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Continuing Education Programs

Advanced Adventurer

Intent

The SSI Advanced Adventurer provides certified divers an introduction into five (5) different SSI specialty programs under the direct supervision of an SSI Professional.
The first open water training dive from the following specialty programs can be counted toward the Advanced Adventurer program:
  • Boat Diving
  • Deep Diving
  • Dry Suit Diving
  • Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN)
  • Navigation
  • Night & Limited Visibility
  • Perfect Buoyancy
  • Photo & Video
  • DPV Diving
  • Search & Recovery
  • Waves, Tides & Currents
  • Wreck Diving

Note | This certification program is intended to give new divers a variety of unique diving experiences that will hopefully fuel their passion for diving and dive education.

Note | Adventure Dives are supervised experience dives only, and should not be confused with the Advanced Open Water Diver recognition rating. See: SSI Recognition Cards in the General Training Standards.

Minimum Instructor Rating

An active status Open Water Instructor or higher may conduct the Advanced Adventurer program.
The instructor must have direct knowledge of the required equipment and skills for any Adventure Dive they conduct. Required pool/confined water sessions must be completed for all Dedicated Equipment Specialty Adventure Dives.
The QMS Manager of the training center is responsible for verifying that the instructor has the applicable student-level certification or at least five dives in the applicable specialty prior to conducting training.

Student Prerequisites

  • Minimum age for each Adventure Dive is defined in the program-specific standards.
  • Minimum age for the Deep Diving Adventure Dive | 12 years old.
Have at least one (1) of the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • Junior Open Water Diver
  • Open Water Diver

Duration

  • Recommended hours for completion | 10-15.

Note | This program is designed to be completely focused on practical diving skills. The total number of hours is determined by the individual instructor based on student needs, student ability, and environmental conditions.

Depth Limitations

  • Maximum pool/confined water depth limit | 5 meters.
  • Minimum open water depth limit | 5 meters.
  • Maximum open water depth limit | 30 meters.
  • Maximum open water depth limit for 12- to 14-year-old students during training dives is 18 meters.
  • Maximum open water depth limit for 12- to 14-year-old students during the Deep Diving Adventure Dive is 21 meters.
  • Maximum depth limit for 10- and 11-year-olds | 12 meters.

In-Water Ratios

15 years and older:
  • The student-to-instructor ratio is 8:1.
  • The student-to-instructor ratio is 4:1 if any student uses a dry suit without a dry suit certification.
  • The ratio may increase to 10:2 with one (1) certified assistant.
  • The ratio may increase to 12:3 with two (2) certified assistants.
12- through 14-years old:
  • The student-to-instructor ratio is 4:1.
10- and 11-years old:
  • The student-to-instructor ratio is 4:1.
  • No more than two (2) participants per instructor or certified assistant may be under the age of 12, and none of the remaining participants may be under the age of 15.

Minimum Supervision

  • An active status SSI Assistant Instructor or higher must directly supervise all in-water activities for Adventure Dives from programs that may be taught by an Assistant Instructor (e.g. Boat Diving and Perfect Buoyancy).
  • An active status Open Water Instructor must directly supervise all in-water activities for Adventure Dives from programs that may be taught by an Open Water Instructor (e.g. Deep Diving and Dry Suit Diving).
  • A certified assistant may directly supervise no more than four (4) students at a time.

Note | Students younger than 15 years old must be directly supervised by an SSI Dive Professional or paired with a certified adult.

Note | Students who have already completed the Enriched Air Nitrox Adventure Dive may use nitrox mixes up to EAN32 and the no-decompression limits for EAN21 during additional Adventure Dives. They must be directly supervised by a qualified SSI Professional who personally verifies the gas mix, their computer settings, and their dive.

Requirements For Completion

  • Complete any academic sessions and assessments as outlined in the instructor manual for Advanced Adventurer.
  • Complete at least five (5) different SSI Adventure Dives.

Certification

  • Upon completion of all academic and in-water requirements, an Open Water Instructor may issue the Advanced Adventurer digital certification card.
  • Certified Advanced Adventurers can dive with an equally- or more-qualified buddy in environments equivalent to their training and within the recommended depth limits.
  • Students younger than 15 years old will be certified as a Junior Advanced Adventurer and can dive under the direct supervision of a dive professional or with a certified adult in environments equivalent to their training and within the recommended depth limits.

Credit

  • Students may apply the dives completed in their Advanced Adventurer program towards the individual specialty programs, provided the instructor and student sign each logged dive.
  • The first dive of any qualifying specialty program may also be credited as the applicable Adventure Dive for the Advanced Adventurer program.
  • There is no time limit for issuing credit for completed dives.
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