SSI Altitude Diving eLearning

SSI Altitude Diving — eLearning & Certification Credit Only

Expand your diving horizons and learn to safely explore mountain lakes and high-altitude dive sites with the SSI Altitude Diving specialty. This course provides the theoretical foundation needed to understand how altitude affects dive planning, decompression, and equipment. It includes your academic training and certification credit only; practical dives are available as a separate booking.

What you’ll learn online

• What defines an altitude dive and how pressure changes at higher elevations
• Adjusting dive tables and computers for altitude conditions
• Planning dives using altitude conversion methods and equivalent sea level depth
• Effects of altitude on gas absorption, decompression, and surface intervals
• Equipment preparation, buoyancy adjustments, and weighting for fresh water
• Emergency management and ascent procedures at altitude
• Environmental awareness and conservation practices for mountain lakes

Optional practical training (booked separately)

Once you’ve completed the online portion, you can complete in-water training dives with an SSI Instructor. These practical sessions typically include:

• Planning and executing dives at an altitude above 300 metres (1,000 feet)
• Using dive computers and tables correctly adjusted for altitude
• Recording environmental data and comparing altitude vs. sea-level dives
• Practising buoyancy and weighting changes in fresh-water conditions
• Post-dive logging and surface interval management for multiple dives at elevation

Practical sessions are not included with this eLearning product and must be booked separately with Dorset Diving or any SSI Dive Centre that offers the Altitude Diving specialty.

Important

• Always confirm that the dive centre you intend to use offers the SSI Altitude Diving programme and has access to a suitable high-altitude dive site before booking.
• You’ll typically need to be at least an Open Water Diver (or equivalent) before undertaking the practical sessions.
• Some centres may require you to complete a diving medical questionnaire or provide medical clearance prior to training.

Free registration

Register for a free SSI account and affiliate with our dive centre to begin your studies here:
Register with Dorset Diving.

What’s next?

Once you’ve mastered Altitude Diving, you can continue your adventure with related specialties like Deep Diving, Navigation, or Science of Diving to further develop your skills and confidence in unique dive environments.