International Certifications?

[CorinnaNG]

Hi, I am looking to do an underwater field school in either Scotland or Greece, and I was wondering if anyone has an suggestions? I have been doing some research but everyone at my university ends up going to Bermuda or Australia and I really want to experience a new culture.

Also, are both PADI and NAUI recognized in either of these places? I'm getting certified by both, but was wondering if I should save some money and only get certified through one?

Thanks for any help or suggestions you might have!
Corinna

 

[nikos81]

You don't clarify what kind of education you wish to have, since you have some logged dives as I can see from your profile. Do you wish to have the OW or the AOW school or do you wish to have some special kind of schooling? Anyway, here in Greece, we have mostly PADI diving clubs,but we also have CMAS (very rare), ANDI and IANTD certifications diving clubs. Good luck to whatever you decide. I believe Scotland is great country also,but I don't know about the diving conditions you may encounter.(eg. water temperature, visibility etc)

 

[CorinnaNG]

I want to study underwater archaeology, I am currently majoring in Maritime Studies in Florida. I have already looked into the Aegean Institute for this upcoming summer, but I'm not sure what other options are out there. I am already OW certified with PADI, and I am getting AOW, Nitrox, and Rescue Diver certified with NAUI. Do most of the companies in Greece accept NAUI as well as PADI?

Thanks for your help

 

[jago]

Greeks desperately need money, they can not or no longer being difficult.

 

[hg frogman]

I am not familiar enough with NAUI certifications to be entirely sure, but if you are NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver, plus you have the NAUI Scuba Rescue Diver qualification, plus enough logged dives and your qualification in CPR is less than 2 years old, you may well (just as an example) be able to join the PADI Divemaster course, which is one of the next levels (the other being PADI Master Scuba Diver) after the PADI Rescue Diver; and for me that means that, formally, PADI assumes your cert is equivalent to PADI Rescue Diver (if I understand right; I am no talking on behalf of PADI here). From the PADI Instructor Manual (I translate from my French version of this manual):

"To join the PADI Divemaster course you must :
- be certified PADI Advanced OWD or an equivalent recognized certification, ie proof of a certification above entry-level and at least 20 logged dives showing experience in underwater navigation and deep diving (18 to 30 meters)
- be certified PADI Rescue Diver or an equivalent recognized certification, ie proof of a qualification in diving rescue by an agency other than PADI
- if the candidate fails in demonstrating a satisfying rescue during the PADI Divemaster course, he/she will have to follow the entire PADI Rescue Diver course
- ... (etc)."

In other words, and generally speaking, PADI is happy to integrate within the PADI training system, at the level corresponding to their abilities, divers certified/trained by other well established agencies (eg NAUI).

Anyway, if it's just for fun diving, the NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver + Scuba Rescue Diver certifications will be more than enough to dive with a PADI Dive Center everywhere in the world (and with these certs you should be allowed to go down to 30 meters, in most countries; and down to 40 meters with a "deep" specialty if local laws allow that depth).

 

[nikos81]

I want to study underwater archaeology, I am currently majoring in Maritime Studies in Florida. I have already looked into the Aegean Institute for this upcoming summer, but I'm not sure what other options are out there. I am already OW certified with PADI, and I am getting AOW, Nitrox, and Rescue Diver certified with NAUI. Do most of the companies in Greece accept NAUI as well as PADI?

Thanks for your help

Yes all the agencies accept NAUI or PADI or any other valid certification. But most of them teach by PADI ANDI or IANTD educational systems. But if you want to go diving with any diving club you are free to do so,as long as you have your validation card with you.

 

[CorinnaNG]

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[drbill]

When I did my first international dive trip (nearly three months circling the "entire" Pacific north and south), I started out with only my Los Angeles county c-card. I figured most people knew of it since it was the first certification program in the States. Well, they didn't. Even a dive instructor from Los Angeles working in Thailand had no clue about it and made me do a check out dive. Finally in Cairns, Australia, the instructor not only knew what it was but referred to my c-card as a "museum piece." He offered to get me PADI AOW certified so I wouldn't get hassled in the future.

PADI will work fine, NAUI should as well. Don't know about the European certifications although everything I hear suggests they are more rigorous than most of those here in the States.