The world of SCUBA is full of abbreviations and acronyms, and it can sometimes be difficult for new divers to remember everything. Like any new sport or passion, the knowledge comes slowly with time as you gain more experience and take more courses – and of course through lots of repetition! Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of 45 to get you started. Do you know all of these? How many did you get correct and can you think of any extra’s that we have missed?…
As a handy guide to your current knowledge retention, we’ve developed this handy rating system:
1-10 – Nothing an Open Water Course wont fix!
11-20 – Time for a Scuba Review!
21-30 – Getting there!
31-40 – Down with the Lingo!
40-45 – Scuba Geektastic!
AAS – Alternate Air Source
ABCABS – Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Airway, Breathing, Serious Bleeding, Spinal Injury & Shock (you’ll learn to deal with all of these and more in your Emergency First Response course.
ACD – Automatic Closing Device (commonplace on higher end regulators, thus avoiding the need for a dust cap)
AED- Automated External Defibrillator (another staple in the Emergency First Response course)
AGE -Arterial Gas Embolism (learn more in your Rescue Diver course and in the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving that comes in your Divemaster Crewpack!)
AWARE – Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility & Education. This is PADI’s flagship environmental awareness project, with correcsponding specialties, PADI AWARE Fish Identification, and PADI AWARE Specialist.
BCD – Buoyancy Control Device/ Buoyancy Compensation Device
BWRAF – Buoyancy/BDC, Weights, Releases, Air, Final OK (the mantra of buddy checks for every certified diver)
CCR – Closed Circuit Rebreather
CESA – Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (you learn this emergency ascent in your open water course)
CNS – Central Nervous System
CPR – Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
DAN – Divers Alert Network
DCI – Decompression Illness
DCS – Decompression Sickness
DIN – Deutsche Industry Norm (all modern regulator fittings are either DIN or yoke valves)
DM – Divemaster
DMC Divemaster Candidate
DPV – Diver Propulsion Vehicle
DSAT – Dive Science and Technology
DSD – Discover Scuba Diving
DSO – Dive Safety Officer
DUP – Digital Underwater Photography
EANX – Enriched Air Nitrox
EFR – Emergency First Response
EMS – Emergency Medical Services
ERDPML – Electronic Recreational Dive Planner Multi Level
IDC – Instructor Development Course
IE – Instructor Exams
MSD – Master Scuba Diver
NOAA – National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association
PADI – Professional Association of Diving Instructors
PPB – Peak Performance Buoyancy (learn more in your Advanced open water course, or as a specialty in its own right)
RDP – Recreational Dive Planner
RNT – Residual Nitrogen Time
RSTC – Recreational Scuba Training Council
SAFE Diver – Safely Ascend From Every dive
SAMPLE – Signs & Symptoms, Allergies, Medication, Pre-existing medical conditions, Last meal & Events (used to track & record illness in your EFR course)
SCR – Semi Closed Rebreather
SCUBA – Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
SORTED – Signal, Orientate, Regulator, Time, Extend & Equalise, and Descend (PADI’s 5 star descent)
SPG – Submersible Pressure Guage
SSS – Scuba Safety Services
STARS – Signal, Time, Air (release), Reach & Rotate, Swim (PADI’s 5 star ascent)
VENTID – Visual disturbances, Ears ringing, Nausea, Twitching, Irritability, Dizziness (the signs and symptoms of CNS Oxygen toxicity)
So how did you do? Are you a scuba nerd or in need of a tune up?!
Feel free to leave your scores and any you think we’ve missed in the comments section!
