PADI instructor Peter Kibler demonstrates to a female divemaster DM candidate how to use a liftbag and DSMB in the headspring at Manatee Springs State Park Florida as part of a scuba diving lesson

What to Expect

Whether you’re new to diving, or an advanced diver looking to get into tech or cave, we believe that learning should be fun. We work with you on selecting courses and dates, and offer both private and small group classes that allow students to make progress at their own pace.

The majority of our in-water instruction takes place in our local Florida springs. We love Troy, Manatee, and Royal as excellent training sites for new and advanced divers. The crystal clear waters are 72 degrees year-round (warm in winter and cool in summer!), and offer calm water and easy shore entries that let students focus on new skills without worrying about cancellation or bad conditions. No seasickness and no salt to rinse!

Depending on the class, classroom instruction may take place either online (PADI eLearning) or in-person, most often at our partner dive shop, Extreme Exposure in High Springs, Florida.

If you are doing a guided dive with us, we will arrange waivers and trip details in advance. Let us know if you need rental gear or have site-specific questions!

FAQ

Questions about our classes, dives or teaching philosophy? Check our some of our most frequently asked questions below, or shoot us a note.

Do you have a calendar of scheduled classes/guided dives?

Because we specialize in small custom classes and guided dive experiences, we do not post dates publicly. If you are interested in joining an existing class, please reach out and let us know, and we will let you know the next course with seats available. If you are interested in a private or small group class, please reach out with your availability, and we will customize scheduling around your dates and timeframe. Guided dives are personalized, based on your interests - we go where you want, when you want!

Do I need to rent gear?

Many of our students already own their own SCUBA diving gear; however, many do not. If you are new to diving or taking a class that requires specialized equipment (e.g., drysuit, full-face mask), we can make rental arrangements for you. We are partnered with Extreme Exposure in High Springs, who rent a wide variety of high-quality recreational and technical gear. Please let us know when booking whether you will need rental equipment, and we will work with you on sizing and rental costs.

Do you sell SCUBA gear?

We do not currently sell SCUBA equipment directly. However, we are partnered with Extreme Exposure in High Springs, who offer a large selection of gear, including ScubaPro, DiveRite, and Halcyon. We are happy to help our students with purchasing gear from the shop - just ask!

How cold is the water?

The Florida springs are 72 degrees year-round; this can feel warm in winter, but quite cool in summer. We recommend and can arrange rental of 5mm wetsuits. If you are used to diving in saltwater, you will need less weight in the freshwater springs. We are happy to work with you on proper weighting!

If I get certified in the springs, can I dive in the ocean?

Yes! The Florida springs are ideal for training - they are calm, easy access shore dives with consistent temperature and controlled conditions. There’s little chance your class will get blown out, or that you’ll have to reschedule classes due to seasickness or bad weather. All of this means you can concentrate on learning the skills for your SCUBA diving certification in a safe, controlled environment. Mastering those skills in good conditions makes it easier to add in more challenging elements later - such as waves, currents, and boat entries. For advanced students, we also offer the option to complete some or all Advanced Open Water dives in the ocean, off a local boat charter.

Do you offer technical or cave training?

Currently at this time we offer only PADI recreational courses, but check back in with us! As experienced cave divers, we are happy to work with students with this eventual goal in mind. Many of our courses, such as cavern and drysuit, make great building blocks for establishing a strong foundation for more advanced diving. We offer guided cavern dives to certified cavern divers, and can also arrange guided dives to caverns that permit open water divers (e.g., Blue Grotto, Paradise). If you are interested in pursuing technical or cave training down the road, we are happy to recommend local instructors.