Wreck diving is thrilling, offering divers the opportunity to peer deep into history, encounter rare marine life, and take photos that excite the imagination. If you’re ready for adventures like no other, it’s time to become qualified as a wreck diver. To get access to many of the most fascinating wrecks though, you will need to take more than one course, using what you learn in the first segment of training to build future skills. Here, we’ll take a look at how two popular wreck diving courses progress. The title of your wreck diver course will vary depending upon which training and certification agency you work with, which is why we’re using generic titles to describe each phase.
Phase One Wreck Diver - Wreck Diving Training
During your phase one wreck diver course, you will learn all about wrecks, including terminology, mapping, and surveying techniques. You will also get your first opportunity to penetrate a wreck, although this phase of training allows for limited penetration only, with most courses calling for no more than a few hundred feet of penetration. Following classroom or online instruction, you will take a series of open water dives over a period that usually lasts two to three days. Once you receive your initial certification, you’ll be able to take advantage of many wreck sites all over the world, and you’ll be ready to move on to the next level.
Phase Two Wreck Diver - Wreck Diving Training
While your initial wreck diving class will provide you with the basic skills you need to penetrate a wreck, along with important gas management skills, a more advanced wreck diving course will prepare you for more technical aspects of wreck diving. Whether you are a serious history buff or simply are someone who enjoys the opportunity to see things most people will never have the opportunity to see, you’ll appreciate the things you learn in an in-depth wreck diving class designed to allow you to penetrate into the no-light zone.
Besides learning important technical skills, you will gain a greater understanding of maritime law and salvage law, and you’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the equipment used for technical wreck dives. Drills conducted on shore will follow classroom and online instruction in many cases. Perhaps you’re wondering “Why the land drills?” Learning onshore builds muscle memory, which will serve you well once you make your way into the dark confines of a wreck.
Once you’ve taken the opportunity to practice what you’ve learned underwater, you’ll start to build greater experience, learning how to use diving doubles, stages, and various breathing mixtures. All these skills are learned in a controlled environment and applied in real-life situations, gradually increasing your proficiency and teaching you to think even more critically while exploring.
Prerequisites do vary from one course to the next. Don’t be discouraged if you need to learn more or log more dives before taking a wreck diver class – all the skills you gain will eventually come into play, and it’s best to take small steps as you increase your skill and gain confidence with diving in unique environments wrecks offer.