Unusual scuba certifications

[The Chairman]

I once dove with a Norwegian fellow with a Fjord Diver card.

Can I get a Hjonda Diver card? I wonder what that would do to my Ridgeline?

 

[Downing]

I have the PADI Aquanaut card! Actually, it's a bit of a misnomer to call it a "specialty" because it really isn't a certification card, but rather a "recognition" card. While it doesn't appear on the card there is a disclaimer that comes in the letter stating that it IS NOT a certification card. The Aquanaut "C-card" is given in recognition of a 24+ hour mission in an underwater habitat.

Things I did to earn it:

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2) Ate shrimp cocktail and watched Pirates of the Caribbean.
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5) Ate crackers and watched Pirates of the Caribbean II in my favorite jeans.
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11) Drank hot chocolate and watched Pirates of the Caribbean III.

Wow, who cares about a card, you deserve a medal!

 

[knfmn]

I have the PADI Aquanaut card! Actually, it's a bit of a misnomer to call it a "specialty" because it really isn't a certification card, but rather a "recognition" card. While it doesn't appear on the card there is a disclaimer that comes in the letter stating that it IS NOT a certification card. The Aquanaut "C-card" is given in recognition of a 24+ hour mission in an underwater habitat.

Things I did to earn it:

1) Ventured into Jules Undersea Lodge (La Chalupa) with my girlfriend who is also an instructor.
2) Ate shrimp cocktail and watched Pirates of the Caribbean.
3) Dove about an hour.
4) Handled the smell of burnt popcorn in an underwater habitat (my girlfriend was silly enough to select "Popcorn" on the microwave oven when attempting to pop popcorn).
5) Ate crackers and watched Pirates of the Caribbean II in my favorite jeans.
6) Listened to my girlfriend try to convince the person who dialed the wrong number that Elton Gonzales wasn't there and that she was speaking to two divers 20.5 feet underwater in a habitat.
7) Ate steak and chatted with our mission director as he prepared dinner.
8) Watched Hello Down There while my girlfriend napped.
9) Did a awesome night dive - lobsters galore, lots of phosphorescence, etc.
10) Visited Marine Lab
11) Drank hot chocolate and watched Pirates of the Caribbean III.
12) Went to bed ...
13) Woke up and made cereal
14) Dove an hour
15) Had pizza delivered from Tower of Pizza
16) Ate lunch
17) Left habitat 25 hours later and 2lbs. heavier!

Now, the PADI Underwater Habitat Specialist course we did 2 years ago during a 17+ hour mission, well that was a real certification. Actually the class was interesting and we learned a lot about saturation, maintenance, construction, diving procedures, and how to operate the facilities and communication systems: marine radio, intercom, shipboard phone, telephone (then calling was a PITA, now it's exactly like a hotel phone with free local calls), what to do in an emergency, fire, etc.

Sounds like a horrible, very demanding certification! I'd stumbled across the undersea lodge before, and it's definitely on my bucket list. It looks like a good time. I've just got to convince my wife that she'd be ok diving to 25 feet.

Kristopher