DEEP DIVER

specialty courses

Deep Diver Course

The Deep Diver course is a popular specialty diving certification for divers who want to explore deeper dive sites beyond the recreational limits of the standard Open Water Diver course. This course allows divers to safely and confidently dive to depths of 40 meters (130 feet), opening up a whole new range of dive locations like deep wrecks, caves, and beautiful underwater environments that lie at greater depths.

Course Overview:

  1. Theory and Knowledge:
    • Understand the physiological effects of diving deeper, including nitrogen narcosis (the “martini effect”), decompression sickness, and oxygen toxicity.
    • Learn about dive planning, including No Decompression Limits (NDL), safety stops, and decompression procedures.
    • Discuss equipment and gas management for deep dives, including the use of dive computers and dive tables designed for deeper depths.
  2. Deep Diving Skills:
    • Learn how to manage nitrogen narcosis, how to recognize and handle its effects, and how to adjust your dive plan accordingly.
    • Develop deeper dive profiles, including planning for dives in environments with reduced light, increased pressure, and potentially stronger currents.
    • Understand and practice controlled descents and ascents, maintaining buoyancy, and performing safety stops at depths of 3-5 meters (10-15 feet).
  3. Safety and Emergency Procedures:
    • Understand how to handle emergencies such as air supply failures, getting disoriented at depth, or gas mixing problems.
    • Learn proper procedures for emergency ascents, and how to deal with potential barotrauma or decompression illness.
    • Know when to end a dive to ensure safety, and how to manage your air supply effectively.
  4. Equipment Considerations:
    • Learn how to use dive computers and tables to plan deep dives safely and understand their limits.
    • Discuss the specialized equipment needed for deep dives, like alternative air sources, backup dive computers, and redundant buoyancy devices.
    • Learn about lighting systems and other tools necessary for exploring deeper, darker environments.
  5. Dive Planning and Execution:
    • Develop a comprehensive dive plan, factoring in-depth, time, air consumption, and buddy systems for deep dives.
    • Practice how to stay calm and maintain proper communication with your dive buddy at deep depths, where visibility might be reduced and conditions could be more challenging.

Prerequisites:

  • Advanced Open Water Diver certification or equivalent.
  • The minimum age requirement of 15 years old (though this may vary by certification agency).
  • Ideally, have some experience with diving deeper than the typical Open Water Diver depth, such as through an Adventure Diver or Deep Dive experience.

Course Structure:

The Deep Diver course typically consists of:

  1. Classroom/Online Learning: Theory-based lessons on the risks and management of deep dives, including dive tables, dive computers, and safety protocols.
  2. Confined Water Practice: In some courses, you may practice skills in a controlled environment, especially if you’re working with specialized deep-diving equipment.
  3. Open Water Dives: Generally, 4 open-water dives to a maximum of 40 meters (130 feet). These dives are conducted under the supervision of a certified instructor, where you’ll practice the skills and techniques learned during the course.

Certification:

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Deep Diver certification, which allows you to dive up to 40 meters (130 feet) safely. This certification demonstrates that you have the skills and knowledge to handle the unique challenges of deep diving.

Why Take the Course?

  • Explore New Dive Sites: Many of the world’s most beautiful dive sites—such as wrecks, reefs, and unique underwater ecosystems—lie at depths that require deep-diving skills.
  • Enhanced Diving Confidence: Learning how to manage the specific risks and techniques associated with deep diving will make you a more capable and confident diver.
  • Adventure: For many divers, the thrill of diving to greater depths and exploring the mysteries of deep water is a huge motivator.
  • Safety: This course equips you with the skills to dive safely in deeper conditions, reducing the likelihood of accidents and allowing you to dive smarter and more efficiently.

Key Benefits:

  • Increased Depth Limit: You’ll be able to dive to 40 meters, which gives access to more diverse dive sites.
  • Increased Dive Time: Better dive planning and understanding of the risks allow you to maximize your time at depth.
  • Confidence in Handling Risks: Understanding nitrogen narcosis, pressure, and deeper conditions will make you feel more secure underwater.

What’s Next After Deep Diver?

Once you’ve earned your Deep Diver certification, you might want to take additional specialized courses like Wreck Diver, and Nitrox Diver course, to explore even more challenging and exciting dive environments.