Monsters of the deep, well-preserved shipwrecks and mysterious species in the dark. The alluring depths of the ocean have always fascinated me, but they require adequate scuba training in order to be explored. As the 2022 Australasian Scholar for the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society, I had the opportunity to develop my underwater skills and train to become a more proficient diver.
I always wondered about why a diver would want to take the deep course. Naturally, I was inquisitive and signed up for my PADI Deep Diver Specialty course and joined Go Dive Hobart in Tasmania to find out myself. Here are my top five reasons why you should complete your PADI Deep Diver Specialty certification.
1. Access New Sites
Training to be able to dive deeper allows you to access entirely new dive sites. At shallower depths, marine life is typically dominated by photosynthetic organisms. As you descend through the water column, it becomes darker, and light becomes less available for species to use. At deep dive sites, you can experience an entirely different array of species compared to those present in shallower regions.
During my training course, I found it fascinating to descend walls covered with brown seaweeds and reach large boulders covered in a colorful array of spectacular sponges, sea fans and sea whips. These iconic deep reefs of Tasmania are just one example of expanding your accessible dive sites, and the exciting exploration of deeper dive sites will have you hooked!
2. Develop Your Skills
Just like any further dive training, the PADI Deep Diver Specialty course allows you to develop your diving capability and focus on perfecting your foundational skills. As a Deep Diver, buoyancy control becomes a critical component to safely conducting your dive. The amount of bottom time you have available decreases as you dive deeper, so it is very important to precisely control your depth as well as regularly monitoring your gas consumption and time. Due to the darker environment of the deep, using a torch is also be essential. You can never practice basic dive skills enough, and it’s important to remember safety should always be the priority of any dive!
3. Introduction to Technical Diving
The PADI Deep Diver Specialty course provides a great introduction for future technical dive training. During our training, we had the opportunity to dive with stage bottles and use them during our safety stops. I really enjoyed practicing this new skill and simulating different gas swaps. Throughout the course, we consistently deployed our SMBs and practiced releasing them at different depths. These are all essential skills for technical diving, and this is a great preparation for getting into the world of technical diving.
4. Become a Safer Diver
A fantastic reason to become certified for deep diving is that you will become a safer diver. Narcosis is experienced more often at depth. Identifying and managing narcosis during a dive is a very important skill to develop. Your instructor will help guide you through experiencing and handling the effects of narcosis during the course in a safe environment. Due to the additional risk that deep diving poses, you will be required to critically recognize hazards and develop contingency plans accordingly. During the course you will gain a better understanding of these safety considerations and as a result, apply them to future dives.
5. Challenge Yourself!
The PADI Deep Diver Specialty course is a fantastic reason to challenge yourself and take your diving to the next step. Take the opportunity to try something new, step outside your comfort zone and experience a whole new depth of diving. Remind yourself that accessing the underwater world is an incredible privilege and being able to explore deeper, is extra unique!
Of course, this was a misleading title as there are in fact more than five reasons to complete your PADI Deep Diver Specialty course. You will make great friends, meet new dive buddies and a whole new world of diving will open. In your pursuit of these new depths, you will grow yourself and develop into a more proficient diver. And who knows? You may just fall in love with the deep.
Ready to start your next adventure? Explore the Deep Diver Specialty eLearning course today and complete the independent study part of your course whenever, wherever it’s convenient for you!
