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CMAS Underwater World Federation

Nevin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:00:56 +0000

CMAS , Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques or known as the World Underwater Federation is a European Dive Certification and standards body formed in Monaco in 1959 with its head office established in Italy, Rome; CMAS forms one of the oldest scuba diving organisations in the world.

CMAS as an organization is divided into three main committees which deals with different areas of underwater activity. The Sports Committee which deals with underwater sports and sport diving, the Technical Committee which governs recreational diving and guidelines to scuba diving, and finally the Scientific Committee to bring into focus the important issues related to the marine environment.

Unlike most US Dive Organizations, CMAS is known to stress the quality of diver education over profit, offering a wider range of diving knowledge and not just focussing on just reef and tropical water holiday diving. This emphasis on diver education has made the CMAS certification levels more respected than many of its fellow agencies. CMAS offers courses geared towards Ice Diving, Dry Suits Diving, Cave, full-face rebreather and even free diving and snorkelling courses.

CMAS has developed a CMAS International Diver Training Certification System that consists of Diver, Speciality Diver, Technical Diver and Leadership Diver Training Standards and which allows divers that have been trained in accordance with the prescribed CMAS International Diver Training Standards, to have their certifications recognised throughout the world in countries that are members of the CMAS family of divers. The Certification map under the CMAS programme is as follows: Divers completing their open water training are termed as One Star Divers, and can progress to the next level becoming two star divers and finally CMAS Three and four Star divers. Following the three star diver level one can opt to become an instructor and follow the one, two and finally three star instructor certification programs. The CMAS levels while often are compared with PADI or SSI equivalents does not truly match. A CMAS two star diver is more of a combination of a PADI Advanced Open Water diver plus a Rescue Diver as the two star course teaches first aid, CPR and how to deal with underwater issues. The Three Star course covers a lot of knowledge areas and skills that are usually covered in a Dive Master course. The emphasis on a greater amount of theory or classroom training makes CMAS training more extensive and produces a better quality of diver.

The CMAS certification is recognized all over the world with diver training schools located on every continent offering its courses.

The CMAS Diver Certification Levels:

CMAS Scuba Diver – (Resort Course) limited depth, etc. No certification since only pool training done
1 Star – “A diver who is competent in the safe and correct use of all appropriate open water scuba diving equipment in a sheltered water training area and is ready to gain open water diving experience in the company of an experienced diver.”
2 Star – “A diver who has gained some open water diving experience and is considered ready to take part in dives partnered by a diver of at least the same or higher grade.”
3 Star – “A fully trained, experienced, and responsible diver who is considered competent to lead other divers of any grade in open water dives.”
4 Star – “A three star diver who has attained a higher than average level of knowledge and ability supported by broad experience. He will be competent to use divers and diving to achieve major tasks or project objectives.”

PADI Drift Diver Specialty Course

Nevin — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 16:00:39 +0000

What is Drift Diving?
Drift diving is a type of recreational diving where the diver is transported by the currents caused by the tide, ocean currents or in a fast flowing river. Drift diving is a popular form of diving determined not by specialized scuba diving equipment but rather by location of the dive, and the dive is planned so that the diver moves with the current and not against it, thereby reducing the effort required by fining, as the current propels the diver through the dive.

Why do a PADI Drift Diver Course?
Some of the best dive sites in the World have underwater currents. Currents carry food (plankton) to an area which in turn draws fish and larger pelagic fish, making it a lively dive site to explore. However, currents can often be intimidating for divers at first because of their unpredictability and your natural instinct of fighting it. Sometimes going with the flow is hard when you are unexpectedly pushed into the fast moving current without being prepared. Staying paired up with your buddy and communicating is a challenge, surfacing and performing safety stops is also something one needs to learn when drift diving. It’s at these times it is better to have some idea as to how to deal with the situation rather than to be caught unprepared which is what the PADI Drift diver course is all about, being prepared, going with the flow, and enjoying your dive.

What does the course cover?
This course shows you how to enjoy rivers and ocean currents by “going with the flow,” staying with your dive partner, communicating with the dive boat and knowing where you are the whole time.

The Drift Diver Course covers two open water training dives as well as approximately 12 hours of instruction or preparation activities covering the below knowledge areas:.

Planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of drift diving
An introduction to drift diving equipment — floats, lines, reels
Buoyancy-control, navigation and communication for drift diving
Site selection and overview of aquatic currents – causes and effects
Techniques for staying close to a buddy or together as a group

There is no written examination to successfully complete the PADI Drift Diver course, however the student must successfully complete the two open water night training dives to the satisfaction of the dive instructor.

featured above is the Manta Senior (SR) Reel available at Leisurepro.com

Prerequisites to do the Course
To qualify for the PADI Drift Diver course, an individual must:

Be certified as a PADI Scuba Diver, Junior Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or have qualifying certifications from another training organization.

photos from flickr by Raymond™, kradk

PADI Boat Diver Specialty course

Nevin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:28:30 +0000

What is Boat Diving?

Ordinarily recreational scuba diving points of entry take place from either the shore known as ‘shore diving’ or from a movable vessel or boat known as ‘Boat Diving’. Water entry and exit procedures are perhaps the main difference between diving from a boat or diving from the shore.

Why do a specialty course in Boat Diving?

Scuba Diving and boats go hand-in-hand, and it’s very rare one can be a Scuba Diver and avoid diving from a boat in at least some point in time. The PADI Boat Diving Specialty familiarizes you with diving from boats, whether it’s from small inflatables to giant live-aboards. While the Boat Diver specialty may not be the most appealing one when compared to wreck diving, underwater photography or Deep Diving, this course is a core essential for any diver starting out in Scuba Diving as it equips you with a skill that you will perhaps most frequently use throughout your diving career. If you are already an experienced diver having dived from boats frequently then the PADI Boat Diving specialty may not be the most informative course, however PADI state that this course can benefit even more experienced divers because different boats in different parts of the world do things differently. Still the Boat Diving Specialty is perhaps best for a new diver or someone who hasn’t had much experience with diving from a boat.

What does the Course cover?

The course includes roughly 12 hrs of course training covering boat diving knowledge and techniques, followed by two open water dives from a boat under the supervision of a diver instructor.

The course covers the following:

the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and
hazards of boat diving.
proper boat diving etiquette — storage of personal equipment, personal
conduct and considerations for care of the boat.
basic, common boat terminology.
specific boat diving laws and/or ordinances.
local boat diving laws and/or ordinances.
overview of emergency/safety equipment needed on-board private diving vessels.

There is no written exam to successfully complete the PADI Boat Diver Specialty however the diver must successfully complete the knowledge sessions on all the key information areas and perform the two training dives from a boat to the satisfaction of the instructor.

featured above is the Padi Boat Diving – DVD, #70930 available at Leisurepro.com

Prerequisites to do the Course

To qualify for the Boat Diver course, an individual must:

Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
Be 10 years of age or older.

photos from flickr by : star5112 & vonlohmann

PADI Altitude Diver Specialty Course

Nevin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:24:15 +0000

What is Altitude Diving?
Any dive performed in a water body at 300 to 3000 meters/1000 to 10,000 feet above sea level, is known as altitude diving. Often a large variety of mountain lakes, springs or quarries may be nestled in mountain ranges and offer remarkable and often unexplored dive sites. Knowledge of Altitude dive planning opens up this whole range of scuba sites for you to explore.

Why do a specialty course in Altitude Diving?
Diving at altitudes isn’t as simple as it sounds as the effect of atmospheric pressure changes as altitude increases, thereby changing the rate of nitrogen absorption by the human body and making the standard dive tables ineffectual. The PADI Altitude Diver Specialty course helps divers learn the effects of pressure at higher altitudes and how to adjust your dive plan accordingly.

What does the Course cover?
The PADI Altitude Diver Specialty course can be completed within 24 with time being equally divided between classroom training and practical water-training sessions. There is no exam but two open water training dives at an altitude above 300 meters are required to successfully complete the course and logged in the divers logbook. The certification counts toward the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating

The course covers the following:

Understanding the problems and hazards of altitude diving.
planning, organization, procedures and techniques for altitude diving
Recreational Dive Planner procedures
Safety stops and emergency decompression procedures.
Special equipment, scuba gear, descent lines and buoyancy control considerations.
limited visibility diving and underwater navigation techniques.
The Physical affects of freshwater diving
Recognizing, preventing and treating hypoxia and hypothermia while altitude diving

Prerequisites to do the Course
To qualify for the Altitude Diver course, an individual must:

Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.
Be 10 years of age or older.

photos from flickr by: Saspotato & zlatkarp

What A Scuba Rescue Diver Course Entails

Noreen — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:06:28 +0000

As a certified diver, whether you are looking to take up diving professionally or just for recreation we’d always recommend you train atleast up to a Rescue Diver level. Rescue diving courses and training are not designed only for someone looking at rescue diving or scuba diving as a career, but for all those who want to know what to do in the event of problems underwater and to just expand your knowledge and experience for stress free diving.

We’ve always advocated that even though you always dive with a dive buddy, in any emergency your most dependable rescuer is you (Read:You’re Your Own Best Dive Buddy). A Rescue course by any of the scuba certification agencies is one of the best ways of being a better scuba diver for both yourself and your dive buddy. The rescue training, which teaches you to anticipate and manage risks as well as responding to any basic in-water problems and diving emergencies is a challenging and demanding course. However, ask anyone who is rescue diver certified and they’ll tell you it is the single most rewarding and useful certification they’ve taken since open water. It’s the ultimate boost in confidence in the water, a a must when diving.

So what do you need to be a Rescue diver?
It goes without saying that you need to be a certified diver to even consider the scuba rescue course however, more than just an open water diver certification you need to complete your advanced diver course with 20 or more logged dives. Some scuba certification agencies like PADI and NAUI have a pre-requisite of being trained and current with first aid and CPR while some others like CMAS offers the CMAS 2 star certification which is an advanced plus rescue diver level course without the need for separate first aid and CPR training.

Other than that, it’s important that you are very comfortable with all the scuba skills taught to you in previous training which may be needed in this course. It helps if you can remain calm, composed while being quick thinking and react efficiently in a controlled manner.

What you learn in Rescue Diver training-

Self-rescue techniques
Learn to spot potential problems and managing stress in other divers.
Emergency management
Scuba Equipment Function
Common Equipment Problems
Release Function and Problems
Panicked diver response
Rescuing the Responsive Diver Underwater
Rescue Exits with the Responsive Diver
Rescuing the Responsive Diver at the Surface
Rescuing the Unresponsive Diver Underwater
Rescuing the Unresponsive Diver at the Surface
Missing diver procedures
First aid procedures for pressure related accidents

Scuba Diving Equipment Requirements for Rescue Diver:
During the course of the training you use all your basic scuba gear – (Scuba mask, Fins, Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), Weight-belt and Regulator) including a dive computer, mostly provided by the dive shop conducting the course included in the price. Other than the normal gear, a Dive Knife and Signaling Device are needed during the training.

Rescue diver training usually takes 3 days and includes theoretical study from a manual provided as well as practical exercises in the form of dive accident scenarios performed in either confined waters (swimming pools) or sometimes shallow open water. Rescue diver is the last of the recreational course and the next level in diving is more for professional pursuits. We definitely feel that Rescue level is a must for all divers as it’s always better to Be Prepared but Hope for the Best!

*Photo Credits: photos by Daniel, Daniel Kwok, SWBatzer and Travis S. on flickr

What You Learn As An Open Water Diver

Noreen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:11:23 +0000

If you want to try Scuba diving and are looking to take up the Sport, getting an Open Water Certification is one of the the first steps to doing so as we’ve previously mentioned in the post- “3 Steps to Becoming a Certified Scuba Diver “. There are a number of Scuba Certification Agencies that offer this basic course that teaches you scuba diving skills required to dive safely and independently without a dive professional.

Most scuba certification agencies differ in their teaching styles, courses and syllabus but they all more or less cover the same basic skills in the open water certification. Here’s what you learn to become an Open Water Diver-

Practical Skills and Training:

Preparation and assembly of all your Scuba equipment and gear for a dive. Disassembly of equipment post-dive.
Pre-Dive Buddy safety check. Making sure that you and your buddy’s equipment is in place and working properly before the dive.
Hand signals used underwater to signal your dive buddy in case of an emergency. Other standard hand signals.
Water entry methods – wading/shore entry, giant stride method, seated entry and back roll entry. (Read: Scuba Diving Water Entry Methods)
Regulator clearing and recovery. Techniques to recover your regulator in the event that it is knocked out of your mouth.(Read: Scuba Regulator Recovery and Clearing techniques)
Mask clearing. Learning to clear a partially/ fully flooded mask comfortably underwater. Completely removing and replacing your mask underwater while breathing.
Use of Buddy’s alternate air source. Role play scenarios of being out of air, signaling to your buddy, securing their alternate air source and ascending safely with them.
Buddy breathing. Sharing one air source between buddies to simulate an emergency situation and learning to ascend safely while buddy breathing.
Buoyancy control. Learning how to hover and regulate your buoyancy underwater.
BCD Oral Inflation. Practicing how to orally inflate your buoyancy compensator/ buoyancy control device in case the inflator is not functioning properly.
Proper descent and ascent. Following safe descending and ascending methods.

Theoretical Knowledge:

Scuba Gas Laws – Charles Law, Henry’s Law & Boyle’s Law
Reading Dive tables.
Dive Planning. Calculating dive times and decompression stops.
Risks of Scuba Diving
Decompression Sickness
Scuba diving safety

Some certification agencies may include some more advanced skills like underwater navigation and no mask swimming, scuba unit removal and replacement and so on. But making sure you properly learn and practice the above skills in your open water course, you should be just fine underwater to confidently scuba dive with a buddy.

* Photo Credits: photos by Nemo’s great uncle, Philip Morton, frerieke, @kevinv033 on Flickr.