Diveguamnow.com

Open Water Diver: Learning to scuba dive changed my life, and it may for you too. Diving will open up a whole new world to explore. Sure, watching The Discovery Channel is entertaining, but how about a chance to interact with the aquatic world. Have you seen those amazing destinations on the Travel Channel? Scuba Diving may be just the "excuse" you need to visit them. All too often people view life as a spectator, don't fall for that trap. Learn to dive today.
Just about anyone can learn to dive. You, of course, must be able to swim. A swim assessment will be done before conducting any dive training. the "test" will consist of swimming 200 yards with no time limit, and a tread/float for ten minutes. That's it....
You will also need to be in good health. please review the medical questionnaire to see if you have any conditions that will complicate your dive training. Don't fear, if you had to answer YES to any questions on the medical statement, download this page and have your doctor "sign off" on it saying that it doesn't exclude you from diving activities. commonly a student will have a prescription or some small matter that will require a medical doctor's opinion that it is safe for you to dive. I am not a doctor and cannot make those judgment calls.
Next, you need to schedule an open water certification class. All divers start here. On Guam there are many ways to accomplish this. The three major dive shops ( GTDS, MDA, and Divers Choice ) offer regularly scheduled and moderately priced open water classes. You can get adequate training from most of their instructors. I only teach this class privately which is a little bit more expensive, but far more comprehensive. I promise to give you the water and classroom time to become a comfortable and competent diver. Contact me for a rate for your situation. A private open water diver class can have up to 8 students, but that is your choice. It's common for me to teach a family of four to dive, as a family. Work buddies with similar schedules, are the norm as well.

Children are absolutely welcome. They must be over the age of ten, comfortable in the water, and relatively mature. If you are already certified to dive and want to attend your child's classes, that's fine, but don't interfere. What? I don't want your child to be dependant on you. I hold children to the same standards of comfort and competency as i do the adults. Children under the age of 15 will receive a "junior open water" certification which will require them to dive with a parent or an instructor at all times. When they turn 15, you can upgrade them ($25 for processing) to a regular open water certification.

What kind of gear do you need? You will be expected (but not required) to own your own mask, fins, snorkel, and booties. These are personalized items, due to the fit, and will make it easier to adjust to your time underwater. A simple thing like an improper fitting mask can make this class far more challenging than it needs to be. The "top of the line" mask, fins, snorkel, and booties (M,F,S,B) will run you around $250, the more economical around $125. I would recommend getting the best M,F,S,B package that you can afford. The more expensive gear is exponentially better than the economy types, which will pay dividends in the water. If you would like me to, I will accompany you to the dive shop of your choice and help you pick out your gear. (less marketing hype from the sales staff)

Review:
1) Students must be at least 10 years old (child students must view a video and have both parents' signatures on the release).
2) Be able to swim 200 yards and float/tread for 10 minutes
3) Be able to answer NO to all of the medical questions, or have a signed authorization by your physician on this form
4) Be ready to have a "life changing" event.....

The open water class consists of 3 learning environments:

Classroom: You will be provided the open water student materials. The open water diver textbook has five chapters with knowledge reviews after each chapter. We will discuss the knowledge reviews in class, so have them completed prior to our first class session. The knowledge development involves physics, physiology, SCUBA gear, and best diving practices. The content in the textbook is written so that a 10 year old child can understand it without much help, so don't be intimidated. You will also complete a final exam, about 50 questions, to ensure your comprehension of the material.

Confined Water: This is where you get to breathe underwater for the first time, definitely a memorable experience. In the confined water potion of training you will be taught the skills necessary for scuba diving. You will learn things like how to clear a mask, clear a snorkel, clear a regulator, buoyancy control, swimming techniques, and emergency procedures. Most of the skills are done in about 4 feet of water, so you're not "in over your head" so to speak. I typically do this portion of the class in the ocean, inside the reef. This way you get to see the magical aquatic world from the start, it's the reason for taking the class, right? We'll still have pool like clarity and usually almost no waves. There is a total of 5 confined water dives required, all of which correspond to the chapters in your student textbook.

Open water check-outs: This is where it all comes together. We'll complete 4 open water dives, during which you will demonstrate what you learned. While there are skills that need to be completed, were going to have a blast. We will go as deep as 60 feet on your last check-out dive, but there is plenty to see in the shallows as well. I usually plan on beach diving, there's plenty of great sites, but boat diving is also available for an additional fee. Upon completion of the fourth dive, you'll be a certified open water diver.

If you schedule this class with me, i'll be more than happy to arrange it around your needs. We can conduct the classes at night or during the day, it's YOUR class. (the confined and open water portions must be done during daylight hours) Weekdays and holidays are not an obstacle. Just simply email me to reserve the times you require. (plan approximately 8 hours of classroom, and two six hour days for the diving)

Certified open water divers can enroll in:
1) Advanced Open Water (junior)
2) Boat Diver Specialty course
3) Diver Propulsion Vehicle Pilot specialty course
4) Enriched Air (nitrox) Diver specialty course
5) Night Diver specialty course
6) Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty course
7) Underwater Navigator specialty course
8) Underwater photographer specialty course

 

Advanced Open Water Diver: Advanced open water is the normal "next step" for certified open water divers. You can certainly enroll in some specialties (listed above) prior to taking the advanced open water class, but more commonly, divers take the advanced class first. The advanced open water diver class is not structured like the open water diver class, it's much more individualistic.

To get started, you should purchase the "adventures in diving" PADI workbook from me or one of the local dive shops. In this book you'll find chapters on the "adventure" dives that you can choose from. You will be required to have 5 adventure dives for your advanced open water rating. The good news is; you can choose three of the five. Underwater navigation and a deep dive are required for everyone. You could choose to do a wreck dive, a night dive, and a boat dive, and you're all set. Each adventure dive has a chapter in the adventures in diving workbook. You will need to complete the chapter review at the end of the chapters in which you decide to participate. You do not ned to do all 24or so chapters, just the ones you choose plus underwater navigation and deep.

You can schedule an advanced open water class at the local dive shops, or you can continue your adventure with me. I typically have a saturday morning dive that is free to attend. If you would like these dives to count towards your advanced open water rating, simply complete the chapter review, pay me $25, and do the dive. I charge the $25 because there will be skills for you to complete and some supervision is required. If you just show up for the dives to gain experience, that's great too. After successfully completing the required skills, i will sign your logbook saying that you've completed that particular adventure dive. I can typically accommodate several different adventure dives, for different divers, on the same dive. Please send me an email letting me know which adventure dive you would like to complete. I usually have all of the supplies for the dives on hand, but murphy's law sometimes gets the best of me. After completing the five adventure dives, please give me another $25 (for processing the certification card with PADI) and a passport "size" photo of yourself. If you prefer, you can just pay $125 up front for the class and certification fee, or pay as you go. It's your class.

The objective of the advanced open water class is to give you different diving experiences. An advanced open water diver is considered to be more skilled than an open water diver,and thus is able to dive in more challenging and diverse dive sites.

Advanced open water divers can enroll in the following specialties:
1) all those listed above in the open water section
2) Rescue diver
3) Master scuba diver
4) Cavern diver
5) Deep diver
6) Wreck diver

 

Rescue Diver: The rescue diver program is designed to teach you about handling dive emergencies of course, but more importantly it teaches you how to prevent many accidents from happening in the first place. Personally, the rescue diver course was the most informative and rewarding class i took in the PADI curriculum. I recommend it for everyone, even junior advanced open water divers. To enroll in this class, you must be certified to the level of advanced open water (or junior). This class will take two days and consist for five sessions. Some of the sessions will be primarily water time, others will revolve more on the classroom discussions and knowledge development.

The rescue diver program includes the common practices for dealing with dive emergencies, but also covers the "warning signs" of potential accidents. Additionally you will learn how to deal with stress correctly and not allow it to bite you in the but. I guess what i'm trying to say is that this class not only teaches you to rescue other divers, it teaches you how to self-rescue. Trust me, you'll learn allot in this class. Consult my calendar to see if I have any open days that fit your schedule, I truly enjoy teaching this class.

Dive Master: The divemaster program is the first "leadership" level class you can take. Upon successful completion you will be a dive professional employable around the world. This course is also a prerequisite for becoming a dive instructor. Besides being a career path, becoming a divemaster has some tex advantages too. As a professional divemaster you can write off most of your dive gear costs and training costs (maybe a vacation or two also).

There are two ways to proceed with your divemaster training.
1) internship: (recommended) You will actively participate in the training of other divers and gain experience supervising them as well. Controlling 6 or 8 divers at a time takes some practice, This is where you gain that experience (and learn some "tricks of the trade"). The internship usually lasts 3 to 6 months with me. I am confident that you will become an excellent divemaster interning with me. This class also prepares you for your IDC (instructor development course) if that is your next step. Interning is also much easier on the schedule, more flexible at least.
2) straight class: Doing your divemaster class this way will take at least 7 days, long days. It is a compact version of the intern program and is therefore a little more stressful. Unfortunately you will probably not have a lot of "actual" divemaster experience under your belt. You will still be required to perform the same "demonstration" quality skills, the same amount of dive knowledge, and fully understand your responsibilities as a dive master.

For further questions about this class, email me.

• Nitrox Diver:
  This course is designed to qualify recreational divers to use enriched air (“nitrox”) for no stop recreational diving. The program addresses the use of enriched air with 22 percent to 40 percent oxygen, with emphasis on enriched air with 32 and 36 percent oxygen.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the PADI Enriched Air Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver* or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 15 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the knowledge, skills and techniques for diving with enriched air. The minimum number of recommended hours is 12, spent on knowledge development and practical operational application, which does not include the enriched air training dives (optional).
  No training dives are required, but I recommend at least 1
  
  
• Wreck Diver:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to wreck diving and to help the student diver develop the skills and knowledge necessary for safe wreck diving.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Wreck Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Adventure Diver (or have a qualifying certification from another training organization similar to that of a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.)
  2. Be 15 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of wreck diving
  2. the preparation and use of lights, air supplies, special equipment, penetration lines and reels
  3. limited-visibility diving techniques and emergency procedures
  Minimum Open Water Training: 4 dives on 2 days
  
  
• Deep Diver :
  This course is designed to be an introduction to deep diving and to help the student diver develop the necessary skills, knowledge and techniques to safely participate in deep diving activities.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the knowledge, skills and techniques for deeper diving.
  1. planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of deep diving
  2. risk factors and decompression-tables review
  3. safety stops and emergency decompression procedures
  4. special equipment, descent lines and buoyancy-control considerations
  5. procedures for flying after diving and high-altitude diving
  6. orientation to re compression chambers
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Deep Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Adventure Diver (or have a qualifying certification from another training organization similar to that of a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.)
  2. Be 15 years of age or older.
  Minimum Open Water Training: 4 dives on 2 days
  
  
• Night Diver:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to night diving and to help the student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary to safely participate in night-diving activities.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Night Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 12 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the knowledge and techniques of night diving.:
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of night diving
  2. proper procedures for buoyancy control, navigation and communication
  3. use of dive lights and buddy-system techniques
  4. disorientation and emergency procedures
  5. orientation to nocturnal aquatic life
  Minimum Open Water Training: 3 dives
  
  
• DPV Pilot:
  This course is designed to introduce divers to the skills and excitement of using diver propulsion vehicles. The course familiarizes student divers with the knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques, potential problems and hazards associated with using DPV's.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the DPV Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be at least 12 years old.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the knowledge and techniques for diving with an underwater propulsion vehicle.
  1. The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, and hazards of diving with a underwater propulsion vehicle.
  2. Equipment considerations including but not limited to battery care, maintenance and precautions.
  3. Proper procedures for: determining a turnaround point, vehicle failure, runaway motor, descents and ascents and avoiding propeller entanglements.
  4. Techniques to avoid harming fragile aquatic life.
  5. Techniques for entering and exiting the water with a DPV.
  Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
  
  
• Boat Diver:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to boat diving and to help the student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for boat diving.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Boat Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 10 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the knowledge and techniques of boat diving.
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of boat diving.
  2. proper boat diving etiquette -- storage of personal equipment, personal conduct and considerations for care of the boat.
  3. basic, common boat terminology.
  4. specific boat diving laws and/or ordinances.
  5. local boat diving laws and/or ordinances.
  6. overview of emergency/safety equipment needed on-board private diving vessels.
  Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
  
  
• Underwater Navigator:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to underwater navigation and to help the student diver develop the skills and knowledge necessary for use in underwater navigation.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Underwater Navigator course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior Open Water Diver or
  have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 10 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  The purpose of the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course is to familiarize
  divers with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques,
  problems, hazards and enjoyment of underwater navigation. Training should
  emphasize fun and safety
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of underwater navigation.
  2. methods of estimating distances underwater.
  3. natural navigation techniques.
  4. using underwater patterns.
  5. dive site relocation techniques.
  6. compass navigation techniques.
  Minimum Open Water Training: 3 dives
  
• Search and Recovery:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to search and recovery diving and to help the student diver develop the necessary skills and knowledge for safe search and recovery diving.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Search and Recovery Diver course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, Junior Advanced Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization. OR Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver and PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Diver or have qualifying certifications from another training organization. In this case, a qualifying certification is defined as proof of entry-level scuba certification and proof of specialty course certification in underwater navigation with a minimum of
  three scuba dives that include training in natural and compass navigation.
  2. Be 12 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers the techniques and application of a variety of search and recovery methods.
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, and hazards of search and recovery diving
  2. limited-visibility diving and underwater navigation techniques
  3. proper techniques and safety considerations for object location, including the use of various search patterns, lines and reels
  4. proper techniques and safety considerations for recovery of objects using various lifting devices
  Minimum Open Water Training: 4 dives on 2 days
  
  
• Underwater Photo:
  This course is designed to be an introduction to basic underwater photography and to help the student diver develop the skills, knowledge and practical techniques necessary to enjoy this interesting activity.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Underwater Photographer course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 10 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  This course covers basic underwater photography with special emphasis on practical photographic techniques.
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of underwater-photography diving
  2. photographic principles, composition, film types, flash/available light photography and camera-handling techniques
  3. the preparation, care and maintenance of photographic equipment
  Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
  
  
• Peak Performance Buoyancy:
  The purpose of the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course is to polish a diver’s buoyancy control beyond the Open Water Diver level. The goal of PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy training is to enhance the student diver diver’s buoyancy control abilities through knowledge development and practical skills practice.
  Prerequisites
  To qualify for the Peak Performance Buoyancy course, an individual must:
  1. Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
  2. Be 10 years of age or older.
  COURSE OVERVIEW
  1. Peak Performance Buoyancy fundamentals:
  • Buoyancy check.
  • Fine-tuning buoyancy underwater.
  • Weight position and distribution.
  • Streamlining.
  • Visualization.
  2. Use of PADI’s “Basic Weighting Guidelines.”
  3. An opportunity to polish buoyancy control beyond the Open Water Diver level:
  • Positioning and distributing weight for comfort and desired body position (trim in the water).
  • Visualization techniques prior to dives.
  • Buoyancy checks.
  • Establishing neutral buoyancy during all segments of a dive.
  • Fine-tuning neutral buoyancy underwater.
  • Hovering.
  Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
  
  
• Master SCUBA Diver:
  The Master Scuba Diver rating is the highest recreational diver rating in the PADI program, and denotes superior achievement and proficiency.
  Achieving the Master Scuba Diver rating requires that an individual must:
  1. Be at least 12 years old.
  2. Be certified as a PADI (Junior) Advanced Open Water Diver (or have a qualifying certification from another training organization) and a PADI (Junior) Rescue Diver (or have a qualifying certification from another training organization), with certification in any five PADI Specialty ratings.
  Note: Divers ages 12-15 may obtain a PADI Junior Master Scuba Diver certification. The
  certification card carries the requirement that the individual must dive with a certified adult.
  3. Show proof of 50 logged dives.