ANDI Ascent & Descent Procedures – Open Circuit Diving

During all ANDI training courses, students are taught to follow a set system of procedures for ascent and descent.  These procedures include a number of stops, to enable team cohesion, increase safety and conservative off-gassing.

You don’t need to be an ANDI trained diver to appreciate the value of these protocols – they are relevant to all recreational and technical divers.  I teach them as a ‘best practice’, on all my courses, regardless of agency certification.

Descent Procedures

At the Surface –  Equipment matching/Group Cohesion – Signal “OK” to descend.

At 2m Depth – Pause Descent and;  Buoyancy control, Bubble Check, Buddy contact, Equipment location & security, Correct Gas, Signal “OK to Descend”, Equalize at your own rate

At 5m Depth – Pause Descent and; Buddy Contact & Equalization,  Signal “OK to Descend”, Equalize at your own rate

At 10m Depth – Pause Descent and; Buoyancy control, Buddy contact, Equipment location & security, Correct gas, Signal “OK to Descend”, Equalize at your own rate. Stay together…

Ascent Procedures: Recreational diving

At Bottom Depth – Signal “OK” to ascend

At 9m Depth – Pause ascent for 1 minute; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

At 6m Depth – Pause ascent for 2 minutes; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

At 3m Depth – Pause ascent for 2 minutes; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

Ascent Procedures: Technical diving

At Bottom Depth – Signal “OK” to ascend

At 9m Depth – Pause ascent and complete decompression stop and gas switch as required; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

At 6m Depth – Pause ascent  and complete decompression stop and gas switch as required; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

At 3m Depth – Pause ascent  and complete decompression stop and gas switch as required; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend; Achieve neutral buoyancy and check for buddy contact, signal “OK” to ascend

About The Author

Andy Davis is a RAID, PADI TecRec, ANDI, BSAC, and SSI-qualified independent technical diving instructor who specializes in teaching sidemount, trimix, and advanced wreck diving courses.

Currently residing in Subic Bay, Philippines; he has amassed more than 10,000 open-circuit and CCR dives over three decades of challenging diving across the globe.

Andy has published numerous diving magazine articles and designed advanced certification courses for several dive training agencies, He regularly tests and reviews new dive gear for scuba equipment manufacturers. Andy is currently writing a series of advanced diving books and creating a range of tech diving clothing and accessories.

Prior to becoming a professional technical diving educator in 2006, Andy was a commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force and has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Belize, and Cyprus.

In 2023, Andy was named in the “Who’s Who of Sidemount” list by GUE InDepth Magazine.

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