NAUI SCUBA Diving Certification

The National Association of Underwater Instructors, better known by the acronym NAUI, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing novice divers with a complete diving education as well as being a professional resource for veteran and pro divers. NAUI strives to give the prospective diver a complete educational experience that culminates with the earning of the Open Water Certification Card, or "C" card as it's more commonly referred to. Since 1959, NAUI has certified divers through the same stringent methods.

  1. Skin Diving

    • All prospective C-card hopefuls must complete the Skin Diving course before continuing on. The course familiarizes the student with basic snorkeling gear, as snorkeling is sometimes referred to as "skin diving", since no additional gear is required beyond fins, a snorkel and a mask. Skin Diving classes are open to younger would-be divers ages eight and up, as well as the adult set. After completing two open water dives, generally held in a local pool, a certification is earned toward becoming a licensed scuba diver. A non-certified class is open for kids at least five years of age, called "Snorkeling for Kids of All Ages".

    Scuba Diver

    • After successfully completing the Skin Diver course, the student progresses to the Scuba Diver stage of the NAUI certification. Classes center around the basics of scuba equipment operation, function and basic maintenance. Stressing safety, classes also introduce the diver to emergency protocols and the science behind the diving experience. Classroom instruction goes hand in hand with open water pool diving, usually completed within a few days. The classes culminate with the completion of five consecutive dives, held either in rivers, lakes, quarries or ocean. The earned C-card allows the diver to dive to depths up to 40 feet, but diving must be done with a partner for safety's sake.

    Advanced Learning

    • For many, earning the C-card fulfills their scuba diving wishes. Others choose to explore more advanced territory, taking additional classes either for knowledge or in hopes of making a career out of diving. NAUI's Rescue Scuba course offers the student a chance to learn appropriate skills needed to administer basic first-aid to injured divers and how to react to emergency situations. Advanced Diving opens up more possibilities: search and recovery, observational wreck diving, mastering dive computers and underwater mapping and navigation are some of the specialty courses offered.

    Master

    • Eight open water dives must be logged once education is completed to earn NAUI's coveted Master Scuba Diver distinction. Education at this level expands greatly on the previous experiences and learned skills of the scuba diver. The Master will learn techniques for nighttime diving, diving in adverse conditions, as well as diving from boats or the shore. The Master course is open to people at least 15 years of age who have completed Advanced training.

    Instructor

    • NAUI relies heavily on those who teach NAUI principles to safely grow the sport. The NAUI Instructor course is designed for those experienced divers who wish to earn a living at teaching others to dive. There's several prerequisites that must be fulfilled in order to earn the Instructor card. Divers must be at least 18 years old and must be in excellent health, hold a current CPR/first-aid license, have completed a set number of open water dives and (at the minimum) hold a Rescue Diver's card.