The first big step! In this course you’ll learn the fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. By obtaining this certification you will be opening an entire new world. You earn this rating by completing five confined water dives and knowledge development sessions and by making four open water dives.
Life Aboard | Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is a fantastic sport, and the accessibility that we have to the underwater world during most Sea|mester voyages is incredible.
Scuba diving is naturally an activity that the majority of our students select to get involved in and, at Sea|mester, it also becomes an important learning tool. Learning about the marine environment while diving the reefs to observe and conduct research adds relevance to our academic studies that’s just not possible in the traditional classroom.
Whatever certification level you are, or aspire to become, the second you take the plunge, the ocean turns into another classroom. Once below the surface, we can study the underwater ecosystems, explore the diversity of marine life and its amazing ecological processes, and even practice conservational techniques we learned about topside.
With an inspiring array of locales ranging from vivid Caribbean reefs to the cold, nutrient-rich and biologically astounding upwelling of the Galapagos Archipelago; seeing, feeling, and experiencing the marine environment makes our studies tangible.
Based on your experience, we teach these courses...
Become an advanced diver and you’ll be more experienced, feel more comfortable in the water and simply enjoy diving more because you have a better understanding of the underwater environment. This certification involves five Adventure Dives, including the Deep Adventure Dive, the Underwater Navigator Adventure Dive and Night Adventure Dive.
This course is rewarding and fun. The rescue course will expand your knowledge and experience level: Rescue Divers learn to look beyond themselves and consider the safety and well being of other divers. Although this course is serious, it is an enjoyable way to build your confidence. It is a great idea for every diver to take this course at some point. Rescue Diver training will prepare you to prevent problems and, if necessary, manage dive emergencies.
Take the first step in your dive career and become a PADI Divemaster. Working closely with a PADI Instructor, you’ll expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills as you become a dive professional. PADI Divemaster training develops your leadership abilities by training you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers.
Emergency First Response training focuses on building confidence in lay rescuers and increasing their willingness to respond when faced with a medical emergency. Course participants learn simple-to-follow steps for emergency care and practice applying skills in a nonstressful learning environment. EFR courses meet the CPR and first aid training requirements for the PADI Rescue Diver course and all professional-level ratings.
We are affiliated with PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and PADI is the world’s leader in scuba training education.
We have been rated as a 5 Star Gold Palm Facility, the highest rating that PADI awards, based on our experience, safety standards and commitment to continuing education.
Scuba diving is fun and easy to learn. PADI courses include both academic knowledge development and in water practical training and all are performance-based rather than time-based.
This means that if you are having difficulty with any particular skill, our instructors work one-on-one with you until the skill is mastered.
Just like our sailing certifications, with PADI there is a clear progression in scuba certifications from the Introductory Open Water Course all the way through to Professional Divemaster Certification. Our team of Instructors can teach them all, yet the certification levels that you’ll earn will depend on the length and geographic region of the voyage as well as your previous scuba experience.
As a rule of thumb, our Caribbean voyages typically offer more scuba opportunities than our programs that cross oceans or sail in colder waters.
