Auckland University Underwater Club

Open Water Training

Open Water training is on hold as the course provider is changing ownership, watch this space, information will be posted when available.

( Want to learn to dive? We run PADI Open Water courses that certify you to dive and are recognised all over the world. The courses involve two theory sessions, three pool sessions and two days of open water check out dives (a full weekend). The course costs $264, and includes all equipment except mask, fins, booties and snorkel. You also need to get yourself a dive medical certifying you as “fit to dive” obtainable from any trained general practitioner. If you don’t have a mask/fins/snorkel/booties and can’t borrow any, Stirlings has some Mask, Fin, Snorkel and Booties set specials just for us.

Here’s a letter from Stirlings outlining the specials available to our members only.

These items are really like your underwear so it’s best to have your own anyway, especially for diving after your Open Water course! The theory sessions will be held at Stirlings Dive Shop at 349 Dominion Road, Mt Eden. Pool sessions at Orakei Dive Shop at 234 Orakei Road, Remuera. The open water dives are held at Lake Pupuke on the North Shore. Courses are based on demand and are confirmed when there is adequate interest. Each course is limited to 8.

Here’s a letter from the shop that runs the courses. )

Any questions? Contact AUUC Training - <training@akunidive.com>

Advanced Open Water

The next step up the chain. This course builds on the skills learnt at Open Water level but has lots less emphasis on skill sets and more on diving. A very good course to build self confidence and experience under the watchful eye of an instructor. One night of theory only. 5 dives in the open water (no pool). You will do a Deep dive (30 metres) a Night dive (awesome!), a Navigation dive (learn how to use that damn compass properly!) and 2 more - choice of Wreck, Multilevel, Search & Recovery etc. No dates are set because courses are demand based. As a guide we do around three or four courses a year, and the entire course is done over a weekend of diving.

The course is run through Northland Dive and will cost $495 (including gear), $430 (excluding gear). If there are 8 people, accommodation and food will be provided by the wonderful people at the Cowshed Backpackers.

Rescue Course

A very worthwhile course which starts you thinking about other divers and not just yourself, and gives you a real appreciation of just how important prevention can be. Learn the basics of diver stress, problem solving and diver rescue. This one will improve your confidence no-end and give you a better sense of awareness while diving. Same deal as Advanced - dates set by your enthusiasm, prices vary on where and when you want the course, and what you need (hire gear, etc) but we keep it very low cost, around half shop prices. Minimum of 4 people, and you will also need a current first aid course and an Advanced Open Water ticket before you’re certified.

Specialties

As a rule the AUUC club philosophy on PADI specialties is that they are a bit of a waste of time and represent what PADI stands for (Put Another Dollar In)!! There is an exception:

Nitrox

Learn the basics of diving Enriched Air. Become qualified on mixes of 22-40% oxygen. This allows you to stay at moderate depths longer than on air and/or decreases surface interval times and makes for much safer ascents. Becoming much more popular and available in New Zealand. The first step into the world of technical diving! Cost for this one is $150. Includes the gas you need but not the tanks it comes in. This course is great if you want to learn a little more about diving physiology - what happens in your body as you breath air at depth, and gives you an insight into how you get narked!

Technical Diving

Would you like to go deeper for longer? Have you ever wondered if people dive those reefs on the charts in the middle of the ocean that rise from 80 metres and only come up to 40 metres? Want to get wasted on narcosis? Then technical diving is probably for you! Some things can only be found deeper - like black/red coral (Fiordland is cheating!), trumpet sponges and some species of fish like Hapuka. These and more are rare to see unless you go to more advanced and deeper sites, which will most likely take you into decompression. To repeat this type of experience, you will probably have to learn how to dive safely…the first step we take is a very good TDI course called “Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures”. This course is run over three days with Northland Dive (in the Bay of Islands) and Shane, our TDI instructor (home of the Canterbury!!!). You’ll learn how to use up to 100% oxygen mixes for your decompression gas, how to use an SMB and reel in conducting blue-water ascents and all about what decompression is and how to dive with it. More advanced courses like Extended Range and Solo Diver are also available.