Description
Discover a favorite of many divers, and a completely different side of the underwater world after dark. This course covers the procedures, techniques and potential hazards of diving at night or in low visibility, including proper dive light use and backup lighting, navigation, buddy communication with lights, and maintaining precise buoyancy when references are limited. You’ll learn how to plan and manage these dives so they feel calm and controlled rather than intimidating. The reward is spectacular: a reef transformed after sunset, with nocturnal marine life on the move and colors that seem to glow under your light.
Many divers find that night diving is their favorite type of diving. As with all specialty diving applications, procedures are different than those associated with open water diving. The purpose of this course is to acquaint the open water diver with the procedures, techniques, and potential hazards associated with diving at night, or in limited visibility. Becoming familiar with the use of dive lights, and night diving techniques such as navigation, buddy system procedures, communications, buoyancy control, and interacting with nocturnal aquatic life, the diver can safely enjoy night diving.
Dives included: 2 open water dives.
Prerequisites
- SDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent
- Minimum age 10 (Junior) / 18 (adult)
- Complete a medical statement where relevant
What You Will Learn
- Night/low-visibility dive planning and safety
- Primary and backup dive light use
- Light-based buddy communication and signals
- Navigation in the dark and maintaining orientation
- Buoyancy control with limited references
- Managing potential hazards and disorientation
Required Equipment
- Complete open-water scuba kit
- Primary dive light plus a backup light
- Marker/chemical light or tank marker
- Compass and dive computer
- Surface signaling devices
Course Requirements & Standards (SDI)
- Minimum of 2 open-water night/low-visibility training dives
- Conducted with an SDI Instructor within recreational limits
- Emphasis on light management and communication
After This Course
Pairs well with Underwater Navigation and Advanced Buoyancy for confident low-visibility diving.
