Decompression Diving

The SSI Decompression Diving Specialty certification is an advanced scuba training program designed for divers who want to extend their limits beyond no-decompression dives. It teaches you how to plan and safely conduct dives that require mandatory decompression stops, allowing for longer bottom times and deeper exploration.

In this course, you’ll learn how decompression theory works in practical terms—how your body absorbs and releases inert gases, and how dive profiles affect your risk. A major focus is on dive planning using specialized software or dive computers, including how to calculate decompression schedules, gas requirements, and contingency plans.

You’ll also train in the use of multiple gas mixtures (such as enriched air blends) to accelerate decompression and improve safety margins. Practical skills include managing stage cylinders, executing precise decompression stops, maintaining buoyancy and trim for extended periods, and handling potential problems like missed stops or equipment issues.

The course combines academic sessions, confined water skill development, and open water training dives where you apply decompression procedures under instructor supervision.

By the end of the certification, you’ll be equipped to:

Plan and execute decompression dives within recreational or extended range limits

Use dive computers and backup methods effectively

Manage gas supplies conservatively and safely

Respond to emergencies specific to decompression diving

This certification is often considered a bridge between recreational scuba diving and more technical diving disciplines, opening the door to deeper, longer, and more complex underwater experiences while emphasizing disciplined planning and risk management.