Advanced Scuba Diving: Courses, Specialties & What Comes Next
Image credit: Photo by Lucas Davies on Unsplash
Many divers are perfectly happy with their Open Water certification and its limits for their entire diving career—and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But stepping beyond your first certification is where scuba diving truly opens up.
After your Open Water course, you’re no longer just learning how to dive—you’re learning how to dive better, safer, and with purpose.
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Advanced scuba training isn’t about making things harder. It’s about giving you the skills and confidence to explore deeper sites, handle new conditions, and fully enjoy the underwater world without hesitation.
Whether you want longer dives, new environments, or simply feel more comfortable underwater, this guide will help you understand your options—and choose the right path forward.
Why Continue Your Scuba Diving Training?
Continuing your scuba education is one of the best investments you can make as a diver. Each course builds on your existing skills and unlocks new possibilities underwater.
With advanced training, you can:
- Dive deeper and explore more – Access wrecks, walls, and advanced dive sites
- Improve safety and awareness – Learn how to prevent and manage potential issues
- Boost confidence underwater – Feel more relaxed in different conditions
- Enhance your overall experience – Improve buoyancy, air consumption, and control
Advanced diving isn’t about collecting certifications—it’s about becoming a diver who feels completely at ease in the ocean.
Your Scuba Diving Path
One of the most common questions new divers ask is: “What should I do next?”
While there’s no single correct path, most divers follow a progression by moving up the course ladder, with specialties added along the way. Something like:
Open Water Diver
Begin your underwater journey
Advanced / Adventure Diver
Build experience
Rescue Diver
Take responsibility for others
Divemaster
Turn passion into career
Each step builds on the previous one:
- Advanced-level training introduces new environments
- Rescue training develops awareness and problem-solving skills
- Specialty courses allow you to focus on what excites you most
- Professional levels can turn passion into a lifestyle
You don’t have to follow this path strictly. You can mix specialties with core courses and shape your diving journey around your interests.
Advanced Open Water (AOW): Your First Step Beyond the Basics
What Is Advanced Open Water?
Despite the name, the Advanced Open Water (AOW) course is designed for divers who want to gain experience—not prove expertise.
Instead of classroom-heavy learning, this course focuses on practical diving. You’ll complete a series of “adventure dives,” each introducing a different skill or environment.
What You’ll Learn
During the course, you’ll typically complete five dives, including:
- Deep diving – Understanding depth, pressure, and nitrogen effects
- Underwater navigation – Using a compass and natural references
- Additional dives such as night diving, buoyancy, or drift diving
Each dive is a preview of a specialty, helping you discover what you enjoy most.
Navigation Dive
I completed my Advanced Open Water dives at Stony Cove in the UK, where visibility was just a few meters at best. That made my navigation dive a true test of navigation skills.
read full story
Following a square pattern using only a compass—while counting fin kicks in near-zero visibility—is a completely different experience compared to doing the same exercise in clear, sunlit tropical waters.
At the time, the conditions felt challenging. But in hindsight, that’s exactly what made the training so valuable. Learning in difficult environments builds real confidence.
Why It Matters
This course is where many divers experience a major shift in confidence. You become more comfortable below 18 meters, gain real-world diving experience and start identifying your personal diving style.
For many, this is the point where diving transforms from a new skill into a true passion.
Intermediate and advanced Dive sites
Rescue Diver: The Course That Changes Everything
Why Rescue Diver Is So Important
If there’s one course that truly elevates your diving, it’s Rescue Diver.
This training shifts your mindset from focusing only on yourself to becoming aware of everything happening around you—your buddy, your environment, and potential risks before they become problems.
Skills You’ll Develop
During the Rescue Diver course, you’ll learn how to:
- Recognize stress and prevent incidents before they escalate
- Assist tired or panicked divers
- Handle emergency scenarios both underwater and at the surface
- Manage real-life rescue situations with confidence
Why Every Diver Should Take It
Many divers describe Rescue Diver as the most rewarding course they’ve ever taken. It dramatically increases your confidence, it makes you a safer, more reliable dive buddy. It also prepares you for real-world situations—not just ideal conditions.
More than anything, it changes how you think underwater—and that’s what makes it so valuable.
An often overlooked benefit is that many of the skills you learn extend far beyond diving. First aid, resuscitation, risk management, and staying calm under pressure are life skills that can make a real difference when it matters most.
We gave him a fighting chance
Like we said, many of the skills you learn extend far beyond diving. I learned this the hard way, one ordinary day on London Undergound station…
read my story
Not long after completing my Rescue course, I was on my way to the airport via the London Underground when I came across a man lying motionless on the platform. A few people had gathered around, trying to figure out what to do.
Let’s be honest—I wasn’t a hero in shining armor. Stress hit immediately, and I could feel the adrenaline surge. But I also realized there was no time to hesitate.
People wanted to help, but there was no coordination—and, more importantly, no effective action being taken.
I quickly checked if emergency services had been called, then asked if anyone had experience with this kind of situation. At the same time, I checked the man’s breathing and pulse.
Nothing.
The man was fighting for his life.
With the help of others, we started resuscitation. It wasn’t successful, but we continued, doing everything we could while waiting for the medics to arrive.
A few days later, while on holiday, I received a call informing me that the medics had managed to restart his heart—but sadly, he later passed away in the hospital.
It was a difficult moment. I felt like I could—and should—have done more.
But I was also told something important:
We gave him a fighting chance.
Without the knowledge and confidence from the Rescue Diver course, I would have just stood there—watching, unsure what to do.
And that’s exactly why this training matters.
Specialty Courses: Customize Your Diving Experience
Make Diving Your Own
Once you’ve built a solid foundation, specialty courses allow you to shape your diving around what excites you most. Instead of following a fixed path, you can focus on the environments, skills, and experiences that matter to you.
Popular Specialty Courses
Enriched Air (Nitrox)
One of the most useful specialties for recreational divers. Nitrox allows you to extend bottom time and reduce fatigue, especially on repetitive dives.
Explore more in your Explained! – Nitrox guide.
Night Diving
Diving at night reveals a completely different ocean. Marine life behavior changes, and familiar sites feel entirely new.
Learn more in my Night Diving guide
Deep Diving
Extends your depth limit beyond 18 meters and teaches you how to manage gas, time, and the effects of pressure safely.
Wreck Diving
Explore sunken ships, artificial reefs, and underwater history—while learning how to navigate these environments safely.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Often overlooked, but one of the most impactful specialties. Better buoyancy means better air consumption, control, and less impact on marine life.
Drift Diving
Perfect for current-rich destinations. Learn how to move with the water, conserve energy, and enjoy effortless dives.
Choosing the Right Path for You
Which Advanced Course Should You Take First?
With so many options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. There’s no wrong choice—only the one that matches your interests and diving style. The best choice depends on your goals as a diver.
- Want more confidence? → Start with Rescue Diver and buoyancy training
- Want longer dives? → Go for Nitrox
- Love exploration? → Try deep or wreck diving
- Planning dive travel? → Drift and navigation are essential
Thinking About Going Pro?
Beyond Advanced: The Professional Path
If diving becomes more than just a hobby, you might consider taking the next step toward becoming a professional.
The first level is typically Divemaster, where you learn to lead certified divers, assist instructors during courses and develop leadership and mentoring skills.
For many, this is the beginning of a lifestyle centered around diving, travel, and the ocean.
If you want a deeper insight, check my Divemaster story
Becoming a Divemaster – Part 1 & Part 2
How Advanced Training Makes You a Better Diver
Advanced training doesn’t just benefit you—it also benefits the ocean.
With improved skills, you maintain better buoyancy and avoid damaging reefs, interact more responsibly with marine life, stay calm and controlled in sensitive environments.
The more skilled you become, the more you can experience the underwater world without impacting it. That’s what responsible diving is all about.
FAQ
Is advanced diving dangerous?
No—when done correctly, advanced training actually makes diving safer by improving your skills and awareness.
How long do advanced courses take?
Most courses take between 1–3 days, depending on the type and structure.
Do I need Advanced Open Water before taking specialties?
Not always. Some specialties can be taken directly after Open Water, depending on the training organization.
What is the best specialty to start with?
Nitrox and buoyancy are often the most useful for most divers.
How many dives do I need before Rescue Diver?
You typically need some experience and a basic level of comfort underwater, but requirements vary slightly.
Continue Your Diving Journey
Explore More Scuba Diving Guides
Ready to take the next step? Continue exploring. Each step you take builds your confidence—and brings you closer to becoming the kind of diver who truly understands and respects the ocean.