Recreational Sidemount Diving Specialty

Elevate your diving experience with the Recreational Sidemount Diving Specialty course offered by El Mar Diving Center. This specialized program is designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to safely and comfortably utilize a two-cylinder sidemount configuration. While sidemount has historically been favored by wreck, mine, and cave divers, its adoption by recreational divers is rapidly growing due to significant advantages.

The sidemount setup offers enhanced comfort in the water, promotes better streamlining, and provides superior buoyancy control, leading to more efficient movement and potentially reduced air consumption. This configuration also grants easier access to your tank valves and offers a valuable layer of redundancy. Mastering these techniques is central to achieving a safer and more enjoyable dive experience.

This specialty course includes comprehensive classroom instruction, hands-on pool training, and three certification dives. The fee of $499.00 covers instructor fees and your digital certification card issued through SSI, one of the certifying agencies El Mar Diving Center partners with. Specific sidemount regulators and a harness are provided for use during the course, ensuring you train with appropriate equipment.

To enroll, you must be at least 18 years old and possess a complete diving system. You will also need a DiveSSI profile and a smartphone with the DiveSSI app. Students are required to bring their own DSMB and a 50-foot spool. While the course fee covers key equipment and instruction, additional costs may apply for any other rental gear, travel expenses, or boat charters needed for the certification dives.