NAUI Open Water Certification Weekend

Scuba Diver is the NAUI entry-level scuba certification course. It provides the fundamental knowledge and skills to scuba dive. Upon successful completion of academic and pool sessions and this open water certification weekend, graduates are considered competent to engage in open water diving activities without supervision, provided the diving activities and the areas dived approximate those of training.

The NAUI Open Water Certification weekend is conducted locally at Dutch Springs, located in Bethlehem PA.

In addition to the scuba equipment you were using in the pool during your confined training session, you will also require at minimum a 7mm wet suit, a hood, gloves and booties. If you do not own your own, rental equipment is typically available at the local dive shops in the area.

Be sure to ask your instructor for the Open Water Weekend checklist so you will have a clear understanding of all items you should bring with you to make your weekend experience enjoyable.

There is also an admission fee to enter Dutch Springs. Currently the entry fee for each day is $ 45.00. It is highly recommended to visit http://dutchsprings.com (http://dutchsprings.com/) complete your waivers and pay your admission fee online to save time when you arrive to the park.

What you will be doing this weekend to complete your open water portion of your certification:

UNDERWATER SKILLS

• Give, recognize, and respond appropriately to common underwater communications.

• Mask clearing, including removal and replacement.

• Remove, replace, and clear a regulator.

• Regain primary regulator from behind the shoulder, replace, and clear. —*Hover without support or significant movement.

• While wearing a standard buckle type weight belt and submerged in a prone position at the bottom or while hovering, unclasp, adjust the position of the belt so that the ballast is evenly distributed and the buckle is centered at the diver’s front and re-clasp the buckle.

• Use the buddy system for scuba diving, remaining within 10 feet (3 m), or less if required by conditions, of buddy.

• Monitor air supply and communicate amount remaining upon request, and manage air supply so as to surface with a pre-planned minimum amount of air.

• Using environmental navigation aids and a compass, travel underwater to a designated location or in a given direction for a set period of time.

• Use an underwater compass to set a bearing: follow the bearing and return on a reciprocal course to the approximate starting location.

Planning

○ Measure, record, and calculate individual air consumption (as surface air consumption rate) using a submersible pressure gauge, depth gauge and timing device.

○ Plan and make a no-required-stop dive to a depth between 40 and 60 feet (12 and 18 m). Planning is to consider at a minimum: adequate breathing gas supply for descent, time at depth, ascent, precautionary stop and safety margin.

○ Upon completion of a dive, use the repetitive dive table to properly calculate a planned no-required-stop repetitive dive projected to begin after at least a one-hour surface interval.

Environmental

○ Dive using skills that have a minimal impact on the environment and promote conservation.

○ Recognize and identify (by common name) samples of plant and animal life typically seen.

Emergency/Rescue/Problem Solving

○ Transport for a distance of at least 50 yards (46 m) a buddy who is simulating exhaustion. Eye-to-eye or voice contact between rescuer and diver must be maintained.

○ In a stationary position in confined water and at a minimum depth of 15 feet (4.6 m) in open water, share air in a controlled manner with another diver, be both the donor of air and receiver of air.

○ Perform a relaxed, controlled emergency swimming ascent in confined water and from a minimum depth of 15 feet (4.6 m) in open water.

○ Share air as both a donor and a receiver from an octopus or alternate breathing source (not buddy breathing) during ascents in confined water and from a minimum depth of 15 feet (4.6 m) to the surface in open water.