Description

Explore the fascinating world of shipwrecks from the outside, with no penetration involved. Wrecks are living museums and thriving artificial reefs, and this course teaches you to dive them safely and responsibly while staying outside the structure. You’ll learn how to research and plan a wreck dive, navigate around large structures, manage hazards like sharp edges, entanglement and silt, and maintain excellent buoyancy to protect both yourself and the site. It’s the perfect introduction to wreck diving and a solid foundation before advancing to limited-penetration training later on.

Wreck diving can be one of the most exciting aspects of sport diving, however every effort must be made to maximize safe diving techniques. The SDI Wreck Diver Course will discuss the equipment and techniques commonly employed while wreck diving. This course may be taught as a non-penetration, 2 dives required, or as a limited-penetration course, requiring 3 dives. Limited-penetration is defined as a swim through or within the ambient light of entry point.

Dives included: 2 open water dives.

Prerequisites

• SDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent
• Minimum age 18; 10 with parental consent
• Complete a medical statement where relevant

What You Will Learn

• Researching and planning a wreck dive
• Navigating around large underwater structures
• Hazard management: sharp edges, entanglement, silt
• Buoyancy control to protect diver and site
• Wreck-diving safety and buddy procedures

Required Equipment

• Complete open-water scuba kit
• Dive light and backup light
• Cutting tool for entanglement
• Surface marker buoy and reel
• Compass and dive computer

Course Requirements & Standards (SDI)

• No penetration — external exploration only
• Minimum of open-water wreck training dives with an SDI Instructor
• Conducted within recreational limits

After This Course

Advance to the SDI Wreck Diver – Limited Penetration specialty when you’re ready to venture just inside.