To all newly certified OWD divers,
no matter which diving system you trained with,
you’ve probably felt confused about what to do next!
Let Peninsula Divers guide you with clear, illustrated explanations
to help you understand advanced diving education courses
and figure out which one best suits you.
The purpose of advanced education is to enhance your diving skills.
By acquiring more diving-related techniques and knowledge,
you’ll gain the ability to unlock higher-level dive sites.
Beyond taking courses,
Fun Dives are also an essential way to improve your diving skills
and grow as a diver!
Introducing several commonly heard course names,
such as the PADI system AOW course and specialty courses,
the SSI system AA course and specialty courses,
and the AOW certification reward program.
Advanced Adventure Diver Course
To summarize,
the PADI AOW course is equivalent to the
SSI AA course in terms of certification level.
These two courses are almost identical in content,
both including five experience specialty dives to obtain a certification.
Advanced Open Ｗater Diver
In the SSI system, there is no specific course called the AOW course,
as this certification is part of an award recognition system.
Simply put, if you meet the qualifications,
the system will automatically issue this certification to you.
(It’s a certification that is gifted to you!)
To qualify for the SSI AOW recognition,
you only need to meet the following two requirements
❶ Four independent specialty certifications
❷ 24 logged dives
In SSI’s educational philosophy,
diving skills require both "learning" and "practice" to develop effectively.
This idea aligns with what students already learn in the OWD course,
such as controlling neutral buoyancy to hover,
efficient fin kicking, and how to ascend and descend slowly.
However, after completing your course,
if you don’t first schedule Fun Dives
to practice and refine these skills,
but instead attempt advanced education right away,
you may find yourself struggling to master both the basic skills and the new techniques,
leading to a poor experience.
That’s why one of the conditions for SSI’s AOW recognition certification
includes a requirement of 24 logged dives.
You can’t earn this advanced certification simply by taking classes;
it must be backed by real-world diving experience to truly reflect your abilities.
Each SSI AOW certification also lists the specific specialty certifications you have earned!
Most divers choose advanced education because
they want to unlock access to higher-level dive sites,
such as those deeper than 18 meters.
Some prefer to quickly obtain a certification to continue their diving plans,
spending 2-3 days to earn an AA or PADI AOW certification.
However, as mentioned earlier,
this approach often results in a limited
understanding of individual specialties
and minimal mastery of new skills after obtaining the certification.
In such cases,
we recommend divers focus on planning suitable specialty courses
based on their upcoming diving goals.
Incorporating a few Fun Dives in between
can help you gain better diving knowledge and skills.
| Example 1 | I am a newly certified OWD diver and feel my buoyancy control needs improvement. How should I plan my next course or dives? |
| Recommendation 1 | You can spend a weekend (two days) taking the Perfect Buoyancy specialty course, followed by three Fun Dives to practice the techniques learned in the course. After completing this, including your OWD dives, you’ll have a total of 9 logged dives! |
| Example 2 | I earned my OWD certification some time ago and have accumulated 9 logged dives. This time, I only have two days to learn, but next month I plan to dive in Green Island with an instructor. Many of the amazing dive sites there exceed 18 meters in depth and require boat diving experience. I also want to schedule "intensive" dives. What should I do? |
| Recommendation 2 | Participating in the AA course is one option. Moreover, the Enriched Air Nitrox specialty Once you complete a fourth specialty course |
Since obtaining specialty certifications,
such as Enriched Air Nitrox or Night Diving, is essential,
starting directly with specialty courses is the most efficient way to progress.
By accumulating practical experience,
you can develop genuine diving skills.
The SSI system also offers recognition certifications as you advance,
making it an excellent pathway for progressing your diving journey!
| Pool/Confined Water Specialties | Perfect Buoyancy Course |
| Underwater Photography and Videography Course | |
| Open Water Specialties | Boat Diving Course |
| Deep Diving Course | |
| Night and Limited Visibility Diving Course | |
| Underwater Navigation Course | |
| Stress and Rescue Course | |
| Special Equipment Specialties | Dry Suit Diving |
| Underwater Scooter (DPV) | |
| Sidemount Diving | |
| Diving Knowledge Specialties | Diving Science |
| Enriched Air Nitrox Course | |
| React Right | React Right Course |
Yes! We've specially planned a three-day, two-night, four-specialty package for divers: Boat Diving, Deep Diving, Night Diving, and Enriched Air Nitrox. These are the four most popular specialties for divers. With these certifications, you'll have a ticket to dive at various dive sites around the world!
Yes! As long as your certification agency meets the standards of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC), your certification is valid internationally. Therefore, you can choose the specialty courses you want to take at your current diving level!
SSI and PADI are both internationally recognized diving systems. Both systems adhere to the standards of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC), so whether you take course with SSI or PADI, the certification you receive will be equally valid worldwide. For beginners, choosing a good dive shop and instructor to guide you is more important than selecting between the two systems.
A good diving system should not only have sufficient international recognition but also consistently update its training standards and materials. It should offer diverse advanced education options for divers to continually improve their skills and knowledge. Whether it's scuba diving, freediving, or mermaiding, SSI is considered by the Peninsula Hain coaching team to be a dedicated and comprehensive international diving education system. 
