NAUI Underwater Skills & Safety Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a drift dive, divers should maintain contact with the group primarily by:
- Holding hands in a chain
- Staying within visual range and matching depth (Correct answer)
- Ascending to the surface frequently to regroup
- Using underwater scooters to keep pace
Correct answer: Staying within visual range and matching depth
In drift dives, all divers drift at the same speed with the current, so maintaining visual contact and consistent depth keeps the group together.
Question 2: What does the acronym 'STOP' stand for in the context of a diving emergency?
- Stabilize, Think, Observe, Proceed (Correct answer)
- Surface, Treat, Observe, Plan
- Signal, Turn, Orient, Position
- Slow, Think, Orient, Perform
Correct answer: Stabilize, Think, Observe, Proceed
STOP (Stabilize, Think, Observe, Proceed) is a decision framework used to prevent panic and ensure rational action during diving emergencies.
Question 3: When a diver enters the water using a giant stride entry from a boat, what should they do immediately after surfacing?
- Remove fins to allow movement on the platform
- Signal OK to the boat and clear the entry area (Correct answer)
- Deflate BCD and prepare to descend
- Remove mask to check for water entry
Correct answer: Signal OK to the boat and clear the entry area
Signaling OK and clearing the entry area allows the next diver to enter safely without collision risk.
Question 4: A diver notices kelp wrapped around their leg during a dive. The safest response is to:
- Kick vigorously to break free
- Spin in place to wrap the kelp around the body
- Stop movement, slowly and calmly untangle by hand (Correct answer)
- Inflate BCD to pull free
Correct answer: Stop movement, slowly and calmly untangle by hand
Calm, deliberate manual untangling prevents entanglement from worsening and conserves air, unlike kicking which can tighten the kelp.
Question 5: Which sign indicates a diver may be experiencing an arterial gas embolism (AGE) upon surfacing?
- Gradual fatigue developing over several hours
- Immediate loss of consciousness or neurological symptoms at or shortly after surfacing (Correct answer)
- Joint pain in the elbows and knees
- Skin rash developing over 24 hours
Correct answer: Immediate loss of consciousness or neurological symptoms at or shortly after surfacing
AGE occurs when air bubbles enter the bloodstream, typically causing immediate and severe neurological symptoms at or just after surfacing.
Question 6: When diving in low visibility conditions, divers should:
- Increase swimming speed to cover more area
- Use a buddy line and maintain physical contact (Correct answer)
- Dive independently to avoid collision
- Ascend and surface at the first sign of reduced visibility
Correct answer: Use a buddy line and maintain physical contact
A buddy line maintains physical contact between divers when visual contact cannot be relied upon in low or zero visibility.
Question 7: The recommended first aid treatment for a suspected decompression sickness victim on the surface is:
- Resubmerge to depth to force nitrogen back into solution
- Administer 100% oxygen and seek emergency medical assistance (Correct answer)
- Have the victim rest lying down with legs elevated only
- Give the victim warm fluids and observe for 6 hours
Correct answer: Administer 100% oxygen and seek emergency medical assistance
100% oxygen accelerates nitrogen elimination from bubble sites and is the critical first aid intervention before transport to a hyperbaric facility.
NAUI Underwater Skills & Safety Procedures 5
During a drift dive, divers should maintain contact with the group primarily by: