They have an entire recreational line of training as well, starting with Rec 1 as ab initio training, or if you're already certified with another agency you can do fundies to the recreational standard and cross over into the other recreational programs, anything that isn't under the "tech endorsement" is available if you have a rec pass or passed rec1
DIR- GUE Is it worth taking Fundamentals this late in the game?
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Absolutely. Did you say you have AOW or that you would like to take AOW?
The entry point to GUE for any certified diver is the GUE Fundamentals class. This class can be taken in a recreational gear configuration with a single tank, backplate and wing, and long hose + necklace and wetsuit or drysuit. The focus of the class is team work, situational awareness, positioning in the water, buoyancy, fin techniques. You'll practice simple skills like regulator switches and mask removal while hovering in trim, SMB deployment, ascents, gas sharing - all while maintaining/building situational awareness of your surroundings, your gas, depth, bottom time, buddies etc. You'll also learn simple and efficient communication with hand signals and passive communication with lights. Also you'll go through basic theory in a practical way, to give you confidence to plan and execute dives with a buddy or a team.
Fundamentals does not expand your certification limits, but trains you to be a better diver and makes you eligible for other GUE courses, recreational as well as technical. If you want to continue with a class that is equivalent (but more in depth) to AOW, that would be the REC2 course which certifies you to 30m (if you're not already AOW).
justinthedeeps
Contributor
I think we can very easily say without a doubt that every diver, obviously GUE divers, but also (or especially) divers trained under different agencies, can improve multiple important things thru a Fundamentals course.
That is because it focuses on fundamental skills of control, trim, communication, team coordination, positioning, finning techniques, among several other things.
I don't know if there was ever a time when you only get training in this under GUE--all of these things were known and trained previously under existing agencies. But they are often skipped now, with terrible consequences for divers progressing into deeper and more consequential diving.
GUE is literally saving lives by saying no, go no further until you can pass this course. That's something we should all respect and admire about the GUE culture.
You can also ask any top quality instructor from another agency for a series of dives that focus on these skills, and I think there are even courses under TDI etc now that do this. I've had instructors like this who are also saving lives that way.
That is because it focuses on fundamental skills of control, trim, communication, team coordination, positioning, finning techniques, among several other things.
I don't know if there was ever a time when you only get training in this under GUE--all of these things were known and trained previously under existing agencies. But they are often skipped now, with terrible consequences for divers progressing into deeper and more consequential diving.
GUE is literally saving lives by saying no, go no further until you can pass this course. That's something we should all respect and admire about the GUE culture.
You can also ask any top quality instructor from another agency for a series of dives that focus on these skills, and I think there are even courses under TDI etc now that do this. I've had instructors like this who are also saving lives that way.
Not AOW yet. Just open water(NAUI) as of now. Was going to take the NAUI Nitrox/enriched air class in July with hopes to do AOW maybe early next year. I love having good critical instruction which is why GUE is intriguing to me. But I also dont want to make a fool of myself. I live in Ohio so I think I would have to go to Florida to do GUE classes?
There were just three GUE fundamentals courses at Gilboa quarry at the start of the month, and there will be a few more at the end of July. The local GUE community @MWUE has a "visiting instructor program" to bring instructors into the region, and provides members the opportunity to get together to dive and work towards whatever goals folks have.
Barefoot_Lawyer
Contributor
I DM’d you contact info for the instructors and the MWUE organizer for fundies @ Gilboa - but wanted to answer this for you too:
Longhose means you have a 7 foot long hose on your primary regulator, which is the regulator you donate. Your backup regulator is on a short hose necklaced around your neck so that you can easily pop it in your mouth when donating the primary.
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