PADI Dive Courses Offered on the Island

Our volunteer trips are for both non-experienced and experienced divers.  Not certified?  No worries, many of our volunteers come to the island to learn to dive. Looking to further your dive credentials?  Many of our volunteers come to our island to further their diving certification status.  Regardless of your diving level, our island is a wonderful place to learn with calm, clear waters and little current. We swap the cold swimming pool for the Caribbean Sea and the classroom for a hammock under a palm tree!

Scuba diving certification courses have prerequisites and courses must be taken in chronological order to ensure the diver has the necessary skills and experience for the course at hand.  Below is the sequential order in which scuba courses must be taken:

1. PADI Open Water Certification (1 week stay)
2. PADI Advanced Open Water Certification (1 week stay)
3. PADI Rescue Diver Certification (1 week stay)
4. PADI Dive Master Certification (4 week minimum stay)
5. PADI Dive Instructor (not offered on our island)

We have many dive courses available to help you develop your scuba and marine conservation skills while on the island volunteering with us.  Below is the price our program charges for each PADI certification course and how long it will take you to complete the certification course on the island.

PADI Certification Courses Offered on the Island

• PADI Open Water Certification – $225 USD (3 days)*
• PADI Advanced Open Water Certification – $275 USD (1 week)*
• PADI Rescue Diver Certification – $325 USD (1 week)*
• PADI Dive Master Certification – $750 USD (4 week minimum stay)*

PADI Specialty Certification Courses Offered on the Island

• PADI Specialty Course: Invasive Lionfish – $175 USD (2 days)
• PADI Specialty Course: Coral Reef Conservation – $175 USD (2 days)
• PADI Specialty Course: Fish Identification – $175 USD (2 days)
• PADI Specialty Course: Deep Diver – $175 USD (3 days)
• PADI Specialty Course: Emergency First Response – $175 USD (2 days)*
• PADI Specialty Course: Underwater Photographer – $250 USD (2 days)*

*Please Note:  The PADI Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Dive Master, Underwater Photographer, and Emergency First Response require the PADI eLearning prior to arrival.  All other courses do NOT require the PADI eLearning prior to arrival.  You must be a fully certified Open Water diver before taking any PADI Specialty Courses.  You can sign up for your course at check out!

PADI Course Certification with ReefCI

PADI scuba certification with ReefCI is an easy 2 step process.

Step 1:  Complete the book learning/theory portion of your course through the PADI online eLearning course at home before arrival (cost is around 200 USD and paid to PADI via their website).

Step 2:  Once on the ReefCI island, you will finish off the actual in-water portion of your course with ReefCI (cost depends on your course). This entire process is spelled out below in more detail with a link to sign up for the PADI eLearning.

In order to be certified on the island, you will need to complete the PADI eLearning portion of your course (Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Divemaster, Underwater Photographer or Emergency First Response) prior to your arrival to our island.  PADI is the world’s leading scuba diver training organization that governs and regulates scuba standards and diver certifications. With PADI’s online eLearning, you will complete the classroom/theory portion of your course online before your arrival.  PADI charges around $200 USD for the eLearning and the cost is paid to PADI via their website.  You must click here to register for PADI’s online eLearning and complete it before your arrival.  This link will affiliate you with ReefCI and lets us know you are registered and taking the course with us. After completing the eLearning, you must print out your eRecord (or snap a picture of it on your phone) and bring it with you to the island for our instructors.  Once on the island, you will complete the required in-water training portion of the course with ReefCI.  The cost paid to ReefCI for the in-water portion of your course depends on which course you are taking with us.  (see our prices above)

PADI Course Descriptions 

PADI Open Water Diver Certification

If you’ve always wanted to take scuba diving lessons, experience unparalleled adventure and see the world beneath the waves, this is where it starts. Get your scuba diving certification with the PADI Open Water Diver course – the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba course. At the first level, Open Water Diver, divers gain basic knowledge of skills, equipment use, and theory for diving to a recommended depth of 18 meters/60 feet. Once certified as an Open Water Diver, PADI will send you your personal Open Water license card, usually within 4 weeks via mail.  This certification card allows you to dive with every PADI dive shop around the world!

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Certification

You don’t have to be “advanced” to take it – it’s designed to advance your diving, so you can start right after earning your PADI Open Water Diver certification. The course helps build confidence and expand your scuba skills through different Adventure Dives.

Your Adventure Dives will include five of the following:

• Deep Dive (maximum depth 30 meters/100 feet)
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Night Dive
• Underwater Navigation
• Fish-ID

You get to try out different specialties while gaining experience under the supervision of your PADI Instructor.  The AOWD also allows the diver to explore a broader variety of diving to a maximum depth of 30 meters/100 feet.

PADI Rescue Diver Certification

The PADI Rescue Diver course prepares you to deal with dive emergencies, minor and major, using a variety of techniques. Through knowledge development and rescue exercises, you learn what to look for and how to respond. During rescue scenarios, you put into practice your knowledge and skills.  The course covers the following topics in seven scenarios:

• Self-rescue and diver stress
• Emergency management
• Panicked diver response
• In-water rescue breathing protocols
• Egress (exits)
• Dive accident scenarios
• CPR/First Aid

Rescue Diver Certification can be completed in one week regardless of the option you choose above.

PADI Dive Master Certification

The Dive Master Certification (DM) rating places you in an elite group of respected divers who have earned this rating through both significant experience and scuba training. Fewer than 2% of divers ever achieve this rating.  The course will develop leadership skills and deepen your knowledge of diving.   Prerequisite certifications include the PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced, and PADI Rescue (or equivalent certifications from another training organization).  The PADI Dive Master Certification requires the following:

• You must complete the PADI Dive Master eLearning before arrival to the island
• A 4-week minimum stay on the island is required to complete all the required PADI Dive Master training dives

What is the cost of the PADI Dive Master certification course?

• The PADI Dive Master certification course price is $750 USD which includes the PADI Dive Master Crew Pack with eLearning and all the in-person training dives on the island
• Price does not include the 4-week minimum stay with ReefCI

Upon payment for the course, ReefCI will send you a PADI eLearning code via email to access the eLearning which must be completed prior to arrival.  With this convenient online study option, you will complete the classroom/theory portion and theory exam of your DM course before your arrival.  At the end of the eLearning program, you must print out your eRecord and bring a copy of it with you to the island.  Once on the island, you will receive the rest of your PADI Dive Master Crew Pack learning materials and complete the in-water training portion of the course which takes 4 weeks.

PADI Specialty Course – Invasive Lionfish

Thirty years after their accidental introduction, lionfish have conquered the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans and are wreaking havoc on coral reef ecosystems. Unlike in its native Pacific Ocean habitats, there are no natural predators in the Atlantic and Caribbean to keep this invasive species in check. Hence, lionfish populations have exploded, gobbling up native coral reef fish that have no natural defense mechanisms against this invasive species. Lionfish threaten the very survival and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans. Learn what action is needed to control the lionfish population and, learn practical ways to safely and humanely capture and euthanize these fish.

Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Certified and be at least 15 years old.

PADI Specialty Course – Coral Reef Conservation

Everyone likes to scuba dive or snorkel in warm, clear water on a vibrant coral reef, yet many people know little about what they’re seeing or the importance of reef ecosystems. The Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course helps you appreciate the complexity of these habitats and teaches you how you can help conserve these vital systems.

The Coral Reef Conservation specialty course will cover the following topics:

• How coral reefs function and the complex nature of life on a reef.
• Why coral reefs are so important.
• Why many coral reefs are in serious trouble.
• What you can do to prevent further decline.
• How Project AWARE unites divers and water enthusiasts to make a difference.

No Prerequisite: Anyone who has an interest in the aquatic world can take this course. There are no prerequisites or age restrictions for this Specialty Course.

Please Note: This is a non-diving certification and no water dive sessions are required to earn this PADI Specialty.

PADI Specialty Course – Fish Identification

“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 Fish Identification 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.  During two scuba dives, you’ll learn:

• Identify characteristics of local fish families and species
• Fish survey techniques and strategies
• Project AWARE activities that can help protect aquatic life

Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Certified and be at least 10 years old.

PADI Specialty Course – Deep Diver

The lure of the deep. There’s something exciting and mysterious about exploring deeper dive sites while scuba diving. Sometimes it’s a wreck that attracts you below 18 meters/60 feet, and on wall dives it may be a giant fan or sponge. Whatever it is, to scuba dive with confidence at depths down to 40 meters/130 feet, you should take the PADI Deep Diver Specialty course. During four deep dives with your instructor, you’ll go over:

• Specialized deep diving equipment
• Deep dive planning, buddy contact procedures and buoyancy control
• Managing your gas supply, dealing with gas narcosis and safety considerations

Prerequisite:  Advanced Open Water Certified and be at least 15 years old.

PADI Specialty Course – Emergency First Response (EFR)

Emergency First Response training focuses on building confidence in rescuers and increasing their willingness to respond when faced with a medical emergency. Course participants learn simple to follow steps for emergency care and practice applying skills in a non-stressful learning environment.

The EFR Specialty Course meets the CPR and first aid training requirements for the PADI Rescue Diver course and all professional-level ratings.  The following EFR topics will be covered:

• Primary Care (CPR)
• Secondary Care (First Aid)
• Care for Children
• CPR & AED

No Prerequisite: Anyone who has an interest in emergency first response can take this course. There are no prerequisites or age restrictions for this Specialty Course.

Please Note: This is a non-diving certification and no water dive sessions are required to earn this PADI Specialty.

PADI Specialty Course – Underwater Photographer

Underwater photography is one of the most popular diving specialties, and with so many underwater cameras to choose from, it has become easier and more fun than ever to capture images of your underwater scuba adventures. The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course gets you going quickly, whether you use a point-and-shoot camera or a sophisticated dSLR like the pros.

Prerequisite:  Open Water Certified

Please Note: This PADI Specialty requires the PADI eLearning course:   Digital Underwater Photographer. This must be completed prior to arrival.  No camera is required.  We have all the equipment one needs to complete this PADI Specialty successfully.