In July, GSTA’s newest divers and most seasoned divers came together at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School (SFUWO) in Key West, Florida, to earn their Open Water certifications and Rescue Diver certifications, respectively. The Open Water divers, or Scuba 101 teens, spent their first couple of days in confined water learning and practicing skills such as mask removal and replacement, swimming with neutral buoyancy, and buddy breathing. They then headed out into the ocean to put their skills into practice and finish their certification dives. The open water teens loved seeing coral reefs up close and personal for the first time, along with swimming with sea turtles, goliath groupers, and nurse sharks.
The Scuba 401 Rescue Diver group spent their days learning how to respond to emergency scenarios that could happen while diving. These teens learned how to locate and recover a diver in trouble, and how to recognize and treat different dive-related injuries and illnesses, in the rare event they do occur. The Rescue Diver certification is the highest certification in the GSTA Scuba Academy, and these teens absolutely rose to the challenge.
Congratulations to GSTA’s newest Open Water and Rescue Scuba divers!
