Dream Divers Home Page > Specialty of the Month

Underwater Navigation Diver

 

Are you fed up of blindly following the dive guide like a complete newbie, do you and your buddy want to take more responsibility for your dives, start doing more independent dives, want to get more out of club trips then this is a course for you!

Underwater navigation is another of those essential skills you should master as a diver, as it so easy to get lost and disorientated underwater, which can easily spoil your dive.

Various factors like

  • poor visibility
  • untraceable sounds and currents
  • no maps
  • uneven, irregular random and unpredictable features

Together with other task loading activities such as keeping an eye on your depth and dive time, knowing where your buddy is can, when all added together play a large part in helping you to get disoriented during a dive.

Don’t let this affect you! Use the skills and techniques taught during the PADI Underwater Navigation course to take back control of your dives, so you can start enjoying them again.

Like all diving skills it is important to learn how to do them properly first in a controlled environment under the direct supervision of a qualified PADI dive professional. So no matter what type of diving you enjoy the navigation skills covered in this course will help you to enhance your diving, gaining extra confidence, and increasing your enjoyment.

The PADI Underwater Navigation Specialty course builds on the basic navigation skills taught during both your PADI Open Water Diver and the compulsory navigation dive of your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course. Giving you essential skills to improve your own leisure diving or use in the future if you decide to progress further and start working your way to qualifying as PADI Professional (Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor).

Underwater Navigator Crewpack

Underwater Navigator Crewpack

During PADI Underwater Navigation course you will learn and most importantly practice all the tricks of the trade

  • Planning
  • Navigation methods
  • Using natural clues
  • Compass
  • Estimating distances
  • Map making
  • Taking bearings
  • Follow navigation patterns
  • Equipment use
  • Contingency planning

This course is usually run over three dives, the first dive of which is covered as a compulsory dive in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, so this month as a special offer for qualified Advanced Open Water Divers, we are running this Specialty course as Dream Divers Specialty of the month at a special club members rate of £90, which includes a manual, classroom session, two open water dives and PADI Certification.

Interested? Please contact the dive centre ASAP to reserve your place on this course.

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Wreck Diver – August 2010

 

Wreck coming into view One of the most thrilling experiences when diving is as you are descending down the line and all you can see is the blue of the ocean, then suddenly this large dark shape starts to emerge bellow you and before you know it the absolute slender and majesty of the wreck emerges before your very eyes.

Now you start to explore the outside of the wreck, whilst exploring you sees other divers penetrating the wreck. But as a responsible diver you and your buddy are going to dive your plan; carry on your dive as you planned sticking to the outside of the wreck.

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Wreck Diver – August 2010

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Deep Diver – July 2010 Specialty of the Month

 

PADI Deep Diver
As divers we know that diving within our experience and training is an important fundamental of being a safe diver. Sometimes we are not able to participate in a dive, with our diving friend because it is outside our level of experience and training, this is where this month’s PADI Specialty of the month comes in to its own. The PADI Deep Diver course provides participants with all the skills and training necessary to safely dive up to the recreational diving limit of 40 metres.

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Deep Diver – July 2010 Specialty of the Month

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Peak Performance Buoyancy

 

As you gain experience as a diver one of the most important skills you can master is control of your buoyancy throughout the dive, this is an important skill which is taught and practised right from the start in your Open Water course, and then improved upon in the Advanced Open Water course.

Divers Illustrating Buoyancy Control

Divers Illustrating Buoyancy Control

The Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Course, expands upon the knowledge and skills previously learnt, giving you not only the knowledge and experience to totally master and control your buoyancy, but the chance to practice and master these important skills in a fun and challenging way, under the expert guidance of a PADI Instructor.

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Peak Performance Buoyancy

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Wreck Diver – May 2010 Specialty of the Month

 

Wreck coming into view One of the most thrilling experiences when diving is as you are descending down the line and all you can see is the blue of the ocean, then suddenly this large dark shape starts to emerge bellow you and before you know it the absolute slender and majesty of the wreck emerges before your very eyes.

Now you start to explore the outside of the wreck, whilst exploring you sees other divers penetrating the wreck. But as a responsible diver you and your buddy are going to dive your plan; carry on your dive as you planned sticking to the outside of the wreck.

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Wreck Diver – May 2010 Specialty of the Month

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Get the picture with this month’s specialty of the month PADI Underwater Digital Photographer

 

This month’s PADI Specialty of the month is Underwater Digital Photographer.

Camera at the ready

Camera at the ready

The advent of high specification, low priced compact digital camera, with purposed designed underwater housings (often manufactured by the camera manufactures themselves), has total revolutionised underwater photography in the last few years, bringing it within the reach of all divers. This is a total sea change to the elitist nature of underwater photography when film cameras ruled the roost, with the high cost of underwater housings and the limited number of exposures available during a dive, coupled with the requirement to have the film processed after the dive. If you were lucky you managed to have one half decent shot out of thirty six exposures.

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Get the picture with this month’s specialty of the month PADI Underwater Digital Photographer

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Emergency Oxygen Provider

 

This month Dream Divers are again departing from the PADI Specialty of the month, which is Drift Diver, for the same reasons as last month, We will be running this course later on this year, so contact the dive centre today to register your interest.

So this month’s Dream Divers Specialty of the Month will be the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider (O2 Provider) course. Which will provide you with the essential knowledge, on recognising and providing emergency treatment for diving illnesses that are treatable with the application of emergency oxygen.

Inspecting oxygen mask on Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

Inspecting oxygen mask on Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

This course is essential for any diver who wants to become a PADI dive professional, and it is also highly recommended for all divers and those who are regularly around divers. The course teaches important skills, which could make the difference between life and death for a fellow diver, these include:

  • How to recognise diving illness treatable with emergency oxygen.
  • Equipment Set Up
  • Administering emergency oxygen

It builds upon and reinforces the knowledge covered in both the EFR (Primary and Secondary Care) and Rescue divers courses, proving more in depth training  on how to correctly assess the situation, and provide often life saving emergency treatment, whilst the emergency services arrive, which due to the nature of diving, could be sometime in remote diving locations.

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February 2010 PADI Specialty of the Month

 

This month’s PADI Specialty of the month is PADI Boat Diver; obviously February is not the ideal time of the year in this country for boat diving due to the unpredictable weather and cold water temperatures at this time of year, not to mention that many dive boat owners use this time of year to maintain and overhaul their boats.

If you are interested in taking this course later in the year, please contact the dive centre so we can arrange this specialty course.

What are we doing instead?

Due to its popularity last month, and that we had students interested in taking this course, but couldn’t fit it in to their schedules we are going to have to PADI Enriched Air (EANx) Nitrox diver course as the Dream Divers Specialty of the month for February. (click here for details of last month’s  PADI Specialty of the Month)

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Nitrox Diver Is January’s Specialty of the Month

 

2010 starts off with the ever popular PADI Enriched Air (EANx) Nitrox course as specialty of the month.

What is Enriched Air Nitrox

Analysing O2 Content

Analysing O2 Content

As you know normal air that we breathe consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and one percent other gases. The gas mix NITROX is made up of the same components, but the percentages are different:-

  • NITROX 32 has a nitrogen content of 67% & 32% oxygen
  • NITROX 36 has a nitrogen content of 63% & 36% oxygen

As you can see these mixes have reduced nitrogen content, while the oxygen portion is increased.

What Are the Advantages of Diving With Enriched Air NITROX

The increased oxygen percentage in NITROX has several benefits to divers, the most important one being that the reduced percentage of nitrogen within the mix means that you absorb considerably less nitrogen, during the dive, which can result in the following benefits

  • Extending your maximum no-stop dive time
  • Additional Safety
  • Increased physical well-being during and after your dive

Get Your PADI Enriched Air NITROX Diver Certification

Nitrox Specialty Course Students Practising Using Nitrox Tables As with all scuba diving skills and techniques, especially the ones which are critical to your survival and safety underwater, proper training is essential before using Enriched Air during your dives, this is where the in depth training provided in the PADI Enriched Air NITROX (EANx) course, comes into its own, providing you with the necessary training and certification to use NITROX safely during your dives.

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Search and Recovery – Specialty of The Month December 2009

 

This month’s specialty of the month, provides you with useful skills, which could come in handy at any time, even when you are least expecting it.
The PADI Search and Recovery Specialty teaches you, during the four dives all the skills necessary to successfully plan and execute a search and recovery dive, including:

  • Dive planning
  • Organization procedures
  • Search Patterns
  • Limited visibility techniques
  • Navigation for search and recovery
  • How to deal with any potential problems.
  • Locate both large and small objects
  • Lift bag use and recovery methods

After completing all the exercises and practising all the techniques covered in this course, you will be well equipped to deal with a search and recovery, should the need ever arise.
Your certification will count towards you achieving the converted PADI Master Scuba Diver rating.

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Underwater Navigator – Specialty of The Month November 2009

 

Underwater Navigator

As any experienced a diver will tell you, Underwater Navigation is a one of those must have skills, that makes the difference, turning an good or even average dive, into  one of those special and enjoyable dives that you remember vividly for a long time.

The important skills covered in the PADI Underwater Navigation Diver Course include:-

  • Navigation patterns
  • Natural navigation (without a compass)
  • Compass navigation
  • How to “mark” or relocate a submerged object or position from the surface
  • Underwater map making
  • How to follow irregular courses with the Nav-Finder
  • Dive site relocation
  • How to estimate distance underwater

Certification counts towards PADI Master Scuba Diver rating

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October 2009 PADI Specialty of the Month

 

Night Diver

October offers an excellent opportunity to take this rewarding specialty, in British waters, giving you the opportunity to learn new skills in what seems like an unfamiliar environment even if you dived at the same dive site many times before.

Divers by Torchlight exploring the divesite

Divers by Torchlight exploring the divesite

Even the most familiar dive sites take on a whole new atmosphere, after dark, giving you the chance to see the nocturnal inhabitants of the aquatic environment you are diving.

So take the opportunity to gain your PADI Night Diver Specialty, with Dream Divers at Stoney Cove on Wednesday 7th October.

This Course consists of three dives during the evening; all participants will need to be ready and fully kitted up 5:30pm, ready to enter the water at 6pm.

The Dream Divers price normally is £110.00, as usual club members can benefit from our club members only offer price of only £99.00 per person and this includes the use of equipment if needed.

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September 2009 PADI Specialty of the Month

 

By Popular request we have extended the August Specialty of the month Deep Diver , into this month

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August 2009 PADI Specialty of the Month

 

Why not extend your range past 30 Metres, with PADI Deep Diver course. This is scheduled to be carried out at Stoney Cove, and consists of four dives over two days.

The Dream Divers price normally is £145.00, as usual club members can benefit from our club members only offer price of only
£135.00 per person and this includes the use of  equipment if needed.

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July 2009 PADI Specialty of the Month

 

June 2009 PADI Specialty of the month at Dream Divers is Peak Performance Buoyancy.

This course is two dives over one days and it will be taking place at Stoney Cove or Capernwray.

On the course you will:

  • Learn Dive planning, organisation, procedures, techniques and hazards.
  • Learn how to trim your weights.
  • Experience two open water dives under the direct supervision of a professional PADI Instructor & Dive Masters.

The price for this course is £75.00 Per Person and includes all PADI materials, 2 dives and includes the PADI Specialty Certification Card and any equipment hire if required on the course.

This course can be credited towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver qualification.

Contact the dive centre for more details.

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