Deep Diver specialty?

[DiveMaven]

What is involved in the PADI Deep Diver Specialty? Is it worth doing?

 

[jepuskar]

Hi,

Let's put it this way.....I still want to do this course locally...never got around to doing it and then became an instructor. After a few dives with my Course Director I can teach the Deep Specialty, but I would rather be certified in it also.

It is four dives, if you already have your AOW it is at your instructors discretion to count that as dive 1 of the 4 dives.

I don't have the Specialty manual in front of me now, but you do a reciprocal compass skill at depth, you get to look at the affects of pressure on certain objects, you have to breath off an alternate air supply for 3 minutes or so at your safety stop, descend/ascend without reference and using a line.....I'm missing a couple other things but thats pretty much it.

If you want I can look for the specifics in the manual and post them...but the major ones are listed above.

 

[pieohpah]

It's worth doing just because it gives you a better understanding and experience doing deep dives. OK, like all speciality courses it doesn't make you a king, but you'll understand the difference between a deep dive and a more shallow one and simply put, it makes you dive safer.

My biggest lesson from that course was how fast the air is consumed when deep diving and the importance of having more air at the safety stop.

 

[StSomewhere]

Its not so much whats in the course, its about the instructor. Talk to the instructor, ask him or her questions. Lots of questions. The most important are how often they do these sorts of dives, what gas do they breathe and why, how do they plan their deep dives, what do they and don't they rely on (computer algorithms, redundant regulators), what are their contingency plans if "something happens". Once you know how they handle their own dives like this, find out how from them what they will be teaching you.

 

[DiveMaven]

Thanks guys, I think we may decide to go ahead and do this specialty. I like the idea of extra knowlege about diving at depth, and the AOW just touched the surface.

 

[jepuskar]

I'm not sure where you live, but taking this course in the Caribbean is not the same as taking it locally...for me anyways. To go 100ft in the Caribbean is not the same as 70ft in a Quarry or any low viz situation.

I would take this course wherever the conditions are not as ideal, as long as you dive these conditions normally.

J

 

[in_cavediver]

What is involved in the PADI Deep Diver Specialty? Is it worth doing?

I don't want to start a PADI bashing session but I would seriously consider another agency and combining the Deep Diver with and Advanced Nitrox course.

Advanced nitrox will teach you redundant equipment, DSMB use, Decompression techinques, Gas management and emergency skills that PADI does not include in the Deep course. My personal opinion is that those skills are essential in the sub 100ft depths. YMMV

 

[Hoosier]

Here we go.... That's my recommendation, too. If someone prefers the deep diving, they need a decompresion tech eventually. I don't want to be a card collector

Of course, it is my 2 cent....

I don't want to start a PADI bashing session but I would seriously consider another agency and combining the Deep Diver with and Advanced Nitrox course.

Advanced nitrox will teach you redundant equipment, DSMB use, Decompression techinques, Gas management and emergency skills that PADI does not include in the Deep course. My personal opinion is that those skills are essential in the sub 100ft depths. YMMV