The Advanced Open Water (AOW) Diver course is all about advancing your skills. You'll practice navigation and buoyancy, try deep diving and make three specialty dives of your choosing (it's like a specialty sampler platter). This higher certification level allows you to dive down to 100 feet, and opens up many new Florida dive sites (including drift dives off Jupiter, deep wrecks in the Keys, and more advanced caverns like Paradise). To get the most out of your course, we recommend students have completed 20-25+ dives before taking their AOW.

You can choose to do your AOW in the Florida springs, in the ocean, or both (one day of each):

Freshwater option: We take students to more advanced open water sites in the Florida springs, such as Paradise, Buford, or Emerald Sink, which offer access to depths of 100’+. If choosing this option, you must select “Cavern” as one of your three specialty dives.

Saltwater option: We take students out of the sheltered Florida springs for AOW to experience saltwater diving and new conditions either on the Gulf Coast or Atlantic. Please note, there is an additional fee for this option, to cover the cost of boat charters.

Freshwater + Saltwater option: This is our most popular (and recommended) option. We will conduct the first day at Buford Sink (Oct-May) or Hudson Grotto (summer), including your Deep and Cavern dives. Choice of spring is dependent on local conditions and flooding/brown-out. The second day will take place off-shore on a local ocean charter in either Tampa (Gulf of Mexico) or Jupiter (Atlantic); location is up to you.

Although it is a longer drive, we highly recommend choosing the Jupiter drift dive option - Jupiter is a world-class diving destination known for its drift diving, wrecks, “big” sea life (including sharks, groupers, and turtles!), and blue water/high visibility. Dives are deeper and typically involve “live drifts” - we will teach you how these work as part of your AOW! If interested in “Wreck” as one of your specialties, we strongly recommend the Jupiter option for your ocean dives. If choosing the Tampa option, please be aware that diving in the Gulf involves a longer boat ride, shallower depths, and “green” water/lower vis (10-20’); with less prominent reef structure and wildlife .

Choice of specialties: For your AOW course, you will do a total of five dives. This includes a Deep dive, an Underwater Navigation dive, plus three specialty dives of your choice. You pick the specialties! Popular options include: Cavern, Enriched Air Nitrox, Wreck Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Dry Suit, DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle), Full Face Mask, Boat, Search & Recovery, Self-Reliant, Underwater Photography, Underwater Naturalist, and Fish Identification, . Please note, some freshwater sites may require you to select “Cavern” as one of your specialties.

Prerequisites: Open Water Diver/Junior Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification); 20-25+ dives recommended

Course Details: PADI Advanced Open Water or SDI Advanced Adventurer (pick your agency when booking)

Estimated time commitment: 2 days (5 dives)

Minimum age: 12 years or older

Depth: The maximum depth depends on your age, but maximum depth is up to 30 metres/100 feet

Maximum Course Size: 4 Students (exceptions available for large groups upon request)

Course Cost: $500 USD* - Complimentary rental gear is available upon request, at no additional cost. Additional fees may be required for air fills, transportation, and dive site entrance cost. Contact us for more information. Extra fee required for ocean option, to cover cost of boat charters.

Tip: Consider pairing your Advanced Open Water course with a Nitrox course, to allow for longer bottom times and shorter surface intervals! Or add a Deep specialty to take your maximum bottom depth down to 130’.