The primary purpose of GUE Recreational Diver 1 is to teach non-divers to master the art and science of sport diving through cultivating essential diving techniques and sound diving practices from the very beginning. Being GUE’s entry level program, the Recreational Level 1 serves the following purposes:
- It teaches non-divers to master the art and science of sport diving through establishing a thorough understanding for diving related academics and cultivating essential skills needed to safely and efficiently enjoy exploration of the aquatic realm.
- It represents and entry point to GUE’s training curriculum for non-divers.
- It develops student capacity through beginning competency build-up with the end in mind by cultivating student proficiency towards meeting the diving industry’s most rigorous standards.
- It provides the solid foundation of skills required to engage in further GUE training.
- It orientates students to the GUE organization and its efficacy – promoting student involvement in GUE long- and short-term aspirations, such as conservation of our planet’s aquatic resources.
Prerequisites:
- Submit a completed registration form, complete with medical history, and liability release to GUE Headquarters.
- Be physically and mentally fit.
- Must hold insurance that will cover diving emergencies such as hyperbaric treatment e.g. DAN Master-level insurance or equivalent.
- Must be a nonsmoker.
- Obtain a physician’s prior written authorization for the use of prescription drugs, except for birth control, or for a prior medical condition that may pose a risk while diving.
- Minimum of 16 years of age
- Must be able to swim a distance of at least 15 meters on a breath hold
- Must be able to swim at least 275 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping.
Duration:
- 8 – 10 days
- The class can either be taken as a continuous process over 8 – 10 days or the class may be divided over a longer time frame such as 3 – 5 weekends.
- Involves a minimum 60 hours of instruction, encompassing both classroom and in-water work.
Course Content:
- 10 confined water dives
- 10 open water dives
- 10 lectures
Required Training Materials:
- Beginning With the End in Mind: The Fundamentals of Recreational Diving
- Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving
- Encyclopedia: Submerged – mastering the art and science of sport diving
Academic Topics:
- Introduction to Scuba Diving
- Buoyancy, Physics and Physiology – Beginning With the Basics
- Diving Equipment
- The Balanced Rig and Going Beyond the Basics
- Going Beyond Basic Physics and Physiology
- Breathing Gas Dynamics
- Decompression
- Dive Planning
- Accident Prevention and Diver Rescue
- The Aquatic Realm
Land Drills & Topics:
- Dive team protocols
- Equipment fit and function
- Propulsion and maneuvering techniques
- Skin diving and ear equalization
- Mask clearing
- Regulator functionality, breathing and clearing
- BC operation
- Pre-dive drills
- Basic 5 scuba skills
- Basic 5 rescue techniques
- Inflator management
- Free flow regulator management
- Dry suit management*
- Compass navigation
- Buoyancy and breathing control
- Balanced rig
- Surface marker deployment
- S-drill and valve-drill
Required Dive Skills & Drills:
- Demonstrate proficiency in safe diving techniques.
- Demonstrate awareness of team member location and a concern for safety, responding quickly to visual cues and dive partner needs.
- Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver.
- Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver followed by a slow, direct ascent to the surface.
- Comfortably demonstrate at least two propulsion techniques and 1 maneuvering technique.
- Demonstrate a safe and responsible demeanor throughout all training.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to deploy a spool and a surface marker.
- Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim.
- Demonstrate proficiency in underwater communication.
- Demonstrate basic equipment proficiency and an understanding of the DIR equipment configuration.
- Demonstrate aptitude in the following open water skills: mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator removal and exchange, long hose deployment.
- Demonstrate aptitude in the following surface rescue skills: primary assessment, diver tow, remove personal scuba, removal of unconscious diver’s scuba, egress with an unconscious diver.
- Demonstrate safe ascent and decent procedures.
- Demonstrate proficiency in executing a valve drill.
- Demonstrating proficiency in straight line compass navigation under water.
Equipment Requirements:
Each student should have, and be familiar with, all of the following required equipment.
- Tanks/Cylinders: Single tank/cylinder. Students may use dual tanks/cylinders connected with a dual outlet, which allows for the use of two first-stages.
- Regulators: One of the second-stages must be on a 5- to 7-foot/1.5- to 2-meter hose. One of the first-stages must supply a pressure gauge and provide inflation for a dry suit (where applicable).
- Backplate System: A rigid and flat platform, of metal construction with minimal padding, held to a diver by one continuous piece of nylon webbing.
- Buoyancy Compensation Device: A diver’s buoyancy compensation device should be back-mounted and minimalist in nature. It should come free of extraneous strings, tabs, or other material. There should be no restrictive bands or “bungee” of any sort affixed to the buoyancy cell.
- At least one depth-measuring device
- At least one timekeeping device
- Mask and fins: Mask should be low volume; fins should be rigid, non-split
- At least one cutting device
- Wet Notes
- Exposure suit appropriate for the duration of exposure
Note: Prior to the commencement of class, students should consult with a GUE representative to verify equipment requirements. Whether or not a piece of equipment fulfills GUE’s equipment requirement remains at the discretion of GUE and its instructor representatives. Participants are responsible for providing all equipment or for making provisions to secure the use of necessary equipment before the start of the course. In general, it is better for the student to learn while using his or her own equipment. However, students should exercise caution before purchasing new equipment to avoid acquiring substandard equipment.