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SDI RECREATIONAL DIVING COURSES
Open Water Diver Course
The SDI Open Water Diver course is an entry-level certification course designed to give you the necessary skills to safely conduct open water dives. Some of the many skills you will learn include buoyancy, proper weighting, marine conservation, equipment assembly, proper dive planning, and maintenance. The course covers all the basic knowledge about equipment, physiology and the marine environment while training students to perform basic skills underwater. This course is the key to start exploring dive destinations around the globe or just in your backyard.
Advanced Open Water Diver
You've taken your open water scuba diver course and now your ready to expand your knowledge but you would like to see what is out there first. The SDI Advanced Diver courses will give you an overview of five (5) selected SDI specialties. Two of the specialties are SDI Deep Diver and Navigation Diver, which are the foundation of continuing diver education. The remaining specialties maybe include
- Advanced Buoyancy Control
- Boat Diving
- Nitrox Diving
- Drift Diving
- Many More!
This course is intended to introduce you to five specialties and not complete comprehension of the chosen specialty.One dive from each of the chosen specialties may apply towards a complete specialty certification.
Rescue Diver Course
The SDI Rescue Diver Course is designed to develop your knowledge and necessary skills to effectively perform diver rescues and assist, and administer necessary first aid. You will learn skills such as how to perform self rescues, buddy rescues, recognize and calm potential panic divers, administer proper first aid to divers that have experienced dive related injuries, conduct effective search patterns and manage accident scenes. After the SDI Rescue Diver Course you can enroll in the SDI Master Scuba Diver Development Program or start in the professional ranks and sign up for the SDI Divemaster Course.
TECH DIVING COURSES
Intro to Tech Diving
The TDI Intro to Tech course is the perfect course for divers who have heard about technical diving and want to find out more about this exciting branch of advanced recreational diving. This course walks students through the special techniques, planning procedures and skills that set technical diving apart from traditional sport diving. It will show them how to improve their dive planning methods, in-water skills and streamline their existing gear configuration, in a non-threatening and fun learning environment. The specific skills this course will highlight are:
- Advanced Buoyancy Control
- Gas Management
- Situational Awareness
- Trim
- Gear Configuration and Selection
TDI's Intro to Tech course is a useful stand-alone course for the diver who wants to become a more skilled, more proficient diver regardless of if he intends to move on to technical diving. The course may also be used as an introduction to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and the TDI Decompression Procedures course. And finally, it is also a good refresher for certified technical divers who may want to refresh their skills or have them re-evaluated by a TDI technical instructor.
Nitrox Diver
TDI Nitrox course is an entry level course for divers wishing to utilize enriched air nitrox as a breathing gas. Little else has impacted recreational diving more than the introduction of nitrox, allowing more time underwater. During this course, you will learn the benefits, hazards and proper procedures for diving with EAN 22 to EAN 40 your TDI Instructor will also cover
- Equipment considerations
- Cylinder labeling
- Analyzing of Nitrox
The course follows an easy to read and understand diver manual titled Understanding Nitrox and water proof tables for quick on site reference.
Advanced Nitrox Diver
The TDI Advanced Nitrox Course qualifies divers to use enriched air nitrox from EAN 21 through EAN 100 to a depth of 40 metres/130 feet during dives hat do not require staged decompression. Often taught in conjunction with the TDI Decompression Procedures course, this can be considered the foundation of your technical diving career. Advanced Nitrox is also a great course for those wanting to extend their bottom times in shallower depths such as scientific diver, and a must for SCR or CCR divers. The course cover topics like
- Equipment requirements
- Dive planning
- Oxygen tracking
- Blending methods
You will use the TDI Advanced Nitrox Diving manual for your course, which explains in an easy to understand practical manner the complex information that Advanced Nitrox divers need to know.
Decompression Procedures Diver
As sport divers planned decompression is not something that we do or have been taught. The TDI Decompression Procedures course prepares you for planned staged decompression diving. With a maximum operating depth of 45m/150 feet, this course is your first step beyond the normal sport diving limits. Your TDI Instructor will provide you with valuable information and skills, among the topics covered are
- Kit set-up
- Equipment requirements
- Decompression techniques
- Decompression breathing gases
- Gas management
- Contingency planning
The TDI Decompressions Procedures course combined with the TDI Advanced Nitrox course form the foundation of all other technical courses.Ý After these two courses and some additional experience, the stage has been set for you to move onto additional technical levels. Some of the materials you will be using include the TDI Divers Guide to Decompression Procedures, US Navy or Buhlmann Air Decompression Tables
Extended Range Diver
Certain areas of the world provide spectacular dives at depths deeper than 39m/130 feet but you will not have access (or very limited access) to helium. The TDI Extended Range course teaches you the proper techniques for utilizing compressed air as a breathing gas and with a maximum depth of 55m/180 feet you won't have to miss those dives. The Extended Range course will cover topics and skills such as
- Equipment requirements and configuration
- Decompression options
- Use of surface marker buoys
- Buddy rescue
- Narcosis checks and management
Materials for this course include the TDI Extended Range Diving Manual and the US Navy or Buhlmann Air Decompression Tables
Trimix Diver
As your motivation to explore progresses you will find that you may want to go deeper to dive that wreck that is part of history or that cave system that you have read so much about.Ý One of the major limiting factors of going deeper is narcosis; TDI's Trimix Diver course shows how to minimize the effects of narcosis by adding helium to offset the nitrogen in your breathing gas. While taking the Trimix Diver course your TDI Instructor will teach you how to plan and execute dives utilizing as little as 18 percent oxygen and diving to maximum depth of 60 m/200 feet with a blend of helium appropriate for the planned depth. The course covers topics and skills like
- Dive team planning
- Gas matching
- Cylinder labeling
- Surface marker deployment
- Equipment configuration
Advanced Trimix Diver
The TDI Advanced Trimix Diver course is the top level of training for open circuit divers wishing to dive to depths as deep as 100 m / 330 feet utilizing hypoxic levels of oxygen (below 17 percent).Ý This course is perhaps one of the most informative and challenging and upon completion you are among some of the most elite divers. Your TDI Instructor will teach you
- Equipment management
- Multiple stage cylinder labeling and placement
- Complex decompression planning and contingency planning
- Dive team awareness and communication
- Gas monitoring and management
- Use of travel gasses
The TDI Advanced Trimix manual is one of the most up to date manuals and includes all the latest of technology and practices being used.

SPECIAL TECH DIVING COURSES
Advanced Wreck Diver
The TDI Advanced Wreck course is the next step for any diver that has taken a wreck diver course. During this course, your TDI Instructor will teach you the proper techniques for locating and planning a penetration dive. The advanced wreck course is commonly taught with other popular TDI course such as advanced nitrox, decompression procedures, extended range, closed circuit rebreather, and trimix. The course covers topics and skills like
- Use of guidelines
- Overhead emergency procedures
- Redundant equipment requirements
- Locating and identifying wrecks
- Hazards of wreck diving
- Surveying of wrecks
The TDI Advanced Wreck Diving manual covers all the most commonly used wreck diving techniques in cold and warm water. The manual also covers team diving techniques and preservation of wrecks.
Inspiration / Evolution Air Diluent CCR Diver
The TDI Inspiration and Evolution (certification depends on unit/electronics used) is your first step into closed circuit rebreather diving and your first truly quiet diving experience. Using the latest in technology CCR's maximize your gas supply of Nitrox and provide the optimum breathing gas for any depth by maintaining a constant partial pressure of oxygen (PPO2). During the dives (minimum of six) your TDI Instructor will teach you all the nesscery skills to conduct CCR dives to a maximum depth of 40 m / 130 feet, the skills include.
- Setup and maintenance of the unit
- Loop volume management
- Calibration of electronics
- Emergency procedures
- Buoyancy control
- CNS tracking
The TDI Inspiration/Evolution manual provides comprehensive information about the units and how they operate during a dive. Also available is the Inspiration/Evolution build-up check list that can be adhered to the unit case for easy reference.
Full Face Mask Diver Specialty
Divers often have a need or want to affectively communicate underwater the TDI Full Face Mask Diver course is the perfect starting point. Full face masks are also often used in waters with low visibility that may be contaminated or waters that are colder the full face mask will protect you from the elements. You will learn what mask is right for you, how to don a full face mask, how to effectively use SSB communications, as well as care and maintenance.

CAVE DIVING COURSES
Cavern Diver
As the first in a series of overhead courses, the TDI Cavern Course takes a serious look at the skills needed to conduct safe and enjoyable cavern dives. Although the cavern course is conducted in the light zone you will still be in an overhead environment. Your TDI Cavern Instructor we cover topics and skills such as
- Equipment configuration and preparation
- Body posture and trim
- Propulsion techniques
- Cavern conservation
- Proper guideline procedures
The TDI Cavern and Cave manual will outline the procedures for conducting cavern dives and a great addition to your diving library.
Intro Cave Diver
The TDI Introductory Cave Course takes a serious look at the skills needed to conduct safe and enjoyable cave dives. During the cave course your TDI Instructor will teach you the proper techniques for diving in a cave environment while staying on the main line. Your TDI Intro Cave Instructor will cover topics and skills such as
- Limits based on no decompression
- Equipment configuration and preparation
- Body posture and trim
- Propulsion techniques
- Cave conservation
- Proper guideline procedures
- S drills
- Hand and light signals
The TDI Cavern and Cave manual will outline the procedures for conducting cave dives and a great addition to your diving library.
Full Cave Diver
The TDI Cave Course is the highest overhead environment rating offered by TDI. This course is for the serious adventure wanting to explore further into the overhead environment, make jumps off of main lines to adjoining passages. During the cave course your TDI Instructor will teach you the proper techniques for diving in a cave environment while maintaining a constant guideline. Your TDI Cave Instructor will cover topics and skills such as
- Equipment configuration and preparation
- Body posture and trim
- Propulsion techniques
- Cave conservation
- Proper guideline procedures
- Lost line drills
- buddy emergency procedures
- S drills
- Hand and light signals
The TDI Cavern and Cave manual will outline the procedures for conducting cave dives and a great addition to your diving library.
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