Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Table of Contents
Fundamentals FAQ
Q: How do I practice for Fundamental class?
A: Other than practicing your swimming (without scuba gear), there is no way to practice for Fundamentals. We teach you how to practice these skills in class; often attempting to learn the skills before class can lead to bad habits that then need to be unlearned in class.
Q: I’ve heard that Fundamentals class is really challenging. Will I be overwhelmed?
A: No. At Wet Rocks Diving, one of our core goals is to make sure that we dial up or dial down the challenges given to our students to maximize their learning. Our goal is to keep students 1-2 steps outside their comfort zone, because that’s where we learn. Class shouldn’t be “easy” nor overwhelming (so NOT 10 steps outside of your comfort zone). Wet Rock’s pride ourselves in taking stalk of our students’ mental and physical readiness for the next challenge and adjusting as needed. Every class and every student is different, and we treat them as such.
Q: I just finished my Open Water certification, is it too soon for me to take Fundamentals?
A: No. The sooner you take Fundamentals the better, the less time you’ll have to form bad habits. Some of our most-improved students have been those with fewer than 15 lifetime dives. And to date, none of our past students have said after class that they wish they had waited to take Fundies; in fact, most say they wish they had taken it sooner!
Q: What are the prerequisites in order to take Fundamentals?
A: Below is the list of prerequisites to enroll in Fundamentals. If you need a review on any of the topics/skills below, please let us know so we can schedule a SCUBA-refresher/review before your Fundamentals class.
- Proof of dive certification from any agency
- Ability to connect BC and regulator to a tank, don exposure gear, safely transport dive gear topside
- Knowledge of techniques used to equalize your ears and mask, and understanding of basic diving physics (pressure changes, expansion/compression of air spaces with changes in depth), and knowledge of basic BC operation with depth changes. (In Fundies we can help you will tips on USING these techniques more effectively)
- Knowledge of techniques to flood and clear a mask. (In Fundies we can help you will tips on USING these techniques more effectively)
- At a minimum, DAN Master-level insurance or equivalent (valid during your course dates)
Q: Is there rental equipment available for Fundamentals?
A: With advanced reservation, there is rental equipment available for Wet Rocks Diving Fundamentals courses. In some locations, availability of rental drysuits or double tanks may be limited. You will be required to own your own wetnotes and in most locations wetsuit booties, masks, and hood are not available for rent.
Q: I have several hundreds or thousands of dives. Will I learn anything in Fundamentals?
A: Yes. Like a golf swing, the refinement of your dive skills will never end. All GUE instructors devote time to improving their own (already excellent) skills every year. Further, Fundamental instructors are granted latitude by the GUE curriculum to dial-up or dial-down the difficulty of class to keep each student appropriately challenged. Exploration-level cave dive divers and SCUBA instructors alike have come away from the course having learned something that makes them a better diver or better enjoy the sport.
Q: Is Fundamentals-Technical a different class than Fundemantals-Recreational, in other words, do I need to take a certain class if I’m seeking a “tech pass.”
A: No. They are the same class. Ask your instructor if you’re seeking a “tech pass” as we may have some valuable advice for you.
Q: I have a Fundamentals-Rec Rating. Do I need to retake the class to get the Fundamentals Tech Endorsement/Rating/Tech pass?
A: No, you do not need to retake the class. To upgrade from a Fundies-Rec certification to Technical Endorsement it only requires evaluation. This evaluation can vary from a half day to 1-2 days depending on how long ago you earned your Fundies-Rec rating. The Technical Endorsement evaluation can even be combined with Doubles Primer, Coaching, Rec 3, and in some cases Triox Primers, Rescue Primers, or Rec 2 classes.
Q: I’m new to doubles and/or drysuit. Should I take Fundamentals in doubles/drysuit?
A: Generally, we don’t recommend taking Fundamentals in multiple new components; we suggest you take class using the tank type you normally dive and the exposure protention type you normally dive (assuming that it is sufficient exposure protection for your class location). There is a lot to learn in Fundamentals. Wet Rocks has a very high success rate of Fundamentals passes largely because we do not encourage our students to try to learn Fundies, drysuit AND doubles at the same time; building capacity before adding new gear will make the transition to that new gear easier and reduces provisionals due having to learn too much in one class.
Q: I’m new to doubles and/or drysuit. Should I take Fundamentals in doubles/drysuit?
A: Generally, we don’t recommend taking Fundamentals in multiple new components; we suggest you take class using the tank type you normally dive and the exposure protention type you normally dive (assuming that it is sufficient exposure protection for your class location). There is a lot to learn in Fundamentals. Wet Rocks has a very high success rate of Fundamentals passes largely because we do not encourage our students to try to learn Fundies, drysuit AND doubles at the same time; building capacity before adding new gear will make the transition to that new gear easier and reduces provisionals due having to learn too much in one class.
That being said, our advice is also given for our students who are usually either traveling to us or we’re traveling to them and thus they don’t have regular access to a GUE instructor. So for our students, this strategy makes the most sense and will likely cost them less in training time (and frustration) in the long run. However, we recognize that each student is different and email your instructor to discuss your situation, your goals, and which equipment would be best for you to use in your Fundamentals class.
Q: I’m a very experienced diver. Can I test-out of Fundamentals so that can move on to Cave/Tech?
A: While technically GUE standards do provide a method to “test out” of a course, this is almost unheard of for the Fundamentals program. Even if you’re used to a form of team-based or standardized-based diving, there is significant value in getting everyone clear on the GUE specifics to procedures, equipment, and other standardization, since every other class is built upon this as assumed knowledge. Even in a testing-out scenario, covering all the material would take nearly as long as the normal class. Finally, the Fundamentals (or Rec 1) experience is something that binds GUE divers as a shared element common to us all!
Back to TopLearn-to-Dive (Rec 1) FAQ
Q: I’m already certified but I feel like I need a lot more practice. Should I take Fundamentals or Rec 1?
A: If you are up-to-speed on basic dive physics (expansion, compression), know how to assembly/transport a SCUBA unit, can don exposure protection, know how to equalize your mask and ears, and know how to clear a mask, then we recommend that you take Fundamentals instead of Rec 1. (We can provide coaching during Fundamentals on improving mask and ear skills, but you should be familiar with the techniques used before arriving to Fundamentals class.)
If you need to review these above skills or it has been more than 2 years since your last SCUBA dive, email us to determine if for your specific situation it would be best to do a refresher before your Fundamentals or refer you to a Rec 1 class.
Back to TopAdvanced Recreational Training FAQ
Back to TopCave Training FAQ
Q: I want to use 30/30 as a cave diver but I haven’t taken a triox or trimix class. Is this possible?
A: Yes. Wet Rocks Diving is an advocate for using 30/30 for deeper or more task loaded cave dives; we beta tested the cave triox program for GUE. Any GUE Cave student has the option to add triox as a gas certified on in the cave environment during their GUE cave class. This adds 20 minutes to one day but does not change the number of dives done in the class; at least two class dives will be done on 30/30 instead of nitrox. Wet Rocks does not charge any additional tuition for this; students will pay for the 30/30 gas they use and, if needed, rental of offboard suit inflation system.
For divers who are already GUE Cave certified, level 1 or level 2, a Cave Triox upgrade at your current level can be conducted in a day or less or combined with a full day intro-to-high-flow workshop. Email us if interested!
Back to TopCave Guiding FAQ
Q: Do I need to have GUE training/certification to book cave guiding with Wet Rocks Diving?
A: No, GUE training is not required to be guided by Wet Rocks Diving staff. We guide divers with a wide variety of training backgrounds. We ask that all guidees abide by prudent and agreed-upon gas planning strategies.
Q: Do I need to be a certified cave diver to book a guided cave dive?
Most guiding activities will require that the guidee already be certified for the type of dive they are being guided on; with special arrangement, some “level-up” guiding may available provided the guidee meets all the pre-requisites to start the “next” class and there is an available guide who is an instructor for the “next” level.
Back to TopTechnical Training FAQ
Back to TopInstructor Development FAQ
Q: I’m a very experienced instructor. Can I test-out of Fundamentals so that can move on to Instructor training?
A: While technically GUE standards do provide a method to “test out” of a course, this is almost unheard of for the Fundamentals program. Even if you’re used to a form of team-based or standardized-based diving, there is significant value in getting everyone clear on the GUE specifics to procedures, equipment, and other standardization, since every other class is built upon this as assumed knowledge. Even in a testing-out scenario, covering all the material would take nearly as long as the normal class. Finally, the Fundamentals experience is something that binds GUE divers as a shared element common to us all!
Back to TopDoes our website not answer your question? Help us fix that! Email us to have your question considered to be included in this FAQ. (We promise we’ll answer your question either way!)
