Nordic scuba diving

There are several archaeological investigation methods underwater, e.g. mini submarine, ROV, and SSBA. But the most common method is scuba diving, which is also a popular recreation sport.

Recreational diving in Northern Europe is a cool thing, often ice cold, so a dry suit is necessary. In Sweden and Finland it is forbidden to touch wrecks older than 100 years. In Finland you must also notify the coast guard before a wreck dive. On the Finnish province island Åland, it is generally forbidden to dive anywhere, except for a few places assigned by licensed dive centres. For scuba diving, both DIN (200 and 300 bar) and Yoke (200 bar) connectors are used.

Here is more scuba diving info:

• Swedish Underwater Federation (SSDF), Idrottens Hus, S-123 87 Farsta, Sweden. tel +46-8-605 60 00, fax +46-8-605 63 72. Addresses to Swedish diving clubs.
• Norwegian Underwater Federation (NDF), Hauger skolvei 1, Idrettens hus, N-1351 Rud, Norway. tel +47-671 547 14, fax +47-671 549 04.
• Finnish Underwater Federation (Suomen Urheilusukeltajain Liitto ry), Radiokatu 12, FIN-00240 Helsinki, Finland. tel +358-9-15 822 57, fax +358-9-15 825 16, email office@susl.slu.fi .
• Danish Underwater Federation, Idrættens hus, Brøndby stadion 20, DK-2605 Brøndby, Denmark. tel +45-424 555 55, fax +45-434 416 63.
   
• Diving in Norway
• Scuba club at the University of Bergen, Norway
• Diving in Finland

International scuba diving

• CMAS, (World Underwater Federation), Viale Tiziano 74, 00196 Rome, Italy. tel +39-636 858 480, fax +39-636 858 490. Link.
• PADI International, Unit 7, St Philips Central, Albert Road, St Philips, Bristol, BS2 OPD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44-117 300 7234, Fax: +44-117 971 0400. Running the project Respect our Wrecks.
• NAUI
• British Sub-Aqua Club, (alternative site, alternative site), Telford's Quay, Ellesmere Port, South Wirral, Cheshire CH65 4FL, United Kingdom. Tel: +44-151 350 6200, Fax: +44-151 350 6215
• Sub-Aqua Association, UK
• Verband Deutscher Sporttaucher (VDST), Tannenstrasse 25, D-64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany. tel: +49-6105-961301, fax: +49-6105-961345
• Irish Underwater Council (CFT)
• FFESSM, French Underwater Federation
• CPAS, Underwater Federation of Portugal
• Tauchsportverband Österreichs, Diving Federation of Austria
    
• Tauchen in Deutschland, info page, Germany
• Tauchen im Bodensee, info page, Germany
• Armin's Taucherseite, info page, Germany
• Scubahoo, info page, Germany
• Unterwasser CX, info page, Germany
• UK Diving, with BSAC info, links & mailing lists, UK
• Divernet, diver magazine, UK
• Internet Duikclup, Netherlands
• Nurkowanie Online, Poland
• Wreck.ru, Russia
• Diving Tourism, Russia (commercial website, sometimes bad connection)
• Association of Underwater Explorers, USA
• Aquanaut, USA, links and search engine
• Scubaduba, USA, links
• Scubacentral & Rick's links, USA
• Harald Bolten's Diving Homepage, beautiful wreck photos

Commercial & Archaeological diving

To participate in official Swedish underwater archaeology projects, the A certificate is needed, which is only issued by the Swedish navy, tel +46-455-86473. This certificate is not compatible with e.g. the British HSE. Unfortunately, these rules vary from country to country. E.g. Denmark requires no commercial qualification to participate in archaeology projects. Diving clubs and non-vocational groups are usually free to investigate, without these certificates, as long as they follow the legislation of protected sites.

• Marine Archaeology and Scuba Diving in Sweden, Carl Olof Cederlund
• The NAS Training System, Jon Adams
• Diving Operations on Archaeological Sites, CMA
• Institut national de la plongée professionelle (INPP), Marseille, France, offers a special training for professional divers in archaeology.
• Underwater Magazine with Dive Web, USA, professional diving, articles on line
• American Academy of Underwater Sciences, USA
• Sunken Ships & Objects. Russian marine engineering.

SSBA

SSBA (surface supplied breathing apparatus) means that the diver receives air from the surface, through a hose. The diver wears a full face mask or a helmet, and has voice communication to the surface. The diver also carries a backup system that can be switched to at anytime. SSBA is also called SAS (surface air supply) or Hookah (from a 1955 trade mark). SSBA requires special training. Popular systems include the AGA / Interspiro and EXO / Kirby Morgan / DSI systems.

• SSBA at San Pedro de Alcantara fieldwork 1999