About Our Organization

The members of the Underwater Adventure Seekers are committed to ongoing education and training. There are club standards for all members but each club member sets individual goals related to the sport of recreational diving and to underwater archeology. There are members who specialize in underwater photography, underwater videography, fish identification, reef conservation, spear fishing, wreck diving, and those who have availed themselves of opportunities to instruct others in rescue diving, navigation, and the like. Because the UAS is the founding club of the National Association of Black SCUBA divers, it has been an inspiration to other clubs under the NABS umbrella.

Meetings

The Underwater Adventure Seekers meet at local restaurants and at community facilities on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays each month. About once every 18 months, teams of club members act as hosts and are responsible for selecting the meeting location for the dates on the club meeting host roster. Food and beverages are provided and guests are welcomed. A typical meeting hosts up to 50 participants.

The agendas for the meetings are established by the club president and are circulated in advance via email by the club secretary. Meeting locations and driving directions are posted on the club website in advance of the meetings. Club announcements, committee reports, dive safety tips, dive training opportunities, and club events are among the features of each meeting.

Elections

In accordance with club bylaws, elections are held annually at the last meeting of the year. Only members in good standing and who are in attendance may cast votes or run for the various positions. At that time, prospective members who have been invited to join the Underwater Adventure Seekers and who have undergone appropriate training can be voted in as new members.

Requirements for Membership

Every member of the Underwater Adventure Seekers is expected to complete the annual check-out to remain in good standing with the club. The check-out requirements are listed below and are based on membership years for each group. Prospective members are expected to coordinate with the dive instructors to be properly instructed on the execution of each skill and to attain a level of mastery prior to diving with the club. There are approximately 37 skills that must be mastered in swimming, skin diving, and on SCUBA. In addition, each member is expected to complete at least 5 club dives per year to remain in good standing according to the club bylaws. Other membership requirements are: hosting a meeting on the club roster, paying dues, participating in the crab feast fundraiser to support a local college student studying marine biology, and regularly attending meetings.

UAS Check-out Requirements	Group 1 <5 yrs	Group 2 6-10 yrs	Group 3 11-20 yrs	Group 4 >20 yrs
Swim Skills
Swim eighteen (18) lengths
Tread water ten (10) minutes
Hands up tread one (1) minute
Breath-hold a minimum of thirty (30) seconds
Weight retrieval (16 lbs)
Swim one length of pool underwater
Skin Diving Skills
Giant stride entry
Tuck dive
Feet first descent/ascent procedure
Rear entry
Clear snorkel blast method
Clear snorkel displacement method
Snorkel swim eighteen (18) lengths
Dolphin kick two (2) lengths (up and back)
One fin swim two (2) lengths (up and back)
Frog kick two (2) lengths (up and back)
Snorkel on back two (2) lengths (up and back)
Mask retrieval and mask clearing in deep end
Scuba Skills
Giant stride entry
Rear entry
Regulator Recovery
Remove/replace weight belt, scuba unit underwater
Remove, replace, clear mask underwater
Fin pivot
Hover thirty (30) seconds
No mask scuba swim two (2) lengths
Alt. air source/octopus run two (2) lengths
Alt. air source/octopus ascent
Ditch and don
Buddy breathe stationary
Buddy breathe two (2) lengths
Surface handling
Controlled emergency swimming ascent
Scuba run thirty-six (36) lengths
Stations for five (5) go rounds
Tank pull tow, BCD deflated, two (2) lengths
Fin push tow, BCD deflated, two (2) lengths
Do-si-do tow, BCD deflated, two (2) lengths
BCD pull tow, BCD deflated, two (2) lengths
Ascent procedure scuba (at quarry)