You want to participate in DEEP 2019, fantastic! This guide will help you sort through the preparation, paperwork and pre-requisites that you need before you start this course. First off, let’s all know that this will be an intensive semester long course - it’s designed that way. Sandwiched between heavy subjects of intertidal, subtidal, invertebrate and vertebrate biology, there are hands-on topics on scuba diving for science, operation of powerboats for research, rescue procedures above and below the water and a strong emphasis on “in the moment problem solving, communication and team building”. This is a new course for SF State. Your engagement, viewpoint and communication throughout is very important to this course and its future, so please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns or comments that you may have. Your faculty and staff:
Step 1: Course Registration and Costs
Step 2: Dive Paperwork and SCUBA Diving Physical Exam
Non-Divers and Snorkelers
Step 3: Complete Basic Open Water Scuba
Step 4: Get Your SCUBA and Protective Gear
- Wetsuit - cold water wetsuit, 5-7mm thick, one or two piece suit, functional zipper.
- Hood - 5-7mm neoprene that fits well, covers the head.
- Gloves - any exposure protection for your hands is recommended.
- Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD) - Any style BCD that fits you and can be used for cold water diving. Spare air regulator (built into the BCD) is not required. Please note, our scuba training will be done in the colder waters of NorCal but the research you do will be done in Hawaii, so we will require your BCD to be of sufficient size (buoyancy lift) and construction (durability) to handle both of these environments.
- Weights and/or weight belt - Many BCD have integrated weights while other divers prefer having weights on a belt, or both. The choice is yours. For this course, you will need to provide your own weights on your BCD or belt. Soft weights are preferred but any weight will work. Note that for the trip to Hawaii, we will be using weights by HIMB, so do not plan on taking your weights on the trip.
- Mask and snorkel - any mask that fits you well and does not leak. A standard snorkel should be clipped to the left side of the mask.
- Fins - any style of fin that fits you well.
- Regulator - your gear should have a first stage and two second stage regulators, one as a primary regulator and the other as a secondary “octo” that you can use or pass to a recipient. Your gear should have a submersible pressure gauge that can be clipped to your BCD. Please note, regulator “consoles” with SPG, compass, computer, etc are fine, but your gear must have at a minimum the SPG.
Please label your gear - will provide a paint pen on the first week of class - many gear sets look the same and it’s easy to loose items - mark them.
- “Tropical Wetsuit” - 3-4mm neoprene wetsuit for use in Hawaii.
- Gear bag - something to hold all your gear.
- Dive slate - writing slate to use underwater.
- Compass - any underwater compass mounted on write, console or slate.
- Knife - a dive knife or cutting device that can be mounted on BCD, hose, pocket or wetsuit.
- Surface marker buoy - any surface signaling device that can be clipped to your BCD or stuffed in a pocket.
- Waterproof jacket - any waterproof jacket is recommended.
- Waterproof pants or bibs - a cover layer over your regular pants, should be waterproof.
- Waterproof shoes - ankle high shoes, preferably waterproof (note: open toe shoes or "flip flops" are not permitted on SFSU watercraft).
- Head protection - hat, glasses, neck gator, whatever sun and wind protection you may need.
- Waterproof bag - can be a small nylon bag to hold personal items or backpack that is waterproof.
- Waterbottle - refillable bottle.
