SSI Blue Oceans
You've seen a reef that looked vibrant and alive. You may have also seen one that didn't: bleached, quiet, missing fish that should have been there.
Divers see ocean health up close in a way most people never do. Blue Oceans covers what's actually driving the changes you've witnessed, what conservation work is genuinely effective, and concrete ways to get involved.
Availability: Contact us for booking information
Most of That Concern Stays Vague. This Course Replaces It With Specifics.
Bleached coral. Quiet water where there should have been fish. Divers see ocean health up close in a way most people never do, the spectacular and the concerning both. Most of that concern stays vague, a general sense that something is wrong without the specifics of why, or what to actually do about it.
SSI Blue Oceans replaces the vagueness with real understanding: coral reef health, the specific threats including shark finning and ocean plastics, what conservation efforts are genuinely working, and concrete paths to getting involved. $150. Open to everyone, no certification required. Minimum age 10.
This Is About Doing Something, Not Just Feeling Concerned
Most divers who spend time underwater develop real concern about ocean health. Blue Oceans is built to convert that concern into specific, actionable understanding rather than leaving it as vague worry.
This course is for the diver who wants to move from caring about the ocean to actually understanding what helps, and what to do about it.
Blue Oceans Is for the Diver Who Wants to Do Something, Not Just Worry
This is usually the right next step if any of these sound familiar.
You've noticed changes in reef health over time
Understand what's actually driving the changes you've observed, with real data instead of just impressions.
You want concrete ways to help, not vague advice
The course covers specific, actionable paths to getting involved, from local cleanups to broader advocacy.
You dive destinations affected by tourism and climate pressure
Understand the real pressures facing the destinations you love to dive, and how responsible diving helps.
You want to talk about this credibly with other divers
Build a real, fact-based understanding of ocean conservation issues you can discuss confidently.
Choose Your Explore-Lane Course
You want to understand threats and how to help
Best for divers focused on conservation issues, ocean health, and concrete ways to get involved.
You want the big picture of how the ocean is organized
Best for understanding oceanic zones and the relationships between species and environment.
You want to go deep on one specific group of animals
Best for divers especially drawn to a particular kind of marine life and its conservation story.
What Blue Oceans Actually Covers
"This is going to be all bad news and guilt."
The course balances real challenges with what is actually working: conservation successes, positive trends, and the specific actions divers can take. It is built to be motivating, not discouraging.
"There's nothing one diver can actually do."
A core academic session is specifically dedicated to getting involved, with concrete, achievable actions, not just abstract awareness.
"This is just an environmental lecture."
The course is structured around active learning: discussion sessions on coral reefs, threats, and finding positive solutions, not passive content consumption.
"This requires advanced diving experience."
There is no diving skill prerequisite. The academics are open to anyone, certified diver or not.
What You’ll Train
A fully academic course built around active discussion sessions.
An active learning session establishing what healthy ocean ecosystems look like and why they matter.
Specific sessions on shark finning and ocean plastics, among the most pressing issues divers can directly observe.
A session on positive solutions and conservation successes, balancing the realism of the threats with genuine progress.
Concrete, actionable next steps for divers who want to move from awareness to participation.
Course at a Glance
| Price | $150 |
| Format | Online academics via MySSI app, active learning format |
| Prerequisites | None required · minimum age 10 |
| Certification awarded | SSI Blue Oceans · lifetime certification, recognized worldwide |
Ready to do something about it?
SSI Blue Oceans: $150 · Austin, TX
Self-paced academics, open to every diver. Call (512) 451-3425.
Signup now!!Blue Oceans Sits in the Explore & Enrichment Pathway
Explore & Enrichment is about conservation and knowledge, open to everyone. Blue Oceans is the conservation-focused complement to Marine Ecology's foundational science.
Control / Comfort
Buoyancy, navigation, boat procedures, and other confidence-building skills.
Explore & Enrichment
Marine ecology, conservation, and species-specific courses that deepen your understanding of what you see underwater.
Access
Wreck diving, deep diving, and other ways to reach new environments and depth.
We Build Divers We Would Trust With Our Own Families.
The best divers don’t chase certifications. They build capabilities. Blue Oceans is a direct example of capability over certification: understanding real conservation issues and how to act on them is a capability that extends well beyond any single dive.
Tom’s has supported Austin Aquanauts conservation activities for years, and this course connects directly to that community focus. Tom’s has been Austin’s only SSI Dive Center since 1982. We were teaching scuba in Austin before any of the other Austin dive shops opened. Over 18,000 certified divers and over 400 five-star Google reviews.
Built to Move From Awareness to Action
The curriculum specifically focuses on concrete next steps, not just information.
Open Longer Than Any Other Austin Dive Shop Still in Business
Four decades of being part of the Austin diving and conservation community.
No Prerequisites Required
Open to anyone curious about ocean conservation, certified diver or not.
Ties Into Austin Aquanauts
Tom’s dive club connects divers interested in conservation activities locally.
We follow DAN dive safety protocols.
Tom’s follows Divers Alert Network (DAN) safety standards and recommends DAN dive accident insurance for every certified diver. Safety is not a checkbox on our website. It is the foundation of how Tom’s has operated since 1982.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The academics are open to anyone interested in ocean conservation, certified diver or not.
No. It is structured to balance real challenges with genuine progress and concrete, achievable actions, ending on getting involved rather than just awareness.
Marine Ecology covers the structure of ocean ecosystems. Blue Oceans focuses specifically on conservation threats, what is working, and how to get involved.
Yes. Austin Aquanauts, Tom’s dive club, organizes local conservation activities that connect directly to what this course covers.
Call (512) 451-3425 to ask about current Ecology Class bundle pricing for combining multiple Explore-lane courses.