Open Water Specialties
AWARE Dive Against Debris
Make a difference on every dive by activating your inner citizen scientist. During the Dive Against Debris® Diver Specialty course, you’ll learn how ocean plastic and trash cleanups not only keep your local dive sites healthier, but also how to contribute to a global database that documents our planet’s marine debris problem. Under the guidance of your instructor, you’ll participate in a Dive Against Debris survey and turn your passion for the underwater world into real action.
Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox 40)
Enriched air, also known as nitrox or EANx, contains less nitrogen than regular air. Breathing less nitrogen means you can enjoy longer dives and shorter surface intervals. No wonder Enriched Air Diver is the most popular PADI® specialty.
Boat Diver
If you’re new to boat diving or want to learn more about diving from different types of boats, enroll in the PADI® Boat Diver course.
During two dives with an instructor you’ll learn nautical terminology, boat diving etiquette and may practice using lines and/or deploy a surface marker buoy (SMB).
Diver Propulsion Vehicle Diver
If scuba diving is like taking a scenic stroll around a park, a Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) is like exploring a neighborhood on an (electric) bicycle.
DPVs, also called underwater scooters, allow you to see more, conserve air and get from one place to another faster - with a huge smile on your face.
AWARE Shark Conservation Diver
Love sharks? Scared of sharks? Or do you just want to know more about them? Enroll in an AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty course and discover the value of sharks to marine ecosystems and economies. You'll learn more about the causes of declining shark populations and the actions you can take to become a knowledgeable and passionate shark defender. By being informed, you can dispel misconceptions and act to protect sharks. Sharks need you!
If you're a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver who is at least 12 years old, you can enroll in the AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Specialty course.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Excellent buoyancy control is what defines skilled scuba divers. You've seen them underwater. They glide effortlessly, use less air and ascend, descend or hover almost as if by thought. They more easily observe aquatic life without disturbing their surroundings. You can achieve this, too. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course improves the buoyancy skills you learned as a new diver and elevates them to the next level.
PADI (Junior) Open Water Divers or higher, who are at least 10 years old, are eligible to take the Peak Performance Buoyancy course.
Sidemount Diver
Discover the balance and efficiency of sidemount scuba diving with your PADI dive instructor. Many divers find sidemount tanks are more comfortable and easier to put on in the water. Sidemount diving is also beneficial for divers who want improved balance and prolonged dives.
Equipment Specialist
Don't miss a dive due to minor issues with your scuba diving equipment. Whether it's a missing o-ring, wetsuit tear or a broken fin strap, the PADI Equipment Specialist course teaches you to manage basic repairs and adjustments. You'll also learn more about how your gear works, making you more comfortable with it and better prepared to take care of your investment.
If you're at least 10 years old and certified as a PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver or higher, you can enroll in the Equipment Specialist course.
Quarry Diver
Learn the skills specific to diving in a quarry.
DSMB Diver
Boats and currents are two common factors associated with many dive sites. Boaters don't always recognize that divers are in the area and current can carry you further than expected. Launching a delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) before you surface can alert others to your location in advance of your ascent. Adding another layer of safety, you can also use the DSMB line to complete your safety stop, which is advantageous in a current or when there are no other visual references. Take this course to learn about all the beneficial uses of a DSMB.
You need to be a PADI Open Water Diver who is at least 12 years old to enroll in the DSMB Diver course.
Drift Diver
Diving in a current can feel like flying underwater. In the PADI® Drift Diver course, you’ll learn drift diving tips from an experienced instructor and practice buoyancy control, navigation, use of surface signaling equipment and buddy communication.
Fish Identification Diver
“What was that fish?” is a common question heard after a dive. If you want to be the scuba diver with the answers, instead of the one asking the questions, then take the Fish Identification Specialty course. You'll enjoy your dives even more when you recognize the creatures that you see and can identify the main fish families and their characteristics.
If you're at least 10 years old and a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or higher, you can enroll in the PADI - Fish Identification course.
Night Diver
The thought of dipping below the surface at night seems mysterious, yet so alluring. Although you've been scuba diving at a site many times before, at night you drop into a whole new world and watch it come to life under the glow of your dive light. The scene changes as day creatures retire and nocturnal organisms emerge. If you've wondered what happens underwater after the sun goes down, sign up for the PADI Night Diver Specialty course.
PADI (Junior) Open Water Divers or higher, who are at least 12 years old, can enroll in the Night Diver specialty course.
Rebreather Diver
Rebreathers used to be only for technical diving, but not any more. New Type R (recreational) rebreathers are lightweight, easy-to-transport and have sophisticated electronics to simplify their use. Why dive a rebreather? You get longer no stop limits, reduced gas consumption because you reuse most of your exhaled gas, and unmatched wildlife encounters because you don't release annoying bubbles. The PADI Rebreather Diver course introduces you to rebreather diving to a maximum depth of 18 metres/60 feet and lets you experience things you never imagined possible as a scuba diver.
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To enroll in the PADI Rebreather Diver course, you must:
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Have a minimum of 25 logged dives
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Be at least 18 years old
Dive Theory
Dive Theory will dramatically expand your understanding of dive physics, physiology, equipment, decompression theory and dive planning.
Any diver can complete Dive Theory eLearning for personal enrichment. PADI Divemaster, IDC, IDC Staff and CDTC candidates may earn credit toward the dive theory exams. Ask your instructor for details.
Altitude Diver
Imagine descending below the surface of a clear mountain lake to explore a well-preserved wreck. Interested? Any time you scuba dive at an altitude higher than 300 metres/1000 feet above sea level, you're altitude diving. If you're ready to discover a hidden world where few have ventured, then the PADI Altitude Diver Specialty course is for you.
PADI (Junior) Open Water Divers who are at least 10 years old are eligible to take the Altitude Diver course.
Digital Underwater Photographer
During the PADI® Digital Underwater Photographer course, you’ll learn how to take underwater photos you’ll be proud to share with others.
Avoid beginner mistakes and shorten the learning curve with tips from the pros. Learn how to use underwater photography lights (strobes), avoid backscatter and enhance color.
Dry Suit Diver
Unlike wetsuits, drysuits are filled with air. During your drysuit course, your instructor will teach you how to control the air in your drysuit along with your buoyancy.
You'll also learn about different types of drysuits, basic drysuit repairs and maintenance.
Full-Face Mask Diver
Working divers, such as public safety divers, use full face masks because they protect the eyes and nose from contaminants in the water, provide comfort in cold water, and allow for communication. If you're interested public safety diving, scientific diving, or venturing into extremely cold-water, then learning to dive with a full face mask is definitely for you. Because full face masks allow you to breathe from your nose, they are also beneficial for those who have difficulty using standard scuba masks. Diving with a full face mask offers a different experience and that alone may be reason to give it a try.
You need to be a PADI Open Water Diver who is at least 12 years old to enroll in the Full Face Mask Diver course.
Underwater Navigation
Be the scuba diver everyone wants to follow because you know where you are and where you're going. The PADI Underwater Navigator course fine-tunes your observation skills and teaches you to more accurately use your compass underwater. If you like challenges with big rewards, take this course and have fun finding your way.
If you're a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver who is at least 10 years old, you can enroll in the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course.
Advanced Specialties
Tech Gas Blender
The PADI Enriched Air Diver course is the most popular diver specialty course and the number of technical divers is on the rise, which means that lots of scuba divers want enriched air and gas blends. The Tec Gas Blender course teaches you to blend enriched air nitrox and helium-blend gases using one or more blending methods. Being the blender is a key job at a busy Dive Center or Resort and your work allows other divers to do what they love to do - scuba dive.
If you're a PADI Enriched Air Diver and are at least 18 years old, you can enroll in a Tec Gas Blender course.
Search and Recovery
The next time someone loses an item underwater, you can be the hero that finds the missing object.
In the PADI® Search and Recovery course, you’ll learn how to find lost objects underwater. You’ll practice different types of underwater search patterns and learn how to use a lift bag as you plan and execute mock search operations.
Tech Sidemount Diver
If you've looked into technical diving, you realize that tec divers always wear more than one tank. Sidemount is an increasingly popular way to configure multiple cylinders for technical diving. You can enter the world of tec diving with the Tec Sidemount Diver course and apply what you learn to other TecRec courses. Your instructor may offer to integrate this course with the Tec 40, Tec 45 or Tec 50 courses.
If you're a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 30 logged dives, you qualify to enroll in a Tec Sidemount Diver course. It's recommended that you also have a PADI Enriched Air Diver certification.
Self-Reliant Diver
With proper training, equipment and the right attitude to accept the risks involved in independent diving, an experience diver can responsibly engage in dives without a buddy. Self-reliant diving is an adventure activity that is not for everyone, but does have its place. If you have the mental discipline and commitment to learn and follow self-reliant diving techniques, you'll bolster your skills and confidence when diving alone, in a dive pair or as part of a team.
You need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who is at least 18 years old and has 100 logged dives to enroll in the Self-Reliant Diver course. You'll also complete a skills assessment with your PADI Self-Reliant Diver Instructor before diving into the course.
Wreck Diver
Whether purpose-sunk as an artificial reef for scuba divers, or lost as the result of an accident, wrecks are fascinating windows to the past. Ships, airplanes and even cars are fascinating to explore and usually teem with aquatic life. Each wreck dive offers a chance for discovery, potentially unlocking a mystery or spying something others have missed. The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty course is popular because it offers rewarding adventures while observing responsible wreck diving practices.
If you're at least 15 years old and have earned a PADI Adventure Diver certification or higher, you can enroll in the Wreck Diver Specialty course.
Deep Diver
During the PADI® Deep Diver course, you'll learn how to plan deep dives, manage your gas supply and how to identify and manage narcosis.
You'll learn about buddy contact procedures, safety considerations and buoyancy control at depth.
Cavern Diver
Caverns exist in many areas where scuba divers venture - from freshwater springs to volcanic island walls and limestone coasts. In these locations you'll find large, dark spaces that seem incredibly inviting, yet are potentially dangerous. The PADI Cavern Diver Specialty course gives you the knowledge and skills to explore caverns correctly - allowing you to enter far enough for adventure, but staying within the light zone for an easy exit to open water.
You need to be PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who is at least 18 years old to enroll in the Cavern Diver course.