The lure of the deep. There’s something exciting and mysterious about exploring deeper dive sites while scuba diving. Sometimes it’s a wreck that attracts you below 18 meters, and on wall dives it may be a giant fan or sponge. Whatever it is, to scuba dive with confidence at depths down to 40 meters, you should take the PADI Deep Diver Specialty course.

If you’ve earned the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver rating or higher, and you’re at least 15 years old, you can enroll in the Deep Diver course

What scuba gear will you use

You’ll need a dive computer along with the rest of your basic scuba equipment. A dive light and slate are also recommended. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor may suggest other gear appropriate for local deep diving.

Whether purpose-sunk as an artificial reef for scuba divers, or lost as the result of an accident, wrecks are fascinating windows to the past. Ships, airplanes and even cars are fascinating to explore and usually teem with aquatic life. Each wreck dive offers a chance for discovery, potentially unlocking a mystery or spying something others have missed. The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty course is popular because it offers rewarding adventures while observing responsible wreck diving practices.

If you’re at least 15 years old and have earned a PADI Adventure Diver certification or higher, you can enroll in the Wreck Diver Specialty course.

What scuba gear will you use

You’ll need your basic scuba equipment, plus a dive light to see into the wreck, a slate and underwater compass for mapping and navigation, and a line and reel for practicing wreck penetration. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor may suggest other gear appropriate for wreck diving in your area.

Working divers, such as public safety divers, use full face masks because they protect the eyes and nose from contaminants in the water, provide comfort in cold water, and allow for communication. If you’re interested public safety diving, scientific diving, or venturing into extremely cold-water, then learning to dive with a full face mask is definitely for you. Because full face masks allow you to breathe from your nose, they are also beneficial for those who have difficulty using standard scuba masks. Diving with a full face mask offers a different experience and that alone may be reason to give it a try.

You need to be a PADI Open Water Diver who is at least 12 years old to enroll in the Full Face Mask Diver course.

What scuba gear will you use

Besides your basic scuba equipment, you’ll need a full face mask that fits you and works with a regulator. You also need to have an alternate air source, your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor will suggest other gear as appropriate, such as a dry suit if diving in cold water.

Do you want to learn how to best support a dive buddy who has a physical or mental challenge? The PADI® Adaptive Support Diver course will increase your awareness of divers’ varying abilities and explores adaptive techniques to apply while diving with a buddy with a disability.

PADI Open Water Divers who are at least 15 years old and have completed the EFR Primary and Secondary Care course within 24 months are eligible to take the PADI Adaptive Support Diver course. It is also recommended that you complete the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course beforehand so that you have a better awareness of trim.

What scuba gear will you use

Along with the basic scuba equipment, your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor may suggest additional gear to assist with your buddy’s particular needs.

With proper training, equipment and the right attitude to accept the risks involved in independent diving, an experienced diver can responsibly engage in dives without a buddy. Self-reliant diving is an adventure activity that is not for everyone but does have its place. If you have the mental discipline and commitment to learn and follow self-reliant diving techniques, you’ll bolster your skills and confidence when diving alone, in a dive pair or as part of a team.

You need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who is at least 18 years old and has 100 logged dives to enroll in the Self-Reliant Diver course. You’ll also complete a skills assessment with your PADI Self-Reliant Diver Instructor before diving into the course.

What scuba gear will you use

Besides your basic scuba equipment, you’ll need a DSMB, redundant gas source, redundant dive computer and redundant surface signal device. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor will suggest other gear as appropriate.

Caverns exist in many areas where scuba divers venture, from freshwater springs to volcanic island walls and limestone coasts. In these locations, you will find large dark spaces that seem incredibly inviting, yet are potentially dangerous. The PADI Cavern Diver Specialty course gives you the knowledge and skills to explore caverns correctly, allowing you to enter far enough for adventure but staying within the light zone for an easy exit to open water.

You need to be PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who is at least 18 years old to enroll in the Cavern Diver course.

What scuba gear will you use

Along with your basic scuba equipment, you will need a primary dive light and smaller backup light, plus a line and reel. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor may suggest other gear appropriate for cavern diving, such as a collapsible snorkel that fits in your pocket or other technical diving equipment.

If you have the opportunity to work with local authorities and be part of a scuba diving rescue team, or conduct search and recovery dives, and maybe even underwater criminal investigations, this is the course for you.

Although public safety diving can be a fun and exciting adventure, it’s serious and requires special training. The PADI Public Safety Diver Specialty course gives you a solid foundation to build upon and teaches you both surface and underwater skills that you may need on the job.

To enroll in a Public Safety Diver course, you must be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and at least 18 years old.

You also must show that you are affiliated with a public safety team (law enforcement, fire fighting, paramedic, EMT, dive rescue team, etc.) and need to earn your PADI Rescue Diver certification by the end of the course.

What scuba gear will you use

Beyond your basic scuba equipment, you’ll want to have gloves, a dive knife and additional cutting tool, plus at least two scuba tanks. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor will advise you about other gear you may need, which may include technical diving equipment.

If extreme, unusual and challenging scuba diving scenarios appeal to you, try diving under the ice. Ice diving is one of the most adventurous scuba specialties because you confront conditions and see beauty a few others ever experience. Plus, you might get a chance to play with your exhaled bubbles on the bottom of the ice. Flash your PADI Ice Diver certification card to get instant respect, and usually a lot of questions from other divers about what it’s like under the ice.

You need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who is at least 18 years old to enroll in the Ice Diver course.

What scuba gear will you use

Besides your basic scuba equipment, you will definitely want to dive in a dry suit. Your Deep Blue Divers PADI Instructor or dive center staff will suggest other gear appropriate for ice diving, such as a collapsible snorkel that fits in your pocket, redundant air supply such as a pony bottle, and other technical diving equipment.