@Kermit98 Provided a very good and informative post.
I concur with the validity of being a BASC Dive Leader (even if you are a DM or above), I happened to take DL first having crossed over from PADI as a RD. Before taking PADI
DM DL and DM are very complimentary courses with some overlap but differences too.
One point to note (playing Devils advocate) Although RD is consider equivalent to Sports diver by BSAC, during the SD training you do learn and carry out a planned simulated decompression dive.
Depending on the sites the club frequents this is one of the skills they may wish you to learn along with gas planing and perhaps DSMB deployment if you haven't already done it
Most clubs are very welcoming, but as in all walks of life you get idiots too
I concur with the validity of being a BASC Dive Leader (even if you are a DM or above), I happened to take DL first having crossed over from PADI as a RD. Before taking PADI
DM DL and DM are very complimentary courses with some overlap but differences too.
One point to note (playing Devils advocate) Although RD is consider equivalent to Sports diver by BSAC, during the SD training you do learn and carry out a planned simulated decompression dive.
Depending on the sites the club frequents this is one of the skills they may wish you to learn along with gas planing and perhaps DSMB deployment if you haven't already done it
Most clubs are very welcoming, but as in all walks of life you get idiots too