OCEAN DIVER COMPANION
10. Will I be tested on my underwater skills? Your instructor will introduce the underwater skills one at a time and allow you the time to become familiar with them to a level where they become second nature. This ongoing skill development and assessment takes place throughout your Ocean Diver underwater training, so there is no formal assessment.
11. What is open water? Where can I complete my open water dives? Open water is, as the name suggests, a body of water that is open to the elements. This can be the sea, for your first dives a sheltered cove of a suitable depth may be chosen. Other options include inland dive centres, which are lakes or flooded quarries. As with your pool training, the open water dives are designed to develop your diving skills progressively and build up your experience at your own pace of depth and different diving conditions. Just enjoying being underwater and getting used to the environment are important parts of your open water dives.
12. Do I have to do all the open water dives to complete my training – can’ t I do it any quicker? It is important as divers that we have the time to develop and consolidate our underwater skills. Remember, your open water lessons are dives, and there is every chance when diving in a lake, quarry or sea you will enjoy some‘ distractions’ such as fish swimming past, maybe a wreck or other underwater feature. Your adventure has already started – enjoy your diving!
13. As a qualified Ocean Diver what diving can I do? Ocean Divers are strongly advised to dive at all times with a buddy who has more experience and holds a higher diving qualification. Ocean Diver is classified as an autonomous diver by the European Underwater Federation. As such an Ocean Diver may dive with another Ocean Diver
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Above: An instructor briefing at a quarry lake Below: An open water lesson in progress Left: The buddy system is key Below left: Teaching drysuit skills
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