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Specialty Diver Courses
Scuba diving is a way to explore the underwater world in new and different ways. PADI Specialty Diver courses teach you new techniques and give you the tools to enhance your exploration.

Boat Diver

Diving from a boat allows access to all of the dive sites that are too far off shore to otherwise reach. It also makes it very easy to move to multiple dive sites in a short time, especially if conditions at one site are not favorable. During this course you will learn boat terminology, and different types of dive boats and how to choose the type of dive boat to go on for your needs. You will also learn what safety and emergency equipment needs to be on the boat and how to tell if the boat has these items. You will also learn about stowing your equipment on a dive boat and you will also learn several techniques to avoid and reduce seasickness.

Cavern Diver

This course teaches you how to safely make limited penetrations into caverns in a safe and enjoyable manner. Underwater caverns offer many enjoyable and unique experiences that most divers miss. This course involves four actual cavern dives that will be done with a P.A.D.I. certified instructor.

Deep Diver

This course gives you training and experience in deep diving techniques and practices. In this course you will learn how to safely plan and do deep dives to a maximum depth of one hundred feet. You will do four deep dives with your instructor. As many shipwrecks are located at depth, this course greatly increases your ability to visit many more shipwrecks.

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Drift Diver

Drift diving is one of the most effortless forms of scuba diving. It is a lot like going on an escalator ride and window shopping at the same time. Special training is needed for drift diving though, to help avoid buddy separation, separation from the boat, and to avoid fatigue and anxiety. As divers we can only fight a weak current for a short time. In this course we learn how to use the currents in the ocean to our advantage.

Dry Suit

Dry suit diving has many advantages. The first advantage is that as the name implies, you stay not only warm, but dry. This is especially nice when you get out of the water, as you do not have to dry off and change clothes. Coveralls are generally worn under a dry suit and can be kept on until you go home. A dry suit in my opinion is also much easier to put on as you do not have to fight it. It is also much less restrictive than a thick wetsuit. Dry suits can keep you warm enough to actually even dive under ice. I find buoyancy control easier with a dry suit. The cost of a dry suit is also offset by the fact that it can be used in many different water temperatures depending upon what garments are worn under it for insulation. Diving with a dry suit is very easy though definitely requires special training to be done safely. In this course you will learn how to safely dive with a dry suit, and learn how to take care of it. 
You will also gain experience dry suit diving with a P.A.D.I. certified instructor.

Equipment Specialist

This course gives you an understanding of how your dive equipment operates, as well as how to maintain it. You will learn how to configure your equipment comfortably for your diving needs. You will also learn how to maintain your equipment to get the best performance from it, and to make your investment last for years of enjoyable diving. This is not an equipment repair course though. Repairs to Scuba Equipment must be done by a trained service technician.

Master Scuba Diver

This is the highest non professional rating given by P.A.D.I. for recreational diving. This rating is earned by achieving five P.A.D.I. specialty diver certifications. It is a recognition of high achievement in diving skills.

Multi Level Diver

This course will allow you to safely extend your bottom time without exceeding your nodecompression limits. You will learn how to do a single dive at multiple levels, moving shallower as the dive continues. You will learn to use the P.A.D.I. wheel instead of the standard dive tables. Four multilevel dives will be done with a P.A.D.I. certified instructor.

Night Diver

Diving at night is a very unique and wonderful experience, and also my favorite time to dive. Most marine creatures you will see at a dive site during the day will not be there at night. Though the nocturnal marine life will be out in full bloom. A site dove during the day will be completely different at night. This is a great opportunity to see all those marine creatures that other divers don't see. This course involves doing three night dives with your instructor.

Search and Recovery

As a diver it will not be long before someone approaches you and asks you if you can recover something for them. In this course you will learn how to locate an object underwater using different search patterns. You will also learn how to plan a search considering the object you are looking for and the diving environment. You will also learn techniques for getting objects to the surface, and when to leave it to the professionals.

Underwater Naturalist

This course teaches an awareness of the underwater environment. You will learn about the behaviors and characteristics of many underwater creatures. You will also learn many techniques for seeing many more creatures during your dives. Teaching is also done regarding how to interact with aquatic life without injury to them, or unlikely injury to your self.

Underwater Navigation

This course involves learning several methods you can use to find your way underwater. You will learn how to measure distance underwater as well as navigation. You will be able to find a certain location such as a small shipwreck that you previously found much faster and with more ease. P.A.D.I. lists five reasons in the advanced diving manual for learning navigation underwater, that best describes the value of this course.
  • It reduces anxiety caused by not knowing where you are.
  • You will thus use less air if you are relaxed.
  • It will help you avoid long surface swims back to the boat.
  • You eliminate guesswork and time finding a certain location.
  • It helps to avoid buddy separation. See you in class.

Underwater Photography

If you are a diver and have ever tried to explain to someone what you have seen underwater, you will certainly be interested in taking pictures the next time you dive. It's a great way to share your experiences with non diving friends, or even your spouse. This course involves doing four dives with your instructor. You will learn basics of underwater photography and a few tricks to make your pictures look even better. You will take photographs with your instructor. Your instructor will go over the photos with you and teach you how to how to make them look better. Some of the topics learned will be how to add color back to your photos, and how to reduce that nasty back scatter.

Wreck Diver

This course teaches techniques you will use when diving on shipwrecks. It covers many different points of interest and potential dangers involved with diving on shipwrecks. Most of all you learn how to safely dive on a shipwreck. Many marine creatures of all shapes and sizes makes shipwrecks their home. This makes wreck diving a great opportunity to view marine creatures. As with the deep diving course, you will plan and do four wreck dives with a P.A.D.I. certified instructor.