Divers gather on the shore of Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) as instructor Steve Mercer (centre) gives them their next assignment. (Photo: Julie Steele)

NIWA scientific dive course

One of NIWA’s most popular training courses is Scientific Diving. The course is designed to assess individuals as suitable scientific divers and to provide adequate training to meet NIWA’s minimum standards for dive safety and scientific diving. Although it’s run primarily for NIWA staff, the course is suitable for anyone whose work requires underwater surveys and scientific work.

The only one of its type offered in New Zealand, the dive course began in 1974 and the current course leader, Steve Mercer, has been running it since 1981. Over 600 divers from other research organisations, universities, and councils have participated.

The course runs for 10 days in early winter in Rotorua and the surrounding lakes. It’s designed to expose divers to the demanding and challenging conditions they are likely to encounter in their work as scientific divers, and to develop a sense of critical team practices in a diving environment. Participants train in teams of up to four people.

The course comprises lectures, team fitness exercises and assessments, practical diving exercises, and individual and team assessments. During the course, attendees also qualify as Nitrox divers, DAN oxygen providers, and NZUA air cylinder fillers. Run like a field trip, the course places a research component on each dive, whether it’s Night, Deep, Search and Recovery, Underwater Navigation, or River Drift diving.

Graduates of the course receive the ADAS (Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme) Scientific Diver qualification and are eligible to apply for a New Zealand Department of Labour Certificate of Competence – Science Diving.

The next course will be in May. For further information on dates and entry requirements, contact:
Steve Mercer, 0-4-386 0507, s.mercer@niwa.co.nz