This specialty is required training for most SSI Professional programs, as well as some Extended Range programs, and is an essential way to expand your dive knowledge. It's not just for prospective dive pros however. 

The SSI Science of Diving program provides you with an in-depth study of diving physics, diving physiology, decompression theory, the aquatic environment, and diving equipment. This program is a requirement for any diver interested in following the path to Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, or Instructor. This course is also a great opportunity for any diver interested in having a better grasp of what is happening in the diving world around them. Whether you wish you could better calculate how long a cylinder will last at a certain depth, how to find and identify various species more readily, how to deal with a decompression emergency, or maybe just some tricks on how to change o-rings quickly, this course will teach you all of that and more. Find more specific descriptions of each concentration below.

Physiology

Diving causes several physiological changes in the human body. Our physiology workshop focuses on all those changes that we need to be aware of so we can execute our dives safely. In this part of the science of diving program we will review the effects that increased pressure has on the body, potential risks associated with that and how to prevent, mitigate, or provide first aid or treatment for any associated conditions.

Decompression

Decompression is possibly the least understood concept in scuba diving for most newly certified divers. But perhaps even stranger, most divers don’t realize how little they know about this condition. Decompression has been a limitation all divers need to manage since the development of Scuba so many decades ago. One of the areas of knowledge that has changed so little over time is still one of the most misunderstood. Come find out the difference between DCI and DCS. How DCS became known as the “Bends” and the best techniques available to help avoid it. Our Decompression Workshop will teach you everything you want to learn about the theory and more!

Environment

The ocean is, in fact, one of the most fragile resources we have. Understanding the underwater environment teaches us how to interact with the very thing we dive to see. Proper diving techniques and conservation practices are how divers can do their part to protect the future of the oceans. Learn about the cause and effect of ocean waves, wind, tides, ecology, species, and conservation. All the while learning how it can affect divers entries, exits, and time in the water.

Physics

There are many questions that come up for divers after the certification program. How do dive computers change when diving at altitude? How does a digital gauge measure depth as I descend? Why does my buoyancy feel so different at 60 feet than at 30 feet? Why doesn’t my tank change pressure as I descend if pressure is increasing? How do 2 different sized tanks both hold 3000 psi of air? How does nitrogen on gas rates really change with depth and do deeper dives really make me more likely to get “bent”? These are all legitimate questions to have as certified divers. The Diving Physics Workshop explains these issues and also covers more practical aspects of diving. Feel free to bring any other questions you may have to class.