INSTRUCTOR GUIDE FOR OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE AUGUST 2005 COURSE STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES WHO CAN TEACH AND CERTIFY THIS COURSE? This course can be taught by: • An ACUC Divemaster, under the direct supervision at all times of at least an ACUC Instructor with the minimum level of Entry Level Instructor • An ACUC Assistant Instructor, under the indirect supervision of the class- room portion of at least an ACUC Instructor with the minimum level of Entry Level IMPORTANT Instructor and the direct supervision of the water portion of at least an ACUC Instructor with the minimum level of Entry Level Instructor • An ACUC Entry Level Instructor or higher level Direct This course can be taught and certified by: supervision means that a • An ACUC Entry Level Instructor or higher level qualified ACUC Instructor must WHO CAN TAKE THIS COURSE? be present This course can be taken by any person that knows how to swim. • Candidates must be at least 14 years old or whatever is allowed by the legis- Indirect lation where the candidate does the course. Minors must have a written parental supervision permission. • Where the legislation requires it, candidates must pass a medical examina- means that tion before starting any in-water portion of the course. In any case, they must sign the ACUC medical release form. although is not necessary for a CANDIDATE’S CLASSROOM TRAINING MATERIALS qualified instructor to be ACUC recommends that all candidates are given the Open Water Diver Kit. In any case, all candidates must have access to an original ACUC Open Water Diver present during Manual and Decompression Tables during the course training, the training must be CANDIDATE’S OPEN WATER TRAINING MATERIALS evaluated by a All candidates must be fully equipped according to what is specified in the ACUC qualified Standards Manual and to the local legislation if it exists. instructor CANDIDATE’S CERTIFICATION . Candidates will be certified as ACUC Open Water Divers when they have complied with all the requirements. These include: • Pass the ACUC Open Water Diver written examination • Successfully complete the course dives Page 2 ACUC INSTRUCTOR GUIDE FOR THE OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE CANDIDATE’S QUALIFICATIONS Once completed the course, the ACUC Open Water Diver will be able to dive in waters of similar character- istics as those in which he was trained up to a maximum depth of 20 meters and always accompanied by at least another certified diver. COURSE PURPOSE The purpose of the Open Water Diver course is to provide the candidates with the necessary knowledge and skills as to safely indulge in the practice of recreational INSTRUCTOR:STUDENT RATIOS Classroom theory: No maximum although 20 is recommended Pool or confined water practices: Maximum of 8 student per Instructor plus an additional 4 students per Assistant or Divemaster Check Out Dives: Maximum of 4 student per Instructor plus an additional 2 students per Assistant or Divemaster These numbers are the maximum under excellent conditions. If conditions are not optimal the Instructor must reduce the ratio according to safety considerations THEORY AND PRACTICES The minimum theory given during the course is that shown on the Open Water Diver manual, which is also shown in the OWD Specific Manual. Although there is no set time, as a guide a duration of 9.5 hours of the- ory should be given. The pool or confined water practices are explained in the OWD Specific Manual. It is estimated that 11,5 hours minimum of pool practices will be needed. The open water Check out dives should be a minimum of 4 and they are also described in the OWD Specific Manual MINIMUM THEORY The minimum theory of the course is as explained in the Open Water Diver Manual, and is resumed next. The page number refers to the page of the Open Water Diver Manual where that subject is discussed (please note that page numbers might change slightly as new versions or different language versions of the manual are produced). Instructors are encouraged to use the following index to develop their own lessons plans. INTRODUCTION 5 1. BASIC DIVING EQUIPMENT 7 1.1. - BASIC DIVING EQUIPMENT 7 1.1.1. - THE MASK 7 1.1.2. - THE SNORKEL 9 1.1.3. - THE FINS 10 1.1.4. - PROTECTIVE SUITS. 12 Dry suits 12 Wet and semi-dry suits 12 Lycra Suits (Body Skins) 14 1.1.5. - WEIGHT BELT 14 1.1.6. - BUOYANCY COMPENSATORS 15 Snorkelling Vest 16 Jacket Buoyancy Compensator 16 1.1.7. - FLAGS AND FLOATS 17 1.1.8. - DIVE KNIFE 18 1.1.9. CHEMICAL LIGHTS 19 Page 3 ACUC INSTRUCTOR GUIDE FOR THE OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE 1.1.10. THE LOG BOOK 19 1.1.11. REPAIR KIT 20 SPARE PARTS 20 CONSUMABLES 20 TOOLS 20 1.1.12. THE EQUIPMENT BAG 21 1.2. PRACTICING WITH BASIC EQUIPMENT 21 1.2.1. - MASK CLEARING 21 1.2.2. - TWO METHODS OF SNORKEL CLEARING 21 "blast method" 21 "displacement method". 22 1.2.3. - THREE METHODS OF ENTERING THE WATER 22 1.2.3.1.) - STEP ENTRY . 22 1.2.3.2.) . SEATED ENTRY 22 1.2.3.3.) . BACK SEATED ENTRY 22 1.2.4. - PROPER ASCENTS 23 1.2.5. - FOUR FINNING METHODS 23 Flutter Kick 23 Dolphin Kick 23 Bicycle Kick 24 Frog Kick 24 1.2.6. - CLEARING THE EARS 24 1.2.7. - TWO TYPES OF SURFACE DIVES 25 The Duck Dive 25 The Feet First Surface Dive 25 1.2.8. - CORRECT METHOD OF RELEASING THE WEIGHT BELT 25 2. SCUBA DIVING EQUIPMENT 27 2.1. - SCUBA EQUIPMENT 27 2.1.1. - TANKS 28 2.1.2. - THE VALVE 29 "J" valve 30 "K" valve 30 DIN fitting 30 2.1.3. - BACKPACKS 31 2.1.4. - TANK BOOT 31 2.1.5. - THE REGULATOR 31 2.1.6. - SUBMERSIBLE PRESSURE GAUGES 34 2.1.7. - DEPTH GAUGE 35 The Capillary Tube 35 The Diaphragm Gauge 35 The Bourdon Tube 35 The Electronic Gauge 35 2.1.8. - THE DIVE WATCH 36 2.1.9. - UNDERWATER COMPASS 36 2.1.10. - DIVE COMPUTERS 37 2.1.11. - UNDERWATER SLATES 37 2.1.12. - UNDERWATER LIGHTS 38 2.2. PRACTICE WITH SCUBA EQUIPMENT 38 2.2.1. - THE BUDDY SYSTEM 38 NEVER DIVE ALONE 38 2.2.2. - INSPECTING THE TANK 39 2.2.3. - FASTENING THE BC TO THE TANK 39 2.2.4. - CHECKING THE VALVE 39 2.2.5. - FASTENING THE REGULATOR TO THE TANK 39 2.2.6. - FASTENING THE BC HOSE TO THE BC 39 2.2.7. - TURNING ON THE AIR 40 2.2.8. - CHECKING THE REGULATOR 40 2.2.9. - PUTTING ON THE SCUBA EQUIPMENT 40 2.2.10. - REMOVING THE SCUBA EQUIPMENT 41 Page 4 ACUC INSTRUCTOR GUIDE FOR OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE 3. DIVING PHYSICS 43 3.1. - MATTER 43 3.1.1. - TYPES OF MATTER 43 3.1.2. - PROPERTIES OF MATTER 43 3.2. - BUOYANCY 44 Archimedes Principle 44 3.3. - LIGHT 46 REFLECTION 47 REFRACTION 47 ABSORPTION 47 DIFFUSION 47 3.4. - SOUND 48 3.4.1. - HAND SIGNALS 48 3.4.2. LOCATING A SOUND 48 3.5. - COMPONENTS OF AIR 50 3.5.1. - OXYGEN (O2) 50 3.5.2. - NITROGEN: (N2) 50 3.5.3. - CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) 51 3.5.4. - OTHER GASES 51 3.6. - PRESSURE 51 TORRICELLI 51 PRESSURE TABLE 52 3.7. - GAS LAWS 52 3.7.1. - BOYLE'S LAW 52 3.7.2. - DALTON'S LAW 54 3.7.3. - HENRY'S LAW 54 3.7.4. - CHARLES' LAW 55 3.8. PHYSICS LAWS, THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND THEIR EFFECTS 55 BOB_S LAW 56 4. DIVING PHYSIOLOGY: MEDICAL ASPECTS 57 4.1. - BAROTRAUMA 57 4.2. - BASIC ANATOMY 57 4.2.1. - THE HUMAN BODY: 57 4.2.2. - ABDOMEN: 57 4.2.3. - THORAX: 57 TIDAL VOLUME 58 INSPIRED VOLUME 58 EXPIRED VOLUME 58 RESIDUAL VOLUME 58 4.2.4. - THE EARS 60 Outer Ear 60 Middle Ear 60 Inner Ear 60 Valsalva Method 60 4.2.5. - THE SINUSES 61 4.2.6. - DECONGESTANTS 62 4.2.7. - TOOTH SQUEEZE 62 4.2.8. - MASK SQUEEZE 62 4.3. - DESCENT PHYSIOLOGY 63 4.3.1. - NITROGEN NARCOSIS 63 4.3.2. - OXYGEN POISONING 64 4.3.3. - CARBON DIOXIDE POISONING 64 4.3.4. - CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING 65 4.4. - ASCENT PHYSIOLOGY 65 4.4.1. - AIR EMBOLISM (AGE) 65 4.4.2. - MEDIASTINAL AND SUBCUTANEOUS EMPHYSEMIA 66 4.4.3. - PNEUMOTHORAX 67 4.4.4. - GAS EXPANSION IN THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES 67 4.4.5. - DIZZINESS 67 4.4.6. - DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS (DCS) 68 Page 5 ACUC INSTRUCTOR GUIDE FOR OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE 4.5. - RELATED PHYSIOLOGY 69 4.5.1. - LIPOID PNEUMONIA 69 4.5.2. - HYPOTHERMIA 69 4.5.3. - DRUGS AND ALCOHOL 70 5. THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT 71 5.1. - THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT 71 5.1.1. - SALT WATER 71 5.1.2. - SUN 71 5.1.3. - CURRENTS 71 5.1.4. - WAVES 73 5.1.5. - SHORE TOPOGRAPHY 75 5.1.6. - NAVIGATION 76 5.1.7. - MARINE LIFE 76 Kelp 76 Coral 76 Sea Urchins 77 Cone Shells 77 Jellyfish 77 Octopi 78 Rays 78 Electric Eels 78 Snakes 78 Scorpion fish 79 Eels 79 Barracudas 79 Orcas 80 Sharks 80 5.1.8. - INTEREST CONSIDERATIONS 81 Ciguatera 81 Red Tide Organism 81 5.1.9. - INTERACTION WITH THE MARINE LIFE 81 5.2. - MARINE CONSERVATION 81 5.2.1. - WRECKS 81 5.2.2. - FISH AND CONSERVATION 82 6. THE FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT 83 6.1.