Important information –
We are in the process of updating this information, please check with us as we will be making changes to our Guest Diver policy. – email -dive@sussexdiving.co.uk
Sussex Diving Club welcomes qualified, experienced UK divers as guest divers, you should already have experience of diving in the UK, and ideally be a member of a BSAC club.
Qualifications
We do ask that you meet one of the following minimum qualifications:-
– BSAC Sports Diver or above
– PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or above
– For other agencies, check with our Diving Officer first by emailing – dive@sussexdiving.co.uk
Priority – We must give priority to our own members so, if you have shown interest in a dive on a particular day, you would need to contact us the day before that day to make sure we have space on our RIB – email – dive@sussexdiving.co.uk.
Requirements.
You would also need to provide the following:-
* We would need proof of your qualification, please also let us know how many dives you have done & whether in the UK or abroad.
*You would need a ‘fit to dive’ medical certificate, if you don’t have one we can provide a form for you to complete.
*We also request that visiting divers have Third Party Liability insurance cover and supply proof. Members of BSAC are already covered by the general BSAC policy.
Please note: as a Club run by volunteers, we do not do escorted guest dives, you would need to find a professional organisation who run those types of trips, there are a few along the coast.
Equipment
Guest divers must have your own full set of diving kit, as a club we do not hire out equipment. Oyster Diving on the outskirts of Brighton along the coast to the South West, hire out equipment https://oysterdiving.com/shop/diving-equipment-hire/. Water temperatures in the UK require you to use a drysuit, for which you should already have had training. Divers must carry their own DSMB and torch.
Costs
We use a distance-based banding system for the cost of diving from our RIB, which is permanently moored in Brighton Marina, so the further the wreck/reef, the higher the band. for 2026 the rates are –
£25 – all reefs and wrecks up to 5nm from Brighton Marina, £30 for wrecks 5nm to 8nm from Brighton Marina, £35 for wrecks 8nm to 12nm from Brighton Marina, greater than 12nm from Brighton Marina, tbc.
Second dive of the day £5 discount
You can find distances to local wrecks on this page – Wreck Dives
We allow guest divers to dive with us two times. After that if you want to dive with us on a regular basis we would request that you become a member of the branch.
We have a number of facilities that we can offer the guest diver. As a club we dive regularly on week-day evenings and at weekends all through the summer; plus a number of impromptu dives as and when the weather permits. We occasionally have spare places available on the RIB.
What you can expect to see –
There is a wide variation in dive sites off Sussex. For those interested in Reef Diving, there are a number of ancient fault lines within 2 miles of the shore. These are small underwater chalk cliffs, in some places 2-3 metres high. On the seaward side there are clefts and gullies in the chalk and to the shoreward (deeper) side there is usually an area of scrub. These sites usually offer a wide variety of marine life, with conger eels, crabs and the occasional lobster in the cliffs. Flatfish can also be found in the scrub areas. In recent years jewel anemones and territorial fish have been found in increasing numbers.
If your interest is in Wreck dives, Brighton can offer in excess of 50 large shipwrecks within 15 miles of the marina entrance. Depths vary from 20 to 50 metres, with most wrecks lying in the 30-40 metre range. Many of the wrecks are still recognisable, sitting upright and reasonably intact. Others are well broken up. Either way there is a good variety of wrecks, so you’re sure to find one of them to your liking. The Club has its own compressor and can pump to 230 bar. So if you’ve dived with us we can usually arrange to fill your cylinder after the dive. Air fills cost £5 per fill and Nitrox is also available, cost depending on strength of mix.
If you are planning to visit Brighton and are interested in a dive as a guest please do email us on – dive@sussexdiving.co.uk – for more info. Our dive calendar can be found here – Dive Calendar the calendar is updated as soon as a dive is planned by our members.