NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver

Expand Your Skills. Explore New Environments. Dive With Confidence.

Your Open Water certification was just the beginning. The NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver course at Scuba Connection is designed to help certified divers expand their knowledge, refine their skills, and gain valuable experience in new underwater environments.

Whether you're looking to become a more confident recreational diver, prepare for new diving adventures, or build a foundation for future specialty and technical training, this course emphasizes practical experience, sound decision-making, and personal skill development.

Unlike many Advanced Open Water programs that require five dives, Scuba Connection's NAUI Advanced Open Water program includes six instructor-led open water training dives, providing additional opportunities to learn, practice, and develop confidence underwater.

At Scuba Connection, our philosophy is simple:

Train With Purpose. Dive With Confidence.

What You'll Learn

Advanced diving is about more than simply diving deeper. Throughout your training, you'll work with your instructor to develop essential skills that make you a more capable, comfortable, and independent diver.

Training emphasizes:

• Buoyancy and Trim: Improve underwater positioning, control, and efficiency.

• Underwater Navigation: Develop confidence using compass navigation and natural underwater references.

• Dive Planning and Gas Management: Strengthen your ability to plan dives, monitor gas consumption, and manage your available resources.

• Situational Awareness: Improve your ability to recognize changing conditions, manage task loading, and make informed decisions.

• Equipment Familiarity: Develop greater proficiency and consistency with your diving equipment.

• Advanced Diving Environments: Gain supervised experience with different diving conditions, activities, and depths.

Our objective is not simply to complete certification requirements, but to help you become a better diver.

Course Structure

Your Advanced Open Water training combines independent academic preparation, instructor-led review, and practical open water experience.

1. NAUI eLearning and Academic Preparation

Begin with the NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver eLearning program, allowing you to complete the required academic preparation at your own pace.

Your instructor will coordinate an academic review, conducted virtually or in person, to discuss advanced diving concepts, dive planning, equipment considerations, and preparation for your training dives.

2. Six Open Water Training Dives

The course includes six instructor-supervised open water training dives, consisting of three required dives and three elective dives.

Required Training Dives

• Deep Diving: Gain experience diving beyond 60 feet while developing an understanding of depth-related considerations, gas management, and safe dive planning.

• Night or Limited Visibility Diving: Develop communication, navigation, awareness, and equipment-management skills in reduced-visibility conditions.

• Underwater Navigation: Improve your ability to navigate using a compass, natural references, and established navigation techniques.

Elective Training Dives

Working with your instructor, you'll select three additional dives based on your interests, experience, and available training conditions.

Potential electives include:

• Buoyancy and underwater control

• Boat diving

• Shore diving

• Underwater photography

• Fish identification and underwater ecology

• Drift diving

• Additional navigation and skill development

• Equipment familiarization

Elective selections are coordinated with your instructor and may vary based on dive site conditions, available equipment, and individual training objectives.

Flexible Training Options

Local Training — New Jersey and the Surrounding Region

Scuba Connection conducts Advanced Open Water training at selected dive sites throughout New Jersey and the surrounding region, including Lake Hydra.

Training dives are scheduled based on instructor availability, dive site conditions, and student participation.

Our flexible scheduling approach allows students to complete their required dives over multiple training dates rather than committing to a single intensive weekend.

Destination Training — Scuba Connection Travel Adventures

Your Advanced Open Water certification may also be completed during select Scuba Connection dive travel programs.

Destination training provides an opportunity to develop new skills while exploring different underwater environments under the supervision of your instructor.

Students interested in completing their certification during a Scuba Connection travel adventure should coordinate their training arrangements before departure.

Travel packages, accommodations, transportation, and destination-specific expenses are separate unless expressly included in a travel package.

Equipment Requirements

Students must have access to appropriate scuba equipment suitable for the planned training dives.

You may use your own equipment or arrange rental equipment through Scuba Connection.

A dive computer is required for all training dives.

Standard Equipment Rental Options

• Complete scuba rental package — BCD, regulator, wetsuit, hood, and gloves: $50 per dive day

• BCD and regulator set: $35 per dive day

• Dive computer: $15 per dive day

Scuba Connection also provides access to selected specialty training equipment for local instructional activities, including compasses, reels, surface marker buoys, lift bags, dive lights, and underwater cameras, as appropriate for the planned dives.

Our instructional team can assist with equipment selection, configuration, and proper fitting to help you develop consistent and comfortable diving practices.

Enhance Your Training With Specialty Certifications

Your Advanced Open Water course is an excellent opportunity to expand your diving capabilities through additional specialty training.

Scuba Connection offers special add-on tuition for students combining their Advanced Open Water certification with select NAUI specialty courses.

NAUI Enriched Air Nitrox Diver — $100

Learn the principles of diving with enriched air Nitrox, including oxygen exposure management, gas analysis, and appropriate dive planning.

NAUI Drysuit Diver — $275

Expand your diving opportunities and develop the skills needed to dive comfortably and confidently in a drysuit.

Training includes a dedicated pool session, proper drysuit operation, buoyancy management, emergency procedures, and practical open water experience.

Drysuit Training & Rental

A properly fitted drysuit is required for this specialty. Students who do not own a suitable drysuit may rent one from Scuba Connection.

• Daily Training Rental: $50 per training day

• Complete Advanced Open Water Course Rental: $150

Students selecting the Drysuit specialty may use their rental drysuit throughout the entire Advanced Open Water course, providing additional opportunities to develop familiarity, comfort, and confidence with the equipment.

Rental availability is subject to proper fitting, size availability, and appropriate training conditions.

Exclusive Drysuit Purchase Credit

At Scuba Connection, we believe your investment in training should also support your investment in quality equipment.

Students who purchase a new SANTI or Waterproof drysuit from Scuba Connection within 60 days of completing their training may apply 100% of their Drysuit specialty tuition and drysuit rental fees as a credit toward the purchase.

For example:

• NAUI Drysuit Diver specialty tuition: $275

• Complete Advanced Open Water drysuit rental: $150

• Total available drysuit purchase credit: $425

This means your drysuit training and rental investment can become part of your investment in owning a new drysuit.

The credit applies to a qualifying new drysuit purchased directly from Scuba Connection. Credits are nontransferable, have no cash value, and may not exceed the drysuit purchase price.

NAUI NREC — $175

Improve your foundational diving skills through a program emphasizing equipment configuration, buoyancy, trim, propulsion techniques, and team-oriented diving practices.

Training includes a pool session and use of a backplate-and-wing system.

NAUI Full Face Mask Diver — $200

Learn the proper use, operation, and emergency procedures associated with full face mask diving.

Training includes a pool session and use of the Ocean Reef Neptune III integrated diving mask.

Specialty Training Note: Specialty certifications have their own training and performance requirements. Additional sessions or dives may be required beyond the six Advanced Open Water dives.

Course Tuition — $495

Comprehensive Training. Professional Instruction. Exceptional Value.

Scuba Connection's NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver course provides a complete instructional and certification program with six supervised open water training dives.

Your course tuition includes:

• NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver eLearning

• Instructor-led academic review and dive planning

• Six supervised open water training dives

• All required instructor and instructional fees

• NAUI certification and processing fees

• Breathing gas when supplied by Scuba Connection

Additional expenses not included in tuition:

• Dive site admission and training facility fees

• Personal scuba equipment and equipment rentals

• Personal travel, transportation, meals, and accommodations

• Optional specialty certifications and additional training

Students are responsible for applicable dive site admission fees and arranging suitable diving equipment for their training.

Prerequisites

Participants must:

• Hold an Open Water Scuba Diver certification from NAUI or another recognized training agency.

• Be medically qualified to participate in scuba diving.

• Have the equipment and foundational diving skills appropriate for the planned training activities.

• Meet applicable NAUI age and training requirements.

Your instructor will review your experience, equipment, and training objectives before beginning the open water portion of the course.

Who Should Take This Course?

The NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver course is ideal for certified divers who want to:

• Improve confidence and comfort underwater

• Strengthen buoyancy, navigation, and dive planning skills

• Gain experience in new diving environments

• Prepare for deeper and more challenging recreational diving

• Develop a foundation for specialty and technical diving

• Become more capable and self-reliant diving partners

• Continue progressing toward NAUI Master Scuba Diver and leadership-level training

You don't need to be an expert diver to begin. You simply need a willingness to learn, practice, and expand your abilities.

Take the Next Step in Your Diving Journey

Becoming an Advanced Open Water Diver is about much more than earning another certification card. It's an opportunity to build experience, improve your skills, and develop the judgment and confidence needed to enjoy a wider range of underwater adventures.

At Scuba Connection, we believe quality training creates better divers. Our personalized instructional approach emphasizes meaningful experience, practical skill development, and a commitment to safe, responsible diving.

Whether your next adventure takes you to a local quarry, a tropical reef, or the beginning of a technical diving journey, the skills you develop today will help prepare you for the opportunities ahead.

Train With Purpose. Dive With Confidence.

Enroll in the NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver course today and take the next step in your diving education.