SSI Full Cave Diving eLearning

SSI Full Cave Diving — eLearning & Certification Credit Only

Push your limits and explore beyond the light zone with the SSI Full Cave Diving specialty. This course provides the academic training and certification credit only, giving you the theoretical knowledge and safety procedures required for complex penetration diving in underwater cave systems. You’ll master the principles of cave diving before completing the extensive in-water training separately with a qualified SSI Extended Range Instructor.

What you’ll learn online

• The SSI cave diving system and progressive training approach
• Equipment configuration and redundancy for overhead environments
• Gas management rules and decompression considerations
• Navigation and line-handling techniques in complex cave systems
• Team protocols, communication, and emergency procedures
• Psychological and environmental considerations of cave diving
• Cave conservation ethics and responsible exploration practices

Required practical training (booked separately)

To achieve full certification, you’ll need to complete intensive in-water training with an authorised SSI Extended Range Instructor. The practical portion of the Full Cave Diving programme typically includes:

• Advanced guideline and navigation drills, including complex junctions and restrictions
• Gas-switching and decompression exercises in overhead environments
• Lost-line, lost-diver, and light-failure drills under zero-visibility conditions
• Emergency air-sharing and exit procedures in full penetration scenarios
• Equipment management, stress control, and multi-stage cave dives

These sessions are not included in this eLearning product and must be arranged separately with Dorset Diving or another SSI Extended Range Dive Centre that offers the Full Cave programme.

Important prerequisites

• You must be at least 18 years old and hold certifications in Cavern Diving, Intro to Cave Diving, and Stage Diving (or equivalents).
• A minimum of 100 logged dives — including recent experience in overhead and technical environments — is required.
• You must have completed a diving medical within the last 12 months and hold valid first aid and CPR certifications.
• Before booking, confirm that the dive centre you plan to use offers SSI Full Cave training and has access to suitable cave environments for your practical sessions.

Free registration

You can start your eLearning by registering a free SSI account and affiliating with our dive centre here:
Register with Dorset Diving.

What’s next?

After completing the Full Cave Diving programme, you’ll be qualified to conduct complex, multi-stage cave penetrations. Many divers continue with additional SSI Extended Range courses such as Technical Extended Range, Hypoxic Trimix, or DPV Cave to further enhance their exploration capabilities.