How To Teach The PADI Advanced Open Water Deep Dive.

As a dive instructor, one of the dives you will teach the most is the Deep Adventure Dive. A common question I get from new instructors is what is the best way to conduct a deep dive.

First, let's have a look at the Performance requirements(Page 83 - 2020 PADI instructor manual);

1. With a buddy, plan and manage gas use, including determining turn pressure, ascent pressure and reserve pressure. Establish no stop and dive time limits.  

2. Descend using a line, wall or sloping bottom. 

3. Compare changes in colour at the surface and at depth. 

4. Compare a dive computer (or depth gauge) reading to another diver’s depth reading. 

5. Ascend at a rate not to exceed 18 metres/60 feet per minute using a dive computer (or depth gauge and timing device). 

6. Make a safety stop at 5 metres/15 feet for at least three minutes. 

Ok for the first point is the planning of the dive get your students to think about how much air they use to get them to agree on what would be a safe ascent pressure from maximum depth. The second thing I get them to look at is the no stop limit time by using plan mode on there dive computers. Once you know the no stop limit get them to agree on a safe time to ascend and whichever one comes first either time or air will determine when you ascend from depth.

The common misconception is that you can do a free descent, You do have to use a line or wall or sloping bottom for your descent.

Once you reach your maximum depth, obviously no deeper than 30 meters then you can do your comparisons start with your Adventures in diving data carrier slate which has the colours chart on and get your student to write what they think they are (Tip- Don't show your students the slate on the surface). For comparing gauges I like to use analogue depth gages and compare with dive computers as well as comparing each divers dive computers.

Once you have done all your comparisons, continue your dive. Get your students to tell you when they reach either there assent Pressure or no stop time and begin to shallow up going no faster than 18 meters a minute but slower the better .Once you reach your agreed turn pressure start heading up slowly to your safety stop at 5 meters for 3 minutes and then ascend slowly to the surface.