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A scuba set is an independent set of breathing equipment used by divers to breathe underwater. A trained equipment specialist checks for the accuracy and workable condition of the scuba gear before it is given out to divers. From dive regulators to any minor repairs required on your dive equipment, the scuba equipment specialist takes care of everything for you.

Equipment specialist courses

Amongst many courses available, the PADI equipment specialist course is the most widely known and accepted in the scuba diving world. This course revolves around the following features:

• Unlike other equipment specialist programmes, this course gives you a strong foundation to take care of your basic scuba diving gear
• The course gets you familiar with the various operations maintenance of your own scuba diving equipment
• You also learn to identify new and unfamiliar diving equipments
• The program is not just about equipment repair even if it trains you to identify basic problems and repair them
• This programme teaches you to take care of minor problems like wetsuit tear, faulty gauges and valves, cracked o-ring etc. This can go a long way in ensuring diving safety

The course syllabus is based on the principle of teaching the divers to handle their equipments in a more effective manner and making them independent enough to handle any minor repairs. This not only helps them make minor repairs during emergencies but also reduces the cost of equipment maintenance. Following are some highlights of the PADI equipment specialist course:

• Except for minor servicing, training is not given in overhauling and repairing equipments
• The curriculum mostly concentrates on the operational and theoretical aspects of the diving equipment alongwith its principles
• Frequent problems with equipment and advisable professional maintenance methods
• Live demonstrations of repair processes
• Suggestions for easy configuration of equipment
• Introduction to new equipments.

Before undertaking this equipment specialist course one needs to have a prior certification in either the PADI scuba diving course or any other diving course.

Conclusion

It is good to remember a few things once you decide to undertake an equipment specialist course. Be your own equipment specialist as no one else can understand your gear as you do. While taking the course it is advisable to carry your own equipment to get a better knowledge of your equipment and make necessary fixes quickly whenever required. When choosing an instructor, go in for someone who does his own repairs to get a first hand knowledge of the entire procedure.

Deep diving is a form of technical diving for which a deep diver requires special training and specific diving equipments. As exciting and interesting it may sound, it is advisable to maintain a certain level of caution while deep sea diving.

How deep?

The dept achieved during deep sea diving is a debatable issue as different deep divers have different ideas for a deep sea dive. However by general consent the average dept is considered between 30 metres to 40 metres. This is also the usual limit followed even by recreational divers. Technical deep divers and surface supplied divers go as deep as 60 metres and 100 metres respectively. However the world record for the deepest sea dive till date is approximately 330 metres.

The purpose of deep diving is to see the underwater life that is usually not visible at shallower depths. Greater the depth lesser is the exposure to surface surge and more chances of finding preserved wrecks and fossils. Other that this you can also see unusual marine life.

Courses and certifications

The PADI deep diver course is amongst the popular deep diving courses that potential divers undertake. This is both for recreational purposes as well as for those who intend making a career in deep sea diving. For deep diving it is mandatory to have a certification for the diver to understand his own capabilities and weak points as a deep diver.

A pre-requisite to any of the advanced deep diving courses such as the PADI course is a deep diver certification in Advanced Open water course. This gives the divers the basic training for deep sea diving.

Concerns during deep diving

There are various hazards involved during deep diving. Some of them are as follows:

• Nitrogen narcosis which is similar to intoxication by alcohol. This usually happens when a euphoric diver gets over confident, leading to memory mutilation and numbness
• Physical exertion increases with increased depth which might lead to a greater risk for hypercapnia
• There is a risk of oxygen toxicity as well and this leads to a paroxysm underwater
• Once the deep diver descents to a depth greater than 40 metres there is an additional risk of decompression sickness. In this case the diver cannot make an immediate ascend in case of an emergency

Deep diving can be a demanding profession and as a deep diver you need to analyze the fact that whether you are ready for the challenges and risks it offers alongside an exciting and adventurous life.

Exploring caves and caverns can be a fun activity and this is exactly what a cavern diver does! Cavern diving is the exploration of natural and artificial caves that are partially or completely filled with water. The basic guideline while cavern diving is to keep sight of the opening at all times. This is so that the diver can make emergency ascents whenever required.

Difference between cave diving and cavern diving

Technically cave diving and cavern diving are two very different forms of diving. Infact the training certifications are also provided by different institutes. Following are some fundamental differences:

Cavern Diving
1.
A cavern diver usually moves around the range of 130 ft of the opening.

Cave Diving
Cave divers go deep into the caves from where the opening is usually not visible.

2.Cavern Diving
Diver certifications are available from PADI, SDI, SSI and NAUI.

Cave Diving
Certification courses from GUE, TDI and IANTD.

3.Cavern Diving
Diving equipment is more or less similar to the ones used during open water diving.

Cave Diving
Equipment used is highly specialized to cater to the various risks involved during diving.

4.Cavern Diving
A cavern diver uses single tank and single regulator gas delivery system.

Cave Diving
Whether using single or double tanks, the system feeds two valves or regulators.

5.Cavern Diving
Easy enough to be undertaken by recreational divers.

Cave Diving
Requires formal training.

Cavern diver courses

There are a number of courses available in cavern diving, however the PADI cavern diver course is probably the most popular one. Prior knowledge in open diving is a pre-requisite for this course and therefore it is not meant for complete novices. The PADI cavern diver course changes you into an expert in cavern diving and trains you for:

• Planning involved before a dive
• Line and reel handling. This training is given in open water before entering a cavern
• Various emergency procedures  and hazards involved during cavern diving such as disorientation
• Protocols used during cavern diving
• Cavern navigation process
• Use of specialized equipments used by cavern divers, such as lights, breathing systems, etc
• Techniques used by cavern divers such as buoyancy control, air sharing etc
• Silt prevention
• Air management

Despite the risks involved cavern diving can be fun. It is the explorations undertaken by such cavern divers that has lead to the discovery of exquisite flora and fauna, unique physical features in caves and many more. So shed your inhibitions and become a cavern diver!

Advanced Open Water Diver

An advanced open water diver is a certified diver who has qualified on the basis of his skills and performance to go free diving into the waters of any ocean and sea across the globe.

There are various aspects of open water diving that is not free from risks and dangers. It all leads to the requirement of a program that will establish a diver as capable of handling himself and his diving equipment to his advantage during diving expeditions. Apart from this divers are also expected to come of all aid and help to his fellow divers in case of any need.

A certification is an assurance of the required performance from a diver or even a group against unexpected problems and tight situations during an underwater exploration. It is a way to ensure safety and security of future divers. It helps to instill in them a sense of responsibility towards themselves and their fellow divers.

Advanced Open Water Diver Certification

There are many diving organizations in the world like PADI, SSI among many others who are into the field training professional and recreational divers. There are various programs at different levels that depend on the age group, medical fitness and experience and ability of a diver.

There are those diving enthusiasts who are prone to deep depth diving as well as other types of diving like cave and cavern diving.
Advanced open water diver certification is also required in case underwater navigation and diving expeditions during night times.

There are also extensive training in buoyancy control and usage of sophisticated  equipments like dive computers and compass.

For all such divers it is imperative to undergo specialized training of knowledge and equipments under the advanced open water diver certification program. This will tell them of all the aspects of navigation and equipment handling that is essential during such explorations. There are other aspects of advanced open water diving that range from a proper planning to a controlled nervous system and physical fitness to sustain the pressure of the expedition.

Advanced Open Water Diver Course

The advanced open water diver course can be taken up for pursuance after the basic open water diving program. There are no other pre-requisites that are required for this course except for a minimum age of 15 years.

The advanced course enhances knowledge about scuba diving and the various types of diving expeditions that can be done. It helps one to understand the variety of marine life better and recognize and identify each species that is seen.
There is a better understanding of all the equipments that are used and the various ways that these can be put to optimum usage especially in times of need.

Advanced Open Water Diver Manual

The advanced open water diver manual is a book of all the rules and regulations that are involved in the course of the program. It is a recapitulation of all that is taught in the program for the diver.

Advanced Open Water Diver Cost

The cost of initial lessons of the advanced open water diver program is approximately $120 dollars. This is for the knowledge development and theoretical classes.

The cost of the next level of training that includes 5 dives in an open water experience is $295 dollars approximately.
Please note that these are approximate costs and may vary from place to place owing to difference of currency and their valuation against the $US dollar.

Advance diving as the name probably suggests to you already is an extension of the initial scuba divers training program. After the initial stages where you get accustomed to the conditions of underwater explorations as well as with the various equipments of the scuba gear you may be well in a position to take a step further and learn newer types of scuba diving. There are several different areas of scuba diving that can be learnt in advanced program.  This will take your capabilities to newer heights while giving you a better exposure and a closer look at the wonders of the marine life.

Advance Diving Course

There are a whole lot of new areas of learning and experience that is involved in an advanced diving course. All of these will also include newer technological knowledge as well as the use of newer equipments and gear of scuba diving.

Some of the things that will be learnt are as follows.

• Deep Diving – the initial stages of the diving lessons allow divers to proceed with a certain level of depth in the water. In the advanced stages of learning learners are taken to newer depths of the sea and oceans for explorations.
• Navigational Skills – this is an important part of the advanced diving course. Advanced diving also requires skills in better navigation knowledge in underwater situations. The techniques for that are taught in this program.
• Night Diving – one of the most exciting part of scuba diving is diving after nightfall and be able to witness the wonders of the marine life. However it is not possible to achieve that level of skill and knowledge without an advanced program in diving.
• Skilled Use of Equipments – training in an advanced diving course enables divers to know and learn to use the equipments used in scuba diving with more precision and to more advantage.

Advance Diving Magazine

There are several advanced diving magazines that bring out regular issues about details of scuba diving. These magazines are a constant update in the hands of scuba diving enthusiasts. They bring all regular details of the developments in the arena of scuba diving and underwater explorations.

The magazines are also a source of information of newer sites for scuba diving, deep water navigation or wreak diving explorations. They are a connection between diving groups and information of various new records and expeditions that are taking place around the world.

Here is a list of some of the names of advanced diving magazines for you.

• Advanced Diver Magazine
• Alert Diver Magazine
• Asian Diver Magazine
• California Diving News
• Dive Pacific (also available in ‘Dive New Zealand’)

Advance Diving Certification

There are certain risk factors that are involved in the process of an advanced diving program. Even if you are skilled enough to do them you may not be allowed to perform in deep water explorations and underwater navigations unless you show a valid certification.

A valid and recognized certification helps you to fulfill your dreams of that perfect scuba diving anywhere and anytime in the world. So make sure that you get your certification to be a part of this wonderful experience of a lifetime.

Oxygen Provider Training

Among all the important aspects of a scuba diving program medical alertness is an important one. This refers to medical alertness in case of any personal developments as well as those that may arise in case of others. There are several ailments or signs of sickness like that of decompression sickness or even a case of sudden and unexpected drowning that may take place during a scuba diving program. This may be easily treatable by the application of oxygen supply on the person. This is the reason behind the inclusion of an oxygen provider training in a scuba diving program. This enables a basic training of providing emergency oxygen to all learners in a scuba diving program.

Emergency Oxygen Provider

Scuba diving involves several illnesses like decompression sickness that may strike instantly and does not leaves one with much time to call or even reach registered medical attention. However these are all treatable by oxygen. It is with this aim in mind that the administration of oxygen supply to patients is taught to learners of scuba diving. It helps in an immediate attention to all related illnesses with immediate oxygen supply.

PADI Oxygen Provider Instructor

PADI oxygen provider instructor is a part of the scuba diving program whereby learners are taught about the basic of medical treatment and help that they might have to provide a fellow diver in times of emergency.

There are levels of treatment procedures that are there in the scuba diving programs – the primary and the secondary level of medical attention.

The Instructor of this program gives the learners a comprehensive knowledge about the equipment and its set-up during a time of emergency and the way to get it across to the waiting patient.

PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

The PADI emergency oxygen provider course is a l specialty program launched by the diving organization. Decompression illness or sudden drowning may happen at times when immediate medical attention will be necessary.  At the same time there may not be enough time at hand to call or wait for a registered doctor to administer medication.

The PADI emergency oxygen provider course is a primary level course that teaches an absolute fresher the symptoms of diving illnesses and the easiest and the quickest detection and confirmation procedure so that immediate medical attention can be provided.

The course has no pre-requirements of qualification and experience. It is a simple process of the identification of a problem to be followed by the treatment procedure of oxygen supply to the patient. There is prior experience of CPR that is required as well. The PADI manual is provided to all learners that tell them adequately the ways of setting up of oxygen equipments and start the process so that it brings about immediate relief to the patients.

Fish Identification

One of the most interesting and breathtaking aspects of underwater exploration is to witness the variety of life species that is present there. However it is also important to know the various forms of fishes and sea creatures that are present to be able to identify one when you see them. There are also several species of endangered sea and water animals that may need conservation and thus divers need to be careful not to disturb them or be of any harm to them however unintentionally.

PADI Fish Identification Course

PADI is one of the leading diving organizations that train people in various aspects of scuba diving. There are nuances that are learnt here about diving to make the exploration experience an enjoyable and a fulfilling one.

PADI fish identification course begins with a primary focus on the major fish family categories and their individual characteristics. This helps the scuba divers to be able to identify a fish of the same category anywhere they see while scuba diving anywhere in the world.

In the course of training participants are also told about the ways of identification of the different species of fishes and their identification at any other place in the world based on some calculations.

Students will also be told about the various natural conditions like tidal waves and climatic changes that affect the course of fish movements. This will also determine the kind of fish that can be seen by a diver when he is getting in the water of a particular area at a particular point of time.

There are techniques to conduct an individual fish survey and maintain your own data and records.
There is also a provision of learning the fine skills of underwater photography that will help a learner to capture rare images of fishes and underwater life.

PADI Aware Fish Identification Specialty Course

The PADI aware fish identification specialty course takes the process of fish identification one step further.
In this program there is a basic identification training of all the main fish families and their characteristic traits. This enables a learner to recognize and understand the types of different fish that they might encounter while on their diving explorations.

Apart from this there is also an extensive training on the dangers posing the different kinds of fish and the classifications of endangered underwater animal species are also made. This helps the divers to plan and organize their exploration and record the data accordingly.

This will also lead to a diver getting a certificate of fish identification specialty from the PADI diving organization.  They can also present their report on the dangers posing the living species of the water and the need for their conservation. They can also elaborate on the current problems and ways to solve them for future protection of the fishes and other living creatures.

Junior Diving

There are several techniques and methods of scuba diving and underwater movements that need to be understood well and even practiced with professional trainers before setting foot into it alone. No matter what the level of interest and curiosity might be it will in the best interest of your child to learn these prior to and experience of the real kind.

PADI Junior Courses

If there is one way that your child of 14 years of age or more is interested to learn the nuances of underwater exploration and the art of diving the PADI junior courses may be the right place for you and your child.

There are three stages of learning the art of scuba diving in the PADI junior courses. These are as follows.

• Scuba Diving Theories – This is the stage of theoretical learning. This is where students are told about the science scuba diving, the gear and the equipments accompanying it. Participants are told about the principles that should be followed while diving and the important rules that need to be remembered. They are also made aware of the emergency situations that may arise and the specific rules that need to be followed in such situations.
• Training in Diving – This is the part of the training where professional train the children in restricted waters. This is a practical session where all the theoretical knowledge is implemented in real water situations.
• Open Water Exploration – This is the final session of the junior scuba diving course. The open water exploration signifies the phase of the course where the children are exposed to the waters of the seas and ocean fronts. They get to understand the feel of what a real exploration and scuba diving is all about. It also enables the children to take a closer look at the underwater habitation and all that they may encounter on an exploration apart from the incredible natural beauty. Since this is also done under the supervision of trainers and experienced divers it is safe for the children as well.

Junior Diving Certificate

There are PADI courses for various levels of diving programs designed for children of different age groups. These are complete with an array of activities that are suited for a particular age group of children.

PADI certification cards and scuba diving credentials are recognized the world over for its specialized training programs. It teaches children the techniques of underwater breathing as well the ways and methods of using different equipments of scuba diving gear.

The eligibility criteria for a PADI junior diving certificate is an  age group 10 years and older among children for the regular program and a minimum of 13 years in case of an e-Learning program.

The curriculum of the diving program will expose the children to at least 5 dives in the restricted pool area and another 5 dives during the course of the open exploration site. All these will be done under the supervision of a trained and experienced trainer diver.

Nitrox Diver

The word Nitrox refers to a gas that consists of nitrogen and oxygen and is used for breathing. The association of Nitrox with diving is related to the aspect where divers wish to stay underwater for longer periods of time. Therefore a Nitrox diver is basically who would want to be able to sustain a longer period of time in underwater exploration.

In this way of scuba diving there are lesser risks for divers to suffer from decompression sickness. The Nitrogen and Oxygen content in Nitrox is one where oxygen content is more in ratio than nitrogen as compared to that present in the earth’s atmosphere where Nitrogen content is 78% and oxygen content is 21%.

The main aspect that sets apart a Nitrox diver from a regular scuba diver is the fact that the Nitrox diver is one who relies on the use of Nitrox in his gas cylinders for underwater explorations. The gas that is used in case of a Nitrox diver uses various ratios of nitrogen and oxygen content depending upon the amount of time that a diver intends to spend underwater as well as the interval after which he can go for a second dive.

Nitrox Resort Diver

There are several beach resorts that offer courses of scuba diving to their holiday making guests during their stay. These enable the guests to spend time meaningfully doing something that may be of great interest to them. In case of resort scuba divers scuba diving is more for leisure than anything else. The gas content of Nitrox has more of oxygen and less of nitrogen which makes harmless for the users.

Nitrox divers can enjoy longer durations of time underwater and there is the advantage of shorter on surface intervals. It makes the experience of a holiday maker a memorable one to cherish for the rest of his life.

Advanced Nitrox Diver

Advanced Nitrox diver programs is one that trains divers for a longer period of underwater stay in which the gas content ratio of nitrogen can be more than that if oxygen. This basically implies that the longer the diver stays underwater the more of nitrogen is inhaled by him. This may lead to certain feelings of sickness in the diver.

There are courses to train an advanced Nitrox diver with the techniques related to the use of Nitrox. However the focus is mainly on the ways the excess use of Nitrox can be handled along with the right way to use it. There is also an awareness creation of the hazards involved in the process for the diver.

Nitrox Resort Diver Course

There are resorts that enable their guests to spend a holiday learning something meaningful that they might have always wanted to but never got a chance.

Nitrox diving for leisure purpose doesn’t call upon any health hazard for thee diver and also allows them to explore for longer periods of time underwater.

Wakatobi Dive Resort Nitrox

The Wakatobi Resort in Indonesia is all about Nitrox diving. You can even get yourself Nitrox certified through an online program and then continue with the wonderful world of underwater exploration at the Wakatobi Resort.
They have all arrangements of gas supply, equipments supply that can be rented there for their guests who can then take lessons followed by extensive tours that reveal the rich heritage of the ocean around.

There are three types of Nitrox diving facilities available at Wakatobi Resort – Shore diving, Boat diving and Night diving.

If you are fond of diving or want to earn your livelihood as diver, you need to take some special courses in diving. Night diving is an adventurous way to discover the underwater world and its mysteries. You should enroll yourself in PADI Night Diver Specialty Course, to become a specialist.

What does PADI night diver mean?

PADI stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors and it offers a special course to train you for underwater diving at nights. To be a good quality night diver, you should follow the PADI Night Diver Specialty Course.

Requirements to do the course

To get started with the course, you need to furnish the following things:

• Your age proof: You should be at least 12 years old to take this course.
• Certification: You need to have completed a qualifying diving course form any registered organization and have to provide with a Junior Open Water Diver Certification.
• Apparatus: You need to bring your own Night-Pak, which includes PADI diver manual, log insert and PADI night diving video. You will also need dive lights and night diving equipments, including scuba mask and diving gear.

Things you will learn in the course

The course aims to make acquainted you with the skills of diving, planning, organization, techniques, procedures, knowledge, troubles, disasters and pleasure of diving at night.

The course also teaches you how to enter, exit and do underwater navigation, control your buoyancy, communicate and how to handle light at night. As you will come across a new variety of flora and fauna, you will also have an introduction with the nocturnal aquatic life.

Duration of the course

The total duration of the course will be twelve hours. You need to do minimum 3 dives in one day.

During the training of the course, you will be excited to be a part of the adventure, excitement and thrill associated with night diving. After completion of the course, you will have one more feather in your cap to proceed towards taking a PADI Master Scuba Diving Certification.