There’s a whole ocean (literally) of PADI courses out there, from beginner basics to pro-level training that lets you work and dive your way around the world. But if you’ve just wrapped up your Open Water course and you’re hungry for more, you might be wondering:
“Should I do the Advanced Open Water Diver course, or go straight for the Deep Diver Specialty?”
Let’s break it down!
Advanced Open Water Diver : Level Up Your Dive Game
This course is the perfect next move after your Open Water certification. The Advanced Open Water Diver course is designed to make you a more confident, well-rounded diver. You’ll be certified to dive down to 30 meters/100 feet, and you get to explore different types of diving with five Adventure Dives, including Deep and Navigation, plus three others you choose with your instructor (like Night, Fish ID, Buoyancy, Wreck, or Search and Recovery and more ( ...)
Why It's Awesome:
-
5 Adventure Dives = tons of variety
-
Dive deeper and smarter (hello, 30m!)
-
Try out cool specialty dives before committing to a full Specialty course
-
eLearning is available so you can prep before you hit the water
-
Great mix of skill-building and fun exploration
Prerequisites:
PADI Jr/Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
Minimum age: 12
PADI Deep Diver Specialty : For Depth Junkies
If you’re already certified as an Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver, and you’ve got a thing for the deeper side of the ocean, the Deep Diver Specialty might be your next move. This course gets you certified to go all the way to 40 meters/130 feet and focuses entirely on diving deeper safely and confidently.
What You'll Learn:
-
How to plan and execute deep dives
-
How to monitor gas consumption and manage narcosis
-
How pressure affects you and your gear
-
How to stay safe while exploring epic depths
You’ll do 4 deep dives over 2 days and get super comfy hanging out in the deep blue.
Prerequisites:
Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
Minimum age: 15
eLearning available? Yep!
Why Go Deep?
Some of the ocean’s coolest creatures and wrecks are chilling below 30 meters. Big pelagics like sharks, tunas, barracudas, giant trevallies, snappers, groupers, plus colorful and venomous reef fish like lionfish, and all kinds of weird and wonderful smaller critters.
Deep diving also gets you closer to earning that coveted Master Scuba Diver rating aka the black belt of recreational diving. You’ll need 5 specialties to get there, and Deep Diver is a popular one to start with!
Quick Comparison
| Course |
Max Depth |
Length |
Focus |
Age |
| Advanced Open Water |
30m/100ft |
2-3 days |
All-around dive skills |
12+ |
| Deep Diver Specialty |
40m/130ft |
2-3 days |
Safe deep diving |
15+ |
And here’s an awesome fact: The Deep Dive you do during your Advanced Open Water course? It counts as the first dive toward your Deep Diver Specialty! Boom, bonus progress!
If you’re an Open Water Diver (or equivalent) looking to build confidence and try a variety of dives, the Advanced Open Water Diver Course is the way to go, it’s a ton of fun!
If you’re already comfortable as an Adventure Diver or Advanced Diver and ready to take your dives deeper (literally), the Deep Diver Specialty is your ticket to the depths.
Either way, you’ll be leveling up your skills and unlocking more epic underwater experiences!
Ready to dive in deeper? Let’s chat about the best path for you and get you geared up for your next adventure!
