Successful completion of the UCSB Dive Safety Course is required before any diver can be authorized to dive for UCSB’s Scientific Diving Program. Divers are required to complete a scientific diver physical, swim tests, pool and ocean evaluations, attend lectures and complete online and written examinations. The course requires over 100hrs+ during up-to 12 full days of training and is offered twice a year (once during the 2 weeks prior to the Fall Quarter and then during UCSB's spring break along with several weekends).

Requirements before submitting a course application:

  1. Certified as an Open-Water Diver with:
    1. min of 12 logged dives SINCE entry level training was completed.
    2. min of 4 cold water (<70F) logged dives within the past 6 months.
  2. Review course information, cost and requirements listed below
  3. Submit an Online Application (required at least 2 months before the start of the course).

Applications are reviewed 2-3 months prior to course starting and priority will be giving to UCSB faculty, staff and students currently in a research lab requiring the use of SCUBA.

Requirements to be completed after being confirmed in the course:

  1. AAUS/UCSB Scientific Diver Physical: To be emailed to the confirmed applicants in the course and please be sure to refer to the current List of Contraindications to diving that may disqualify candidates from diving.
  2. Photocopy of Dive Certificate(s)
  3. Equipment inspection/service form completed noting that your BC & Reg have been Inspected/Overhauled within past 12 months.
  4. Current DAN membership and insurance or medical insurance. Please use UCSB's sponsor number 1462378 when possible when you sign up for Diver’s Alert Network.
  5. Personal Dive Log should be available on the first day for review: 12 logged scuba dives (with 4 cold water dives: <70F) - all date, location, buddy, depth, dive profile info required.
  6. Payment
    1. UCSB Student/Faculty/Staff: $750
    2. All Others: $1000
    3. Scientific Dive and Safety Course Fee Support Program
    4. The class fee includes instruction, pool and ocean dives, weights, tanks, air, manuals, dive slate, 3-day trip to USC Wrigley (boat from San Pedro to Catalina, room and board), CPR/First Aid/Oxygen Administration Certification, Rescue Diver Training & Nitrox Certification. Checks should be made out to the “UC Regents" and sent to:
            Dive Safety
            Environmental Health and Safety - 565 Mesa Rd
            UCSB
            Santa Barbara, CA 93106
  7. Required Equipment:
    1. Full wet suit (5mm or greater): Pants, Jacket, Hood, Booties and Gloves
    2. Fins, mask and snorkel.
    3. Regulator, with submersible pressure gauge and an independent second stage (either a safe second or an integrated system like the AIR 2).
    4. Buoyancy Compensator with a power inflator.
    5. Gauges: Compass, Depth & Air Gauge.
    6. Computer or Timing Device (watch)
    7. Dive knife or shears.
    8. Surface Signaling Device: Whistle, SCUBA safety sausage (signaling tube) or other surface signal device.

Cylinders and weights and weight belts are provided, though it is appreciated if you can provide your own weights. A limited supply of regulators with the required gauges and buoyancy compensators may be available for UCSB students to use during the course and a maintenance fee of $100 for use of the regulators and BC's throughout the course. Please contact the DSO for more details.

Swim Evaluation

Whenever attempting a breath holding swim exercise be sure to:

  • Never hyperventilate  

  • Never attempt alone and always use a buddy system (one person watches, ready to assist)

  1. Swim underwater without fins, and without kicking off the wall, for a distance of 25 yards without surfacing.
  2. Swim 400 yards in less than 12 minutes without fins, demonstrating 2 strokes.
  3. Tread water for 15 minutes without swim aids (5 of those mins w/o hands)
  4. Demonstrate swimming with snorkel and fins with and without face mask.
  5. Surface dive without fins to a depth of 10-15 feet and recover a 10 lb weight. 
  6. Without fins, recover a swimmer and tow the swimmer 50 yards at the surface

USC’s Wrigley Marine Institute on Catalina

When possible the Dive Class travel’s to USC’s Wrigley Marine Institute on Catalina for 3 days of the course. The boat trip, room/board and diving equipment will be provided but divers are responsible to get themselves to Southern California Marine Institute by 7am on the morning of the departure.

Questions

Please be sure you have read all the requirements, cost and time commitment needed for this training prior to submitting an application for the dive course and contact eric.hessell@ehs.ucsb.edu if you have any questions.