Class Descriptions
The Open Water Course is a great introduction to diving, but to become more proficient as a diver, additional education is helpful. The continuing education courses are designed to expose divers to various specialty areas of interest such as Nitrox, Navigation, Rescue, Ice, Underwater Photography and Night Diving to name a few. We offer a broad array of scuba classes up through Divemaster and Master Diver. Our focus is to introduce the underwater world to scuba divers and snorkelers in a safe and secure environment.
Below is a list and description of our most popular scuba courses. See the upcoming continuing education schedule in the right sidebar. Please call us to request additional classes and we will do what we can to accommodate you.
*We make every effort to keep our prices up to date but have no control over the timeframes in which PADI changes their course pricing. To ensure that you are getting the most current price, please contact Klein Scuba at 715-675-6722.
Core Scuba Classes
PADI Open Water Certification Class
At a Glance
Learn to scuba dive with PADI Open Water Scuba Diving Lessons. Classes are offered year-round with many options to meet your schedule. In addition to our scheduled group classes, PADI eLearning options are available as well as private and semi-private classes. Even if you have taken an introductory scuba course (such as at a resort), the best opportunities in diving await those who are fully certified. Your PADI Certification will be recognized worldwide.
Who Can Learn?
- The minimum age for diving is 10, with additional restrictions placed on those under 12 years of age.
- Students 14 and younger will earn their Junior Open Water Certification.
- Children ages 12-14 must dive with a certified adult, who is at least 18 years of age. Children ages 10-11 must dive with a parent or instructor as well as meet other qualifications.
Other Potential Restrictions:
- Athletic Ability – The swimming requirement is a 200-yard swim (or 300-yard swim with mask, fins, and snorkel) and 10 minute tread or float.
- Medical Conditions – Each dive student will fill out a brief medical questionnaire be fore beginning the course. The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine if a physician should examine you prior to participating in recreational diving training.
PADI Scuba Certification – a brief description…..
Your PADI Open Water lessons is divided into three sections:
- Knowledge Development (home study, classroom and/or online) to understand basic principles of scuba diving
- Confined Water Dives (pool sessions) to learn basic scuba skills
- Open Water Dives to review your skills and explore
Schedule group classes offered by Klein Scuba
Confined Water Dives – When you enroll in the course, you will receive your student packet, which will include a textbook and a DVD set to watch. Prior to starting your classroom sessions, fill out your student record folder, which also contains your Medical Questionnaire, emergency contact information, etc. Then you will watch the DVD set, read the textbook, and complete the knowledge reviews all at your leisure. The course time for the scheduled courses is split between the classroom and Confined Water Dives (pool). Students will normally complete the classroom and pool portions over one weekend. Friday evening from 6-9 pm will be spent in the classroom. Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm will be spent partially in the classroom and partially practicing skills in the pool or confined water each day.
During the classroom sessions, your PADI Instructor will review all of the course material that you have learned, elaborate on this information, explain the skills to be performed in the confined water, and test your comprehension of the material. Then, with the direction and aid of your instructor, you will practice important skills and fundamentals of diving in the confined water. Once the student has successfully completed the classroom and Confined Water Dives sections, they are ready to move on to the open water dives.
Open Water Dives –The last step to gaining your Open Water Certification is to dive in a real ‘open water’ setting. In a series of four dives over two days, you will demonstrate the diving skills you have learned with the supervision of your instructor. During these dives, the PADI instructor will expect the students to demonstrate the skills that they practiced in the pool sessions in a successful and comfortable manner. Once the student successfully finishes all of the skills in open water, he/she receives the Open Water Certification.
Open Water Certification Courses run throughout the year. If our classroom schedule does not work for you, you can complete the Knowledge Development portion of the course online. Talk to us about which option is best for you. We offer weekend, weeknight, or even private/small group classes to fit any schedule. See class dates and locations or call us to set up a course convenient for you.
We have approximately 10 set weekends throughout the summer and fall where we complete open water certification dives. Students can choose and reserve one of these weekends to complete their certification dives.
What Equipment Is Required?
Most of what you need for the pool dives is provided (wetsuits, tanks, regulators, BCD’s, etc.). We want our new students to learn on equipment that is comfortable and easy to use. That is why all our rental set-ups are top-quality and replaced every year with new ones. The items you will need to supply are:
- Mask
- Snorkel
- Wetsuit boots
- Adjustable scuba fins
We ask you to supply this basic gear because the comfort and personalized fit of these items is so crucial to your safety and diving experience. In your future dive opportunities, dive operators will expect you to own these as well. The quality of the equipment you use has tremendous bearing on your overall comfort, safety and enjoyment. Few things can ruin the investment you make in learning to dive safely than having wrong equipment. See what we use ourselves and recommend to students. We sell all of this equipment at Klein Scuba, plus you’ll get the benefit of having this equipment fitted by a trained professional.
What is included with the Open Water class?
- Group Open Water Course – Sign up for one of our already scheduled classes or call us to schedule one of your own with 3 of your friends.
Includes:
- Lifetime PADI open water certification with certification card
- Student kit with dive log book of your own to keep
- Academic training with PADI certified Open Water Instructor
- Confined-water training and pool fee
- Rental of all equipment (excepting mask, snorkel, fins, and wetsuit boots)
- Open water dives and instruction
Does not include:
- Personal gear, which includes mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit boots
- Private Open Water Sessions – If our classes don’t match your schedule or you simply want a more personalized training, call us to set up a private session. This includes everything listed under the Group Open Water Class.
Includes:
- Lifetime PADI open water certification with certification card
- Access code for online training -Confined-water training and pool fee
- Rental of all equipment (excepting mask, snorkel, fins, and wetsuit boots)
- Open water dives and instruction
PADI Scuba Review Class
At a Glance
The PADI Scuba Review is designed for any diver who has had a lapse in their diving or simply wants to refresh their skills. Divers will often take this course prior to a dive vacation. This course is highly recommended for anyone with a two year lapse in their diving and is often required by resorts.
What is involved?
- Self-Study – Participant will review the Open Water Certification Manual or refresh using the Scuba Tune-Up Booklet. Student will be expected to refresh their dive knowledge and safety procedures taught in the Open Water Course.
- Classroom or poolside – Student will review the safety points and the water skills they will be performing in the pool. Equipment setup will be reviewed as well as a complete buddy check.
- Pool Session – Under the supervision of an instructor or divemaster, you will practice the skills taught during the PADI Open Water Course.
PADI Advanced Diver Class
At a Glance
After completing your PADI Open Water Diver course, you probably realized there’s a lot more to diving than getting your certification. Open Water certification is just the beginning of learning how to dive. The PADI Advanced Open Water course fine-tunes your skills and introduces you to some of the other aspects of diving. With no classroom time, most of the learning you do will be hands on and the dives can be completed in one weekend.
What Is Involved?
You will complete a total of five “Adventure dives” over two days, each one targeting a unique set of skills. Before each dive, your instructor will do a brief review of what you’ve learned in the book at the dive site.
- Self-study – When you sign up for the course, we’ll tell you which adventure dives you’ll be doing. You’ll read five chapters out of the Advanced Open Water textbook correlating to those adventures dives. You’ll also complete 5 knowledge reviews on these chapters.
- Adventure Dives
- There two required dives for this course are:
- Underwater Navigation – practice using your compass and performing swim patterns to get your bearings underwater.
- Deep Dive – expand your open water depth limits to 100 feet by diving to 60 feet (dive to 100 feet is optional).
- Three other dives will be chosen from 15 different options, based on the dive site. Some of the adventure dives we have done for this course are:
- Peak Performance Bouyancy – work on perfecting your buoyancy through a variety of skills such as hovering, swimming through hoops, etc.
- Night – learn the techniques used in night diving, practice diving with a dive light, and experience the night life of fish!
- Search & Recovery – this underwater treasure hunt will allow you to use search patterns, line reels, and lift bags to bring items up off the bottom.
- Dry Suit – try your hand at diving dry with demo drysuits at DUI Days.
- Wreck – come with us on our wreck diving weekend in Munising, MI and explore underwater ships in Lake Michigan.
- Boat – while diving off a boat is fun and opens up new dive spots, it can offer challenges. Learn helpful techniques and procedures in boat diving.
- Underwater Photography – fine tune your photography skills and learn how to produce fantastic underwater photos.
- There two required dives for this course are:
Some Adventure Dives may have other equipment requirements such as a primary and back-up light for the night dive. All of these items are available for purchase or rental at Klein Scuba.
PADI Rescue Diver Class
At a Glance
A diver comes to the surface, screaming in panic. Do you know what to do? A diver comes to you for help. His buddy is missing. What do you do? In the Rescue course you will learn how to respond and how to prevent this sort of mishap. Some of the techniques you will learn in the PADI Rescue Diver course are:
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- Self rescue
- Recognizing and managing stress in other divers
- Emergency management and equipment (AED and oxygen delivery systems)
- Rescuing panicked divers
- Rescuing unresponsive divers
- Missing diver procedures
- In-water rescue breathing
- Dive first aid
- Surfacing the unconscious diver
- Underwater emergency management
These are just some of what will be covered in this demanding and comprehensive course. You’ll be amazed at how much you will benefit from becoming a Rescue Diver!
What Is Involved?
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- Self-Study – A textbook and video are included in this course. Required reading, video, and knowledge reviews must be completed before each class.
- Classroom – Classroom usually consists of four evenings in which the instructor will review homework, discuss rescue techniques, and demonstrate procedures for students to practice.
- Rescue Dives – Four dives, completed in one weekend, are required for completion of this course. In-water and out-of-water techniques will be reviewed and demonstrated under the supervision and guidance of your instructor. You will put into practice all that you have learned in the classroom and will also respond to diving emergency scenarios.
PADI Divemaster Class
At a Glance
Your adventure into the professional levels of recreational scuba diving begins with the PADI Divemaster program. Working closely with a PADI instructor, you expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills to the professional level. This course also develops your leadership abilities, qualifying you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers.
Just a few of the opportunities that will open up to you as a Divemaster are:
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- Assist a PADI instructor during any PADI Diver course.
- Supervise training and non-training-related activities by planning, organizing and directing dives.
- Conduct a Scuba Review course.
- Assist in Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, or Specialty Dives.
- Continue your training to become a PADI instructor.
Who Can Learn? The prerequisites for this class and certification are:
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- 18 years of age or older
- Have a PADI Medical Form to dive signed by your physician within the last 12 months of certification date
- Advanced Open Water certified
- Rescue Diver certified
- Current in Emergency First Response or equivalent First Aid/CPR
- At least 40 logged dives to begin the course and 60 logged dives at completion of course
What Is Involved? The Divemaster course will prepare and teach you dive leadership skills through classroom and independent study sessions. You will complete water skills and stamina exercises in confined and open water, training exercises to test your organizational and problem solving abilities, and finally an internship or series of practical training exercises.
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- Self-Study – Reading, video review, knowledge reviews, and related assignments are required.
- Classroom – There is little classroom time involved in this course. An orientation session will be held at the start of the course and students will set up a time table to fit their schedules for completion of each element. Periodic exams will also be taken.
- Confined and Open Water Skills – Water skills, rescue techniques, and stamina exercises will be practiced and performed with your Divemaster instructor.
- Internship – Our scheduled classes and open water dive weekends offer candidates the opportunity to complete confined and open water internship requirements. Observing and assisting in other various PADI courses are also a part of the internship requirements.
What Equipment Is Required?
We recommend you own all of your own scuba equipment, not only for your convenience, but for the familiarity with your gear that will make you a better diver. Some of the diving accessories you will need:
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- Dive Computer
- Dive slate
- Dive knife/cutting tool
- Compass
- Audible surface signal
- Surface signal (safety tube)
- Pocket mask (for rescue techniques)
At Klein Scuba, we offer a wide selection of gear and scuba products to fit all your dive needs and wants.
When and Where? The Divemaster course is designed to be completed at your own pace and within your schedule. You may complete the course within a few months or it may take as long as a year, depending on your commitment and schedule. Your instructor will work with you to set up times to complete the Divemaster requirements.
Specialty Classes
PADI Deep Diver Class
At a Glance
Some of the greatest sights in the underwater world lay in the deep. Open up a different world of diving by earning your PADI Deep Diver certification. With this course, your depth limits will be expanded to 130 feet. Your PADI certified Deep Diver instructor will guide you in 4 deep dives and show you the techniques and considerations taken when diving deep.
What Is Involved?
There is no classroom involved with this course. You will go over knowledge reviews, discuss the content of your student materials, and preview and debrief before and after each dive at the dive site.
- Self-Study – PADI Deep Diver Manual, DVD, and knowledge reviews must be completed before the dives.
- Deep Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills at depth in a series of four open water dives.
PADI Digital Underwater Photography Class
At a Glance
Shooting digital photos and videos underwater enters a completely different world of photography. From the beginner to the more advanced underwater photographer, we offer you a personalized photography course that will provide you with practical techniques to improve and hone your skills as an underwater photographer. Your experienced instructor with many years of underwater photography under his belt, will be able to answer questions, troubleshoot, and critique your underwater photos. You will learn:
- Choosing and using today’s digital underwater cameras
- Using PADI’s SEA method for shooting great photos quickly
- Primary principles and composition tips for getting great shots
- Editing and sharing your digital pictures and videos
- Buoyancy control for photography
What is involved?
- Self-Study – You will need to review a small manual and complete the knowledge reviews before the class time.
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Digital Underwater Photography Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own, teach important underwater photography principles, and give helpful critiques of your photos.
- Dives/Photo Sessions – Two dives with photo evaluation sessions are required to complete your certification. This is a great practical opportunity to improve your developing photography skills and receive helpful feedback.
PADI Drysuit Class
At a Glance
Drysuits allow you to dive more challenging dive sites and extend your dive season. Cooler waters generally offer much better visibility and some of the most incredible dive sites, like quarries, caves, and shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, stay cool all year round. In the PADI Drysuit Diver Course, you will gain the knowledge and skills to safely don, dive with, doff, and store a dry suit. You will learn:
- Drysuit buoyancy skills
- Drysuit maintenance, storage, and basic repair
- Thermal wear (worn under the drysuit) options
- Hazards and safety techniques in a drysuit
What Is Involved?
One classroom session and one confined water session will precede your two open water dives.
- Self-Study – PADI DrySuit Diver Manual, Dry Suit DVD, and knowledge reviews must be completed before classroom session.
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Dry Suit Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own, go over knowledge review questions, and help you prepare for your dry suit dives.
- Dry Suit Dives – In three Dry Suit Dives, you’ll work on mastering the skills you’ll need to feel comfortable, competent, and safe in a dry suit.
To complete the PADI Drysuit Diver course, you will need to own your drysuit or have one available to use. Many complete this course during DUI Dog Days at Lake Wazee, where DUI supplies drysuits for participants to use.
PADI Emergency First Response Class
At a Glance
Many divers take the PADI Emergency First Response course (EFR) to prepare for Rescue Diver or Divemaster. However divers and non-divers alike will find this course to be rewarding and beneficial in every day life. It is designed to build rescuer confidence in providing care when faced with a medical emergency. Not only does it meet CPR and First Aid requirements for PADI’s courses, it also meets OSHA guidelines and a variety of other organizations.
Some of the topics covered:
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Scene assessment
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Universal precautions and barrier management
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Rescue breathing
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Basic Life Support CPR
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Bleeding and shock management
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Spinal injury management
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Basic first aid and first aid kit recommendations
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Splinting and bandaging techniques
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Choking response
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AED use
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Oxygen administration
What Is Involved? Through a combination of independent study and skill practice with an instructor you’ll build the confidence and skills to provide basic emergency care.
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Self-Study – Before the start of the PADI Emergency First Response class, you will work through the EFR Primary and Secondary Care Manual, complete the knowledge reviews, and watch the DVD.
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Classroom – In 1-2 classroom session(s), your instructor will prepare you for realistic emergency scenarios, allowing you to practice correct procedures and techniques. Combining teaching with hands-on demonstration and skill practice, the classroom sessions are fun and instructive.
PADI Enriched Air Class
At a Glance
Few things have revolutionized recreational diving in the past decade as much as the introduction of Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx). Nitrox is simply air with additional oxygen added to reduce the concentration of nitrogen. While the additional oxygen offers no benefit in and of itself (and can, in fact, pose additional risk at depth), breathing less nitrogen provides divers with several benefits:
- Longer no-decompression limits
- Shorter surface intervals
- Reduced risk of decompression sickness
- Reduced fatigue after dives
- May also improve gas consumption
What Is Involved? There are no required dives and no pool time for the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Course. Some of the topics that will be covered are: EANx equipment, Enriched Air settings on your computer, managing oxygen exposure, analyzing EANx cylinders, EANx diving emergencies, and more.
- Self-Study – You will need to review a small manual, complete the knowledge reviews, and watch the EANx DVD.
- Classroom – The classroom discussion will review and expand on what you’ve learned on your own. Then you will get to practice analyzing EANx cylinders and see how an EANx cylinder is filled at the filling station.
What Equipment Is Required? You will need to bring your PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Crewpack and your Open Water RDP (Recreational Dive Planner). If you own an EANx compatible dive computer, you may bring it to the class to practice EANx setup and dive planning.
PADI Equipment Class
At a Glance
The more you know about how your dive gear works, the more comfortable you are with it, the more you can care for it, and the better it will perform. As a PADI Equipment Specialist, you will be prepared for basic scuba equipment maintenance, care and adjustments you’ll encounter every day. Whether it’s a blown o-ring, regulator problem, wetsuit tear, or a broken fin strap, you can learn how to manage basic scuba equipment adjustments. Some of the topics that will be covered are:
- Routine, recommended maintenance procedures to prolong equipment life and reduce need for professional service.
- Transporting and storing equipment to reduce the risk of damage.
- Overcoming common problems with equipment and emergency repairs to save a dive.
- Simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations.
- Introduction to the latest developments in equipment technology.
What is Involved? With no dives or pool sessions required, minimal self-study, and one classroom session, there is not a lot of time commitment required for this course.
- Self-Study – The Equipment section of the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving is to be read prior to the class.
- Classroom – Demonstrations and discussions of equipment-related issues will be given by a PADI certified Equipment Specialist Instructor.
There is no equipment required to take this course.
Recommended Reading: Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving (not included).
PADI Ice Diver Class
At a Glance
As one of the most extreme adventure specialties recreational diving offers, the PADI Ice Diver Course is for those who love a challenge and have a spirit of adventure. As everyone gets involved in the preparation and organization of these dives, it is a fun course to take with others in your diving community. You will learn:
- How to plan and organize ice dives
- Equipment considerations and specialized ice diving equipment
- Site selection, preparation, and hole-cutting procedures
- Preventing and handling ice diving hazards
- Effects of the cold, emergency procedures, and safety techniques
What Is Involved? There is one classroom session and three ice dives involved with this course. You will learn and practice the skills necessary to ice dive
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Ice Diver Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own and help you prepare for your ice dives.
- Ice Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills in a series of three ice dives. Under the ice, you will learn to control buoyancy, navigate under the ice, keep in contact with lead diver and tenders, and more.
These dives are very cold. Inadequate exposure protection can ruin a dive or even become hazardous. It is highly recommended that you have a dry suit for thermal protection. To use a dry suit to complete the ice dives, you must already be previously trained and certified in the dry suit. Some divers have done the Ice Diver specialty in a 7mm wetsuit as well. Talk to us about what you will need to stay comfortable and warm. All of these items are available for purchase or rental at Klein Scuba. However, our rental department does not stock dry suits.
PADI Night Diver Class
At a Glance
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. You will learn:
- Light handling and communication techniques.
- Entering, exiting and navigating in the dark.
- Identifying how plants and animals differ or change behavior at night.
What Is Involved? There is self-study, one classroom session done at the lake, and three night dives involved with this course.
- Self-Study – PADI Night Diver Manual, DVD, and knowledge reviews must be completed before the dives.
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Night Diver Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own, go over knowledge review questions, and help you prepare for your night dives.
- Night Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform a series of three night dives.
PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Class
At a Glance
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.
While working on moving more efficiently through the water, you’ll also learn how to: :
- Determine the exact weight you need, so you’re not too light or too heavy.
- Trim your weight system and scuba gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water.
- Streamline to save energy, use air more efficiently.
- Hover effortlessly in any position.
What Is Involved? There is self-study, one classroom session done at the lake, and two dives involved with this course.
- Self-Study – PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Crewpak with DVD and knowledge reviews must be completed before the dives.
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own, go over knowledge review questions, and help you prepare for your Peak Buoyancy dives.
- Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform a two dives.
PADI Search and Recovery Class
At a Glance
Known as a “very practical and fun course,” the Search and Recovery course enhances your navigational skills and gives you valuable diving experience. You will learn how to plan and conduct safe search and recovery dives, establish appropriate search patterns, work through problems posed by limited visibility, and practice methods for recovering lost or sunken objects. This course is not only fun but will greatly improve your diving abilities.
What is involved?
- Self-Study – You will need to review a small manual, complete the knowledge reviews, and watch the Search and Recovery DVD before the class time.
- Search and Recovery Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills at depth in a series of four open water dives.
PADI Self Reliant Diver Class
At a Glance
Your dive buddies are your most important pieces of dive gear. They back up your brains and hands underwater, and if you’re lucky, they’ll help out with gas and pick up a dinner tab from time to time. You need a buddy, and you should always dive with one, but occasionally it’s nice to be able to dive independently, assured by the knowledge that you have the skills and equipment to take care of your own emergencies. For example, you might get separated from your buddy, wind up paired with a stranger on a dive boat, or your buddy could be busy taking photos and you don’t want to waste dive time waiting for him. PADI has a new specialty course designed for divers like you… Self-Reliant Diver.
Self-Reliant diving is a collection of skills and attitudes that allow a diver to undertake certain kinds of dives alone or with limited buddy support. Self-reliant divers use redundant gear, such as two cutting tools, two computers, two masks, redundant breathing systems, redundant lights, and so forth. Just having the gear and jumping into the water with it is only part of the story. Self-Reliant diving is about discipline as much as anything else. Because you have limited or zero support from a buddy, dive planning and correct execution of the plan are critical. There can be no shortcuts taken in planning or gearing up, or technique.
Who should take this course?
Even if you never plan to dive alone, being able to safely handle your own emergencies certainly is a valuable set of skills to have. It will make you more confident, you’ll be safer overall and more relaxed in the water as a result. There are several diving situations in which separation from your buddy is likely or planned or in which you may want to rely on your own skills rather than those of your buddy.
- The travelling diver. If you find yourself by yourself on a boat full of divers, and get paired up with a random buddy, it’s comforting to know that you are able to take care of yourself rather than rely on a stranger’s skills for rescue.
- Parents diving with children. When we dive with our children, we’re watching out for them in a big way, but who’s watching out for us? * Photographers and videographers. If you’re shooting video, you may not want the sounds of your buddy’s bubbles to get recorded, so the urge is to shoo him away. Whether you’re shooting video or stills, it takes a pretty devoted buddy to stick with you while you fiddle with your camera’s settings to get just the right shot of that sea horse. Better you and your buddy be trained as Self-Reliant Divers so you can take care of yourselves and check in on each other from time to time.
- Wreck Divers and Drift Divers. Both of these diving activities have a high likelihood of buddy separation. Being self-reliant changes being separated from your buddy from an emergency into a manageable situation.
- Divemasters, Assistant Instructors, and Instructors. When we’re underwater, we’re focused on our students. Their safety is our Number One concern, and we’re ready to help out at a moment’s notice. However, we pros need to be self-reliant so that we don’t have to count on the skills of a trainee in case of an emergency.
- Technical Divers. Team diving is a big concept in the world of technical diving, but every technical diver starts each dive prepared to finish the dive alone if needed.
I think this course is a great idea, and I’m glad that PADI introduced it, but there are several kinds of dives that should probably never be done alone, such as dives into an overhead environment, or any dive that is a “pinnacle” dive for you – your deepest, longest, or first dive under conditions that are new or difficult.
Equipment Requirements
Gear for Self-Reliant diving doesn’t differ too much from what you’re using as a recreational diver, there’s just more of it. You’ll need:
- Surface Marker Buoy with at least 100 feet of line
- Redundant depth gauge and bottom timer, or redundant computer
- Redundant signaling devices, both visual and audible
- Redundant cutting tools Wrist slate and pencil
Prerequisites
To take the course, you’ll need a PADI Advanced Open Water certification (or equivalent), 100 logged dives, and you have to be at least 18 years old.
Course Overview
During the knowledge development portion of the course, we’ll cover dive planning in detail, including teaching you how to determine your Surface Air Consumption (SAC) rate, so that you can later go take air consumption measurements to calculate it. We’ll also cover how to use your SAC rate to calculate gas requirements for a dive planned to a specified depth and time. You’ll learn to plan your dive so that you begin your ascent with a sufficient breathing gas reserve to ascend safely and to allow for the unforeseen. Underwater problem-solving is also a focus area. Mask issues, air supply problems, entanglements, currents, getting lost, BCD malfunctions are all items that will be covered.
Once we’re in the water, you’ll do three dives. Some of the skills are:
- Buoyancy control
- SAC rate gas consumption measurements
- SMB use
- Respond to simulated air depletion and regulator free-flow
- Navigation
Your third dive will actually be a fully self-reliant dive. You’ll be in the water with your instructor and the rest of the class, but you’re expected to handle all aspects of dive planning and execution completely on your own. The rest of us will back you up if needed, but the name of the game for this dive is Self-Reliance and Self-confidence.
Course Specifics
When you finish the PADI Self-Reliant Diver course, you will have come a long way and learned a lot about diving and about yourself. You’ll be more confident, and you’ll truly be able to take care of yourself in the underwater environment.
See you soon ~ underwater, but you won’t need me… you’ll be Self-Reliant!
PADI Underwater Navigation
At a Glance
Underwater Navigation is one of the key tools you will need anywhere you go diving. Whether your plans are to dive in lakes or tropical ocean destinations, this class will prepare you for navigating those scenarios. Mastering underwater navigation will make your diving much more enjoyable, less stressful and build your confidence in the water.
In this class you will learn the tools of the trade, including navigation using natural clues and by following compass headings.
What is involved?
- Self-Study – You will need to review a small manual, complete the knowledge reviews, and watch the Underwater Navigation DVD before the class time.
- Underwater Navigation Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills at depth in a series of three open water dives
During three scuba dives, you’ll practice:
- Methods to estimate distance underwater.
- Compass navigation while making at least five turns.
- Marking or relocating a submerged object or position from the surface.
- Underwater map making.
PADI Wreck Diver Class
At a Glance
Wreck Divers will tell you there’s nothing like your first sight of an old shipwreck, full of mystery and history at the bottom of the sea. In completing the PADI Wreck Diver specialty, you’ll get to experience that feeling diving four different shipwrecks. With only one classroom session, most of this course will be spent diving. In this course, you will develop the skills and knowledge necessary for safe and fun wreck diving. You will learn:
- Wreck diving techniques and hazards
- How to learn the history behind shipwrecks
- Wreck diving equipment considerations
- Planning and organizing wreck dives
- Wreck entry techniques
What Is Involved? There is self-study, one classroom session, and four wreck dives involved with this course. You will learn and practice the skills necessary to dive shipwrecks.
- Self-Study – PADI Wreck Diver Manual, DVD, and knowledge reviews must be completed before the dives.
- Classroom – Your PADI certified Wreck Diver Instructor will review what you’ve learned on your own, go over knowledge review questions, and help you prepare for your wreck dives.
- Wreck Dives – Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills underwater in a series of four wreck dives. You will be required to map out a wreck, tie and run a dive reel into a wreck, practice wreck entry and exit skills, and more.