Diving at the Marine Lab

Visiting investigators who plan to use scuba for their research while visiting the Marine Laboratory should bring their own personal dive gear or rent gear from one of the local dive shops. The Marine Lab can provide scuba tanks only, for US$2.00 per tank. The following policies apply to diving at the Marine Laboratory:

If you are currently certified for scuba diving at a university or research group with a recognized diving program (e.g., AAUS, University of California, University of Washington, University of Miami, NOAA, Smithsonian Institution, etc.), please bring your certification card, a log of recent dives made, and a summary of total dives. The Marine Laboratory is a member of the American Association of Underwater Scientists (AAUS). Our diving policies are given in the UOGML Dive Manual at the link below.

If you are not actively diving with a research diving program, you will need to bring evidence of a recent physical exam (within one year) done on an AAUS physical form (see below), a scuba certification card, and a summary of past and recent dives. All divers will be asked to fill out the medical-history portion of the form and sign the liability waiver. Divers may be asked to go on a check-out dive before beginning research diving with the Marine Laboratory equipment and facilities (this may be done on the first working dive). These policies must be followed before permission will be granted to use scuba with the University of Guam Marine Laboratory. You should contact the Diving Safety Officer, prior to your trip to make arrangements for diving.

Other visitor information can be found at our Visitor Information page.

UOGML Dive Manual This manual was prepared to conform with the safety standards of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS), and it is based upon the AAUS Standards for Scientific Diving. Diving techniques or diving equipment not listed in this manual are ordinarily prohibited at the UOG Marine Laboratory. Additional diving techniques or equipment may be permitted only with the expressed approval of the DCB and only after the necessary safety guidelines are adopted by the UOG Diving Control Board and incorporated into the UOG Marine Laboratory diving standards manual.

Dive Physical Diving under the auspices of UOG Marine Laboratory is permitted only with a current diving physical examination and a declaration by the examining physician of the diver's fitness to dive. All medical exams required by this standard shall be performed by, or under the direction of a licensed physician of the applicant-diver's choice. It is recommended that the examining physician be trained in diving/undersea medicine.