Recreational Sidemount Diving

SSI - Specialty Course: Recreational Sidemount DivingRecreational sidemount diving is already common practice for many wreck and cave divers. More and more divers are discovering the advantages of this diving style, such as greater freedom of movement without a heavy tank on their back and a new sense of buoyancy control. Specialized training is required to conduct these types of dives safely. Unfortunately, these dives are often performed without the necessary preparation and knowledge, which can lead to a significant safety risk.In the theory sessions, you’ll learn everything about the background, history, benefits, and equipment of sidemount diving. In the practical sessions, you’ll learn how to set up your equipment and handle it in the water. You’ll quickly realize that the comfortable buoyancy and easier movement offer a whole new diving experience.Course Content:History and BackgroundBenefits for Recreational DiversEquipment and ConfigurationPractical ImplementationBuoyancyPlanning a Sidemount Dive

Start your adventure with the SSI Open Water Diver courseBecoming an SSI Open Water Diver is the best way to start your diving adventure! Whether you’ve never been underwater before or have already done a few dives, you’ve definitely come to the right place. If you give it a try, you’ll love it! Diving is easy to learn, fun, and exciting!This is the first course in a diver’s career.It enables participants to explore the underwater world worldwide and for a lifetime with an experienced diver. The course consists of three parts: 6 theory modules, 5 pool practice modules, and 4 open-water dives.In the theory section, the essential components of diving equipment and how they work are discussed. In addition to the basics of diving physics and diving medicine, you will also learn vital safety rules. Some biology and ecology are also covered.In the practical portion, you’ll learn how to properly handle diving equipment, the safest way to enter and exit the water, how to behave in the water and during emergencies, and much more.Once you’ve passed your theory and practical exams, you’ll receive a globally recognized and lifetime-valid diving certification: the Open Water Diver certification. We promise you’ll have plenty of fun along the way.

SSI - Specialty Course: Deep Diving"The depths hold a magical allure for many divers, which is why deep dives offer a very special appeal."Dive safely to depths that only a few divers before you have explored, or check out an interesting wreck beyond the 18-meter limit—who wouldn’t want to do that? But to safely conduct these types of dives, special training is required—and that’s exactly what the DEEP DIVING program is designed for.Unfortunately, however, it is precisely these deep dives that are often conducted without the necessary preparation and planning, and can thus quickly become an unpredictable safety risk. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to have the proper knowledge to conduct deep dives safely.The SSI Deep Diving Specialty Course teaches the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to ensure safety during deep dives.If you simply want to learn more about deep diving, you can purchase just the manual without having to take the entire course.

SSI - Specialty Course: Navigation"Do you secretly wonder how your dive instructor always manages to find his way back to the exit or the boat?"If that’s the case, then the NAVIGATION program is exactly what you need to solve this “mystery.”Many of you surely have a good sense of direction, but unfortunately, that’s only of limited help underwater, because under certain circumstances, it can be difficult for people to orient themselves in this unfamiliar environment. SSI offers a structured program on this topic to enhance your enjoyment and safety while diving.During the two dives of your NAVIGATION program, you’ll learn various ways to orient yourself underwater using a compass or natural navigation, and to determine directions and distances. You’ll navigate various courses and search patterns, locate different waypoints, and learn how to return to your starting point.

SSI - Specialty Course: Night and Low-Visibility Diving"Night diving is pure excitement, adventure, and fascination!"The underwater world is a new and unknown world to us. Diving at night means rediscovering this fascinating world and seeing it through new eyes.It’s incredibly beautiful and fascinating to enter the water in local waters at twilight, bathed in the last rays of light. Everything is even quieter than usual. With good equipment and an underwater light suited to the conditions, you might even be lucky enough to observe twilight-active fish hunting.Of course, especially in tropical waters, every night dive is a little adventure—you can only see what the light from your own dive light and that of your dive partner illuminates.The basic requirements for your NIGHT / LIMITED VISIBILITY adventure are good coordination and solid diving skills, which will be further refined during the two required dives. Those who master these skills, plan their night dive well, and bring the right equipment will be rewarded with truly special dives.If you simply want to learn more about night diving, you can purchase just the manual and/or the DVD without having to take the entire course.

SSI - Specialty Course: Perfect Buoyancy"Every diver wants to be a 'good diver.' Perfect buoyancy control is the first step in that direction."Further training to perfect buoyancy control skills is recommended for every diver, because in addition to improving diving skills, perfect buoyancy control is also the best way to protect the environment.Anyone who wants to dive at great locations while on vacation will first have to complete a check dive, and buoyancy control is one of the skills required of every diver during that check dive.This isn’t done to unnecessarily stress divers, but to protect the sensitive underwater world, since some divers have only moderate buoyancy control skills. The damage caused by divers with poor buoyancy control is immense, especially when you consider that many coral species grow only a few millimeters per year.Perfect buoyancy is also a prerequisite for nearly all specialty programs, making PERFECT BUOYANCY a must for every ambitious diver. The program is taught in conjunction with at least two dives, during which all basic skills are practiced and perfected, and additional techniques are learned.

SSI - Specialty Course: Diving with Nitrox"Have you ever dreamed of having longer no-decompression times so you can take photos or explore wrecks? Or perhaps you’d like to feel more confident about decompression while diving?"Nitrox allows you to do just that. Because the breathing gas contains less nitrogen, it puts less strain on the body and drastically shortens decompression times.Enriched Air NitroxIn the ENRICHED AIR NITROX program, you’ll learn the rules that must be followed when planning dives and using Nitrox, as well as how to analyze the gas in your tank."Nitrox for free" is now a common offering at many dive centers abroad. This means you don’t have to pay extra for the special gas mixture. However, every dive center will want to see your certification. Only then will you be allowed to dive with Nitrox.ENRICHED AIR NITROX can be taught as an optional add-on to dives, making it an excellent “winter specialty” to take before a vacation, so you can dive right in during the most beautiful time of the year without having to study theory first.If you simply want to learn more about Nitrox, you can purchase just the manual and/or the DVD without having to take the entire course.

SSI - Specialty Course: Dry Suit Diving"When the shadows grow longer, the days grow shorter, and the waters grow colder—that’s when the season for drysuit divers begins."Those who own a “drysuit” and have mastered the technique will find great diving opportunities in the fall, winter, and spring, since visibility during the cold season or in cold waters is usually much better than in the summer. So you can dive undisturbed through clear water in your “drysuit.”Theoretically speaking, there are also the truly hardy divers who venture into cold water during these seasons in a wet suit or semi-dry suit. But if you want to have fun while diving and are mindful of your health, you’ll comfortably slip into your dry suit.In your DRY SUIT DIVING program, you’ll learn about the benefits of a dry suit and gain expertise on different suit types, valves, choosing the right undersuit, and dry suit accessories. During the two dives, you’ll learn the techniques and proper use of the dry suit, as well as hands-on maintenance and care.If you simply want to learn more about dry suit diving, you can purchase just the manual and/or the DVD without having to take the entire course.Course Content:Why Dry Suit Diving?Dry suitsVentileUnterzieherAccessoriesDry Suit Diving TechniquesMaintenance and CareRepairs