Ranger Award Elective Requirements

Venture Crew 851

SCUBA

Presented byDr. Ed Hawkins

2014 May 5

Reference: “Recreational SCUBA Diving by Shaun Sykes”

Open Water SCUBA Certification

Topics of Discussion

• SCUBA – Its meaning and history• Equipment• Types of Dives• Training and Certifications• Health and safety• Dive sites and statistics• Crew Options

SCUBAMeaning and History

• SCUBA –

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus• Long history dating back from 332 BC Alexander

the Great – wooden barrel dive bell• Modern fins, mask and snorkel tubes were

developed by fishermen from America, Russia, France and England in the 1920s and 1930s

British “Frog Man”c.1945

1918 Schrader – US Navy Dive Helmut

17th Century

“Dive Bell”

History (cont’d)

• Recreational SCUBA Diving began between 1942 - 1943, after Emile Gagnan and Captain Jacques –Yves Cousteau developed the self-contained “Aqua-Lung” and new regulator that was automatic.

• Cousteau took many successful, experimental dives with his friends, wife and two sons, making this an experimental family trip and experience.

1910-1997

Cousteau SocietyRV Calypso Cousteau Society

Mini-Sub

Basic Equipment (1 of 5)

• Mask- Device covering eyes and nose, allowing you to see underwater

• Fins – Device put on the feet to extend the kicking motion underwater.

• Snorkel – Device used to breath air close to or on the surface of the water

• BCD or BC – (Buoyancy compensator device) controls buoyancy up or down

• Regulator – Device that delivers air to you on demand at reduced pressure

Basic Equipment (2 of 5)

• Pressure gauge – (SPG- Submersible Pressure Gauge) and depth gauge tells diver how much air is in tank, and depth of dive

• Weights – Lead weights used to weigh down divers for depth decent

Basic Equipment (3 of 5)

Basic Equipment (4 of 5)

• Wet suit – Insulated suit used to keep warm by warming a layer of water next to your skin

• Dry suit – Used to keep the diver dry and warm in cold temperatures

• Body suit – Warm temperature suit that keeps the core body warm

Basic Equipment (5 of 5)

Gloves Hood Booties Knife

Tank Light Watch Scooter

Diving ApparelTemperature• High 80s

• 80º - 90º F

• 75º - 80ºF

• 70º - 80ºF

• 50º - 70ºF

• Below 50ºF

What to wear- A Lycra body suit, a shorty, or a

dive jacket (the top of a two-piece suit)

- A shorty, a dive jacket, or a full-length, one-piece, 3mm wet suit

- A 3mm one-piece jumpsuit, or a two-piece wet suit

- A 5mm full-length wetsuit, a two-piece wetsuit, or a dry suit with light weight insulating garments

- A 7mm full-length two-piece wetsuit with gloves and hood, or a dry suit with insulating garments

- A dry suit with insulating garments, hood, gloves or mitts, and possibly face mask

Types of Dives• Types of dives – Boat, shore, pier

• How to enter the water – From shore, walk into the water without fins, then

put them on in the water

– In rough water, put fins on and walk in backwards

• If on a boat or pier1. Giant Stride

2. Backward roll

3. Controlled Seated entry

4. Group entry

Types of Dives (cont’d)

• Decent• Travel under water• Hand signals• Ascent

Other types of dives –• Seawater, Freshwater,

Wreck, Cave, Night, Drift and Ice

Training and Certifications

• Pre-open water certification – Open Water Certified

• Non – professional certification – Advanced SCUBA diver and Master SCUBA diver

• Professional – Divemaster, Skin-diving instructor, assistant instructor and Instructor

• Specialties open to recreational divers – Underwater photography or videography, wreck diving, night diving, boat diving, ice diving, cavern diving, dry suit diving, Nitrox diving, search and recovery, career diver, etc.

Health and Safety Diving Hazards

• How soon to fly after diving – old vs. new philisophy

• DCS – Epidermal or cutaneous, muscular, joint and limb pain and neuroligical

• Hypothermia• Hyperthermia• Cramps• Overexertion• Nitrogen Narcosis

• Overexertion• Nitrogen Narcosis• Carbon monoxide

poisoning• Gastrointestinal

barotrauma• Heart problems• Ear infections• Nosebleeds• Breathing problems• Dehydration• Diving while pregnant

Dive Sites

• United States: The Hawaiian Islands, Florida Keys, Catalina Island, California and many oceans, rivers, lakes and quarries

Statistics

• About 22 million divers world wide (2013)• Top 6 states for SCUBA certification: Florida,

California, Hawaii, Texas, Illinois and New York

Web sites for SCUBA access, research and resources

• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)- http://www.padi.com

• DAN (Divers Alert Network) - http://www.diversalertnetwork.org

• NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors)- http://www.naui.com

• The Ultimate SCUBA source - http://www.scubasearch.com

• About SCUBA diving - http://scuba.about.com• Joe Diver America - http://www.joediveramerica.com

Crew OptionsColumbia SCUBA

• Open Water Training– 5 Sessions: 2-hours classroom/2-hours pool– CA Swim Center at Wilde Lake (Thursdays)– “Open Water” Certification – 4 dives (two weekends)

• Quarry or something fancier (Florida Keys/Bahamas?)

• Required Gear– Mask/Fins/Snorkel/Weight Belt ~ $100-$200

• Costs– $295 per student for Open Water Training– $15-$20 per student for log book– $65 per group for a “Book Kit”

Crew Options - ContinuedColumbia SCUBA

• Discover Scuba Splash Party– $25 per person– In-pool training with all equipment provided (2-

2.5 hrs)– Private party possible if more than 6 participants

• Need to allow 2 weeks notice

– Scheduled Scuba Splash Parties• 5/22• 7/24