Is my NASDS card still good?

[firstmate1103]

I also got my basic dive and open water card through NASDS in the early 80s, does anyone know if or how I can prove that the open water course is the new Deep dive certification. Thanks

 

[knotical]

Don't think it is/was equivalent. I'm unaware of any certifying organization that conducted multiple deep dives in an Open Water certification.

But I could be wrong, so if you could find appropriate supporting documentation, and an instructor from one of today's certifying organizations, or a dive operation willing to accept it ...

 

[Rich Keller]

Get a new card from SSI if you can. I had a minor problem at a dive op when almost no one there had ever heard of NASDS. I did talk to the guy in charge who did know but if he was off that day I might not have been able to dive. I heard somewhere that SSI stopped issuing replacements for NASDS cards but I do not know if that is true. I still have my NASDS card but take my SSI card when I travel.

 

[firstmate1103]

I did get a new SSI card, but just hate to spend money on a deep dive certification card

 

[diversteve]

I don't think it is either. I'm NASDS 1981. From my recollection, Deep (Narcosis Management?) was already a separate card even then. I logged all my cert dives and none were deep - except after the last one when we took advantage of the submarine canyon off LaJolla shores and dropped to about 80' to "see what that was like" with the instructor. But we were considered certified at that time. I never took a Deep class specifically.

I still have my NASDS card - the one with the microfiche. On it I'm listed as Open Water Diver. Maybe make a case for an AOW card but probably not Deep.

On the flipside about 20 years ago, my LDS offered me a Master Diver card - probably SSI at the time - based on seeing my NASDS card - and knowing where/how I dove. If I wanted to pay for it. I didn't...I have never been anywhere where I was refused a dive due to my card - including some blue hole dives in the Bahamas and other deep dives. I don't do wrecks but the ones I've done like the Rhone, there was no question either. Seeing 1981 on my card occasionally gets a comment at dive shops. Some from DM's not born when I started...lol.

my .02

 

[firstmate1103]

Deep Dive certification is the same as AOW I think and, my new SSI card just says open water, do when I was in Jamaica in Nov they only let me dive at 60', but on the last day one of the DM that liked my gear let me dive with him at 90', there are places in Fl that requires a AOW card

 

[knotical]

Deep Dive certification is the same as AOW I think ...

They might be the same in the sense that a dive operator will accept either card to allow you to do deeper dives, but otherwise they are not - at least with the certifying organizations with which I am familiar.
Typically the AOW course will consist of about 5 different dives, of which only one is deep and the recommendation afterwards is to limit your depth to 100 ft.
The Deep course typically consists of about 4 dives, all deep and progressively deeper. The recommendation afterwards is to limit your depth to 130 ft.

I don't see a way around paying for one or the other.

 

[diversteve]

Since you have a New SSI card I'm guessing they gave you the equivalent to what you had. I personally feel that my NASDS course - like the others at the time from the other agencies - was more advanced than what is done for OW today so I could make a case for an AOW card. Not Deep though since they can get more money for it. As the previous poster said - Deep was a series of deeper dives leading to the card. Do you remember specifically doing them? If you can show that in a log then you probably have a case.

 

[firstmate1103]

Yes I feel the same way, maybe I will just go check with my local SSI shop and see what specialty class I need, bc I logged 34 dive just this past year.

 

[knotical]

Several (most) agencies use the term Advanced Open Water for what I described previously, but you are correct, SSI uses the term as seen in their blurb that you posted. The SSI equivalent of most agencies' AOW is called (I think) Advanced Adventurer. Presumably Advanced Adventurer might be sufficient to do the dives you want, as long as it included a deep dive (not sure it always does).

Or you could take a course from another organization. All (or at least most) will accept another agency's Open Water card as the prerequisite to take their next level course.