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SPECIALTY and ADVANCED OPEN WATER
Steps for
becoming a Dive Control Specialist
The
Dive Leader
Training that we’ve been talking about and you’ve been waiting for has arrived.
The training material is available, our programs are outlined, and the classes
are on the schedule. We are holding an
orientation for Science of Diving, Dive Guide, Dive Master and Dive
Control Specialist on Sept 28 at 6:30pm or Oct 2 at 9:30am.
*All details regarding the program will be conveyed during these sessions. By attending the
orientation on either of these days, you will learn all the specifics about each
program. What they are, what you can do with the certification, how long it
takes, cost, etc. Come learn everything you need to know about these new courses
and your pathway to become a Dive Leader.
Science of Diving
*If you have an appetite to learn, then the Science of
Diving is the SSI Specialty for you. This manual goes into much greater detail
with regards to physics & physiology, decompression theory, the components of
the total diving system & accessory equipment and the aquatic environment to
improve your knowledge of recreational sport diving. Take this component as a
specialty or as a stepping stone on your way to becoming a dive leader.
Dive Guide
*This program is an introduction into the world of Dive
Professionals. As a Dive Guide you will be qualified to lead certified divers on
a variety of scuba diving adventures.
Dive Master
*Dive Guide + Science of Diving, equals Divemaster.
Divemasters can also lead and guide certified divers, as well as assist with
both classroom and pool under direct supervision of an SSI Instructor.
Dive Control Specialist
*Divemaster + Dive Control Specialist equals Assistant
Instructor. As a DCS you can teach lecture and pool classes with
indirect supervision. By assisting an active SSI Instructor with open water
training the DCS can collect valuable training experience which is the best
possible preparation for an Instructor Training Course.
Continuing Education Ratings

Now
that you are done with your OPEN WATER course.
Its now time to expand your knowledge of
diving;
and start taking some specialty courses that your
interested in.
Underwater Photography, Night Diving, NITROX, Dry
Suit Diving, whatever your flavor Underwater
Playground has
the course that suits that interest
Specialty Diver
and Advanced Open Water Diver
  
Divers receiving the SSI
Specialty Diver Certification have to log
12 dives and complete two specialties.
The 12 logged
dives can include all the dives the diver has done
to date.
Divers receiving the prestigious
SSI
Advanced Diver Certification have to log
a total of 24 dives and complete four specialties.
The 24 logged dives can include all the dives the
diver has done to date.
Underwater
Playground has 2 ways to earn your SSI Advanced
Diver Certification.
We offer a combined 4 specialty
package that consists of the
Deep Diver, Navigation,
Night/Limited Visibility and Computer
which are presented as a combined one-night course.
You will then make 6 to 8 open water dives.
Or you
can take any four individual Specialties to earn
your Advanced Diver Certification.
For Example you
could take the
Computer, Deep, NITROX and Dry Suit
specialties to earn your Advanced Diver
Certification.
( You can even use Specialties you've
already earned from SSI or any other Agency.)
Just
complete your last specialty with Underwater
Playground and
show us at least 24 logged dives.
Diver Stress
and Rescue Course

Diver Stress & Rescue is the next course
recommended after Open Water Diver,
because it helps
you gain confidence and makes you a better buddy.
Knowledge. You will learn the signs of
stress, and how to deal with stress in yourself and
other divers before the dive, during the dive and
after the dive. Also, you will learn about different
personality types and the common actions of each
type in stressful situations.
Skills. You will learn skills and techniques
to help you and other divers prevent and overcome
common stressors associated with diving. You will
also learn self aid and buddy aid skills for
potentially stressful and/or rescue situations.
Equipment. You will learn about how your
equipment can help you to stay relaxed and enjoy
every dive, what equipment is required in various
rescue situations and how to use your equipment
properly in the event of a rescue. The minimum depth, for the deep dives is between
60 to 100 feet, with no dive exceeding 130 feet. All
your dives will be conducted within the
no-decompression limits, with deeper dives conducted
first.
Search
and Recovery Course

This
program will cover techniques and apply a
variety of search and recovery methods Which includes
the following:
The
planning, organization, procedures, techniques,
problems,
and hazards of search and recovery
diving.
Limited-visibility
diving and underwater navigation techniques.
Proper
techniques and safety considerations for object
location,
including the use of various search
patterns, lines and reels.
Proper
techniques and safety considerations for recovery
of objects
using various lifting devices.
This course requires a 50lb lift bag.
Night/Limited
Visibility Diver Course

You'll learn to prepare night/limited
visibility
dive activities and develop your knowledge and
techniques for night/limited visibility
diving.
Some
of the topics covered in the Night/Limited
Visibility Diver class are:
Planning, organization, procedures, techniques,
problems and hazards of night/limited visibility
diving.
Proper procedures for buoyancy control, navigation
and communication.
Use of dive lights and buddy-system techniques.
Disorientation and emergency procedures.
Orientation to nocturnal aquatic life.
This Course requires a primary and back-up light.
Navigation
Course
The Underwater Navigator program
helps you familiarize yourself
with the
skills, knowledge, planning, organization,
procedures, techniques, problems, hazards
and most of all
enjoyment of underwater navigation.
This
course requires an underwater compass and slate.
You will
learn:
Procedures
and techniques for planning, organizing
underwater navigation and problems and hazards
associated.
Methods
of estimating distances underwater. Natural
navigation techniques. How
to use underwater patterns.
Dive
site relocation techniques.
Compass
navigation techniques.
Enriched
Air NITROX Course
The
Enriched Air Diver program emphasizes the
theoretical and operational considerations involved
with enriched air diving. You will learn how to use
Enriched Air NITROX gas mixes up to 40% in order to
safely increase your bottom time, so you can spend
longer at depth. This program can be combined with
most other Specialties and completed at the same
time.
During
your program, you’ll cover the knowledge, skills
and techniques needed to dive on
Enriched Air NITROX.
The following is included in the Underwater
Playground Enriched Air NITROX Diver
program:
Planning,
organization, procedures, techniques, problems
and hazards of enriched
air NITROX
diving.
Risk
factors and decompression-tables review.
Safety
stops and emergency decompression procedures.
Dry
Suit Diver Course

This
program will give you the knowledge and techniques
of
dry suit diving with emphasis placed on the use of
the suits,
operation principles, care and diving
techniques.
This
course requires the use of a dry suit.
You must have your own dry suit for this course
Underwater Playground does not rent dry suits for routine diving.
The following
topics are included in your Underwater
Playground Dry Suit Diver program:
The
planning, organization, procedures, techniques,
problems and hazards of dry suit diving.
Proper
procedures for buoyancy control.
Ascent
and descent technique training.
Routine,
user-level, preventative maintenance and
performance checks on dry suits.
Computer Diver
Course

During
the Open Water Diver course, you learned to use the
tables.
Tables are great as long as you are doing a
square profile.
Unfortunately, most dives are
actually multi-level dives.
On tables, you
don’t get credit for time spent at depths
shallower than the deepest.
A computer tracks your
depths and adjusts accordingly. With a computer, you
get more bottom time, don’t have to remember to
set a watch to track time, and don’t have to work
the tables to find out how long you can stay down on
a dive.
In addition, computers offer other safety
features such as
ascent rate monitors and nitrogen
loading graphs.
Some even tell how many
minutes of air you have left.
This course will
teach you what to look for in a dive computer and
how to use them.
A dive computer is required
for this course.
Deep
Diver Course

During
your program, you’ll cover the knowledge, br />
skills
and techniques needed to dive DEEP.
The following is
included in the program:
Planning,
organization, procedures, techniques, problems
and hazards of deep diving.
Risk
factors and decompression-tables review.
Safety
stops and emergency decompression procedures.
Special
equipment, descent lines and buoyancy-control
considerations.
Procedures
for flying after diving and high-altitude diving.
Orientation
to recompression chambers.
Underwater
Photography Course

Underwater photography is the perfect way to
bring back memories of your underwater experiences.
Best of all, you can then share those experiences
with
both your diving and non-diving friends and
family.
Underwater photographers naturally develop a
better knowledge of underwater life than most divers
and tend to become more observant with practice.
Underwater photography is an ideal companion for the
vacationing diver,
the shipwreck enthusiast or any
diver who wishes to preserve
or describe what is
seen underwater.
If you love telling people about
what diving is all about, then this is for you!
SSI
Master Diver

Already an Advanced Diver and have 50 logged
dives? Than complete the Stress and Rescue Course
and become an SSI
Master Diver. Show your dedication
to the sport and your pursuit to become the best
diver possible. If you already have a Rescue
Certification come and see us about how to become a
SSI Master Diver.
We
also teach the following
*EquipmentSpecialist*

*Wreck Diver*

*Boat Diver*

**SSI Dive Control Specialist*
*AssistantInstructor*
*Open Water Scuba Instructor*
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