Education
Courses at a glance (clickable boxes)
A referral course is a course that begins in one location (with one instructor) and is completed in another location (with another instructor).
A refresher course is advisable for certified divers who have not dove in 6 months or more, especially if they were a relatively novice diver to begin with.
The NAUI Scuba Diver Course is a comprehensive course designed for those who want a more extensive open water course than most agencies offer. This extra attention is why the NAUI OW course typically produces divers who are more comfortable diving, and thus having more fun.
Diving season in Japan is typically from July ~ November, when the ocean is >20 degrees C and you can be sufficiently warm using a 5mm wetsuit. In this course you will learn about different kind of drysuits, how to use a dry suit, how to deal with emergencies and then practice all these skills in the water.
Nitrox Course

* 1 day+
Extend your diving! In this course, divers will learn how to use nitrox mixtures from 22% to 40%, though 32% and 36% are most common. This is also a chance for divers to learn more about diving gasses in general and why certain gasses are used for certain purposes.
The Advanced Diver course helps you take your diving to the next level and will make you a more confident diver in larger variety of environments and conditions. You will learn more fin techniques, advanced dive and gas planning, when and how to use an surface marker buoy, etc.
CPR/AED/O2 Provider


* 1 day
In this course, participants will have hands-on training with a CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) dummy, where they will be able to use a training AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), while giving chest compressions and mouth to mouth ventilation.
Rescue Diver Course


* 3-4 days
This is guaranteed to be one of the most exciting diving challenges you can train for. In this course, participants will learn to identify and prevent hazardous situations while also learning to deal with true emergencies. Though these dive emergencies are thankfully infrequent, preparing for the caring of other divers is a tremendous confidence booster.
Master Scuba Diver is where divers learn all of their knowledge development. This is a serious step into the meat of recreational diving and as far as a recreational diver can go in the NAUI system without going pro. This is the recreational "be all you can be" as a diver.
Dive Masters are able to organize and leads dives and participate in many levels of student training. This can be the first step into professional scuba instruction.
Instructor Course


* at least 10 days
Instructor is the pinnacle of the professional scuba realm. Become a skilled and effective instructor for fun and/or profit.
Technical Courses


* Varies
Extra info for folks who like to read...
Discovery Divers Tokyo is not offering dive courses at this time. The following is for informational purposes only.
NAUI Education
NAUI is one of the oldest certification agencies and commonly attracts very dedicated and skilled divers. NAUI courses are taught to the highest standards in the dive industry, helping to attain our goal of dive skill and safety. Some NAUI courses require a bit more time and energy to complete (more confined and open water work, and knowledge development) in their effort to produce the best divers possible. If you are a diver who is looking to get the fastest and cheapest card, there may be better ways to go.
Pricing philosophy
For all our courses, we utilize modular pricing. Courses are broken into Instruction fee, materials fee, and dive/pool fees. Some courses include equipment, some require rental is the gear is now owned by the student.
At the onset of the course, a student will be charged the instructor and materials fees. As the course progresses, the student will be charged for pool and dive site fees at the time they are incurred. This way, if a student takes shorter or longer than an average course, the fee is fair for both student and instructor. Typical totals are included for each course where applicable. For multi-day courses, students should also think about overnight stay, if applicable.
Recreational Courses (clickable links)
Leadership Courses (clickable links)
Technical Courses (clickable links)
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Intro to Tech
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Technical Support leader
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Technical Decompression Diver (Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures)
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Helitrox Diver
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Wreck Penetration
Recreational Courses
NAUI Scuba Diver
Course Summary: The NAUI Scuba Diver Course is a comprehensive course designed for those who want a more extensive open water course than most agencies offer. This extra attention is why the NAUI OW course typically produces divers who are more comfortable diving, and thus having more fun. For more logistical details about the course, please have a look at the Open Water Information Sheet.
Prerequisites: Age from 15 years for Scuba Diver Certification, 10 - 14 years for Junior certification.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date.
Also, please fill out the Diver Registration Form, which contains information we will use for your scuba certification card and equipment use for the course.
Duration: If a student is well-prepared for the academics, the course is typically completed in 4 day; 2 days of pool and 2 days of ocean. This is usually two weekends, preferably within 2 -3 weeks of each other, to preserve the course flow.
Required Swims:
10 Minute survival float
50 ft (15m) underwater swim (breath hold)
225 yard (207 m) swim, non-stop, any stroke, no time limit
Rescue Activities: While skin diving, bring another diver to the surface from 3 meters.
Transport a buddy 50 meters on the surface while maintaining eye contact
In scuba, recover a diver from 3 m, remove weights, mask, snorkel, simulate rescue breaths.
Academics: The materials pack comes with DVD, textbook, workbook, dive tables, eLearning code. Reading/video viewing/test may be done either on paper or online.
Notes:
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All equipment rental is included for OW training with the exception of the wetsuit, which will be rented from the dive center at a cost of JPY 2,000 per day (generally 2 days).
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Transport to/from the pool or dive center, accommodation and meals are not included. Note that weekend training often requires an overnight stay.
Open Water Referral Course
Course Summary: A referral course is a course that begins in one location (with one instructor) and is completed in another location (with another instructor). This is generally done when a student's home location is in the cold months. They will do pool training and academics near home, and then travel to a warmer location to do the ocean dives and finish the certification.
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Prerequisites: Age from 15 years for Scuba Diver Certification, 10 - 14 years for Junior certification.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date.
Also, please fill out the Diver Registration Form, which contains information we will use for your scuba certification card and equipment use for the course.
Open Water Refresher Course
Course Summary: A refresher course is advisable for certified divers who have not dove in 6 months or more, especially if they were a relatively novice diver to begin with. Participants will be re-familiarized with equipment setup/operation. There will be some confined/shallow water review, then when comfortable, the participant will be guided on a shallow depth dive, likely not to exceed 12-18 meters.Key academic concepts will be reviewed, and key in-water skills checked.Refresher training is also offered in a pool environment at some events. Prerequisites: OW certification from any recognized agency.
NAUI Drysuit Diver
Course Summary: Diving season in Japan is typically from July ~ November, when the ocean is >20 degrees C and you can be sufficiently warm using a 5mm wetsuit. To continue diving in the other months, you can learn how to dive with a drysuit. In this course you will learn about different kind of drysuits, how to use a dry suit, how to deal with emergencies and then practice all these skills in the water.
Prerequisites: Open Water certification from a recognized agency. Age from 15 years, or 10 - 14 years for Junior certification.
Required Dives: Participants will do two open water dives.
Duration: Typically one day at a shore dive location with dry suit rental available.
NAUI Nitrox Program
Course Summary: Nitrox is an often misunderstood gas. Many students initially believe that Nitrox is for deeper diving. Actually, nitrox is simply gas with higher amounts of oxygen that is used at recreational depths. The higher level of oxygen (and lower nitrogen) allow divers to stay underwater longer and have shorter surface intervals.
In this course, divers will learn how to use nitrox mixtures from 22% to 40%, though 32% and 36% are most common. This is also a chance for divers to learn more about diving gasses in general and why certain gasses are used for certain purposes.
The course consists of an independent book study, lecture, and a test, which could be online. Students may also do two dives with the instructor in which they will do the actual dive planning and gas testing.
Prerequisites: Dive certification from a recognized agency.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date (If you want to do the two optional dives).
Duration: This lecture/workshop can be done in several hours.
Advanced Open Water
Course Summary: Your Open Water certificate allows you to to dive independently with a buddy under circumstances similar to those you have trained in. The Advanced Diver course helps you take your diving to the next level and will make you a more confident diver in larger variety of environments and conditions. You will learn more fin techniques, advanced dive and gas planning, when and how to use an surface marker buoy, etc.
Learning Goals: The primary goal of this experiential and text-based course is to experience and become comfortable in a wider variety of environments and dive styles, including low visibility / night diving and deep(er) diving, potentially also including wreck diving, drift diving, etc. In addition, during the course we aim for divers to learn and become confident in:
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buoyancy control
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dive planning and dive procedures
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deep diving
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propulsion techniques
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SMB deployment
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buddy and environmental awareness
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navigation
Requirements: The minimum NAU requirements are a minimum of 6 dives of which deep dive, navigation dive and low visibility/night dive are required. Aside from these, the student can choose 3 other dives. Common choices are buoyancy practice, wreck diving, drift diving, photo diving or mock decompression dive.
Rescue Requirements: Brief review and practice of basic rescue techniques: recovery of unconscious diver to the surface, transport of a buddy and afloat rescue breathing.
Prerequisites: Open Water certification from a recognized agency. Age from 15 years, or 10 - 14 years for Junior certification. I generally encourage Advanced students to have basic buoyancy control basic use of scuba equipment before entering the course.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date.
Required Equipment: Students should own the following (rental MAY be possible, please inquire):
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Basic scuba kit (Rental possible)
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Compass (Like this one or equivalent, appropriate to reciprocal navigation)
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SMB (Signal Marker Buoy) (Like this one or equivalent. Please inquire)
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Computer is required, as deep diving on tables is logistically prohibitive. (limited rental available)
Duration: Since there are at least six required dives, this course takes at least two days (in theory) but in practice we will aim to teach this course over a period of multiple dive weekends so you can work on all the skills mentioned under the learning goals and become a well rounded Advanced Diver. Most divers take about 2-4 weekends to finish this course, so if someone is interested in a one weekend Advanced course, there are other options out there.
*Note about diving costs. As described above, this course typically takes around 2-4 weekends to complete, so students of this course would pay for the dives (at normal prices) during those weekends.
NAUI CPR/AED/Oxygen Provider Certification
Course Summary: In this course, participants will have hands-on training with a CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) dummy, where they will be able to use a training AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), while giving chest compressions and mouth to mouth ventilation. Last, students will learn about and have practice in the use of oxygen for the treatment of diving/swimming emergencies/injuries. There is an excellent textbook and written test at the conclusion of the course. The card received is good for 2 years, after which the cert must be renewed with a followup training.
Prerequisites: As this is a non diving certification, it can be taken any time at any level of scuba certification. However, it is required for Rescue Diver Certification and all Leadership Courses.
Duration: This course takes 2-3 hours depending on the groups size. There is a comprehensive textbook that should be reviewed before the course. There is a written test afterwards.
Rescue Diver
Course Summary: Without a doubt, Rescue is always a favorite of anyone who takes it! This is guaranteed to be one of the most exciting diving challenges you can train for. In this course, participants will learn to identify and prevent hazardous situations while also learning to deal with true emergencies. Though these dive emergencies are thankfully infrequent, preparing for the caring of other divers is a tremendous confidence booster. This will take your diving skills and environmental awareness to a new level.
The course typically consists of one day of scenario-based skills practice in confined water (pool or Osezaki protected bay) followed by one or two days of exciting and realistic simulation practice.Two days of open water work allows for more natural scenarios mixed in with regular diving. As a Rescue candidate, you will be on high alert for one or two entire dive days when a simulated emergency could arise at any moment.
Prerequisites: Open Water certification from a recognized agency. Age from 15 years, or 10 - 14 years for Junior certification. Before training begins, candidates will need to have completed Rescue Diver certification and hold current CPR/AED/First Aid training. Discovery Divers can provide this training. DDT requires Advanced Scuba Diver certification before rescue.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date.
Required Dives: Participants will practice basic skills in confined water followed by emergency simulation practice for one or two days in regular diving conditions.
Duration: Independent study includes textbook and video. The confined water practice can be done in 3 to 5 hours depending on student number and experience. Open water scenarios will take one or two days mixed in with fun diving to create realism.
Master Scuba Diver
Course Summary: In the NAUI system, Master Scuba Diver is where divers learn all of their knowledge development. This is a serious step into the meat of recreational diving and as far as a recreational diver can go in the NAUI system without going pro. This is the recreational "be all you can be" as a diver. The textbook is outstanding, comprehensive and challenging.
Prerequisites: Advanced Scuba Diver certification from a recognized agency. Age from 15 years. DDT requires Rescue Diver before enrollment in the master diver program.
Please check our download page well in advance of your course for medical and release forms. This will allow time for you to ask any questions and/or address any possible medical concerns in advance of your course start date.
Required Dives: A minimum of eight dives are needed to complete the course. Of the eight dives, five are mandatory:
- Emergency procedures and rescue
- Deep/simulated decompression diving
- Limited Visibility or night diving
- Underwater navigation
- Search and recovery-light salvage
The remaining three dives can be chosen from other NAUI offerings at the discretion of the instructor..
A significant written test is required.
Special Note: For a dive type/environment to be considered "satisfied" (ie night dive, deep, etc) the candidate must show mastery of the dive type or environment. Merely having completed the required dive type would not be sufficient if the standards of the dive were not met. Because of this, it could take more than 8 dives to complete the 8 required dive types/environments. Please see duration note below.
Rescue Activities: Review and practice of rescue techniques.
Other Skills: Candidates will be taught and evaluated on the following additional skills
- Advanced dive planning, including air consumption calculations and rock bottom
- Proper use of surface marker buoy (SMB)
This course can also be done in doubles.
Duration: Since candidates must demonstrate mastery in 8 dive types/scenarios in order to satisfy the course standards, a comfortable, well-prepared diver would take at least 3 or 4 diving weekends, spread out over as much time as the student prefers.
*Note about diving costs. As described above, this course typically takes around 4 weekends to complete, so students of this course would pay for the dives (at normal prices) during those weekends. A weekend of 4 shore dives costs JPY 15,200.
Leadership Level Courses
Dive Master
Course Summary: NAUI Dive Masters are able to organize and leads dives and participate in many levels of student training. This can be the first step into professional scuba instruction. NAUI requires candidates to have a minimum of 25 dives to enter the program, at the discretion of the instructor. A minimum of 60 dives are required to complete the program. Candidates must also have command of NAUI Master Diver materials to enter the course.
Aside from the skills practice and knowledge and tests that NAUI requires, candidates will also have training/practice in advanced buoyancy skills, advanced gas management training, training in the use of lift bags and Surface Marker Buoys (SMB), limited orientation on the basics of decompression, and more.
Due to professional scuba insurance requirements, DM program graduates will be members of NAUI Japan.
Divers who are up to the challenge, please contact Jim to map out your plan. Folks who wish to complete their program a 2-3 weeks would do best to check into other options, as that is not the way we run our program.
Prerequisites: Advanced diver and Rescue Diver from a recognized agency.
Participants must have NAUI medical from signed by a physician before in-water training can begin.
Required Swims:
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25 yards underwater swim, one breath
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450 yards swim, non-stop
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20 minute survival swim/float
Skin diving Skills:
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900 meters non-stop
Scuba Skill Tasks:
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100 yards scuba transport
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Buddy breathing 4 min (2 minutes w/o mask)
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Scuba ditch and recovery
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Scuba bailout
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Recover 4.5 kg object from 6 meters
Skill Requirements:
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Skin Diver rescue
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All scuba diving skills from recreational courses
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Complete a night dive (like a Jedi)
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Organize simulated rescue in open water
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Pre-dive briefings
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Assist with training
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Organize and conduct dives for certified divers
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Organize and conduct night dive for certified divers
Academics:
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Assorted classroom/lectures/workshops
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Written examinations (2)
Presentations:
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Several classroom and in-water presentations are required.
Required Materials:
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Master diver text (if course not previously taken)
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Leadership/Instruction text
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eLearning codes for both Master diver test and Leadership test (eLearning tests are required for all leadership level candidtes)
Duration: Varies, but can be done in 1 to 3 months depending on candidate time available.
*Note: NAUI Membership fee is paid directly to NAUI Japan or WorldWide
**Note: The Dive Master materials offerings have changed in recent months, so please inquire about this figure.
***Note: As noted above, participants of this course will have to pay for diving activities over the 1-3 month anticipated duration of the course.
NAUI Scuba Instructor
Course Summary: NAUI Dive Masters have status and skills, but Instructors get the chicks (and/or guys, to be gender non-specific). Candidates should be of an appropriate skill and experience level to be considered for this training. Divers may be required to go through a PREP before engaging in an ITC (Instructor Training Course) if they have not been through NAUI leadership levels.
ITC training will be part time and at the candidates' own pace. All academics and skill work will be covered. Final sign-off will be by a NAUI Course Director. We are fortunate to have a NAUI Course Director on site.
Aside from the skills practice, knowledge development and tests that NAUI requires, candidates will also have practice in advanced buoyancy skills, advanced gas management training, training is use of lift bags and Surface Marker buoys SMB), limited orientation on the basics of decompression, and more.
Divers who are up to the challenge, please contact Jim to map out your plan.
Prerequisites: Dive Master or Assistant Instructor status required. Must have NAUI medical from signed by a physician before in-water training can begin. CPR/First aid current. Leadership candidates from agencies other than NAUI will have to cover the NAUI Master Diver materials. Participants will need recent medical approval from a physician.
Required Swims:
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25 yards underwater swim, one breath
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450 yards swim
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20 minute survival swim/float
Skin diving Skills:
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900 meters
Scuba Skill Tasks:
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100 yards scuba transport
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Buddy breathing 4 min (2 minutes w/o mask)
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Scuba ditch and recovery
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Scuba bailout
Skill Requirements:
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Skin Diver rescue
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Scuba Rescue
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All scuba diving skills from recreational courses
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Complete a night dive
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Organize simulated rescue in open water
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Pre-dive briefings
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Assist with training
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Organize and conduct dives for certified divers
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Organize and conduct night dive for certified divers
Academics:
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Assorted classroom/lectures/workshops
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eLearning examinations (2) for Master Diver and Leadership materials
Oral Presentations (Total 11):
Six classroom
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Four shall be related to entry level diver topics
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One shall be related to advanced, master, or specialty level diver topic
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One shall relate to a leadership level diver topic
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One confined water session briefing
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Two open water briefings and two open water debriefings
In-water Presentations (Total 6):
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Three graded confined water teaching
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Three graded open water teaching; one shall relate to an advanced, master or specialty diver activity
Required Textbooks:
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Eventually, an instructor that aims to be able to teach all courses will need to have the entire NAUI Leadership library:
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Instructor guides for all recreational courses (hard copy or software versions)
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Student Textbooks (one from each course)
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Handbook of course standards and risk management
(a minimum initial purchase of basic required texts can be made and others added at a later date. The minimum texts total approximately JPY 50,000 and the full set is near JPY 150,000)
Duration: Varies depending on candidate time available.
Technical Courses
Technical Decompression Diver
Course Summary:
This course is the equivalent of Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures commonly found in other agencies.
The course is to provide the diver with a working knowledge of the theory, methods and procedures of planned, staged decompression diving while using optimal breathing gas mixtures. As a part of the course, students will plan and conduct a standard staged decompression dive not exceeding a maximum depth of 130 fsw (40 msw). Equipment requirements, team requirements, NTEC configurations, decompression techniques are to be presented from the NAUI Technical Diver manual and appropriate NAUI instructor guide presentations.
Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are considered competent to plan and execute dives that require staged decompression to a maximum depth of 130 fsw (40 msw) utilizing an optimal breathing gas and up to 100% oxygen for decompression without direct supervision provided the diving activities and the areas dived approximate those of training.
Medical and technical release forms are required for this course.
The course will be conducted in either steel or AL manifold doubles.
Prerequisites:
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Age - Min 18 years or older.
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NAUI Master Scuba Diver or equivalent
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NAUI Intro to Technical Diver or equivalent
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Proof of at least 50 logged dives with 15 logged dives on EANx
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Before the course begins, participants should have some experience/familiarity with doubles, which could be several recreational outings in doubles, or a formal Intro to Tech course.
Required Dives (7):
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Several long, shallow dives will be conducted to complete the NAUI instructor checklist for technical diver skills.
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Two dives will be conducted to complete simulated decompression with at least four stages stops and one decompression gas change during the simulation.
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Two dives will be conducted to evaluate students ability to complete actual staged decompression dives. The maximum allowable required decompression time shall not exceed 15 minutes. The use of oxygen as a decompression gas is required.
Required Equipment:
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Backplate/Wing BC
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Proper Doubles wing
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Doubles Regulator set with long hose primary hose
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Redundant depth/timing devices
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Signal Marker Buoy with spool or 30 m or more of line
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Light (and backup)
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Wet notes
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Compass
Academics:
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NAUI Technical Diver Manual
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There will be classroom/PowerPoint lectures mixed into training
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Gas planning
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Deco planning
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Oxygen exposure planning
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There is a final exam
Duration: Typical duration is three or four training days
NAUI Technical Decompression Diver Costs, excluding dive fees (8% tax included):