Lake Hickory Scuba Inc.

In this fascinating program, you will learn all the skills you need to safely and confidently conduct search and recovery dives. You will be taught how to use search patterns, specialized dive plans and equipment such as lift bags, lines and reels. By developing your search and communication techniques and practicing searches in a dive team, you will become a confident search and rescue diver in no time. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Search & Recovery specialty certification.

Diving in currents opens up a world of new dive sites that often host the most spectacular marine life. Go shore diving and you will discover the simplicity of just walking off the beach and exploring your favourite dive sites with ease. But wave, tides and currents can impact your dives and affect your safety if you do not know how to handle them. The SSI Waves, Tides and Currents specialty will enhance your dive skills and understanding, so you can enjoy diving in different environments safely and with confidence. You will gain a better understanding of dynamic open water environments and learn about the environmental conditions that affect different dive sites. You will also practice diving from shore, in currents or in rivers to earn the specialty certification. Get started today!

Many of the ocean’s best dive sites are wrecks. These impressive structures attract unusually high densities of marine life and give you the chance to immerse in living history as you dive. There is nothing quite like wreck diving and the SSI Wreck Diving specialty will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a safe and confident wreck diver. With a combination of academic and confined water sessions, you will be taught how to safely conduct non-penetration dives around wrecks and artificial reefs, up to a depth of 30 meters. You will also get to practice your wreck diving skills during open water training dives. All of which will ensure you can enjoy wreck diving with confidence and get the most out of every dive. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Wreck Diving specialty certification. Continue your adventures and become a wreck diver. Get started online today!

Taking your wreck diving to the next level. The SSI Advanced Wreck Diving will teach you how to navigate and make minor penetrations into your favorite dive sites.

The SSI Snorkel Diver program is your first step towards discovering a passion for the underwater world. It is the best way to learn how to snorkel and develop your confidence in the water, so you can go snorkeling and explore the mesmerizing landscapes and wildlife of the aquatic world. You do not need to be a proficient swimmer to participate in the Snorkel Diver program, and there is no minimum age to join. You just need to be comfortable in the water, able to maintain your buoyancy, and ready to begin the adventure of a lifetime! In this program, you will be introduced to the equipment and skills you need to go snorkeling safely. Begin your snorkeling training and earn your SSI Snorkel Diver recognition card today!

Spearfishing can be one of the most exciting and rewarding classes in scuba diving! This class will take years off of the spearfishing learning curve and will make you a more successful under water hunter. This specialty scuba diving course incorporates fundamental diving skills, such as buoyancy, underwater navigation, deep diver, boat diving, and fish identification. This class stresses safety, game regulations, and hunting techniques in a comprehensive introduction to underwater spear-fishing with scuba gear.

The SSI Explorers program allows children starting at age six to go underwater and sample the different ways they can explore the aquatic world around them. They will gain a solid foundation in ocean conservation and have the opportunity to experience four main aquatic adventures: snorkeling, scuba diving, freediving, and swimming like a real mermaid. SSI Explorers can also expand their diving knowledge as they continue their underwater experience with specialty courses like marine mammal ecology, underwater photography, and 20 others. Besides fun for the whole family, your children who have not yet achieved the minimum age for scuba diving will learn important life skills. These underwater adventures will enable young divers to acquire maturity, self-esteem, and a sense of responsibility. Contact your local SSI Training Center for information on how to get started today!

Invasive Species Management Specialty SSI recognizes the urgent need to address the threats posed by invasive species to aquatic biodiversity. The Invasive Species Management specialty is designed to train divers through SSI’s recognized instructors in identifying, safely removing, and managing invasive species, particularly in sensitive aquatic environments. Divers will play a crucial role in preserving native species and restoring ecological balance.

The SSI Decompression Diving Specialty will teach you how to dive beyond the no-decompression limits. You will learn to plan and conduct dives to a maximum depth of 40 meters with limited decompression using your recreational total diving system and a single decompression cylinder. You will learn and practice how to effectively use your dive computer features, including switching gases, gas integration, time-to-reserve, and time-to-surface. Using these computer functions will become second nature, enabling you to safely conduct dives with limited decompression without hours of dive planning. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Decompression Diving Specialty certification and be able to explore stunning deep dive sites or larger wrecks without being restricted by the traditional no-decompression limits. The opportunities to expand your diving adventures have just got bigger!

The SSI Try Scuba program is the best way to try scuba diving for the first time. You will be in confined water and well looked after by your instructor, so you can enjoy those first unforgettable breaths underwater and experience the magic of scuba diving. At the end of this short course, you will have earned your SSI Try Scuba recognition card and undoubtedly want to go diving again. Endless scuba diving adventures are waiting for you and this course is where it all begins. Start today!

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a mermaid? Join the SSI Try Mermaid program and make your dreams come true! You will complete a mermaid experience with an SSI professional in a pool/confined waters and learn entry-level mermaid skills, including swimming with a mermaid monofin. Earn your SSI Try Mermaid recognition rating. It is the perfect program to do before joining our SSI Mermaid course. Start today!

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Learn how to become a mermaid with the exciting SSI Mermaid program! This mermaid training provides all the skills and techniques you need to maximize your mermaid experience, be truly comfortable in the water and get the most out of your equipment. After getting certified as an SSI Mermaid, the next logical step is to take your mermaid adventures to our wonderful oceans! With just 2 additional open water sessions, you can upgrade to become an SSI Ocean Mermaid at any time. Get started today!

It is easy for dive skills to get rusty and to lose confidence when you have not dived for a while. With the SSI Scuba Skills Update, we will get you back in the water and diving with ease in no time. This scuba refresher course allows you to review and practice scuba skills you learned in your Open Water Diver program, under the guidance of an SSI Professional. This is a great course to take just before a dive holiday, so you spend less time worrying about your skills and more time admiring the marine life. If you are a non-certified Open Water Diver student, a Scuba Skills Update is ideal for practicing your dive skills before your open water training dives. With no fixed course duration, you can take your time and focus on the skills you need help with.

Do you want amazing photos or videos of yourself being a mermaid or merman? Are you ready to wow your family and friends? This is the best mermaid model course to learn the skills and concepts you need to successfully interact with a photographer or videographer as a mermaid. In this underwater modeling program, you will learn how to be a mermaid for in-water and surface shots, to capture your amazing mermaid moments! Discover a mermaid adventure the whole family can enjoy. Start your SSI Model Mermaid training today!

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation plus a variety of 3 more specialty areas of choice before committing to full specialty training. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. By taking this program you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full Specialty trainings any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! With this program, you can try a variety of specialties before committing to full specialty programs. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will try out 5 different specialties. You will complete one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. With this trial program in specialty diving, you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full specialty programs any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

Are you ready to discover the freedom of mermaiding in open waters? Learn how to become a mermaid with the exciting SSI Ocean Mermaid program! This mermaid training provides all the skills and techniques you need to maximize your mermaid experience, be truly comfortable in the water and get the most from your equipment. It is the next logical step to take in your mermaid adventures, so you can truly experience the wonders of the ocean! Get started today and earn your SSI Ocean Mermaid certification.

SSI now offers the highly anticipated Public Safety Diver program to meet the growing demand for highly qualified Public Safety Diving professionals worldwide. SSI’s innovative and comprehensive approach to public safety training will prepare you for public safety diving team involvement. This 4-day certification program will offer the basic knowledge, skills, and fundamentals needed to ensure safety and competency, and it is the prerequisite course required to enroll in the SSI Rescue Team Diver program.

SSI MERMAID EXPLORERS The Mermaid Explorer course is for children only. This course will teach them the fundamentals of mermaiding, swimming and posing with mermaid fins or monofins, how to hold breath longer underwater, and more. This will be a fun learning experience for them and a unique activity that they will remember during their vacation. Mermaid swimming is also a great exercise for the whole body. Lastly, they get to live out their childhood dreams as young as 6 years old. Once they get certified, they can truly say that they are a real-life mermaid.

Continue your training in public safety diving with SSI’s Rescue Team Diver program. This 4-day specialty program is designed for divers already affiliated with a public safety dive team and will further develop your knowledge and skills. Hands-on training will teach you how to function safely and effectively in all roles as a public safety dive team response unit (Primary Diver, Primary Tender, Safety Diver, Safety Tender, 90% Diver, and Incident Commander). Get ready to learn the methods and skills required to respond to in-water incidents, including multiple search pattern techniques, working in zero visibility conditions, effectively using a body recovery system, line tending, witness interviewing, and more! Earn your SSI Rescue Team Diving specialty by starting online today!

Coral reefs are prized among divers and rightly so; drifting over a healthy reef filled with bustling marine life is magical. These precious ecosystems are fascinating, and the SSI Coral Identification specialty program is the best way to learn more about coral reefs and get the most out of your reef dives. In this coral dive specialty program, you will learn how to identify different corals and earn your SSI Coral Identification specialty certification.

The ocean is filled with dive sites, but many of the best ones can only be accessed by boat. If you want to discover these incredible dive sites, become an SSI boat diver. It is the best way to learn how to dive from different types of boats safely and with confidence. As a boat diver, you will be able to explore offshore dive sites that attract schooling pelagics and marine megafauna not found closer to shore. You can experience the excitement of liveaboard diving anywhere in the world, fill your day with diving away from the crowds, and cruise along as the sun goes down. Using online training and open water diving sessions, the SSI Boat Diving Specialty program is the best way to learn. This program teaches you all the skills and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably from boats, including small personal craft and liveaboards. Earn your SSI Boat Diving Specialty certification. Get started today.

The SSI Cavern Diving course will engage you to dive deeper into the cavern zones. With the cavern diving course, you will engage in a new way to dive, like to learn proper cave buoyancy and propulsion skills along with line laying and light usage. What's the difference between a Cave and a Cavern in scuba diving? A Cavern is this zone where you can still see the light from outside, so if at least, you can see the light at the entrance while exploring a flooded cave, you are in the cavern zone. The SSI Cavern Diving course is the first step to become a Cave Diver if you want to explore, one day, the depth of the Earth. The Cavern Diving class will teach you the knowledge and will give you the experience required to do cavern penetration dives within the light zone of a cave (the maximum depth will depend about your level certification).

The world’s oceans are home to thousands of fish species, and you will encounter plenty of these fascinating creatures on your dives! In this course, you will be taught all the skills and concepts you need to identify common families of Caribbean, Indo-Pacific and Red Sea reef fish. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Fish Identification specialty certification.

Have you ever been standing at the dive site asking yourself how to correctly set your brand new computer? A lot of scuba divers have been in this situation. This is exactly why the SSI Computer Diving Specialty is such an important course. It is your chance to learn and understand your dive computer. Learning how to plan your dive with a dive table is extremely important. It is how you develop an understanding of the decompression theory. But if you have a computer, it can be a lot easier to track your dive properly. Dive computers make scuba diving safer and easier if you know how to set and use it correctly. You must be 10 years old or older and possess a minimum certification level of Referral Diver (confined water).

Join the SSI Manta and Ray Ecology specialty program and you will learn how to dive with rays and recognize different ray species. You will be taught how rays contribute to healthy ocean ecosystems and why these precious animals need our protection. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Manta & Ray Ecology Specialty certification.

In the SSI Marine Ecology specialty program, you will learn how ocean organisms interact with each other and their environments. You will be taught how energy flows through communities and the links between different ocean ecosystems. With your newfound knowledge, you will appreciate the marine life you dive with even more! Start online today and earn your SSI Marine Ecology Specialty certification.

The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will teach you all you need to dive to depths between 18 and 40 meters, through a mixture of academic sessions and open water dives. You will learn to plan and safely complete your deep diving adventures and use computers and gas consumption calculations to get the most from your deep dives. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Deep Diving Specialty certification and be able to explore beautiful deep dive sites wherever you choose. This SSI Specialty is also a prerequisite for some advanced training, making it the next logical step to take in your dive education.

The SSI Diver Stress and Rescue specialty program teaches you the skills you need to protect yourself and other divers. You will learn how to identify stress, how to prevent accidents and be taught practical techniques to conduct rescues and provide emergency care. With a combination of pool and open water practice sessions, you will become well prepared and confident at handling emergency and rescue situations. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty certification.

Do you have a passion to save the ocean and the marine animals that call it their home? Does the thought of diving with whales fascinate you? Do you want to learn more about the ecology, biology, and conservation of marine mammals? The SSI Marine Mammal Ecology program introduces you to the wonders of these amazing creatures. Dive into the world of whales, dolphins, and seals to explore this amazingly diverse group of marine animals. In this program, you will learn what makes marine mammals distinct from land mammals, discover where they live, explore their physiology, and how to identify various species. You will also learn about marine mammal conservation - a great way to help save the ocean. What are you waiting for? Start your SSI Marine Mammal Ecology training online today!

Sea turtles are some of the most wonderful animals to dive with. You will want to dive with them even more after completing the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty program! This specialty program provides the skills and concepts you need to recognize and identify common sea turtle species. It teaches you about the fascinating history of sea turtles, their role in marine ecosystems and threats to their survival. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty certification.

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

As a Nitrox diver, you can increase your bottom times and safety margins, plus shorten your surface intervals - so you can spend more time diving and less time waiting! In this program, you will learn new skills and increase your diving knowledge whilst learning how to safely plan and dive with enriched air mixtures of up to 40% oxygen. Upon completion, you will earn an SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 32% or 40% certification.

In the SSI Shark Ecology program, you will learn how to interpret shark behaviours, why they are often misunderstood and how dive with sharks. This is a perfect course for shark fans and for divers who are nervous about sharks but want to overcome their fear. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Shark Ecology Specialty certification and no doubt become an avid shark diver. Start today!

The SSI Extended Range Foundations (Discover Technical Diving) program provides you with a workshop environment to improve your skills to a high level using Extended Range Total Diving Systems and procedures. All training dives are completed in a confined water environment at depths less than 12 meters / 40 feet. The intent of the SSI Extended Range Foundations program is to provide divers with a workshop environment to improve their skills to a high level using Extended Range Total Diving Systems and procedures. The XR Foundations program is designed to improve your buoyancy, trim and propulsion techniques and give a stable platform from which to improve all of your diving. The emphasis on in-water training in the Foundations course results in measurable improvements. This course will get you ready for limited decompression in the Extended Range Nitrox Course.

Choosing and buying your dive equipment is one of the biggest and most important investments you will make as a diver, but it is easy to get it a bit wrong. We want you to choose the right dive kit for your needs and know how to look after it properly. With the right knowledge, you can get the most from your investment and enjoy safe and comfortable dives for years to come. The SSI Equipment Techniques specialty is the best way to learn how to choose and store your dive kit. Working with an experienced and trained SSI Professional, you will learn in-depth information about the components of your Total Diving System and develop a thorough understanding of your diving equipment. You will also practice basic preventative dive equipment maintenance to ensure you get maximum performance and longevity from your Total Diving System. Start this dive equipment specialty today!

Learn how to use your new Full Face Mask and add another Certification towards Master Diver

The SSI Extended Range Nitrox Diving program (Tec 40) provides divers with the training necessary to independently plan and conduct limited decompression dives to a maximum depth of 40 meters/130 feet, using Nitrox mixtures of up to 50% and recreational or Extended Range Total Diving Systems and procedures with an equally-qualifed dive buddy. Prerequisites: Certification Prerequisites: Deep Diving and Enriched Air Nitrox 40% certification Have logged at least 24 dives. Open Water Dives: 2 days Maximum Training Depth: 40m/130' All dives must be completed using one of the following configurations: A complete recreational Total Diving System, appropriate for single gas switch, non-accelerated decompression diving. One stage cylinder and stage regulator, oxygen cleaned as required. A complete recreational Sidemount Total Diving System, appropriate for single gas switch, non-accelerated decompression diving. One stage cylinder and stage regulator, oxygen cleaned as required. This course includes: Classroom sessions: You must complete an Extended Range Nitrox Diving final exam with a passing score of 80% and be able to independently plan a full dive plan using the Extended Range Dive Planning sheet. Gear configuration sessions Confined water sessions The first 2 open water training dives must be conducted at depths no deeper than 30m/100'. The 3rd/4th training dives must be conducted at depths between 30m/100' and 40m/130'. One dive must be to minimum of 35m/115' for certification.

Correctly mixing gasses is essential to being able to breathe safely underwater. The SSI Gas Blender program teaches you the skills and concepts required to safely blend nitrox and helium-based trimix gases. This non-diving program is open to certified and uncertified divers and teaches proper usage of mathematics, gas blending software, physics, and techniques required to blend breathing gases safely. Upon completing this program, you will earn either the SSI Nitrox Gas Blender or SSI Trimix Gas Blender certification. Get started online today!

The SSI Extended Range Course (Tec 45) provides divers with the training necessary to independently plan and conduct limited decompression dives to a maximum depth of 45 meters/150 feet, using decompression mixtures of up to 100% oxygen and specialized diving equipment and procedures, for a maximum accumulated decompression time of 25 minutes, with an equally-qualified dive buddy. Alternatively, the course can be completed using Trimix. (Additional Fees Apply for the Trimix gas) This program provides divers with the training necessary to: • Independently plan and conduct decompression dives, • In a Twinset or Extended Range Sidemount Total Diving System, • To a maximum depth of 45m/150 feet, • Using decompression gas mixtures up to 100% oxygen, • For a maximum accumulated decompression time of 25 minutes, • With an equally- or more-qualified dive buddy. Prerequisites: Certification Prerequisites: Deep Diving and Enriched Air Nitrox 40% certification Have logged at least 50 dives or be certified in Extended Range Nitrox Diving. Open Water Dives: 3 days Maximum Training Depth: 45 meters/ 150' All dives must be completed using one of the following configurations: A complete Twinset Total Diving System, appropriate for a single gas switch, accelerated decompression diving. One stage cylinder and stage regulator, oxygen cleaned as required or, A complete Extended Range Sidemount Total Diving System, appropriate for a single gas switch, accelerated decompression diving. One stage cylinder and stage regulator, oxygen cleaned as required. This course includes: Extended Range Seminar 2 Simulated Decompression Dives 2 Decompression Dives - Non Accelerated Decompression 2 Decompression Dives - Accelerated Decompression We will complete a day's academic development classroom session. You must complete an Extended Range Diving final exam with a passing score of 80% and the Extended Range Trimix Exam with 80% if qualifying with Trimix. Be able to independently plan a full dive plan using the Extended Range Dive Planning sheet.

This program provides the skills and concepts required to safely and comfortably dive underneath surface ice. You will learn the special requirements for diving in an overhead environment, the techniques and communication methods, and the specialized equipment used for ice diving. You will earn the SSI Ice Diving Specialty certification after completing this program

Exploring overhead environments like caves and wrecks is an exciting endeavor. However, squeezing traditional dive equipment into the tight spaces found within these areas can be challenging. Improving your diver trim and streamlining by using a sidemount configuration allows you to explore more constricted places than ever before. The Extended Range Sidemount program trains you to dive in a sidemount configuration, and the techniques required to use multiple stage cylinders carried for decompression diving efficiently and effectively. You will earn the SSI Extended Range Sidemount certification after completing this program and can then apply that configuration to all other extended range programs.

The Divemaster program is the first step on an exciting journey. Earn the respect of your dive buddies and become an ambassador for diving by taking the Divemaster program. All you need to get started are 40 verified/logged dives and certifications in Deep Diving, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility or at least 5 logged/verified dives experience in each area plus Diver Stress & Rescue. You will be certified as a Dive Guide after successfully completing the Divemaster program. When your interest is to turn your passion into a profession by guiding certified divers, teaching Ecology programs, assisting instructors or even becoming an instructor yourself, your next step is the Divemaster Upgrade with a minimum of 60 logged/verified. Upgrade to Divemaster right away or any time after by self-studying the Science of Diving materials, passing the Digital Final Exam which makes you an SSI Professional.

How experienced you need to be to dive alone? Do you dive alone as an instructor? These are the common questions new divers will ask their instructor. The SSI Independent Diver specialty course is a course designed to train divers to dive independently, without compromising safety factor. “Self-sufficiency” will be the keyword of this course. We will train you to always have a strong awareness to your personal and environmental condition. You learn how to do proper dive planning, observe and adhere to personal limitations, and accident prevention in and out of water. Who is it for In short, the SSI Independent Diver Specialty course is commonly sought-after by experienced underwater photographer and videographer who yearn for personal liberty underwater. However, if you have 75 logged dives or more on you, and you would like to learn what it takes to dive independently, you are more than welcome to enrol in the course. You will become a reliable diver in the team, which is always a strong and calming presence for everyone. This course is very popular to combine with a sidemount course, which enable you to dive with two scuba cylinders, as required in this course.

In this specialty program, you will gain the advanced skills and knowledge you need to safely and confidently navigate underwater. You will learn how to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, estimate distance, how to leave and return to a designated point, plus basic navigation patterns. You will also be taught how to combine navigation techniques to enhance your diving experience. All of which hones your underwater observation skills, improves your dive safety and helps you to get the most out of every dive. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Navigation Specialty certification.

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide. For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Night diving requires different skills from diving during the day. The SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty is the best way to learn about night diving and practice the techniques you will need to become a safe and confident night diver. In this program, you will be provided with all the knowledge and skills you need to safely and comfortably dive at night or in limited visibility conditions. With a combination of online learning and open water training dives, you will learn how to enter and exit the water, use specialized equipment, and how to communicate with your buddy easily at night or in limited visibility. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty certification and be ready to go night diving with confidence.

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide. For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

The SSI Perfect Buoyancy specialty is the best way to improve your buoyancy and get the most from every dive. Buoyancy is an essential dive skill, but any diver will tell you it takes time to perfect. The Perfect Buoyancy specialty will teach you advanced buoyancy skills and techniques, so you can master your buoyancy more quickly and enjoy more relaxed dive adventures. In this fascinating program, you will also learn new skills that protect the environment and work in every diving situation. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty certification. With better buoyancy skills, you will soon be able to hover with ease and take the underwater photographs you dream of!

Underwater photography has some challenges not found on land, but with the SSI Photo & Video specialty program, you will soon learn how to capture your amazing underwater experiences. This program provides the in-depth knowledge you need to dive with an underwater camera and properly use, maintain and store your equipment. You will develop your skills and learn techniques to take underwater images and video safely and easily, plus perfect your diving abilities while using your underwater camera system. Learn how to take high quality images that you can share with everyone and earn your SSI Photo & Video specialty certification. Get started today!

React Right is SSI’s emergency first response course and provides you with the training and knowledge you need to act as a first responder in a medical emergency. In this flexible dive program, you can choose which subjects you want to learn about, including primary assessment, first aid, CPR and primary stabilization techniques. You can also learn about oxygen administration in diving emergencies and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) basics. Using a combination of academic sessions and practical training scenarios, this program will give you the tools and confidence you need for emergency response. By the time you are certified, you will be able to act as an emergency first responder, provide first aid and CPR, administer oxygen and provide AED support in a medical emergency. Earn your SSI React Right specialty certification. Get started today!

In this sidemount diving course, you’ll learn all you need to go single or two-cylinder recreational sidemount diving up to a maximum depth of 30 meters or to your certification depth, whichever is deeper. Sidemount diving is already common practice for wreck, mine, and cave divers, but now the benefits are being discovered by more recreational divers. With no heavy tank on your back, you’ll be more comfortable in the water and find your streamlining and trim improve effortlessly. By using less energy you may reduce your gas consumption so you can make the most of your dive time. With better buoyancy control, easier access to your valves and more redundancy as well, sidemount diving offers safety and peace of mind. This is the best sidemount diving course to discover and enjoy the enticing advantages of this dive style. You learn all the skills and knowledge you need to safely and comfortably dive with a single or two-cylinder sidemount equipment configuration.

Join the SSI Science of Diving specialty and you will develop a complete understanding of the underwater world and its effects on the human body. This specialty is required training for most SSI Professional programs, as well as some Extended Range programs, and is an essential way to expand your dive knowledge. Available online, you can earn your SSI Science of Diving specialty certification from home and get ready to begin your dive professional career. Upon completion, you will be halfway to earning the coveted SSI Divemaster rating and earn the SSI Science of Diving specialty certification.