Description

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! Step 1: Online Digital Materials and Exam After enrollment, you will be given a log-in to access your online training materials to complete at your leisure. Please make sure you complete all of your online training BEFORE your class to ensure that you get the most value from the classroom and pool training. Estimated completion time = 3 hours Step 2: Classroom & Pool Session Class is interactive and discussion based with an Ocean First instructor utilizing what you have learned from your self at home study. Estimated completion time = 1 hour The best place to perfect your buoyancy skills is in shallow water. You will apply the breathing techniques, proper weighting, and trim/body positioning you learned to real life practice. Upon completion you will earn the SSI Perfect Buoyancy certification. Estimated completion time = 2 hours Prerequisites: Open water diver - From an internationally recognized training agency. (SSI, PADI, NAUI, SDI, etc.) Gear Requirements: Mask, fins, and snorkel. We strongly recommend owning your own dive gear as your buoyancy will change with different gear. If you do not possess your own scuba gear we will provide you with a BCD, regulator, and computer.

October 9 - 16, 2026 Skill Level: Snorkeling Trip Magdalena Bay, Solmar V Trip Leader: Kathy Gagliardo A snorkeling trip like none other! Explore some of the world’s most stunning marine attractions in a single journey. In Magdalena Bay you will witness the breathtaking natural phenomenon of the Sardine Run, a spectacle of marine life. Observe striped gray whales, humpback whales, blue whales, bait balls, marlins, loberas, mobulas, and sea lions as they hunt massive schools of sardines. Animal spotting is done aboard small pangas operated by local companies allowing for an authentic and sustainable snorkeling experience while supporting the local community. During your downtime kayak and paddleboard in stunning mangrove forests, or beachcomb along endless stretches of sand. Your home for the week, The Solmar V, is crafted with a strong steel hull and wood interiors, making for a great exploration vessel.

October 10 - 17, 2026 Skill Level: Intermediate Blue Force 3 Trip Leaders: Sage Dalton and Graham Casden The small island nation of the Maldives is arguably one of the best big animal dive destinations in the world. Our Manta Expedition route allows us to combine a large part of the classic route, the best known in the Maldives, with the Baa Atoll, north of the central atolls. In this route we explore the North Male and South Male atolls, visiting the first manta cleaning stations and some thilas to see sharks, such as Kandooma and Guraidhoo. Crossing to the Ari Atoll we will look for whale sharks and dive with mantas at night, and diving in Rasdhoo, where the pelagics await us. We complete the cruise by sailing north towards Baa, in the Dharavandhoo area, next to Hanifaru Bay (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) where we hope to experience manta ray diving and snorkeling. As you can see, this route represents the most famous diving areas of the Northern Atolls of the Maldives. Manta ray diving is one of the most exciting and unforgettable experiences in a scuba diver’s life.

October 18 - November 3, 2026 Skill Level: Intermediate Misool Eco Resort Trip Leader: Kelly Dananay Raja Ampat remains one of Ocean First’s favorite and most popular destinations. Due to demand we are headed back for another round of incredible diving! Misool Eco Resort in particular has become a frequent destination for Ocean First not only for the spectacular biodiversity, but also because MER upholds many of our same values. This special retreat was built on a former shark finning camp and, after careful management and preservation, has returned to it’s former glory as a nursery for baby blacktip sharks. Working together with the local villages, MER protects over 300,000 acres in this remote part of Indonesia. The effects of conservation are obvious once you put your head below the surface. The reefs surrounding MER burst with colorful reef fish, camouflaged macro creatures, octopus, soft corals, nudibranchs and numerous species of crustaceans. Looking out into the blue you will find graceful manta rays, stealthy mobula rays, blacktip sharks, and enormous schools of baitfish. We love this beautiful part of the world and return time again to share it with our diving and snorkeling friends!

November 7-14, 2026Skill Level: All Experience Levels Anse Chastanet Trip Leader: Oscar Torres Anse Chastanet is an exclusive luxury eco-resort in St. Lucia nestled in the heart of the island’s breathtaking natural beauty. The resort boasts one of the island’s most stunning panoramic views where the majestic Piti and Gros Piton mountains meet the serene Caribbean Sea. Positioned on a private estate of 600 lush tropical acres, Anse Chastanet borders two pristine soft-sand Caribbean beaches and offers access to untouched coral reefs just offshore; perfect for scuba divers. Scuba St. Lucia is a PADI 5 Star dive operation, located at the south end of Anse Chastanet beach. Founded in 1981, Scuba St.Lucia has established itself as one of the world’s top diving destinations, offering great diving and comprehensive facilities for divers of all levels. Perfectly set up for both beach and boat dives, Scuba St. Lucia offers guests gear storage, a well-equipped scuba store, three compressors, rental dive gear, and an underwater photo and video center.

December 27, 2026 - January 3, 2027 - Skill Level: All Experience Levels True Blue Bay Resort Trip Leader: Julie Remp. Located on the border between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, True Blue Bay Resort is a climate-smart boutique resort known as one of the most friendly, relaxing and colorful place to stay when visiting the beautiful Caribbean Island of Grenada. With their onsite dive center Aquanauts Grenada you will enjoy a mixture of wrecks, reefs, walls and underwater sculpture parks. With small dive groups, you will get a personalized experience every time you dive! After diving, soak up some sun while lounging by one of their four outdoor pools. Take your pick of exhilarating water sports, including kayaking, paddle boarding and Hobie-cat sailing. Experience more of the authentic Grenada at True Blue Bay Resort, your home away from home!

January 21 - 31, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels East Africa Safari Trip Leader: Kathy Gagliardo Embarking on a safari in East Africa is like stepping into a live wildlife documentary where nature unfolds it’s raw beauty and diverse wildlife. This region, particularly Kenya and Tanzania, offer some of the most spectacular wildlife experiences in the world. It is often said to be one of the best places to see the famous Big 5: lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. The Serengeti is known for having vast herds of wildebeest and zebra moving along their circular route across Tanzania and Kenya. Experience the thrilling river crossing up north or the incredible calving season on the verdant plains as far south as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, both excellent for spotting lion, leopard, and cheetah.

February 1 - 4, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels Rwanda, Gorillas Trip Leader: Kathy Gagliardo Make all your wildlife dreams come true with gorilla treks in an enchanting forest setting. Trek with endangered mountain gorillas and rare golden monkeys in the Virunga mountains in the Volcanoes National Park. Straddling the border of Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, the Virungas are the verdant, magical home of 480 mountain gorillas. Sadly, that is more than half the world’s remaining population. On the Rwandan side, the Parc National des Volcans, (Volcanoes National Park) is the place to go for face-to-face encounters with these wonderful primates – an experience worthy of every superlative in the dictionary. Located in Kinigi, Rwanda, Virunga Inn Resort & Spa offers stylish accommodations with beautiful views of the mountains. The property features beautifully appointed rooms equipped with comfortable bedding, a private bathroom, room service, and a restaurant serving a tasty breakfast each morning. Trekking with mountain gorillas through the dense African forests is a magical experience.

March 6 - 13, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels Little Cayman Beach Resort Trip Leader: TBD Little Cayman is the epitome of the Caribbean dream with crystal clear, turquoise water and a relaxing vibe that takes you in right from the start. Upon arrival at Little Cayman Beach Resort you will be greeted by warm ocean breezes and beautiful white, sandy beaches. Little Cayman and the surrounding walls have some of the finest diving in the Caribbean and the world, for that matter! Everything from dramatic, sheer walls to never-ending coral gardens can be found right off of the shore. Eagle rays and reef sharks cruise the walls while friendly groupers wait patiently to have their pictures taken. Don’t forget to look in the nooks and crannies for Pedersen cleaner shrimp, decorator crabs, and curious gobies as they dart in and out of their homes. This is a perfect destination for divers of all experience levels and those divers eager to pursue continuing education to hone their dive skills. There really is no better way to escape the winter than in the Caribbean with your toes in the sand! Space is limited on this special trip.

April 17 - May 1, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels Sea Horse Liveaboard Trip Leader: Amy Christopher This 12 days/11 nights cruise is a fantastic combo of Raja Ampat and Halmahera. The adventure begins with the famous Misool in the southern part of Raja Ampat National Park, crossing west toward the south of Halmahera. The abundance of sea life is just astonishing with both fixed fauna such as corals and gorgonians along the lush reef and a stunning quantity and diversity of fish swimming above. The dive sites’ underwater topographies are also varied and interesting filled with dramatic pinnacles, long ridges, walls, hidden caves, rock formations, azure lagoons and much more. The fauna ranges from the tiny pygmy seahorse to the oceanic manta rays. Raja Ampat’s signature are the huge schools of fish: clouds of fusiliers that attract predators like tunas and trevallies, barracudas, schools of inquisitive spadefish, schools of sweetlips, groups of bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon wrasses, and much more! In Halmahera many of the dive sites are sea mounts with a rocky substrate and plenty of large soft coral covered bommies in all different colors. The fish life is intense; you have to see it to believe it!

May 1 - 11, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels Murex Manado, Murex Bangka, Lembeh Resort Trip Leader: Oscar Torres & Graham Casden Discover three stunning locations in North Sulawesi, Indonesia with Passport to Paradise. Dive and explore Bunaken, Bangka Island, and Lembeh Straight! Passport to Paradise is a unique diving experience which allows you to explore three distinct diving destinations in one trip. With over 150 dive sites to choose from, and seamless boat diving transfers from resort to resort, if you want to see as much as you can when you visit a region but don’t want to endure hours in transit, this trip is for you! For divers and snorkelers the Bunaken Marine Park is yours to explore! Bunaken is home to some of Indonesia’s best wall diving sites and the shallow coral gardens give you the opportunity to snorkel with turtles. Bangka Island offers such an explosion of color it will leave you spellbound and the Lembeh Strait which has the undisputed best muck diving and most unusual marine life in the world.

May 21 - June 6, 2027 Skill Level: All experience levels Atlantis Dumaguete & Atlantis Adventurer Trip Leader: Kathy Gagliardo Atlantis Dumaguete is located in the epicenter of Dumaguete’s dive scene, Dauin (pronounced Da-win). With its black volcanic sand, Dauin is known as the frogfish capital of the Philippines, and a unique destination for critter diving. Atlantis Dumaguete is located minutes away from over 20 local dive spots. The beachfront dedicated dive resort is built around a lush tropical garden and a waterfront restaurant. They offer up to 5 guided boat dives per day, a spacious camera room, a pool and a spa, everything to create a dive vacation of a lifetime! The Atlantis Adventurer is the perfect place from which to explore some of the best diving in the world. Tubbataha Reef is one of the most biodiverse scuba diving spots in the Philippines, hosting a great variety of small and large marine life. You will explore kilometers in this pristine protected UNESCO World Heritage site located 100 miles offshore and open to diving only 3 months out of the year.

June 5 - 15, 2027 Skill Level: Intermediate Nai'a Liveaboard Trip Leader: Kelly Dananay Located in the beautiful South Pacific, this island nation is known for incredible reefs loaded with colorful fish and corals, and unparalleled Fijian hospitality. Fiji is fortunate that sharks here are less preyed upon than in most other countries. The reefs NAI’A dives have healthy populations of white-tip, hammerhead and grey reef sharks. Black-tip, tiger, bull, nurse, and silver-tip sharks are not uncommon, but you have to be lucky to see one. They’re shy. The most reliable sites for hammerheads are the offshore seamounts of Mt. Mutiny and E-6, as well as the Namena Marine Reserve and Wakaya. NAI’A divers often encounter resident manta rays feeding in the outgoing current or getting cleaned at offshore cleaning stations or, like this one, coming by to say hi! NAI’A features nine passenger staterooms, a massive main salon, dive deck, sun deck, dedicated camera room and stern dive platform.

July 17 - 24, 2027 Skill Level: All Experience Levels Buddy Dive Resort Trip Leader: TBD An unhurried, unspoiled natural paradise with spectacular sunsets, gentle breezes and crystal clear, turquoise waters. Offering 24/7 scuba diving, 365 days a year and access to shore and boat diving, Bonaire is an award winning diving destination that accommodates every skill level, from beginner to advanced diver. Known for some of the best diving in all of the Caribbean. The protected marine park has healthy reefs, relaxed diving, and plentiful marine life. With easy shore diving, Bonaire is a perfect training ground for all levels of certification and for those divers who are pursuing continuing education courses. Buddy Dive is a resort where you can dive, take part in a multitude of activities or just sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Their personable staff, spacious accommodation, and dive operation has something for every diver that will make your holiday worry-free. No matter which apartment you are staying in, you’re never further than a giant stride away from the beautiful ocean.

August 1 - 19, 2027 Skill Level: All experience levels Red Sea Aggressor IV Trip Leader: Kathy Gagliardo Join Ocean First on one of our favorite itineraries to stunning Jordan, the Red Sea, and Egypt! This special itinerary will be even more amazing with the viewing of a partial solar eclipse on August 2! Our itinerary includes visiting Amman, the Dead Sea, and amazing Petra. There is also one night spent at a desert camp under the stars! Jordan is a fascinating country rich in history and beautiful archaeological sites. This is one of Ocean First’s signature trips and not to be missed! The Red Sea is considered to be one of the 7 wonders of the underwater world, harboring more than 1000 species of invertebrates and over 200 species of hard and soft coral. The high level of endemic species in the Red Sea is one of the main factors that makes diving in Egypt so interesting. Divers can expect unobstructed opportunities to spot tropical marine life in crystal clear waters, ranging from sharks to dolphins to gorgonian sea fans and feather stars. This charter follows the southern itinerary, following the Egyptian coastline. We continue to Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, and take a sunset cruise of the Nile. There will also be an opportunity for a hot air balloon ride over the Nile for anyone who is interested! Our adventure wraps up in Cairo with tours of the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and various museums.