Northwest Diving Institute Certified Since 1972
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Northwest Diving Institute

Description

Maximize your dive time so you can explore more!

In this course, you learn how to plan dives that extend your bottom time by crediting you for slower nitrogen absorption when you ascend to a shallower depth. That’s the way you really dive, after all.

This is a great way to learn how to make multilevel dives even if you forget to bring your dive computer.

You'll learn what multilevel diving is and why you want to plan for multilevel dives. You'll also get to see the various types of multilevel dive calculators (including dive computers), as well as learn about multilevel dive planning, organization, procedures, techniques, and potential problems. You'll plan a multilevel dive profile and dive it with your instructor.

You learn how to:

• Plan and execute multilevel dives (different depths on the same dive).
• Back up your dive computer and plan multilevel dives.
• Maximize your no stop time.

In the early days of diving, recreational dive time underwater was defined as the no decompression limit of the deepest depth reached. Today, multilevel diving – gaining more no decompression time by ascending to shallower depths where nitrogen absorption is slower – is more the rule than the exception. Thanks to recreational multilevel diving, in most environments you can stay underwater as long as you have air and warmth. This advantage is made possible thanks to advances in decompression theory as used in the eRDPML distributed by PADI, and modern dive computers.

Whether you favor coral reefs or inland lakes, most dive sites have opportunities to multilevel dive. Any place you can find a sloping reef, wall or other topography that allows you to start deep and move to shallower depth, you can plan a multilevel dive with the eRDPML or a dive computer. Therefore the philosophy of this course is to focus on extending your time underwater by teaching you accepted multilevel techniques and procedures. The goal of this course is to serve as an introduction to multilevel diving and help you develop the necessary multilevel skills, knowledge and techniques. You'll apply multilevel knowledge and skills during actual open water dives.

The course philosophy therefore, is to expand your knowledge about decompression theory, ascent procedures, choosing and using dive computers, decompression sickness, and multilevel equipment, hazards and planning. Once learned, divers apply the knowledge by making at least two open water dives practicing and demonstrating the practical aspects of multilevel diving.

Type

Recreational (Specialty/Distinctive)

Cost

$99.00 per person with the purchase of required student materials, otherwise add $9.90.

Prerequisites

Certified as a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization, and be at least 12 years old.

Documents Required

Proof of certification and Continuing Education Administrative Document, plus a physician's statement (if you have a medical condition that would affect your ability to dive).

Medical Clearance

All students participating in PADI confined and open water dives are required to have a current Medical Statement on file. If you answer YES to any of the listed conditions, you will also need to obtain physician's approval prior to the first water session. It is the student's responsibility to obtain proper medical clearance prior to diving and we cannot make exceptions.

Gear Provided

eRDP/ML

Gear Required

Mask, snorkel, fins, exposure suit (dry suit recommended), hood, gloves, two tanks, regulator, BCD, weights and dive computer.

Optimum Weighting

Not sure how much weight you need for this class? Click here to estimate your optimum weighting.

Gear Recommended

Underwater light and slate.

Materials Required

PADI Adventures in Diving.

Materials Recommended

Enriched Air Nitrox course and materials.

Instructor

Al Schumer

Format

Weekend

Comments

Please read the chapter on multilevel diving in the PADI Adventures in Diving book and bring the knowledge review with you to the dives.

Scheduled Class Sessions

Date	Time	Type	Location	Activity	Comments
Sat Aug 25, 2012	8:00 AM	Academic	Cove Two - Alki Beach	Knowledge Reviews and Discussion	Please set up gear beforehand and bring the knowledge review with you. Also, make sure you are familiar with your dive computer and the manufacturer's instructions.
Sat Aug 25, 2012	9:00 AM	Open Water	Cove Two - Alki Beach	Multilevel Dive 1	On this dive, we will perform the following tasks: calculate the no decompression limits of a two-depth level dive using the eRDPML, execute a no decompression, two level dive that begins with a direct descent to the deepest level and progresses to the second level, apply the principles of the PADI S.A.F.E. Diver program by ascending between levels and from the last level to the surface at a rate not to exceed 60 feet per minute, and make a safety stop of at least three minutes at 15 feet, accurately monitor depth, time and air supply on a multilevel dive, and dive avoiding hypothermia, running out of air, disorientation, and sawtooth dive profiles.
Sat Aug 25, 2012	10:00 AM	Open Water	Cove Two - Alki Beach	Multilevel Dive 2	On this dive, we will perform the following tasks: plan and execute a no decompression, three-level dive using a dive computer that begins with a direct descent to the deepest depth and progresses to two shallower levels, apply the principles of the PADI S.A.F.E. Diver program by ascending between levels and from the last level to the surface at a rate not to exceed 60 feet per minute, and make a safety stop of at least three minutes at 15 feet, accurately monitor depth, time and air supply on a multilevel dive, and dive avoiding hypothermia, running out of air, disorientation, sawtooth dive profiles and dive computer sharing.

If you have additional questions about this class, please call us at (425) 502-7886 or send us an email.

The Northwest Diving Institute, a Washington state-licensed, PADI-certified scuba diving center, is the dive center for all your recreational, professional and technical scuba diving classes, lessons and equipment needs. Certified since 1972, our highly trained staff can take you from basic Open Water to Professional Instructor, on both open circuit and closed circuit systems, and in backmount and sidemount systems. We offer a full line of high-quality scuba diving equipment, lessons, rentals, educational materials, dive trips and air fills (including nitrox and trimix) at highly competitive prices.