Dry Suit Diver Specialty Course

Why take this course?

Wanna stay warm and toasty on a dive? Would you like to see the spectacular and prolific aquatic life often found in cooler water climates? If so, you’ll need to stay warm and that means a dry suit. Yes! Unlike a wetsuit, a dry suit seals you off from the outside water and that keeps you warm! Even in surprisingly cold water.

Drysuits let you dive into more challenging dive sites, and extend your dive season. When you have the right cold water attire, you can stand up to the elements and take advantage of the generally better visibility offered by winter months—especially at inland dive sites such as quarries, lakes, sinkholes, and caves, etc. As a dry suit diver, you’re equipped to scuba dive some of the world’s incredible dive sites in the world’s cooler regions that are best enjoyed in a dry suit, even in their warmer months.

What will I do?

  • Complete a pool dive (required for those who have never used a dry suit). During the pool session, you’ll learn a number of skills including putting on and removing a dry suit, various buoyancy control skills, proper ways to ascend/descend, scuba and weight system adjustments, and more.
  • Complete two open water dives.
  • During your open water dives you will learn:
    • The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, and hazards of dry suit diving
    • Dry Suit buoyancy control skills
    • Ascent and descent technique training
    • Preventative maintenance and performance checks on dry suits
  • Show proof of being an SSI Referral diver, Open Water diver or hold an equivalent certification from another recognized training agency.
    • Unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in the program without showing the A-1 professional proof of certification and presenting the following (completed and signed) documents.
    • While you may register for the specialty course as a Referral Diver, you must complete your open water certification dives before you can complete any specialty course dives.
  • Be at least 12 years old
  • Have a MySSI account.  Be sure to upload a digital photo to your account and enter a complete address. (You’ll need this in order to access your online learning material.)

The A-1 instructor will collect the following (completed) documents at the beginning of the first session.  Unfortunately, participants will not be able to continue until the instructor has reviewed them for accuracy.

IMPORTANT  – When completing the Diver Medical/Participant QuestionnaireIf there is a YES response to questions 3, 5, or 10 on page 1 of the Diver Medical form or to ANY of the questions on page 2, the participant will need to sign and date the Participant’s Signature on page 1 AND take all three pages of the Participant Questionnaire to their physician for a medical evaluation.  Their medical professional must approve, date, and sign page three, the Medical Examiner’s Evaluation Form, and include their medical credentials MD, DO, NP, RN, PA, etc., with their signature.                  

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PARTICIPANT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER THE WATER, FOR EITHER PROGRAM, UNTIL THE PROPER DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, SIGNED, AND REVIEWED FOR ACCURACY BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR.   

Course Includes:

  • (1) Pool dive and skills review in the A-1 pool
  • Use of scuba equipment for the pool session and open water dives (except dry suit)
  • Use of snorkeling equipment for the pool session (we recommend you use your own)
  • (2) open water dives
  • (1) day pass to the aquarium to be used that day only

Does not include:

  • Must provide your own dry suit.
  • Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, booties) for the open water dives.
  • Parking at the Downtown Aquarium.
  • Swimsuit, towel, and personal hygiene items.

Course Includes:

  • (1) Pool dive and skills review in the A-1 pool
  • (2) Open Water training dives
  • Use of scuba equipment for pool session (except dry suit)
  • Use of snorkeling equipment for pool session (we recommend you use your own if you have it)
  • Tanks and weights for open water dives

Does not include:

  • Must provide your own dry suit
  • Scuba Equipment (BCD, Regulator, Gauges). These items can be rented at A-1.
  • Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, booties) for open water dives.
  • Swimsuit, towel, and personal hygiene items.
  • Park permit and transportation.

Course Includes:

  • (1) Pool dive and skills review in the A-1 pool
  • (2) Open Water training dives
  • Use of scuba equipment for pool session (except dry suit)
  • Use of snorkeling equipment for pool session (we recommend you use your own if you have it)
  • Tanks and weights for open water dives

Does not include:

  • Must provide your own dry suit
  • Scuba Equipment (BCD, Regulator, Gauges). These items can be rented at A-1.
  • Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, booties) for open water dives.
  • Swimsuit, towel, and personal hygiene items

Course Fee

AQUARIUM
Private Request
$550
At the Denver Downtown Aquarium
$550 Course fee for private instruction. $495 each for 3+ people
CHATFIELD or BLUE HOLE
Private Request
$350
Close and convenient at the Chatfield gravel pond or at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, NM
*Please Note: Blue Hole Open Water Dives will be scheduled during our standard Scheduled Trips to Blue Hole. Additional Fees will be assessed and applied if out side of our standard Scheduled Trips
E-KIT ONLY
$75
Digital Online Materials
  • Dry Suit Course digital online manual
  • Free updates for life
  • Free digital online Snorkel Diver manual
  • Free digital online Try Freediving manual
  • Free digital online Try Scuba manual
  • Free digital Blue Oceans program