard . The planner also comes in larger sizes – A2 and A1 – which can be sent to your local printers or copy shop if you need a large size .
Also available is a shared ‘ subscription ’ calendar featuring all spring and neap tides , which is provided for smartphones , iPads and shared calendars on desktop computers . Subscribing to this calendar called ‘ BSAC year planner ’ will place spring and neap tide information directly into the calendar on your device .
To download the Year Planner 2025 PDF or to subscribe to the digital format , go to bsac . com / yearplanner
Benefit of the Month
Online videos – webinars and how-tos
WITH THOUGHTS TURNING towards winterising our kit ready for a new year of diving , why not use this downtime to brush up on your diving skills and knowledge ?
BSAC ’ s website has a treasure trove of free online webinars , videos and tutorials designed to support BSAC members ’ individual diving or snorkelling training journeys .
Conceived during Covid as a way to keep members connected and engaged while socialising and diving were off the cards , BSAC ’ s webinars have continued to be a great free resource . The BSAC webinar library includes :
■ ‘ How-to ’ skills videos – ideal for finetuning specific skills such as first aid , dive planning and kit care in the comfort of your own home , this suite of videos perfectly complements the core BSAC training programme .
■ Special interest webinars – instructors and members have shared their knowledge and experience in an informative library of special interest videos . Topics covered have included immersion pulmonary oedema ( IPO ) and marine life talks .
■ Wreck Guides – from UK stalwarts to lesser-known sites , BSAC members share their knowledge of some of their favourite wrecks .
So , as the dark nights draw in , why not log on to bsac . com / onlinelearning
And consolidate your knowledge , ready for the 2025 diving season !
Working Theory ...
BSAC HAS REVAMPED ITS THEORY Instructor Exam Prep event to support as many students as possible to qualify as a TIE Instructor .
Now online , the new TIE Prep format can be completed in around 90 minutes and is the ideal way to prep for the final exam . The Theory Instructor Exam is a key step towards becoming an Open Water Instructor . And , while not compulsory , BSAC recommends that Theory Instructor candidates complete the online prep event first .
The online prep event aims to ‘ demystify ’ the Theory Instructor Exam by going through the format and criteria of the exam so that candidates have a greater understanding of what is expected of them . The online session includes guidance on preparing for the exam , producing the TIE presentation , and what candidates need to know for the theory exam paper . There will also be the opportunity to ask questions in the webinar ’ s Q & A session .
Multiple TIE Prep events will be held throughout 2025 and beyond , with each session costing £ 20 .
For more information and to book a TIE Prep Event , go to bsac . com / events
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