OCEAN DIVER COMPANION
Above left to right: Mask removal and replacement in open water is easier than it looks
Below and right: Breathing from a buddy’ s alternate source
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6. Why do I have to complete a medical self-declaration form? Being medically fit is important for both the diver’ s safe enjoyment and for the safety of diving as a whole. BSAC requires all members to complete a selfdeclaration medical form on joining and then annually on re-joining.
If you tick‘ yes’ to any of the questions on the self-declaration form or if a medical condition arises after you complete it, you will need to consult with a local Medical Referee – who is a specialist diving doctor – for further advice. For more information on completing your medical self-declaration form go to www. bsac. com / medicalmatters or call the BSAC team on 0151 350 6203.
7. How does the Ocean Diver Qualification Record Book work? When you sign up for the Ocean Diver course, you will receive a full training pack, which includes your Student Guide and a Qualification Record Book. Often referred to as the QRB, this is a record of your progress through the Ocean Diver training. After the successful completion of each module, your instructor signs the relevant section. Once all the sections for Ocean Diver are satisfactorily completed, the Ocean Diver certificate will be signed by your club’ s Diving Officer, awarding you the qualification of Ocean Diver.
8. How can I measure my progress in the Ocean Diver theory lessons? Your instructor will take you through each theory lesson and make sure that you understand the details. The Student Workbook is arranged so that you can read the same material in your own time before or after the lesson. The quizzes at the end of each lesson are there so you can test your knowledge and understanding of a subject. The answers are in the back of the book. Should there be something that is unclear, do ask your instructor. We encourage the testing of theory knowledge shortly after each theory lesson rather than waiting for a single exam at the end of the course.
9. When do I have to do the Ocean Diver theory assessment and what is the pass mark? The theory assessment can be taken any time after completion of each classroom lesson and ideally you should have successfully completed it before the final open water lesson. If the assessment is taken at one time, there are approximately 30 multiple choice questions. We need to test your diving knowledge and recognise that written assessments don’ t suit everyone so it is possible for an oral assessment to be arranged. The pass mark is 80 % – and if necessary there is the opportunity to take the assessment more than once.
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