AIDA Level III

The AIDA Level III course is an intermediate course which builds on the skills learnt in the AIDA Level II course. It is designed to cover the necessary skills and knowledge for a recreational freediver to be able to safely freedive with or without a guideline. The aim of the course is to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to independently plan and participate in freediving activities with similarly experienced freedive buddies.

The course is also designed to develop new skills and a higher knowledge of safety procedures and techniques for freediving such as free falling, Frenzel equalizing, training tables, the risks of increasing and decreasing pressure and how to minimize these risks.

• Static Apnea – breath hold with face immersed in water;
• Dynamic Apnea – breath hold whilst travelling horizontally underwater;
• Constant Weight – the diver descends and ascends using fins.

This will be achieved through:

• Knowledge Development – this will involve three theory sessions and an examination in the classroom;
• Confined Water Sessions – these two sessions will involve static and dynamic practice in a pool to teach you how to train for tolerance to high CO2 and low O2 levels and maximum performances;
• Open water sessions - you will learn new skills including operating freediving equipment, Frenzel equalisation, freefalling, warm ups and turning. You will also practice your rescue, duck dives, safety, budding and breathing skills.

Four dive sessions over two days will be conducted in open water with a fixed line to be used as a point of reference for you. You will be secured to the line via a lanyard. You will be given adequate time for debriefing, rest and relaxation and briefing between the dives. In open water the maximum depth of the freedives will be limited to 30 meters.

Open water dive session one

Technique & Equalisation Practice

After open water session 1 you will be able to:

• Operate & prepare equipment - Demonstrate the ability to operate all the quick releases on the safety lanyard and assist with the setting up of ropes & weights for freediving;
• Be safe - Demonstrate how to adjust weighting for deeper freedives, identify the point of neutral buoyancy and start to freefall;
• Duck dive & fin - Perform efficient, effective duck dives, remaining oriented to the guide line while descending and ascending with an efficient swimming technique, including correct fining technique and body positioning;
• Recover - Demonstrate appropriate surfacing and recovery breathing after a dive;
• Equalise using the Frenzel technique - Describe and practice The “Frenzel” equalisation technique.

Open water dive session two

Free Falling, Self Rescue & Safety Diving

After open water session 2 you will be able to:

• Prepare for dives - Identify hazards and points of interest for the chosen open water dive site;
• Turn - Descend to 10m and make a controlled turn, without touching the rope;
• Freefall – Learn how to freefall from the point where you become negatively buoyant;
• Train - Complete at least three dives to practice all your skills including, Frenzel equalizing, duck dives, guide line orientation fining, breathing and buddying;
• Rescue - Demonstrate the self rescue technique for a leg cramp suffered at depth, ascending from 15m using the arms only.

Open water dive session three

Training & Rescue

After open water session 3 you will be able to:

• Train – We will continue to practice your free falling, Frenzel equalizing, duck dives, guide line orientation fining, breathing and buddying;
• Rescue - On at least three dives, act as a safety diver for other freedivers and demonstrate rescue techniques for both a freediver who:
  • arrives at the surface, experiences black out and does not recommence breathing within 10 seconds;
  • loses consciousness at 10m on ascent, to include bringing the diver to the surface and demonstrating effective surface rescue.

Open water dive session four

Warm Up & Maximum Performance

After open water session 4 you will be able to:

• Warm up – Learn how to warm-up and relax for a deep dive;
• Dive to 24 meters - Warm up for and perform a constant weight dive to a depth of at least 24m (Maximum 30m), equalizing using the Frenzel technique and free falling, whilst respecting buddy and safety procedures;
• Buddying - Effectively safety dive for a freediver attempting a constant weight dive, timing departure from the surface to meet the freediver at a depth of around 10m;
• Be confident - Descend to 10m, remove the mask and ascend with the mask in the hand to simulate the loss of a mask;
• Rescue - Tow an inert freediver to shore/boat a minimum distance of 50m.

How do I pass the open water sessions?

You will have to successfully complete all of the requirements outlined in the open water sessions above.