Our choice for gas

I owe Lamar and
Lee Ann a helluva
lot, so they always get a free plug

Signing Up

Okay, you’ve read enough (and possibly called or e-mailed us once or twice). Now you are ready to get started.

• The first step is to download, complete, digitally sign and return the three forms listed below. To do so, right-click on each of the links to open it in a new browser tab or window. Depending on your browser configuration, the form itself will either appear in a browser window or be downloaded automatically to your hard drive.

• If the form opens in a new tab or window, do a File —> Save As or whatever your system requires to save it to your hard drive.

• Re-open the forms in Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 8 or higher). You will be able to complete, digitally sign and save each document in Acrobat.

When you are done, mail the completed PDFs to:

Here are the document links:

• Student Enrollment and Training Completion Form.
• Assumption of Risk, Liability Release, Waiver and Indemnification Contract.
• RSTC Medical Statement.

As you read on the How Much? page, you will be getting a PayPal invoice for the course deposit. Your reservation is not considered firm until we have that.

Finally, we’ll be in touch to help get you started on the necessary pre-course study and making sure you have all the equipment you need.

As a reminder, whatever your final certification goal, there is no need to try to do it all at once. In fact, unless a student is coming in from out of the country, I won’t do an eight-day, non-stop Cavern-to-Full-Cave Diver course. (Neither will anyone else I know.)

Students learn best when they break their training into manageable blocks of time. The NSS-CDS curriculum can easily be broken into two-, four- or six-day segments. Six days is about the most even very capable divers can manage before the brain goes dead and the body starts to give out. Plan your training so you stay well within your personal limitations.

As always, if you have questions, contact us.

About the RSTC Medical Statement

As you no doubt know from past experience, you will need to complete and sign the standard RSTC Medical History form. You can download a copy of this form, in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF), using the link on the right.

Be aware that the attorneys who designed this form were especially picky about how you complete it. In particular:

• You must physically write out the words YES or NO to each and every question.
• You cannot simply put a Y or an N, or use checkmarks or Xs.

In other words:

If possible, print the form on the front and back of a single sheet of paper. Be sure to fill out the contact information on the top half of the back. Assuming you can honestly answer NO to all of the questions, bring the signed form with you to class.

What if I have to answer YES? Don’t panic. It just means that you have a condition that requires a physician’s approval prior to taking part in any in-water activities. Here is what you do:

• Take the completed Medical History form to your physician, along with the Guidelines for Recreational Scuba Diver’s Physical Examination (4 Pages; 204K).
• Discuss the medical history/exam form and guidelines with your physician. If he or she has a question, the guidelines have a number at Duke University Medical Center you can call.

Assuming your physician is okay with you diving (which is generally the case), he or she can sign the form where indicated on the back. Bring the signed form with you when you arrive for class.

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