Why Participate in Specialty Training?
Carlos Garcia Jun 21, 2026
One of the most common questions I hear is, "What specialty should I take next?" With more than 30 SSI specialties available, it's a fair question.
Last month, we introduced the concept of training pathways to provide structure for the many choices available in specialty training. These aren't rigid tracks but simply a way to help you focus your training on what interests you most.
This month, I will provide examples from the first pathway: Control and Comfort.
The goal of this pathway is simple. Help divers become more confident, comfortable, and capable underwater. Better control and comfort lead to safer dives, improved awareness, and a more enjoyable experience in virtually every diving environment.
Navigation
In this specialty program, you will gain the advanced skills and knowledge you need to safely and confidently navigate underwater.
You will learn how to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, estimate distances, leave and return to a designated point, and follow basic navigation patterns. You will also be taught how to combine navigation techniques to enhance your diving experience.
All of this helps hone your underwater observation skills, improve dive safety, and help you get the most out of every dive.
Night and Limited Visibility
Night diving requires different skills from diving during the day.
The SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty is the best way to learn about night diving and practice the techniques you will need to become a safe and confident night diver.
In this program, you will be provided with all the knowledge and skills needed to safely and comfortably dive at night or in limited visibility conditions. With a combination of online learning and open water training dives, you will learn how to enter and exit the water, use specialized equipment, and communicate effectively with your buddy in low-visibility environments.
Perfect Buoyancy
The SSI Perfect Buoyancy specialty is the best way to improve your buoyancy and get the most from every dive.
Buoyancy is an essential dive skill, but any diver will tell you it takes time to perfect. The Perfect Buoyancy specialty teaches advanced buoyancy skills and techniques that help you master buoyancy more quickly and enjoy more relaxed dive adventures.
In this fascinating program, you will also learn skills that help protect the environment and work in virtually every diving situation.
Foundations
The Extended Range Foundations course is designed to serve as the foundation for a solid technical diver, providing a platform for everything else going forward. However, it is also an excellent specialty for recreational divers who want to improve their control and comfort underwater.
The only prerequisite is to be a certified Open Water Diver with at least 24 dives.
The course is offered in a variety of equipment configurations, including a standard recreational single-cylinder total diving system. The program focuses on enhancing diving skills in a controlled workshop environment, allowing divers to refine their buoyancy, trim, finning techniques, stability, and teamwork.
This course is ideal for building confidence, improving underwater control, and learning to stay still. These skills help divers get more from every future dive, whether recreational or technical.
All in-water sessions take place in a pool or confined water setting at depths of less than 40 feet, creating a focused and effective learning environment.
Building the Foundation for Future Adventures
These are only a few examples of specialty programs within the Control and Comfort pathway. All are designed to provide divers with a foundation of knowledge and experience that supports the many adventures diving offers.
Sign up for your next class, build your confidence, and continue developing into the kind of diver others want to dive with.
We'll see you in the water.
Carlos
Tom's Dive & Swim