Another awesome documentary by SCUBA diver and director Elena Konstantinou. This video is about Global Underwater Explorer's Recreational Diver Curriculum more specifically the GUE Recreational Diver Level 1 - Nitrox Diver course. The course is designed to develop the basic foundation for solid diving practices regardless of the individual diver's aspiration. If the diver realizes they require more advanced training to peruse their goals later on in the future then they are already on the road to success because that solid foundation is already in place. Student divers will learn the essential skills of sound diving in order to build comfort, competence, and most importantly confidence in the water. Below is some information regarding the corse from GUE. This isn't your average open water class! =)

2.1.1 GUE Recreational Diver Level 1 - Nitrox Diver

2.1.1.1 Purpose
The GUE Recreational Diver level 1 course is designed to develop the essential skills required in all sound diving practice. This course provides the non-diver with an opportunity to develop fundamental diving skills that will support comfort, confidence, and competence in the water. This course also provides a solid diving foundation for individuals with aspirations for more advanced diver training.

2.1.1.2 Prerequisites
1. Must meet GUE general course prerequisites as outlined in section 1.6.
2. Must be a minimum of sixteen years of age. This may be reduced under exceptional
circumstances, and with written approval from GUE HQ,

2.1.1.3 Duration
The GUE Recreational Diver level 1 class must be conducted over at least five full days; course time should total at least fifty hours, encompassing both classroom and in-water work.

2.1.1.4 Course Limits
1. General training limits as outlined in section 1.4.
2. Student-to-instructor ratio is not to exceed 8:1 during land drill or surface exercises, but cannot exceed 4:1 during any direct in-water training In-water ratios should be adjusted downward to account for bad conditions and/or poor visibility.
3. Maximum depth 70 feet/21 meters.
4. No decompression.
5. No overhead environment diving.
6. No night diving

2.1.1.5 Course Content
The GUE Recreational Diver level 1 course is normally involves a minimum fifty hours of instruction including six lectures, 14 dives in a mixture of confined and open water environments. If the course is conducted in drysuit there will be additional confined and open water dives. The GUE Recreational Diver level 1 course emphasizes creating the fundamental diving skills required for all sound diving practice. This focus in creating a proper set of skills increases diving fun by reducing stress and increasing diver proficiency; this is accomplished through educating students on GUE principles including but not limited to proper control of buoyancy, trim, propulsion, breathing gases and teamwork.

2.1.1.6 Required Training Materials
1. Submerged: Mastering the Art and Science of Scuba Diving. Global Underwater Explorers, 2006, High Springs, Florida.
2. Beginning with the End in Mind - The Fundamentals of Recreational Diving. Jesper Berglund. Global Undwerwater Explorers. 2008. Stockholm, Sweden.

2.1.1.7 Academic Topics
1. Introduction to Scuba Diving
2. Building a Solid Foundation
3. Exploring the Underwater World
4. Gas Management and Dive Planning
5. Decompression Dynamics
6. Diving Safety the GUE system
2.1.1.8 Land Drills and Topics
1. Equipment fit and function
2. Dive team protocols
3. Analyze and mark cylinders
4. Pre-dive drills
5. Basic 5 scuba skills
6. S-drill and valve-drill
7. Propulsion techniques
8. Surface-marker deployment
9. Straight line compass navigation
2.1.1.9 Required Dive Skills and Drills
1. All skills and drills as outlined in General Diving Skills 1.5
2. Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in under fourteen minutes without stopping.
This test should be conducted in a swimsuit and, where necessary, appropriate thermal protection.
3. Must be able to swim a distance of at least 16 yards/15 meters on a breath hold.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in safe diving techniques, including pre-dive preparations, in-water activity, and post-dive assessments.
5. Demonstrate awareness of team-member location and a concern for safety, responding quickly to visual cues and dive-partner needs.
6. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver.
7. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver followed by an ascent to the surface, utilizing Minimum Decompression.
8. Comfortably demonstrate at least two propulsion techniques that would be appropriate in delicate and/or silty environments; students should demonstrate comprehension of the components necessary for a successful backward kick.
9. Demonstrate a safe and responsible demeanor throughout all training.
10. Demonstrate reasonable proficiency in the ability to deploy a surface marker while utilizing a spool.
11. Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim, i.e. approximate reference maximum of 30 degrees off horizontal while remaining within 5 feet/1.5 meters of a target depth. Frequency of buoyancy variation and the divers control of their buoyancy and trim are important evaluation criteria.
12. Demonstrate proficiency in underwater communication.
13. Demonstrate basic equipment proficiency and an understanding of the GUE equipment configuration.
14. Demonstrate aptitude in the following open-water skills: mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator removal and exchange, long hose deployment.
15. Demonstrate safe ascent and descent procedures.
16. Demonstrate reasonable proficiency in executing a valve drill. 17. Demonstrate proficiency in the basic 5 rescue techniques

2.1.1.10 Equipment Requirements
Each student should have, and be familiar with, all of the following required equipment:
1. Tanks/Cylinders: Students may use a single tank/cylinder with a K-, H-, or Y-valve. Students may also use dual tanks/cylinders connected with a dual-outlet isolator manifold, which allows for the use of two first-stages.
2. Regulators: One of the second-stages must be on a 5 to 7 foot/1.5 to 2 meter hose. One of the first- stages must supply a pressure gauge and provide inflation for a dry suit (where applicable).
3. Backplate System: A rigid and flat platform of metal construction with minimal padding, held to a diver by one continuous piece of nylon webbing. This webbing should be adjustable through the plate and should use a buckle to secure the system at the waist. A crotch strap attached to the lower end of this platform and looped through the waistband prevents the system from riding up a diver’s back. A knife should be secured to the waist on the left webbing tab. This webbing should support five D-rings; the first should be placed at the left hip, the second should be placed in line with a diver’s right collarbone, the third should be placed in line with the diver’s left collarbone, and the fourth and fifth should be affixed to the crotch strap to use while using a DPV or towing/ stowing gear. The harness below the diver’s arms should have small restrictive bands to allow for the placement of reserve lights. The system should retain a minimalist approach, with no unnecessary components.
4. Buoyancy Compensation Device: A diver’s buoyancy compensation device should be back- mounted and minimalist in nature. It should come free of extraneous strings, tabs, or other material. There should be no restrictive bands or “bungee” of any sort affixed to the buoyancy cell. In addition, diver lift should not exceed 50 lbs/25kgs for a single tank and 80 lbs/40kgs for double tanks. Wing size and shape should be appropriate to the cylinder size(s) employed for training.
5. At least one time-/depth-measuring device
6. Mask and fins: Mask should be low-volume; fins should be rigid, non-split
7. At least one cutting device
8. Wet Notes
9. One spool with 100 feet/30 meters of line per diver
10. At least one surface-marker buoy per diver
11. One wrist compass
12. Exposure suit appropriate for the duration of exposure

Note: Prior to the commencement of class, students should consult with a GUE representative to verify equipment requirements. Whether or not a piece of equipment fulfills GUE’s equipment requirement remains at the discretion of GUE and its instructor representatives. Participants are responsible for providing all equipment or for making provisions to secure the use of necessary equipment before the start of the course. In general, it is better for the student to learn while using his or her own equipment. However, students should exercise caution before purchasing new equipment to avoid acquiring substandard equipment. Please contact a GUE representative prior to making any purchases. Information about recommended equipment can be obtained from the equipment considerations section of GUE’s Web site.

Elena Konstantinou Gusinski
Global Underwater Explorers - General Training Standards, Policies, and Procedures