SSI specialty opleidingen

Onderwaterwereld runs the full SSI specialty catalogue for certified divers. The list covers: Perfect Buoyancy, Search & Recovery, Equipment & Techniques, Wreck, Deep, Night, Nitrox, Drysuit, Digital Photography & Video, Boat Diving, Diver Stress & Rescue, Science of Diving, Current Diving, Sidemount, and FullFace. Each specialty builds specific skills and adds a logged dive count toward the SSI progression levels.

The progression structure is clear: 2 specialties and 12 dives for Specialty Diver, 4 specialties and 24 dives for Advanced Specialty Diver, 5 specialties and 50 dives for Master Diver. Each step makes you less dependent on a guide or instructor in the water — which is the stated goal of the programme.

Every specialty comes with its own kit requirements. Navigation uses a compass, Search & Recovery needs a reel and lift bag, Deep requires a dive computer, Nitrox calls for an EAN analyser, Drysuit is done in a dry suit, Digital Photography needs an underwater strobe. The centre's recommendation throughout is to train and practice in equipment you own rather than borrow. Everything in the specialty list can be tried in the Haarlem shop or tested during pool sessions at Sportplaza Groenendaal in Heemstede before committing to a purchase.

Pool sessions for specialty training also run on Sunday evenings at Groenendaal. Planning for specialties and dive trips is visible two months ahead in the SSI app — go to Menu → News & More → Events once you're registered as an SSI diver with Onderwaterwereld.