Area served Worldwide | Founded 1998 | |
Focus research, exploration, science and education Revenue Membership and donations Type of business Not-for-profit organization Similar National Association of Under, Woodville Karst Plain Project, Divers Alert Network, National Speleological Society, Project AWARE Profiles | ||
Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) is a scuba diving organization that provides education within recreational, technical and cave diving. It is a not-for-profit, membership organization, based in High Springs, Florida, United States.
Contents
- Foundation
- Mission statement
- Board of directors
- Training
- Courses
- EUF Certification
- WKPP
- Outreach
- Publications
- References
GUE was formed by Jarrod Jablonski and gained early prominence in association with the success of its well-known Woodville Karst Plain Project (WKPP), which now has the status of a non-profit affiliate of GUE. Jarrod Jablonski, President of GUE, promoted the ideas of "Hogarthian" gear configuration and the "Doing It Right" (DIR) system of diving to a global audience. Following WKPP's introduction in 1995 of a standardized approach to gear configuration and diving procedures, there was a significant reduction in diving incidents within the Woodville Karst Plain cave system.
The standardized approach is the basis of the diver training program of GUE, marking an important difference from the programs of other diver training organizations. GUE also focuses on protecting the maritime environment. The most popular GUE course is GUE Fundamentals, which is designed to introduce the GUE system to non-GUE divers and is the pathway to technical courses. Further courses are offered in recreational, technical and cave diving, as well as instructor courses.
Foundation
GUE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed to promote education, exploration and conservation of the aquatic realm. The organization was formed by Jarrod Jablonski and a small group of educators, explorers and diving instructors. The founding members sought to build upon the history of the Cousteau Society by creating a diverse network of satellite organizations. In this way local advocates help GUE establish detailed diver training, vibrant exploration and sustainable conservation initiatives. When GUE was formed it was co-located with Extreme Exposure dive store. However, Extreme Exposure has now changed locations, which has allowed for further growth of the organization.
Mission statement
Global Underwater Explorers emerged from a shared desire to safely explore and protect the underwater world and to improve the quality of education and research in all things aquatic. In line with the original vision of its founding members, GUE is committed to:
Working to redefine the ties binding the average underwater enthusiast to underwater explorers, conservationists and scientific researchers, GUE is committed to the overall goal of promoting the interests of the underwater world and of those who seek to engage it.
Board of directors
The GUE board of directors includes The Explorers Club fellow Jarrod Jablonski, as well as entrepreneur Robert Carmichael, researcher Todd Kincaid, Corey Jablonski, Gideon Liew, Richard Lundgren, and Thomas Dederichs.
Training
Among the diving community GUE is best known for a rigorous style of training that diverges from other diver training organizations and seeks to establish high levels of diver proficiency by extending training time, establishing objective performance criteria and requiring requalification among its instructors and divers. GUE diver training started with technical cave and technical diving classes expanding into recreational training while refining its most popular class known as GUE Fundamentals. GUE also maintains adherence to a standardized equipment and procedural system which it claims enhances diver safety and efficiency by reducing confusion and helping divers act as a team. This latter training component is a controversial aspect of GUE training as it stipulates a fairly strict set of guiding principles. GUE’s founder Jarrod Jablonski was a long time proponent of a standardized system known as Hogarthian diving and also a key architect in the Doing It Right (DIR) system which notably refines and extends the scope of standardized diving equipment and procedures.
In February 2016 the British Sub Aqua Club confirmed that a review has been completed on how to integrate GUE divers into BSAC branches.
Courses
In September 2012, GUE offered 18 courses in four subject areas:
EUF Certification
GUE obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2013 for the following diver grades:
WKPP
The most renowned of GUE's satellite organizations is the Woodville Karst Plain Project (WKPP), which now has the status of a non-profit affiliate of GUE. Numerous GUE members are heavily engaged in the extensive science and exploration projects conducted by the WKPP. This collaboration helped encourage the state of Florida to budget more than 200 million dollars toward the development of enhanced wastewater treatment practices as means to enhance ground water protection and support the conservation of Wakulla Springs State Park. This success is the model under which GUE has launched a global conservation project known as Project Baseline which seeks to document the condition of our global aquatic environments.
Outreach
Some of the organization's notable outreach projects have included:
GUE instructors regularly host "Introduction to GUE" workshops aimed at promoting the Global Underwater Explorers approach to diving.
Publications
GUE publishes a quarterly journal, Quest, as well as a number of books and videos related to their philosophy of diving. These are generally available through their website, other online retailers and bookshops.