Scuba Diving Equipment: The Diver’s Log Book

The Scuba Diver’s Log Book is a very important piece of Scuba Dive Equipment.  It is where the scuba diver records important information from the scuba dives that he or she has completed.  It is a record of what has been accomplished and all of the knowledge attained along the way.

Why Keep a Scuba Dive Log Book?

A Log Book helps the Scuba Diver keep track of the number of scuba dives that are completed.  The number of dives completed is an indication of the experience and skill level of the scuba diver.  When ever a Scuba Diver checks into a Dive Resort, the local dive operator will ask the number of logs dives for this very reason.

Certain Continuing Education Dive Courses require a certain number of logged dives as a prerequisite.   An example of this is the PADI Divemaster course which requires 40 logged dives to enter the program to achieve this PADI Scuba Certification.  The PADI Master Scuba Diver rating requires proof of 50 logged dives.   Keeping a log book is essential should you want to get into a new area of diving.  In addition the log book show how recently you have scuba dived.  Some resorts will not allow a diver to go out on the boat if they have not dived within a certain period.  The log book is proof of when and where you last dove.

A Scuba Log Book is also an encyclopedia of personal diving knowledge.  When properly filled out the scuba diver will record the water temperature and what type of exposure suit was used, and whether or it was warm enough.   In addition the diver will list the amount of weight used on the dive and whether that was satisfactory or not.  Consequently, months or even a year later the diver can refer to this information and determine what might be needed for that upcoming dive trip.

Scuba Regulator and Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) Service Record

Most scuba divers possess their own scuba equipment.  The Scuba Regulator and Buoyancy Control Device or BCD needs to be serviced at least annually.  The log book is an excellent place to log this information to keep track of it.

Scuba Dive Computer as a Log Book

All dive computers have a log book function.  Most of them, however, only record the most recent dives.  Older dives are dropped from the memory as new dives are completed.  For this reason a log book still needs to be maintained.  However, many computers today can be downloaded to a personal computer.  If your Dive Computer has this function, you can print out these pages and use them as a log book, or store them on your PC.

Regardless of which method you use, the scuba diver should always maintain a log book and keep it up to date.

Frequently Asked Questions About Learning to Scuba Dive

Learning to Scuba Dive is not difficult and is fast becoming more and more popular.  There is some confusion about the process and that often keeps prospective scuba divers from taking the plunge.  To help avoid this problem today we will discuss some of the more popular questions that prospective scuba divers often ask.

Do I Need To Be A Good Swimmer To Learn To Scuba Dive?
Not at all.  You be able to swim non-stop for 200 yards using any stroke or combination of strokes that you prefer.  You should also be able to tread water or float in place for ten minutes.  It is not necessary to be an Olympic swimmer, just that you not be afraid of the water.

Do I need to have a physical examination before taking scuba lessons?
Once you have enrolled in your scuba course you will be given a student folder with a “Medical History” questionnaire.  If none of the conditions listed pertain to you, then no further action is necessary.  If, however, you answer, “yes” to any of the questions, you will be given a “Medical Release” to take to your physician.  It is required that this release be signed by a physician prior to starting your pool or open water training.  The purpose of the “Medical Release” is for your safety, to ensure that you would not be putting yourself at risk.

How long does my certification last?
Your certification card has no expiration date.  It is, however, recommended that you stay proficient in regards to your scuba skills.  If you have not scuba dived in awhile it would be prudent to take a “Scuba Review Course” to refresh both your scuba knowledge and skills.

What is involved in Learning to Scuba Dive?
In order to learn to scuba dive and obtain your Scuba Certification, you take the Open Water Scuba Course.  This course has two distinct parts.  The first is class & pool where you learn the dive theory necessary to safely scuba dive and the basic skills involved in scuba diving.  Once you complete the class and pool portion you will complete 4 open water dives with your Scuba Instructor.  This is like the road test and you will demonstrate that you have mastered the skills enabling you to scuba dive without an Instructor.

What happens during the Open Water Certification Dives?
The Open Water Certification Dives are not a test.  You can only accomplish so much in the limited space of a swimming pool.  The Open Water Dives are an opportunity for you to experience the vastness of open water and simultaneously perfect your scuba skills.

There are four dives for the Open Water Certification.  While all of the dives are fun, the first dive is strictly a “fun dive.”   You are taken on tour by your Instructor so that you can see what scuba diving really is.  The next three dives will start with a few of the basic skills that you learned in the swimming pool.  You will not be asked to do anything that you have not done before.  After completing the few skills you will again go on a “fun tour” of the dive site, being accompanied by a member of our highly trained professional staff.

Where do I go To Learn To Scuba Dive?
You will want to find a reputable Dive Center in the area that you live or near where you will be traveling.  The Professional Association of Dive Instructors or PADI is the largest scuba certification agency in the world and a PADI Dive Center is a good place to start.  Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center in Alexandria, Virginia offers not only beginner certification but also offers all levels of PADI Scuba Certification from beginner through Instructor Level.

After obtaining my Open Water Certification, what course should I take next?
No question, take the Advanced Open Water Course (AOW) as soon after as you can. The AOW course is not restricted to advanced divers; it is a continuation of the Open Water course and is perfect for the newly certified diver.  It is only one night of classroom and five dives under the supervision of your instructor.  In one short weekend you will not only double your experience, but you will encounter new types of diving.  Underwater navigation, night diving, deep diving and other areas of diving interest, such as photography and wreck diving await you.

Scuba Diving Specialty Courses at Aquatic Adventures in Northern Virginia

As we discussed in previous postings the entry level Scuba Certification is the Open Water Course.   Everyone regardless of what certification agency they are certified by start with this course.  The Advanced Open Water Course is the one that immediately follows in terms of skill development.    Once you have completed these two courses what else is available?

Wreck Diver & Enriched Air Nitrox – Most Popular Specialty Scuba Certification Courses in Washington DC area

There are several options available to divers in regard to Continuing Scuba Education Courses.   Most people will select the course that they want to take according to what interests them.  For years the most popular of all of the Specialty Courses offered by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors or PADI has been the PADI Wreck Diver Course.  The east coast of the United States is literally littered with ship wrecks.  These make wonderful diving destinations.  The ships become part of the artificial reef programs and provide habitat for countless numbers of fish and fish species.

In recent years the PADI Enriched Air – Nitrox course has become the most popular.  Enriched air is air that has more then the normal 21% oxygen in it.  By using this when diving the scuba diver will have longer allowable bottom times thus getting more time to explore the wreck or reef that they are diving on.  When diving with enriched air the diver also has to have scuba diving equipment that is compatible with the enriched air that he is breathing.  The most common pieces of equipment that need to be suited for enriched air diving is the scuba regulator, the enriched air compatible diving computer, and the oxygen cleaned scuba cylinder.

Since everyone today has a camera it is only natural to want to take photographs underwater.  Consequently, Underwater Photography and specifically PADI Underwater Digital Photography are very popular specialty dive courses.   Needless to say an underwater camera is a must when taking this specialty course.

Night Diver & Underwater Navigation – Useful Scuba Specialty Dive Courses

One of the most exciting specialty dive courses is the Night Diver Specialty Course.  In this course the diver learns how to plan and execute a scuba dive at night.  Since many fish (such as lobster, moray eels, squirrel fish, etc) are nocturnal diving at night is the best way to encounter these exciting critters.  Underwater Navigation is one of the most useful scuba dive specialty courses.  This course teaches the diver how to navigate underwater using both an underwater compass and by natural navigation.  Needless to say, being able to find your way underwater is a very useful scuba diving skill.

Deep Diver – Wreck Diver – Underwater Hunting & Collecting on one of our Dive Center Trips

At Aquatic Adventures we have a very complete Scuba Dive Travel Program.   Our summer trips to Morehead City, N.C. are great places to conduct the PADI Deep Diver, PADI Wreck Diver or the Hunting & Collecting Specialty.  We also offer trips throughout the year to varies dive destinations in the Caribbean, Pacific and Central America.  These more exotic trips are great places to complete the PADI Aware Fish Identification Specialty Course, Underwater Photography, PADI Night Diver or the Drift Diver Specialty Course.

PADI Master Scuba Diver at Aquatic Adventures in Alexandria Northern Virginia

One of the marks of a true scuba diver is their love of scuba diving and their desire to learn different types of diving.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy we not only offer all of the Scuba Specialty Dive Courses we just discussed, but we also promote the PADI Master Scuba Diver Certification.   If a scuba diver completes the PADI Rescue Diver Course and any 5 PADI Specialty Courses and logs over 50 dives he/she can be awarded the PADI Master Scuba Diver Certification, which shows that the diver has experience in several types of diving and has also logged a number of dives denoting an experience level.  This is a non professional scuba rating but one that is a point of pride to many divers.

Regardless of you area of interest if you are an avid Scuba Diver there is a Specialty dive course just perfect for you!

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Training Dive Center in Northern Virginia offers many Scuba Diving Courses.

Beginner Scuba Certification:

Aquatic Adventures offers scuba lessons in Northern Virginia and offers many different courses.  Which one is the best scuba course for me?  This may vary from diver to diver.  Everyone starts with the beginner course called the Open Water Course or if a PADI Dive Center the PADI Open Water Course.  At Aquatic Adventures the PADI Open Water Course takes two weekends and teaches the basic skills and knowledge of basic scuba diving equipment needed in order to scuba dive safely.

Advanced Open Water Certification:

Once you are certified then you will want to move on to more a advanced scuba dive skill level.  The next course is usually the Advanced Open Water course or if a PADI Dive Center the PADI Advanced Open Water Course.  The Advanced course picks up where the Open Water course stops.  It includes areas such as underwater navigation, deep diving, night diver, peak performance buoyancy, wreck diver and many other options.  Since Aquatic Adventures is in the Washington D.C. area this is a popular course.  Most divers in this area appreciate the need for better buoyancy and better underwater navigation.  Going right along with these courses is the need for a good underwater compass and owning your own buoyancy control device or BCD is always a good idea.

Specialty Diver Courses:

One of the nice things about the Advanced Open Water course is that each of these five dives counts as the first dive of the respective specialty diver course.  Thus once most divers complete the Advanced Open Water course they usually will take a Scuba Diving Specialty course or two.  Some of the more popular are underwater navigation and Peak Performance Buoyancy (to perfect your buoyancy skills) as mentioned above.  Underwater Photography or PADI Underwater Digital Photography is also very popular as is Night Diver, where you learn the basic for diving at night, Wreck Diver where you learn the basics of diving in or around ship wrecks, Search & Recovery Diving or the basics of searching underwater for lost or missing objects.  The single most popular of all PADI Specialty courses is the Enriched Air Nitrox or EAN Nitrox course.  Diving with enriched air or air with an oxygen percentage greater then 21% allows for longer bottom times and leaves the diver less fatigued then when diving with air.  Divers who take underwater photography will want their own underwater camera and housing.  Those diving with nitrox will want their own scuba diving computer or maybe even a computer console.

Divemaster, Assistant Instructor & Scuba Instructor:

For those of us who really like scuba diving the jump to Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or even Scuba Instructor is only natural.  Teaching diving is not only fun but it really helps you cement your own personal dive skills making you a much better diver.  Being a professional gets you “wet” or in the water on scuba much more often.  It is also a great way to meet people.  It is emotionally rewarding and can lead to a whole new way of life or even a new life style.  Once you go all the way to PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor you would think that is a far as you would go.  That, however, is not the case.  Most Open Water Scuba Instructors want to be able to teach Scuba Diving Specialty Courses so they may take the Master Scuba Diver Trainer Course, where they learn to teach five or six different specialty diver courses.  From there the next step is to help train Scuba Instructors.  You can accomplish this by taking the Instructor Development Course Instructor or IDC Course.

Technical Diving Courses:

For those who want to truly do something different you might look at Technical Diving.  There is an Introduction to Tec course, which is a pool experience using technical diving equipment.  From there the three most common technical diving courses are Tec 40, where you learn to dive to 40 meters or 131 feet.  Tec 45 takes you to 45 meters or 147 feet and Tec 50 takes you to 50 meters or 164 feet.  This is a different type of diving that is every equipment intensive.  We will have more on this type of diving in future articles.

Dive Travel

Once you have taken the scuba diving courses that interest you the next step is to simply get out and dive.  You local Dive Center can help there.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy in No VA we specialize in Dive Travel

and are only too happy to help you book your next Aquatic Adventure.

Learning to Dive – On Line or In The Northern Virginia Dive Center?

Once you make the decision to learn to scuba dive then you have to decide where to take these lessons?  There are a lot of reputable Dive Centers in Northern, Virginia, where my Dive Center is located.   How do you find them and once you find them how do you decide which to patronize?  Last week we discussed selecting your Dive Center now we will add to that selecting the type of course to take: On Line Training vs In The Classroom Scuba Training.

SELECTING THE DIVE CENTER:
Your On Line Search: Just as we discussed last week we need to start by selecting which Dive Center to associate with.  I live in Alexandria, Virginia so I would start by doing an on line search for any of the following: Dive Center, Alexandria, VA, Dive Lessons Alexandria, Virginia, Dive Classes Alexandria, Virginia, Dive Shop, Alexandria VA or even Scuba Certification Alexandria, VA.  Any of these should show several local Dive Centers.  Since PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the largest of the many certification agencies I would start by looking for the various PADI Dive Centers.  PADI ranks their Dive Centers by the depth (no pun intended) of the services that each Dive Center offers.  The PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center is the highest rating so I would look to see if any of these are listed.

Evaluating the various Dive Centers: Once you find a few start by looking at their webpages.  Don’t go by how flashy the webpage is but by how informative it is.  Everything should be spelled out in an easy to navigate and an easy to understand format.  Look to see if the prices for the Open Water or Beginner Certification are listed.  No one can list all of their prices but since the Open Water Course is the most common one, the prices and schedule for that should be clear.  They should be very clear on what is involved in getting certified to Scuba Dive.  Everything that is included and all prices for not included items should also be listed.  Does their schedule and location fit your needs?

The Complete Dive Center: The last thing to look for is whether or not the dive center is complete.  Do they offer all levels of scuba diving education?  Do they offer Scuba Equipment.  Do they have major lines of equipment.  Do they offer service for what they sell?  Does the Dive Center have a Scuba Diving Travel Program?  Do they have both group trips and do they offer to assist you in booking your own trips should your schedule not match the Dive Centers.  These are all things that you would want from your local dive center.

ON LINE or IN THE DIVE CENTER CLASSES:
Once you select the Dive Center that you want to affiliate with you need to decide what format of course to take.  Today, in this modern world, many people like to do things on line whenever they can.  In fact you did just that to help select the Dive Center.  There are advantages to this and there are definitely disadvantages as well.

On Line Scuba Courses:  The advantages are that they are more convenient.  You can take them when ever you want and where ever you want.  They are great to do if you are traveling as they help fill those long hours when you are not working.  However, there are some drawbacks as well.  Even though you can complete your classroom on line you still need to affiliate with a Dive Center to complete the pool sessions and the four open water dives.  On Line Scuba Courses tend to be more expensive then in the classroom Scuba Courses.  On Line courses are written for a wide range of divers and a very wide range of diving locations.  Therefore they tend to be very general in their course content.  Since you take them on your own they are far less social then the traditional classroom Scuba Classes.

Traditional Classroom Scuba Courses: The traditional course is most often less expensive then the On Line Course and while perhaps less convenient, (you take them when they are offered) the traditional course is much more personal.  The Instructors will work with you directly and answer any questions that you might have.  The traditional Classroom Scuba Course also has you specifically in mind.  While you cover the same material that is covered in the On Line Scuba Course, your Scuba Instructor will personalize the course material to fit you.  He or she will talk specifically about you, where you plan to dive and how it relates to you. The Instructor you have in the classroom is usually the same one you have in the pool and again in Open Water.  It is very nice to know each other and it makes for a more enjoyable course.

Your Scuba Instructor can also help you select any scuba diving equipment that you might want or need.  Your Instructor knows much more about Scuba Equipment and Scuba Travel opportunities.  You Instructor can help steer you in the right direction on these.  The traditional Scuba Course is also a great social opportunity.  You will meet several other new divers with whom you have much in common.  In fact that is how I met my wife – in the Open Water Scuba Course.

ON LINE CONTINUING DIVER EDUCATION COURSES:
There are a number of different Continuing Education Scuba Courses that are also available On Line.  Like the Open Water course the big advantage to taking the classroom on line is the convenience.  The down side is that it is more expensive.  Some courses like the Advanced Open Water course have several options.  Before taking it on line be sure and speak to the local dive center and find out what dives they want you to sign up for on line.  Otherwise you may still have to repeat part of the course in the traditional manner.

Now that you are familiar with what is involved in getting started.  It is time to take the plunge.  Sign up for that Scuba Course, get certified, and go on that next great Aquatic Adventure

.

Selecting A Dive Center:
Selecting just the right Dive Center involves more then just finding the one that is closest to you.  Just like an auto mechanic or someone to repair your home, you want someone who is qualified to do the job, takes pride in their work, is willing to work with you if there are problems and whose charges are reasonable.

What To Look For?
One of the best places to start is with friends who are divers.  They may already have a relationship with a local Dive Center that they would recommend.  Even if they do you might want to do some checking on your own.  I live in Alexandria which is in Northern Virginia so I might want to conduct an internet search for: Scuba Lessons, Northern Virginia or Scuba Classes, Northern Virginia or even Dive Center Northern Virginia or Scuba Certification, Northern Virginia.

Narrowing The List – Scuba Training:
Once I have received the list of Dive Centers that comes up under these searches I would try to narrow the list down.  In an earlier post I talked about the different Scuba Certifications (March 2, 2011).  I personally prefer the courses offered by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors or PADI.  Consequently, I would look to see which ones from the initial list are a PADI Dive Center, preferably a PADI 5 Star or PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center in Northern Virginia.  A PADI 5 Star Dive Center offers more courses and services then a regular Dive Center.  IDC stands for Instructor Development Course which is the training program required to train Scuba Instructors.  Therefore a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center would offer the highest level of certifications as well.

At this point you would want to look on their webpage to see what courses they offer.  Does the course list match the areas of diving that you are interested in; such as underwater photography, Deep Diving or Divemaster or Scuba Instructor Training.

In addition to regular Scuba Courses there are many related Dive Courses such as those offered by the Diver’s Alert Network or DAN.  DAN specializes in research and training related to medical issued that influence scuba diving protocol.  Many Dive Centers offer a variety of DAN courses and the more experienced ones are designated as a DAN Training Center.

Narrowing The List – Scuba Equipment:
Scuba diving is an equipment intensive sport.  It is most helpful if your Dive Center sells and services scuba equipment.  Look to see that what lines of equipment that they carry.  No Dive Center can carry all of the lines available nor would you want them to do so.  Check to see if they carry some of the major ones, if they have a good inventory of items on hand and if the sales people in the Dive Center are knowledgeable about the products that they carry.  A few phone calls or emails can help establish this part.  Some of the major lines of scuba equipment are Zeagle Scuba Equipment, Sherwood Scuba, Aeris Scuba, Henderson Wetsuits and DUI Dry Suits.

Narrowing The List – Dive Travel:
While I really enjoy teaching scuba diving I must admit that I enjoy leading the Dive Center sponsored Dive Trips even more.  There is a big advantage to diving on trips that are led and sponsored by a Dive Center.  Most of the hard work and research are done for you.  These trips should be led by one of the staff at the Dive Center.  Preferably by a Scuba Instructor so that continuing education scuba courses can be conducted on these trips.  Going on a scuba diving vacation when all the work, the research, reservations and bookings are all done for you makes it so much easier and so much more enjoyable.  You also have a group to socialize with after the dives and usually never have to worry about finding a dive buddy for the dives since you are in a group.

Take a look at the Scuba Dive Travel section of the various Dive Center’s webpages.  Look to see if they offer Dive Travel?  Is it throughout the year?  Do they go to a variety of different resorts and locations?  Will they help you book your own trip (Individual Dive Travel) if your schedule does not match that of the Dive Center?

Adding It All Up – Making Your Selection:
Once you have looked over all of the above options you are then pretty well informed.  You should be able to see what each Dive Center offers and most often one will stand out as being able to provide everything that you are looking for.  This will probably become your own favorite Dive Center.   The next step is easy.  Go in take some classes, go on a trip, maybe add to your collection of scuba equipment and just have fun, and enjoy your Aquatic Adventure!

With our upcoming dive trip to La Paz, Mexico and the Sea of Cortez it is only natural to want to become familiar with many of the fish that are endemic to that area.  Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, our PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center has sponsored dive trips there a few times in the past and the fantastic sea life is always amazing.  Lets take a few minutes and look at some of the incredible sea life that we might see on our Dive Trip there this October.

The Crown of Thorns is an eater of coral.  Its job is to keep the amount of coral on a reef in check.  The reef itself is made up of many types of animals.  Starfish and both soft and hard corals can be found on many reefs.  Fish come in all sizes and shapes.  The Fanged Blenny is a very small fish found almost walking on the bottom.  Barber Fish are in the Butterfly Fish family.  They are often seen in small schools or pairs as they tend to mate for life.  You will notice that while the fish are very familiar they are different then their Caribbean cousins.  The PADI Aware Fish ID Course is great in learning how to identify these species.

One of the unique aspects of the Sea of Cortez is how diverse the sea life is.  Besides fish and corals many mammals can be seen like the playful Sea Lion.  Those who dive in the Caribbean are used to seeing Parrot Fish.  Here we see the bumphead Parrot Fish, which is larger then the average Caribbean Parrot Fish.

There are several shipwrecks in the Sea of Cortez, making this an area conducive to wreck diving and taking the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Course as well as the PADI Underwater Digital Photography Course.  Here we see a picture taken with a Sealife Digital Camera of the Mast of a Ship Wreck with thousands of small bait fish swimming around it.  On the reef if one looks closely you can spot golden moray eels hiding during the day in cracks and crevices.  Some fish like do not mind being out in the open like the Balloon Puffer Fish seen her on a ship wreck.

If you are in the Sea of Cortez at the right time of the year and if you are very lucky you might be in for a real treat.  To see whale sharks and hammerhead sharks can be a once in a lifetime treat.  We have been lucky and seen them each time we have been there.  Other treats is to see a seahorse or an octopus.  They are fascinating subjects and can make a great underwater photo to help you remember your trip.

Sea Urchins feed on top of the corals.  They eat the algae that grows on the coral and keep the algae in check and keep the corals from being smothered by the algae.  The Sea Urchin seen here has camouflaged itself with small shells for protection.  The Angel Fish seen on the side of the reef is a Panama Graysby, common in the Pacific Ocean area.  Puffers are not uncommon in the Sea of Cortez.  Here is a Spotted Sharpnose Puffer.

Scorpion Fish can be found world wide.  They camouflage themselves and prey on small unsuspecting fish.  Tarpon are a predator fish that feeds near the surface.  Here we see a school of Tarpon feeding on small bait fish.  The last slide shows a Sea Anemone and an Arrow Crab.  These creatures can be seen around the world if you take the time to just look.

The Sea of Cortez is an area that is not as commonly dived as other areas.  It is somewhat out of the way but not inaccessible.  You can book a trip there through many Dive Centers that have Travel Programs like Aquatic Adventures Dive Center in Alexandria, Virginia.  Prior to a trip like this it is recommended that you have your scuba diving equipment serviced and perhaps take a scuba refresher course like the PADI Scuba Review Course to make sure that your dive skills are up to date and that you remember the proper care and use of your scuba diving equipment.

Having said all of that the next step is to get out and dive and enjoy the world.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy - Technical Dive Training in Northern Virginia

What is Technical Diving?

The past few years there has been quite a bit of talk about Tec Diving or Technical Diving.  Just what do they mean by this?  Before we can answer that question we really have to ask what is scuba diving?  Scuba Diving is diving underwater with a cylinder of compressed air.  You need to be certified as a Scuba Diver in order to purchase scuba equipment and go out on dive boats.

The beginning scuba certification level is the Open Water Diver.  Here a diver is taught the basics about scuba diving and taught to dive to a depth of 60 feet.  Once a diver completes the Open Water course he or she can then take the Advanced Open Water Course.  During the Advanced Open Water course the diver is taught to dive deeper to a depth of 100 feet.  They are also taught underwater navigation and several other advanced skills.  If the diver were to take the Deep Diver Specialty they would be taught even more about deeper diving but would have a maximum depth of 130 feet, which is the recreational diving limit.

Recreational Divers are all certified and all of their divers are to 130 feet or less.  In addition the length of their dives conform to strict adherence to dive tables know as the Recreational Dive Planner, known as an RDP.  The RDP tells the diver exactly how long they can stay at any given depth and still return directly to the service without risk.  Staying longer would put the diver in what is known as Decompression Diving and would require stops at various depths to off gas absorbed nitrogen before going to the surface.  If the diver did not make the stops while surfacing they would run a very great risk of decompression sickness or the bends.  Thus all Recreational Divers stay within these time and depth parameters while diving.

Technical Dive Training involves training diver  to dive deeper then the 130 foot maximum that Recreational Diver adhere to.  In addition Tec or Technical Divers are also trained to stay longer then the Recreational Limits and to end their dives with a series of Decompression Stops, which are beyond the scope of Recreational Diving.

How Long Has Technical Diving Been Around?

Technical Diving is not new.  The first of the Technical Diving Courses – Cave Diving started in the 1960′s and 1970′s.  Since that time Technical Diving has continued to evolve and today many Scuba Training Agencies, such a the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), the largest scuba certifying agency in the world offer Technical Diving Courses.  PADI’s Courses are called Tec Rec and Tec Deep.  There are many other agencies offering Technical Diving Courses such as TDI and others.

Why Would I want to be a Technical Diver?

Tec Diving not only has more risk, but it requires significantly more effort and discipline and equipment.  It is not for everyone, and you can be an accomplished , avid top-notch diver your entire life without ever making a tec dive.

That said, there’s a cadre of individuals who want to visit places underwater that relatively few people can.  Many spectacular untouched wrecks lie at depths well below the recreational dive limit.  Some people enjoy the challenge and focus technical diving requires.  Still others love being involved with the cutting edge technologies.  These are all reasons that Technical Diving is growing in popularity.

How do I Become a Technical Diver?

You start by finding a Dive Center that you know is reliable and offers the programs that you want.  Many PADI Dive Centers, like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, in Alexandria, Virginia, a PADI 5 Star Instructor (IDC) Development Dive Center offers Technical Diving Courses.

Once you find your Dive Center and verify that they offer the scuba diving courses that you desire you need to make sure that you possess the prerequisite background experience.  The Tec Rec course requires participants to have completed not only the PADI Advanced Open Water Course, but the PADI Rescue Diver Course, The PADI Deep Diver Course and the PADI Enriched Air or Nitrox Course as well.  In addition the diver must also have logged over 100 scuba dives.

What Technical Diving Courses Do I Take?

Once you have completed the prerequisites you can then enroll in the Tec Rec course program.  Divers usually start by taking Introduction to Technical Diving, which is a pool experience where you can test the equipment used in technical diving to see if it is something that you like.  Once you decide that it is you then start with the first course Tec 40.  Tec 40 means you are training to dive to 40 meters or 132 feet using Decompression Diving Techniques.  This course is is followed by Tec 45 (148 feet) and then Tec 50 (165 feet).  While many divers will take all (Tec 40, 45 & 50) many divers will take just Tec 40 or Tec 40 & 45 and then stop.  Not everyone wants to go to 165 feet.  That is the nice part you take the ones you want – you do not have to take them all.

What Scuba Diving Equipment do I need for Technical Diving?

The diving equipment that you use as a Technical Diver is much the same as that of a Recreational Diver.  The Technical Diver, however, used two to five regulators, a dive computer, and several scuba cylinders.  Redundancy is the word.  Everything is backed up in case of an equipment malfunction.  The costs involved are greater then that for a Recreational Diver, but since at greater depths an equipment malfunction can be much more hazardous then it is for Recreational Divers the extra precautions are well worthwhile.

Once you have completed the training a whole new world awaits you.  There are many ship wrecks and dive sights that await you.  While the training is fun and enjoyable the diving once you are a Tech Diver is a whole new world!

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy - Specialty Dive Courses in Northern Virginia

Previously we have looked at the PADI Open Water Diver Course and the value of following that up with the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course.  There are dozens of other potentially fun and rewarding PADI Specialty Diver Courses that are worth looking at.

Just as before you want to find that Dive Center that offers you the options and choices in dive courses and dive equipment that appeals to you.  Ask around, often the advise of friends is helpful in finding a quality dive center.  Once you find your ideal PADI Dive Center look to see what courses appeal most to you.  Feel free to avail yourself of the expertise and experience of the Instructors or Divemasters at the Dive Center for advice.

One of the best first Scuba Specialty Diver Courses is the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Course.  This course deals with the various aspects of proper weighting, proper fin kicking, and proper techniques of scuba diving.  The idea is to learn how to move through the water with a minimum of effort.  You want to be able to maneuver through the water without creating extra motion that might might scare the fish.   This is not only an excellent course in its own right but is a great first step to many other courses like: Underwater Photography, Wreck Diving and even Aware Fish Identification all of which you want to be able to move within spaces without silting the bottom or creating other underwater disturbances.  Peak Performance Buoyancy is a 2 dive PADI Specialty and we try and start our PADI Advanced Open Water Course with one of these dives.  It is the perfect specialty for the new or experienced diver.

Wreck Diving is probably the second most popular of all of the PADI Specialty Diver Courses.  The idea of diving on ship wrecks is exciting.  Many of the ship wrecks on the East Coast of the United States are ships that are actually a part of history.   Many were torpedoed during World War I or World War II.  There are also several German U-Boats that were sunk during the war.  These are fun to dive on and really give you an appreciation of our history.  In addition there are several ships that have been sunk as part of the reef project.  They now form artificial reefs that are homes to countless fish and underwater critters.  Wreck Diver is a PADI 4 dive Specialty Course.

If the PADI Wreck Diver Course is the second most popular – what is the most popular and why?  The most popular of all PADI Specialty Courses in the Eastern United States is  PADI  Enriched Air – Nitrox.   By scuba diving with Nitrox or Enriched Air (air that contains more then the normal 21% oxygen) divers are allowed longer bottom times.  Longer bottom times mean more time to enjoy that incredible reef or ship wreck.  Many people also report feeling far less tired after diving with Nitrox then they do when diving with regular air.

Today we are in a very visual world.  Everyone today carries a camera.  If not a camera a cell phone with a camera inside.  The idea of diving on a beautiful reef and being able to bring back very special photographic memories is exciting.  It is one of my most favorite things about diving and a special passion of mine.  Underwater Photography and specifically the PADI Digital Underwater Photography Course is incredibly popular.  It is especially popular on one of our Scuba Diving Trips.  Our Dive Center offers Dive Vacations or Store Sponsored Dive Trips several times throughout the year.  These are very popular with our former students and a great way to Dive Travel with people you know and to obtain PADI Continuing Education Courses at the same time.    During the PADI Underwater Digital Photography Course you learn the obvious about photographic techniques such as composition but about features specific to the underwater world such as color loss, magnification and back scatter.  It is very easy to take photographs underwater and with the proper instruction (PADI Underwater Digital Photography Course) and practice you will get very good photos very soon.  Your PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center is a great place to look for that special piece of dive equipment – the Underwater Camera!

If your Dive Center has a Scuba Trip to Cozumel on its schedule – that is a perfect location for the PADI Drift Diver Specialty Course.  Cozumel  has some very outstanding reef systems.  They are all in areas that have some mild current so all of the dives are usually Drift Dives.  Drift Dives are dives where you do not navigate back to the boat.  The boat will follow your bubbles and be there when you surface after the dive.  It is fun, easy to do and allows you to explore double the area then you would normally.  This is a two dive PADI Specialty.

Speaking of Navigation another great course that is both fun and is also incredibly useful is the PADI Underwater Navigation Course.  This is a 3 dive specialty and teaches you how to use both compass and natural underwater topography to figure your way around underwater.

There are a whole host of PADI Specialty Diver courses out there.  Look around and see what interests you and dive right in!

Continuing Scuba Diving Education – Aquatic Adventures Alexandria Northern Virginia

Now that you are a Certified Open Water  Scuba Diver you naturally want to go diving and put that training to good use.  Believe it or not, the Open Water Scuba Course is just the beginning of your scuba diving education.  During the Open Water course you learn the basics of diving.  While the use of basic scuba diving equipment and the basic scuba diving skills is enough to get you started in your scuba diving there is a lot to learn beyond the basics.  For instance there are a host of different types of diving beyond the entry level that will add to your enjoyment of diving and the underwater world.

Most divers will take the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course immediately after completing the Open Water course.  The Advanced Open Water Course picks up where the Open Water Course leaves off.  In the first course you are taught to dive to a depth of 60 feet.  This sounds deep but there are a lot of reefs, ship wrecks and sights to see that are deeper then 60 feet.  During the Advanced Open Water course you complete a deep dive and learn to dive to a recommended maximum depth of 100 feet.  In addition you complete an underwater navigation dive where you add to  the firs steps in navigating from the Open Water Course by using and Underwater Compass to navigate patterns while scuba diving.  Three more dives are included in the PADI Advanced Open Water Course.  These are usually dives in something that interests you like PADI underwater photography, wreck diving, multi-level diving

or even night diving.  The PADI Advanced Open Water Course can be completed in as little as one weekend and is well worth while.

One of the great things about the Advanced Open Water course is that it includes dives in several different types of diving.  These dives even count as the first dive of the corresponding Specialty Diver Course for these specialties, and divers who like this type of dive can go on to complete these Specialties and learn even more about them.  PADI Wreck Diving, where you learn to dive in and around ship wrecks, PADI Night Diving where you learn to dive at night when many nocturnal animals not seen during the day are out, and Underwater Photography, where you learn to safely take photographs of the sealife are among the more popular.  These can be done locally with the PADI Dive Center where you learned to dive.  Many of our former Open Water Dive Students will go on a Scuba Diving Vacation with us and complete several of these Scuba Diving Specialty courses while on vacation with us.

Divers who live or dive in cold water environments will benefit from taking the Dry Suit Diver course.  This allows you to dive in areas that might otherwise be too cold.  It also allows you to dive either earlier or later in the season when the weather and water is colder then normal.

Many great diving destinations like Cozumel offer great dives in areas with currents.  These dives are called Drift Diving since you follow the current instead of navigating back to your entry point.  This is a fun Specialty Dive Course and is often completed on Scuba vacation in these types of areas.

A fantastic course to take is the PADI Rescue Diver Course.  In this course you learn about the types of problems that can occur when diving.  By being aware of them you naturally take steps to prevent them from happening but should they occur you know what to do to minimize any problems.

The PADI Equipment Specialist course is a fantastic course even though it does not include any dives.  It focuses on the Scuba Diving Equipment that you use.  It shows you what features to look for in your Scuba Diving Equipment.  It will train you to get the most out of your equipment and even how to do field repairs and preventive maintenance.

A diver who has completed the PADI Rescue Diver Course plus any five PADI Specialty Diver Courses and has 50 or more logged dives can be certified as a PADI Master Scuba Diver.  This is a recreational diving certification that signifies that the diver has achieved experience in several different types of diving and is also prepared for emergencies.  It is a recreational certification not a professional certification or rating.

Those divers who are really hooked and want to get into diving in a deeper way (no pun intended) might want to look into the professional area of recreational diving.  Start with a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center.  At this type of  Dive Center you will be able to go beyond just recreational courses and add the professional level of courses designed to show you how to teach the recreational courses.  The first professional diver course to take is the PADI Divemaster Course.  This course reinforces dive theory and skills and teaches you to assist in teaching situations and to lead certified divers on their dives.  The Divemaster Course is followed by the PADI Assistant Instructor Course then the PADI Open Water Instructor Development Course or the IDC.  There are even courses designed to teach Scuba Instructors how to teach the Specialty Diver Courses we mentioned earlier.  The most popular of these is the Master Diver Trainer Prep Course where Scuba Instructors are taught to teach the Specialty Dive Courses by a PADI Course Director or Instructor Trainer.

What ever direction you decide is right for you it will offer many benefits.  Taking more Scuba Diving Courses will make you a more skilled diver.  It will increase your comfort level and your level of dive safety.  The more comfortable you are the more you will dive and that is the whole point.  To be an active and capable diver.