SPECIALTY COURSES

ALTITUDE
DIVER

Learn how to safely dive in the high altitude environments.     

Have you ever realized that the pressure reduction experienced when surfacing from a 10 dive is the same as when you drive from sea level to a dive site at 10,000 altitude?  Or how about the fact that your depth gauges read differently at higher altitudes and in fresh water?  Both of these facts create a need for special techniques and dive planning while diving at high altitudes.  Our Altitude Specialty Diver Course will train you in these special techniques and planning considerations.  This will allow you to dive more safely and enjoy some of the inland bodies of water that lie just short distance away in the Sierras.

TIME COMMITMENT:  One review session,  Two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book;  dive tables.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Altitude Diver.

Familiarize yourself with the techniques for diving from various types of boats commonly used in recreational diving and how to properly plan and organize yourself and your gear. 

Galley; starboard; bridge; stern?  Have you ever been on a boat and not had the faintest idea of what the captain and crew was talking about?  Now you can sign up for the PADI Boat Diving Specialty class and find out what its all about.

This course is designed to explain common terminology associated with boats; list the steps in advanced planning for a boat dive, including preparation and packing of the divers personal equipment, and explain the proper procedures for stowing your equipment as well as other personal items.  Your instructor will also outline the emergency procedures as related to boat diving.  Your instructor will demonstrate dive equipment donning and removal procedures aboard a dive boat and you will have the opportunity to practice this easy procedure.

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session and two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Boat Diver.

Experience diving to depths of 100 feet in a safe and controlled environment.

Some of the most breathtaking sights and unique life forms are located between the depths of 60-130 feet.

Diving in deep water is safe and fun, but requires knowledge and skill beyond those you acquire in entry-level training.  Diving deep safely means having the proper knowledge and skill and equipment to avoid deep diving problems.  

The Deep Diver course is designed to teach you how to plan and organize a safe deep dive including a look at the use of specialty equipment.  You will learn about deep diving techniques, decompression, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures.

Professional supervision is necessary during your initial exposure to deep diving, assuring a safe learning experience.  Sign up today for the Deep Diver Course and experience new dive sites and underwater beauty that you never knew was possible.  

TIME COMMITMENT: Two review sessions; four open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available), watch or computer, PADI dive tables or Wheel,  work slate.

PREREQUISITE:  PADI Adventure Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Deep Diver.

Discover the secrets of diving dry and staying warm with a dry suit. 

With all the new technology available now, you can dive warm and dry even in the middle of the winter during a blizzard!!!  Sound Impossible?  Well, it isnt!  The new lightweight drysuits make diving more comfortable than ever.  With variable insulation capabilities, you can use your drysuit anywhere.  However, to use a drysuit properly requires even the most experienced divers to re-educate themselves in their personal diving techniques.  Self education and trial and error can lead to frustration and defeat.

With just a few hours of guidance and advice, the change over from wetsuit to drysuit can be fun and hassle-free.  Find out the how, what, where and why of drysuit use and maintenance by enrolling in our next Dry Suit Specialty.  Rental dry suits are available!

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session, one pool session and two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment and Drysuit (rentals available); log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Dry Suit Diver

Extend your bottom time on your dive adventures.

TIME COMMITMENT: One to two review sessions no open water dives required.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment and log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Enriched Air Diver

Become familiar with the operation and maintenance of equipment and learn how to do minor repairs on you equipment.

 Common equipment problems encountered by divers can sometimes be solved right at the dive site and consequently save the dive if you have the right spare parts, tools, and knowledge.  The Equipment Specialist Course teaches you the correct care and testing of your equipment which can prevent those breakdowns at the dive site.  You will practice the recommended care and maintenance procedures for your equipment.  Additionally Sierra Diving Centers Equipment Specialist Course offers simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations and selection of your new equipment.  Why not enroll in our next course?

TIME COMMITMENT:  Two classroom sessions. 

SUPPLIES NEEDED: any personal equipment for personal maintenance; text Scuba Equipment Care and Maintenance.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Equipment Specialist.

TIME COMMITMENT: Two review sessions three open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment and log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Advanced Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Ice Diver

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session and two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment, PADI Wheel and log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Multi Level Diver.

Diving at night is an exhilarating experience discover this thrilling and different world by learning how to dive in the dark.

 Did you know that most aquatic life is nocturnal, and comes out of hiding only at night?   Did you know that many of the daytime organisms can be found sleeping under ledges or even right out in the open making them easy to approach and photograph?  Learning how to dive at night will open up an entirely new part of the diving world.  See aquatic life that you have never seen during the day.  And youll experience a more vivid assortment of colors under the artificial lights.  This course exposes you to underwater navigation at night and which lighting systems are preferred.  It also identifies special equipment.  Night diving is truly a unique experience; its exciting as well as peaceful and relaxing.

TIME COMMITMENT:  One review session, three open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book; dive light and back-up dive light (rentals available); light stick; compass. 

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED:  PADI Night Diver.

TIME COMMITMENT: One classroom session.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: None.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI/D.A.N  O2 First Aid

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session and two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session and three open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment and log book. Rebreather rental and supplies available

PREREQUISITE: PADI Advanced Diver and Enriched Air Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Dolphin Rebreather Diver

Learn how to recover lost objects from the underwater realm.

 Have you ever lost those designer sunglasses overboard or dropped your knife accidentally?  Relocating an object underwater has proven to be one of the most frustrating  things for the owners of the objects lost.  Conducting carefully organized and thorough searches can increase the chances of recovery.  Sierra Diving Centers Search and Recovery Course gives you practice in how to set up an organized search; selecting the appropriate search pattern; utilizing the proper equipment and determining how many people are required in making a successful search for, and recovery of, a lost object.  Sign-up today you never know when this will come in handy.

TIME COMMITMENT: Two review sessions, four open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available): log book; slate; compass.

PREREQUISITES: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Search and Recovery Diver.

Learn how to enjoy those tasty delicacies from the briny deep.

Do you love lobster, halibut, abalone?  By enrolling in Sierra Diving Centers Under Water Hunter Course, you will seek out, stalk and harvest those tasty morsels of the underwater world.  The Underwater Hunter Course will teach you how to identify, locate and capture the species you wish.  You will learn how to clean, prepare and cook your catch.  In addition, you will learn safe hunting techniques, reef conservation and how to use the most sophisticated hunting equipment and detection techniques available today.  Enroll in the Underwater Hunter Course and experience the worlds ultimate seafood market.

TIME COMMITMENT: One classroom; two open water dives, and one evening to have a party and cooking class to show you how to prepare what you catch.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book; game bag and clip; current fishing license; abalone iron and gauge; inner tube float; spear gun; and textbook, Successful Underwater Hunting and Gathering.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Underwater Hunter.

Learn how to trust your instrumentation and environment while navigating underwater.

Ever stumble upon that awesome reef, become entranced, and thenforget where you are?  Well, this can be avoided by enrolling in our PADI Underwater Navigation Course.  This course will teach you how to successfully navigate underwater utilizing natural references, a compass, a SCUBA Sextant, and triangulation.  Have the confidence to go where you want, as far as you want, and thenend up back where you started!

TIME COMMITMENT: One review session, three open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); compass; log book; slate; SCUBA sextant.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent..

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Underwater Navigator.

Learn how to take beautiful, professional-looking, underwater photos.

How many times have you tried to describe the underwater world to your non-diving friends?  Now you can show them the beauty.  Underwater photos are more beautiful and dramatic than nearly anything you can take on land.  And youll be surprised at just how easy it is to take professional-looking pictures.

This course will teach you about equipment and film selection; film processing; the physics of light, underwater techniques, the proper use of strobes as well as using natural light.  You will also experiment with macro-photography.  After all photo sessions, we will show you different ways to display your finished product and how to properly maintain your photo equipment.

Sign up for our next photo class and in no time youll be shooting pictures like a pro!

TIME COMMITMENT: Three classroom and two open water sessions.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); log book, camera equipment rentals available, film, book and processing.

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI Underwater Photographer.

Share the underwater experience with family and friends.

How many times have your friends and family asked you these questions?

• Where did you dive?

• How deep were you?

• What did you see?

Well, bring it back to them in color and MOTION!  The Underwater Video Specialty Course is designed to do just that.  It will cover techniques such as camera handling, positioning, and movement while shooting.  You will learn such techniques as action  sequencing, subject selection and video production.  Recorded memories like these are priceless, but more importantly they allow you to show your friends the exciting and wonderful world of INNERSPACE

TIME COMMITMENT: Three classrooms; Two open water dives.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: All personal diving equipment (rentals available); slate, U/W Video Camera (rentals available). 

PREREQUISITE: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.

CERTIFICATION EARNED: PADI  U/W Videographer