Specialty · 18–40m
After your first few scuba dives, you soon want to explore a bit deeper. This specialty teaches the extra skills and awareness that come with diving between 18 and 40 metres.
Get more infoMany of the most interesting reefs and wrecks lie deeper than 18 m. The PADI Deep Diver Specialty teaches you how to plan for and handle dives to a maximum of 40 m, the limit for recreational diving.
You learn how depth changes your gas use, your body and your equipment, then practise those skills across a series of guided dives.
| Theory (knowledge development) | Knowledge development is usually done through PADI eLearning or self-study, followed by a review with your instructor. |
| Pool / confined water | Not applicable. |
| Open water | Typically four deep training dives are completed with your instructor, progressing in depth up to a maximum of 40 m. |
PADI Adventure Diver or higher (for example Advanced Open Water Diver), and you must be fit to dive.
Minimum age: 15 years old.
Training dives: Typically four open water dives per PADI standards.
Typically two days.
Advanced divers who want to explore dive sites beyond 30 m.
Classroom and confined-water theory followed by 4 supervised open-water dives, each going a little deeper as your skills build.
Deep Diver pairs naturally with Wreck Diver, since interesting wrecks are so often found in deeper water. Many divers follow it with Enriched Air Diver and count both toward Master Scuba Diver.
You need PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent, including the deep adventure dive) before starting Deep Diver, since the course builds directly on those skills to take you down to 40m.
You'll start with classroom and confined-water theory covering deep-diving technique and equipment considerations, then complete 4 supervised open-water dives, each going a little deeper as your skills build. Most divers finish over a weekend.
Theory and pool preparation are covered at our Gauteng base. Because the certification dives need real depth, they're typically scheduled at Bass Lake, Miracle Waters, or on a coastal trip to Sodwana Bay or Aliwal Shoal — ask us which sites currently suit the 18–40m range you'll be diving.
Deep Diver is R4 398 for club members and R4 548 for non-members, including PADI materials. It pairs naturally with Wreck Diver and Enriched Air Diver, and counts toward Master Scuba Diver. Book via our enquiry form or ask us a question through contact.
Training takes you progressively deeper to a maximum of 40 m (130 ft), the recreational limit.
You need at least the PADI Adventure Diver rating. Many divers take Advanced Open Water first.