Deep Diver Cert.

[LBHeyman]

Just making sure, I am certified up to 130 ft having completed the course, correct? I am just double checking.

[ronbeau]

Just making sure, I am certified up to 130 ft having completed the course, correct? I am just double checking.

You need to add in environments that are the same as those in which you have been trained. This is a standard but very important disclaimer mentioned by all major training agencies.

It is totally different diving to 130 feet in 770 F water off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii wearing a 3 mm wet suit with 50 - 100 foot visibility than it is diving to 130 feet off the coast of New England or New Jersey with a thick multi-layer wet suit or dry suit, 5 - 10 foot visibility and a water temperature of 420 F.

In other words, while the depth is important in both cases, the environments are vastly different and require additional skills that probably were not covered in your received your training in a tropical location (Florida, Hawaii, Caribbean etc.).

Also, based on the following description copied directly from the PADI web site it appears that one can get the Deep Diver certification at some depth greater than 60 feet.

"Deep Diver Course Details. The Deep Diver Specialty course offers you the opportunity of a lifetime - going deep to see things others can only dream about.In this course you will experience what it’s like to dive beyond 60 feet.. Down there, it’s different. It takes additional training. Here’s where you get it.. "

It looks like the depth requirement can be anywhere between 61 and 130 feet depending on the instructor.

There is a world of difference between 70 feet and 130 feet.

As a result, it appears that the answer to your question might be "maybe" depending on the quality of the training and how closely it mirrors the environment in which you intend to dive.

I do have one obvious questing.

Shouldn't this question have been answered by the training you received in the Deep Diver course?

If it was not I seriously question the quality of the training you received unless you zoned out when they were discussing this topic.

[LBHeyman]

Thanks for the detailed answer...I just had a brain fart and asked the question... :D

[supergibbs]

I did the Deep Diving class too and while technically recreational diving is up to (down to?) 130ft, most agencies recommend staying above 100ft. I agree with the other post that you should take other condition into account. It can get pretty cold and dark going deep.