Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox)

The Enriched Air Diver course is PADI’s most popular specialty scuba diving course, and it’s easy to see why. Scuba diving with enriched air nitrox gives you more no decompression dive time. This means more time underwater, especially on repetitive scuba dives. You can typically stay down longer and get back the water sooner. No wonder many divers choose this as their first specialty. The course begins with pre-class home study, including a 35-page study manual (or eLearning) and a 45-minute PADI DVD. Then you'll meet with an instructor for roughly 2 hours to review the manual and learn to analyze scuba tanks filled with an EAN mix. You must be 12 years old or older.

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Pricing (per person)

Book learning: $159;  PADI eLearning: $245

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What You'll Learn​

• Techniques for getting more dive time by using enriched air nitrox (EAN)

• Enriched air scuba diving equipment considerations

• Enriched air considerations, including managing oxygen exposure, how to tell what’s in your scuba tank, and how to set your dive computer

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Deep Diver

After your first few scuba dives, you soon want to explore a bit deeper. There’s something exciting and mysterious about the deep that attracts some divers. During course work, and at least four deep dives under the supervision of your PADI Instructor, you'll gain experience in planning, organizing, and making dives in the 18-40 meters/60-130 feet range. You must be 15 years or older.

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Prerequisites: Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air Diver

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Pricing (per person)​ $299​

 

Drift Diver

Most diving in Palm Beach County is drift diving, so why not learn from the experts? The Drift Diver specialty course teaches you how to enjoy rivers and ocean currents by “going with the flow,” staying with your buddy, and communicating with the boat, while maintaining your bearings.

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Pricing (per person)​ $199

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Night Diver

As the sun sets, you don your dive gear, slip on your scuba mask, and bite down on your regulator. A deep breath and you step off the boat— into the underwater at night. Although you've seen this reef many times before, this time you drop into a whole new world and watch it come to life under the glow of your dive light. Come explore the underwater world that comes alive after the sun goes down.

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Pricing (per person)​ $199

 

Peak Performance Buoyancy

What is neutral buoyancy? Scuba divers like to be neutrally buoyant so they neither sink nor float, but it can be tricky. Divers who’ve mastered the highest performance levels in buoyancy stand apart. You’ve seen them underwater. They glide effortlessly, use less air and ascend, descend or hover, almost as if by thought. They interact gently with aquatic life and minimally affect their surroundings. The Peak Performance Buoyancy course refines the basic skills you learned as an Open Water Diver and elevates them to the next level.

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Pricing (per person)​ $149

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Underwater Navigator

Be the diver everyone wants to follow and make your sense of direction legendary with the Underwater Navigator specialty course. Underwater navigation can be challenging, but in the Underwater Navigator course, you master the challenge. Working with an instructor at Blue Heron Bridge, you learn the tools of the trade, including both navigation via natural clues and compass.

 

Pricing (per person)​ $139

 

Wreck Diver

Whether sunk on purpose as an artificial reef or the result of mishap, wrecks open fascinating windows to the past. Most divers find wrecked ships, airplanes, and even automobiles nearly irresistible because they’re intriguing to explore, exciting avenues of discovery, and usually teeming with aquatic life. During the course of Wreck Diver training, on 4 wreck dives, you'll learn the ins and outs of rewarding, responsible wreck diving. You must be 15 years or older.

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Prerequisites: Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air Diver

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Pricing (per person)​ $319

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Boat Diver

South Florida has its fair share of shore diving, but we think the best diving in and around Jupiter is by boat. You may wonder: "What is so different about diving from a boat?" or "Why should I get a Boat Diver certification?" The short answer: This course will help you prepare for what to expect and what is expected of you.

 

Pricing (per person)​ $199

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What You'll Learn​

• Boat terminology

• Boat diving procedures and etiquette, including: how to enter and exit the water, where to stow gear, tipping standards, boating safety, and safety procedures

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Self-Reliant Diver

Although most scuba dives are made with a buddy, an experienced diver may want or need to make dives without a partner. During the Self-Reliant Diver course, you learn about potential risks of diving alone and the value of equipment redundancy and necessary back-up gear. During these 4 training dives aboard our boat, you'll develop skills for self-reliance and independence, while becoming a stronger partner in a dive pair or team. You must be at least 18 years or older.

 

Prerequisites: Advanced Open Water, 100 logged dives (minimum)

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Pricing (per person)​ $349

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What You'll Learn

• Value and application of the buddy system

• Philosophy of, and motivation for, diving without a partner

• Potential risks of diving alone, and how to manage such risks

• Value of equipment redundancy and what back-up equipment is needed

• Dive planning and gas management

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Underwater Photography

Underwater photography is one of the most popular diving specialties, and the rise of digital underwater photography has made it easier and more fun than ever. The Underwater Photography course gets you going quickly with today modern digital equipment, whether you use a point-and-shoot camera or a sophisticated D-SLR like the pros. Private classes with a professional photographer who has experience with most types of shooting are also offered.

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Pricing (per person)​ $249

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Equipment Specialist

Don’t miss a dive due to minor issues with your scuba diving equipment. Whether it's a missing o-ring, wetsuit tear, or a broken fin strap, the Equipment Specialist course teaches you to manage basic repairs and adjustments. You'll also learn more about how your gear works, making you more comfortable with it and better prepared to take care of your investment.

 

Pricing (per person)​ TBD

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What You'll Learn​

Gain skills in routine care and maintenance procedures as well as scuba equipment storage recommendations. Your instructor will show you how to overcome some common equipment problems and offer equipment configuration suggestions. You may even get to jump into the water to try new or unfamiliar equipment.

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Fish ID

Have you ever been scuba diving and asked yourself, “What was that?” The Fish ID specialty course provides you with the fish identification basics so that next time, you know the answer. You’ll find you enjoy your dives even more when you recognize the creatures that you see. The fun part about this course is you can use the skills you learn on every scuba diving vacation because once you learn the main fish families and characteristics it will help you decipher the species you see all over the world.

 

Pricing (per person)​ TBD

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What You'll Learn​

• How to identify characteristics of local fish families and species

• Fish survey techniques and strategies

• How to practice fish identification dive planning, organization, and procedures

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O2 Provider

We all hope for the best when we set out on our dive trip, but it's important to be prepared to assist a fellow diver should the need arise with the DAN or PADI Oxygen Provider course. Oxygen first aid provides needed oxygen to body tissues, enhances the elimination of inert gases such as nitrogen obtained from breathing gases, and helps shrink any gas bubbles that may have developed during ascent — bubbles that contribute to decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism. Supplemental oxygen also can help minimize or eliminate existing symptoms and reduce further injury until medical services are engaged.

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Pricing (per person)​ $125

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What You'll Learn​

• Atmospheric gases

• Respiration and circulation

• Decompression illness

• Oxygen and diving injuries

• Oxygen safety

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Lionfish Management

Native to the Pacific Ocean, lionfish are progressively invading the north-western Atlantic and the Caribbean, where they have no natural predators. Learn what action is needed to control the lionfish population and, during 2 scuba dives, learn practical ways to safely and humanely capture and euthanize these fish. May be used toward the Eco Master Scuba Diver program.

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Pricing (per person)​ $199

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Responsible Hunter and Collector

Do you love sea food but hate unsustainable fishing methods? On a 2-tank trip abroad our boat, this course teaches diver safety and responsible techniques for collecting legal marine species for consumption or collecting ornamental shells with minimal impact to the reef. You must be 15 years or older. May be used toward the Eco Master Scuba Diver program.

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Prerequisites: Enriched Air Diver, Advanced Open Water

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Pricing (per person)​ $199

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What You'll Learn​

• Spearfishing safety

• Basic shooting techniques

• Edible fish identification

• Basic hunting and stalking skills

• How to choose the proper gun

• Loading and aiming techniques

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Skin Diver

The Skin Diver course helps you get and keep your fins wet. While snorkeling is limited to peering down from the surface, skin divers generally venture further than snorkelers, making frequent surface dives to interact with aquatic life, up close and personal. You must be 8 years or older.

 

Pricing (per person)​ $149

 

What You'll Learn​

• Various techniques for donning and adjusting equipment

• Entering the water

• Checking buoyancy

• Surface swimming

• Clearing water from your snorkel

• Performing effortless surface dives

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Project AWARE Specialties

Are you eco-friendly? Roughly 70% of the Earth is water, so come discover the learning experiences in the Project AWARE program that will help you play an important role in reef and marine life protection to preserve the fragile ocean environment. Review the specialties below. These certifications may be used toward the Eco Master Scuba Diver program

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Pricing (per person/per course)​ TBD

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Project AWARE Dive Against Debris: Don’t let your dives go to waste! Grab your mesh bag, scuba gear, and a data card. Take a giant stride and Dive Against Debris. Scuba divers have cleaned debris from underwater environments for decades. But despite our best efforts, the trash from our daily lives keeps piling up. In response to the onslaught of marine debris, one of the biggest ocean issues of our time, Project AWARE launched Dive Against Debris. Created by divers for divers, this global, underwater survey of rubbish is designed to increase debris removal efforts, prevent harm to marine life, and connect your underwater actions to policy changes and prevention. Through this specialty you will learn to make a difference on every dive you make.

 

Project AWARE Specialist: AWARE’s philosophy is to mobilize a global force of scuba divers and water enthusiasts who care about protecting the world’s water resources and choose to make a difference, one dive at a time. By earning the Project AWARE Specialist certification, you’ll be aware of the most pressing problems facing vulnerable aquatic environments and know what everyday actions you can take to help protect them. Anyone who has an interest in the aquatic world should take this course. There are no prerequisites, age restrictions or water sessions required for this non-diving specialty.

 

Project AWARE Coral Reef Conservation: As a scuba diver, the health of aquatic ecosystems is often what makes a good dive. Become aware of the frailness of coral reefs and how you can help preserve them. The AWARE Coral Reef Conservation course teaches you about the vital role of coral reefs in the marine environment. The course also familiarizes you with the current state of the world's coral reefs and how you can help. You will learn about the Project AWARE Foundation, the function of coral reefs, their importance, the serious threats affecting them, and what we can do to prevent the further decline of the world we need to protect.

 

Project AWARE Shark Awareness: We are emptying the ocean of sharks. Thankfully, divers are some of sharks’ closest and most influential allies. Together, we are creating a powerful, collective voice to lead global grassroots change. You’ve helped us secure a stronger EU finning ban and bring about safeguards for highly traded shark and ray species under CITES. Sharks are crucial to marine ecosystems, yet sharks are in a global decline. Learn about the value of sharks and what is causing the rapid loss of shark populations. The course may include 2 scuba dives or may be presented as a non-diving education program. The first dive of this distinctive specialty course may credit as an Adventure Dive toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification (ask your instructor about earning credit).

 

Project AWARE Fish ID: “What was that fish?” is a common question heard after a dive. If you want to be the scuba diver with the answers, instead of the one asking the questions, then take the AWARE Fish ID specialty course. You’ll enjoy your dives even more when you recognize the creatures that you see and can identify the main fish families and their characteristics. If you’re at least 10 years old and a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or higher, you can enroll in the AWARE Fish ID course. Once you learn to recognize the types of fish you see, you’ll find it easier to reference the exact species after a scuba dive. For example, a butterfly fish in the Caribbean has a similar shape to a butterfly fish in Southeast Asia, but colors and markings may be wildly different. If you know the correct fish family, you can more easily look up the local name or at least be able to intelligently ask the local scuba instructor about what you saw.