From: 450€

Do I really need a foundations course?

The answer to this is probably yes! When starting out on technical diving many divers underestimate the importance of fully mastering the fundamentals of diving techniques. When you are switching gases underwater or sending up an SMB it is vital that you can hold you buoyancy accurately whilst carrying out such an activity. If you plan to dive in wrecks or caves you must be able to fin correctly using the frog kick, rather than a flutter kick in order to avoid stirring up sand or silt. Your trim and profile are important in terms of air consumption and when passing through narrow spaces in a cave or wreck. The importance of these skills is magnified when you begin your technical dive training.

The SSI Extended Range Foundations course is conducted in a workshop environment that is designed to improve your skills to the high level required in technical diving. The course incorporates SSI’s Extended Range Total Diving Systems and procedures. The aim of the course is to ensure that you are fully prepared to meet the demands of SSI’s  extended range technical dive courses in safety and comfort. All training dives are completed in a confined water environment at depths of less than 12 metres. The ability to be able to perfect your techniques in shallow waters is important as this is where many activities including the majority of decompression procedures are carried out.

  • The SSI Extended Range Foundations course costs €400 and consists of a series of confined water dives. The course can be completed two days and is open to any diver holding the required prerequisites.