Learning to Scuba Dive with CPA

Pool and Open Water Assessments

Once all the pool drills have been completed to a safe standard, there is a final simulated dive in the pool. This shows whether a trainee is safe enough yet to do an open water assessment dive in the sea or a lake. The trainee must do all the following to the instructor's satisfaction:

Assemble SCUBA equipment correctly, unaided

Fit and test SCUBA equipment and weight belt

Describe how to check for being correctly weighted (though the assessment may be done a little heavy)

Explain the "golden rule of diving" (always keep breathing– never hold your breath), why it is vital to a diver’s safety, and when it is most critical

Perform buddy checks, including description of buoyancy operation, air supplies, releases and signals

Demonstrate a safe entry from poolside into the deep end, first ensuring some air in buoyancy aid

Demonstrate a safe descent in the deep end, including the proper pre-dive signals

Demonstrate good buoyancy control throughout the dive

Demonstrate good understanding of basic signals throughout the dive

During the dive, discard 2nd stage, retrieve it, clear and refit it three times

During the dive, remove mask, refit and clear it three times

Demonstrate a safe, controlled ascent at a steady rate, breathing continuously

Follow open water surface drill (looking round, protective raised arm, buoyancy inflation & signals)

At surface, swim to poolside in deep end, remove weight belt and hand to assistant out on poolside

Remove remaining SCUBA equipment and hand to assistant

Demonstrate correct SCUBA equipment disassembly procedure

Carry out correct aftercare of SCUBA equipment

Open Water Assessment

Once all the above lectures, training, exams, and assessments are complete, the trainee will do an open water dive in the sea, or a lake. This is essentially the same routine as for the pool assessment, but for real.

If this dive is completed to the instructor's satisfaction, the Diving Officer will then complete the last signoffs in the trainees qualification logbook, and award the trainee -- now a diver -- an Elementary Diver certificate.

And that's the end of the beginning...

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