Course outline for a scuba diving speciality "underwater survey diver"

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to outline a course for the training of divers with a special interest in underwater surveying (e.g. surveyors, archaeologists, biologists, geologists, photographers/videographers). This outline presents: i) the Courses' Standards ii) the Learning Objectives for the related Knowledge Development, iii) the Skills that have to be conducted, iv) the Performance Requirements for the students and v) the Open Water Considerations for the Training Dives. It is expected that the resulting course outline will be used as a reference for the training of certified divers who want to become underwater surveyors, providing them basic knowledge and skills to survey adequate data for the detailed documentation of submerged features. Moreover the combination of knowledge (what) and the skills (how) that are presented during the proposed course attempt to define a protocol for the recording of underwater features in favor of mapping and 3D modeling.