FAVOURITEKIT
“
I have quite a few toys , but my KISS Spirit rebreather is my favourite . It ’ s light and easy to use .
”
Asked why diving became such a big part of his life , Dave says he sometimes struggles to explain that it ’ s basically just something he does . He finds it relaxing being underwater and likes being around friends on dive boats . “ I like messing around with kit ,” he says . “ My house is constantly cluttered with it . Luckily my wife is a diver , so she is relatively tolerant of this , I do try to have my kit ready to go at short notice if needed .”
Dave got into instructing early in his diving career , progressing through the grades to National Instructor . “ I started at around the time that BSAC was pushing to ensure diver training was carried out by nationally qualified instructors ,” he says . At NUSAC , a really active club , he went through an Instructor Training Course and progressed from there . “ There was a brilliant group of divers , instructors and coaches in the North East ,” he says . “ Dave Taylor , Ken Smith , Paul Smithson , and Graeme Bruce went out of their way to help develop us as divers and instructors . It was good fun training and being trained . That really reinforced the idea that you can enjoy helping others to learn to dive or to make it easier for them .”
Training and presentation skills learned when becoming an instructor still influence Dave ’ s day job , which involves a lot of training and consulting with customers to support fleets of large mining machines around the world .
Following his four-year spell as North East regional coach , Dave remains involved in the Instructor Training Scheme , helping to run events in Yorkshire and the North West , as well as in his local patch . “ I find it enjoyable meeting lots of very keen divers progressing towards instruction ,” he says . “ It ’ s really rewarding seeing them go on to be successful instructors . I enjoy bumping into them at dive sites and hearing what they are getting up to .”
Asked about his favourite course to teach , Dave names the North East Dive Leader Expeditions , where they try to cram as much as possible in to build experience , coach the candidates and make it fun . He has also returned to teaching rebreather courses , which he
used to do in Asia , and is looking forward to introducing more people to that side of things again . At any level – Ocean Diver through to Instructor Training – he enjoys seeing that light-bulb moment when people are able to do something that they previously thought would be impossible .
When asked what advice he would offer to newly qualified Ocean Divers , Dave immediately says : “ Take every opportunity to go diving !” Instructors and more experienced divers in branches are busier than ever with work , with life , with diving , he explains , so make it easy for them to take you diving . Be keen , show up to club nights , make yourself available if the opportunity comes up . You will learn just as much from going diving as you do from formal training courses .” �
SKILLSTIP
“
Look around , see what other people are doing , ask questions . There is seldom only one way of doing things ; so see what works for others , understand why they do it .
”
Regional Boat Handling Course , Hartlepool Marina
Become an Instructor !
Sports Divers and up ( for scuba ) and 16 + year olds ( for snorkelling ) can start instructor training .
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Or visit bsac . com / instruct 47