Drop-in Pool Scuba Sessions

If you are a certified diver and a current HHUC member who has paid dues for the current semester, you are eligible to book drop-in slots at the Athletic Centre Varsity Pool, during our winter and fall Learn To Scuba classes, to practice your scuba skills.

Questions are welcome at moc.liamgnull@loop.cuhh, whether you are an active HHUC member or not.

Drop-ins for Winter 2026 have ended. Please check back in September 2026 for the fall schedule.

Schedule / Logistics

Drop-in slots are available in the same pool space (Varsity Pool) and schedule as the Learn To Scuba courses. To avoid crowding the students, drop-ins are capped at a max of 4 divers (aka 2 buddy pairs) per session.

Drop-in dates may be added, moved, or canceled based on Varsity Pool scheduling constraints. Please check this page for the most up to date schedule.

Drop-ins must pre-register for a slot. Please do not show up without confirmation.

You must dive with a buddy. If you do not have one, we will try our best to pair you up with another drop-in or volunteer, but cannot guarantee one for you.

See the Equipment section for more info on equipment availability for drop-ins.

Learn to Scuba will run:

For ~10 weeks in the winter (~ Jan – April), on Tuesday nights 9-11pm
And ~10 weeks in the fall (~ September – December), on Tuesday nights 9-11pm
There are no drop-in sessions over the summer (~May to August).

Timing

Learn to Scuba classes run 9-11pm on Tuesdays.

Drop-in divers may enter the pool at 9pm, and must clear all equipment from the pool deck before 11pm. We ask drop-ins to do the following:

8:45PM: Arrive to pool deck for briefing, changing, and assembling your equipment
9:00PM: Conduct buddy check before entering the water
10:45PM: Exit the pool and begin equipment teardown, rinsing, and storage

Location

Drop-in takes place in the deep end of the Athletic Centre – Varsity Pool at 55 Harbord St. Please see the FAQ below for more detailed instructions on access.

Paid underground parking is available across the street at 17 Glen Morris Street – Graduate House. Limited street parking may also be available.

Booking a drop-in slot

Book a slot by emailing moc.liamgnull@loop.cuhh at least 48hr in advance of the session you wish to attend. Please await confirmation of your slot before planning to attend.

An online booking app is in the works for September 2026.

There is no cost to book a slot. Slot bookings will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please give as much notice as possible if you need to cancel your slot, so that it can be made available to other divers. Repeated last-minute cancellations may affect eligibility for the drop-in program.

First-time drop-ins / returning members

If you have not attended drop-ins before, or have had a lapse in HHUC / OUC membership, please email moc.liamgnull@loop.cuhh with the following information for yourself and your buddy (if applicable) before booking a slot:

Date, agency, and card # of your highest-level dive certification(s)
Number of logged dives
Your active HHUC membership for the semester (forward confirmation email or receipt PDF)
Your active OUC membership number

Equipment

The club can provide the following equipment for a drop-in session, free of charge:

A tank (single AL80, air fill, mostly yoke valves)
A BCD
A regulator set

Divers must bring their own:

Mask (and snorkel, if using)
Wetsuit / swimwear
Fins
Weights (the club has a limited supply of weights; please bring your own if you have them)
Yoke-to-DIN adapter, if needed (the club has a limited number of DIN tanks)

Equipment priority is given to the Learn to Scuba students; we encourage divers to bring their own equipment whenever possible, as we cannot guarantee sizing.

Club policies / ethos

By participating in drop-ins, divers accept the HHUC Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it at all times. In short:

HHUC is a teaching club. Please demonstrate safe, responsible diving in front of students. This includes buddy proximity, full buddy checks before entering the water, awareness of your surroundings, and control of your own movements at all times.
As a certified diver, it is your responsibility to be aware of students in the pool. Please give them space and ensure that your training exercises (i.e. DSMB deployments) are not disruptive to their learning.
Please respect the instructions of HHUC volunteers.

Repeated behaviour which goes against club policy may result in removal from the drop-in program.

FAQs

Who will assemble and tear down equipment?

Certified divers are expected to understand and be responsible for their own equipment setup and teardown. A rinse bucket will be provided; if using club gear, you are also responsible for rinsing gear and ensuring that all equipment is returned in good working order.

Please ask for help if you are unsure of how to safely assemble, tear down, or rinse your equipment.

What do I need to do with club gear before returning it to the equipment room?

Rinse and drain your BCD. Remove weights from pockets if using.
Rinse your regulators. Do not submerge the first stage, and do not hit purge on the second stages while doing so.
Leave your tank valve cap off, to indicate that the tank needs filling.

Why do I need to dive with a buddy in a pool?

There are several reasons why the club enforces buddy diving and buddy proximity, even in the pool:

To set an example of safe diving practices in front of students;
To encourage meaningful buddying in all environments, whether in a pool or in open water;
Solo diving is not covered under club insurance.

Even a pool is not a 100% benign environment. If a lifeguard or another diver can get to your buddy faster than you can, you’re too far away.

Can I bring a guest as my buddy?

Due to club policy and insurance requirements, all divers must be current members of HHUC who have paid dues for the current semester. Unfortunately we cannot allow guest divers in the pool.

How do I access the Varsity Pool at the Athletic Centre?

UofT students can access the pool via the regular change rooms, from the main Harbord St. entrance.

Non-UofT students are asked to use the Spadina change rooms. They can be accessed in two ways:

Enter via the main Harbord St. doors, and use the pool gallery to cross to the Spadina change rooms (this option can be difficult if you are bringing gear);
Enter via the doors on Spadina Avenue, turn right, and proceed down the stairs (these doors are normally locked; message an HHUC volunteer to let you in)

Please see the maps here for a helpful visual guide.