Tom Leaird, the CEO of Scuba Educators International & PDIC International, is stressing the importance of divers undertaking skills and knowledge refreshers after being out of the water for a while.
In an open letter to divers, he highlighted the commitment of SEI-PDIC to this concept with the fact that every certification card is issued with the statement:
“DIVE EXPERIENCE OR REFRESHER EXPECTED ANNUALLY”
Learid argues that even after completing initial training, divers do not retain sufficient skills and knowledge after a period of inactivity. This natural atrophy is compounded by other factors as divers age and may lose fitness, as well as any changes to their medical condition.
Based on this, SEI-PDIC recommends that divers seek a refresher course with a dive professional before embarking on a new period of diving.
