Research Diver

Are you looking to become an underwater researcher? Maybe you just want to learn about the underwater world and the aquatic life it contains. Either way, the Research Diver course is for you.

The Research Diver course takes an in-depth look at the water environments (fresh and saltwater), the underwater ecology, food chains, habitats, coral reefs, kelp, and basic oceanography. You’ll also learn about a variety of marine animals including fish, molluscs, invertebrates, mammals, and dangerous animals.

After you learn about the underwater world, you’ll learn how to change your diving to interact with it properly in a research context. You’ll learn different diving methodologies for the collection of data, detailed mapping techniques, survey methodologies, marking and capturing, and research for sport.

By the end of the Research Diver course, you will know how to properly plan a research dive, test and check all your equipment, familiarize yourself with the area and ecology, how to conduct area surveys, how to identify marine life, and how to properly record data.

To enrol in the course you must be a certified Open Water diver and demonstrate mature and sound judgment with dive planning and execution. Big Blue Diving will provide all equipment, boat trips, etc., for the duration of the Research Diver course.

The schedule for the Research Diver course usually looks something like this.

9:30-10:00

You’ll start the first morning just going over the layout of the course with your instructor and filling in any required paperwork.

10:00-11:00

For the rest of the morning, you’ll attend a few lectures covering the ecology of the marine environment, research techniques, and diving techniques.

12:00-17:30

In the afternoon, you’ll go out and conduct two dives around Koh Tao to practice your new research and diving techniques.

Don’t forget! Because of the extra nitrogen your body builds up while scuba diving, you cannot fly within 24hrs of your last dive.

Are you fit to dive?

Scuba diving is an activity that requires a certain level of physical health. Read this medical questionnaire. If you can answer yes to any of the questions you may require medical clearance to enrol in a diving course. Contact us for more information.