Introduction
to Morpeth Dolphins Sub~Aqua Club
The club does most of its diving off the Northumberland Coast from our two fully equipped rigid inflatable dive boats.
Whilst learning to dive all lectures, training and swimming pool diving equipment are provided free of charge – all you pay is £10 per month - you do not have to pay anything to enter the Leisure Centre.) If you have not used an aqualung before then we encourage you to partake in a ‘Try-dive’ which is a taster session* to assist you to decide whether you wish to enroll onto a full training course. The cost is £5 and available to those of all ages.
The ‘Club Diver Course’ comprises:
Fitness test (8 length freesytle, 4 lengths backstroke, 2 lengths freestyle with small weight-belt, collect a brick from 10 feet deep six times, tread water for 2 minutes + I minute with hands above the water)
9 x I hour theory sessions plus a written multiple choice examination
5 x 1 hour pool training sessions (depending on your ability) and an in-water assessment
5 open-water dives and an in-water assessment.
Before you can partake in open-water training you must complete a medical questionnaire and be a member of both Morpeth Dolphins Sub~Aqua Club (MDSAC) and the British Sub~Aqua Club (BSAC).
So what does it cost?
MDSAC Membership: £120 Membership is renewable on 1st April each year (or by standing order of £10 per month) and includes automatic membership to Morpeth & Ponteland Leisure Centres, and free diving air for your personal use.
One hour pool diving session: £5 non-members, members free, members' family swimmers - free
BSAC Membership: Membership costs £43 per annum, which provides 12 monthly issues of a diving magazine (cover price approx. £3.25 per month), affiliated diving qualifications which are recognised world-wide, and £5 million third party insurance. Cohabiting members pay a reduced fee of £28 for the second member only. Each trainee must purchase an initial training pack consisting of a ‘Sport Diver’ manual and course workbook.
These prices are considerably cheaper than those of most other diver training agencies - this is because we operate as a club and rely on club members to provide training and boat maintenance thus keeping overheads to a minimum. We expect therefore that new members become involved in assisting us with this as soon as possible.
Cost of other equipment:
Diving equipment is expensive however in the early stages of training no purchase of equipment is necessary as most can be hired from the club for open-water diving for approximately £10 per week. You are advised to purchase a mask, snorkel and fins as soon as possible for your personal comfort but please ask advice of club members first. Before you can dive in open-water you will need to borrow, hire or buy a diving suit. Wetsuits are cheaper but you are well advised to use a drysuit, which keeps you much warmer. You will need a diving suit before you can commence open-water training. It is the cost of the suit, more than anything else, that holds up students’ training. Towards the end of their first year diving most divers purchase the rest of their equipment. Please seek advice from more senior members whom will be only too pleased to help and will even accompany you to the dive shop.
The following prices are for guidance only: Mask: £20 Fins: £35 Snorkel: £5
Wetsuit: £150 Drysuit: £400+
For further information see our contacts page or just turn up at Morpeth swimming pool (Riverside Leisure Centre) at 8.00pm on any Thursday evening.
So where do we go?
The club normally launches the main RIB – Emily form Amble and goes by sea to the dive sites. We normally spend a week (sometime in the year) in Scotland. We used to use Scoutscroft but have now changed venues for various reasons. The holiday gives members of the club, and their families, the chance to do some intensive diving (weather permitting) and for the ladies to go shopping!
Various other trips have been made over the years to places such as Scapa Flow, Oban, Spain and Ireland, and Malta.