SCUBAHUB
Dave Pegler
Kevin Holmes
National Instructors
– the best of the best
BSAC HAS WELCOMED TWO NEW National Instructors to its team , after a successful final assessment .
Kevin Holmes and Dave Pegler were put through their paces over four days at the end of the summer , before being awarded their National Instructor ( NI ) status . They now join BSAC ’ s current cohort of NIs who lead and develop BSAC training and delivery around the UK and overseas .
National Instructor is BSAC ’ s highest instructor qualification and has been held by 277 members since it was introduced back in 1966 . Each year , suitably qualified BSAC members are given the opportunity to complete the National Instructor course , culminating in the final assessment and exam .
During the final exam , candidates are assessed on their instructor and leadership skills across 23 separate elements . This year ’ s National Instructor assessment took place in Dunoon , Scotland , where former BSAC Northern Europe Regional Coach , Kevin Holmes and Dave Pegler of Exeter BSAC successfully made the grade .
It was a case of ‘ third time lucky ’ for Dave ‘ Pegs ’ Pegler , who has now joined the ranks of BSAC ’ s National Instructors .
Recently returned from a dive trip to Mexico , Dave said he was delighted to have passed the NI exam on his third attempt . “ It still feels a bit surreal and has not fully sunk in yet !” he added .
Having learnt to dive in the army , Germany-based Kevin Holmes originally attempted his NI back in 2019 . Following a hiatus due to Covid , he travelled back to the UK this year to successfully gain his National Instructor ticket . He now wants
Focused and free – WheelsDan qualifies as instructor
A DIVER WHO WAS LEFT PARALYSED from the waist down after a motorcycle accident has gone from new trainee to Open Water Instructor ( OWI ) in just four years . Dan Metcalfe , 35 , known by his friends as ‘ WheelsDan ’, achieved his OWI status over the summer , and is now teaching within his branch , Bingham SAC . Dan ’ s OWI mentor , Adrian Collier , said he was a huge asset to the club .
12
“ Dan has had to overcome many barriers and he won ’ t accept no . If he has been unable to teach an element due to disability , then he has simply found an alternative way to do it . His drive is contagious and it has been great fun working with him !” Dan joined Bingham in 2019 , as part of his emotional recovery from the trauma of the motorbike accident . However , he was just a few months into his Ocean Diver training when he was involved in a second crash , this time while on a 600-mile charity handcycle ride he was struck by a car , leaving him with injuries to his neck and shoulder . Suffering from PTSD , Dan admits he was in a ‘ dark place ’ after the second crash . But two of his friends from Bingham – Helena Robertshaw and Paul Jarmin - rallied round and suggested he get back into the water . After completing his first open water dive at Stoney Cove , Dan realised that scuba was going to be part of his recovery , as he explains : “ Diving just completely fixed my head and I came out happy , feeling like I ’ d accomplished something . The feeling lasted a couple of weeks , so we went diving again and I found that it had given me the passion to do something again . I was just as important as my buddy and it felt really good .” Dan quickly progressed through the BSAC diving grades , with a dive on Scapa Flow ’ s F2 his very first sea dive as a qualified Ocean Diver , and got more involved in his branch , including taking on the role of Kit Officer . And in September 2022 , he completed three