What will taking specialty courses allow me to do..?

With Specialty courses you work with a PADI instructor who is certified as an expert in the particular specialty you are interested in. The specialty instructor will help to further educate and develop your diving skills, so you can dive that new environment or use that new piece of diving equipment safely. Once you have been trained “the right way” you can leave with a certification showing you have got experience in that specialty field. This allows you then to gain more experience through time so you too can become an expert. Courses like Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver and Drysuit Diver are required specialties to have, if you need to get an enriched air filled cylinder or if you need to hire a dry suit. 

What specialties do you currently offer on the SS Yongala..? 

The most popular specialty offered around the world is the PADI Enriched Air Diver Course or sometimes referred to as PADI Nitrox Course. We at Yongala Dive have the perfect dive site to learn and use enriched air; given the wreck minimum depth is 15m at the top and maximum depth of 29 metres. 

• Enriched Air Diver (nitrox) – 1 day course (full course details found below)
• Digital Underwater Photography – 1 day course (contact us for more details) 

PADI Digital Underwater Photography Course 

It’s true using digital cameras “on land” to take good shots is as easy as point and shoot. What most people find when they start taking underwater pictures is that they feel task loaded during the dive – the camera becomes something extra you have to control, together with your buoyancy, buddy control and air monitoring. See the example below -  most images taken are good but have a green cast,  find out  how to fix this during your digital workshop training.  

What your PADI DUP instructor will do:

• Work on fine tuning your dive skills so you find that using a digital camera is no longer task loading
• Get you comfortable taking pics with your camera and underwater housing on land, before you enter the water
• Show you all the tips and tricks for setting up your camera and how to efficiently store and use this during your dive
• Show you the techniques and skills for taking a multitude of shots ranging from shooting divers to different types of marine life
• You will learn quick and efficient techniques for taking and evaluating shots whilst underwater, so you know you have great shots before surfacing
• During your photo workshop you learn, how to “quickly” store and edit photos to look as good as the ones above 

What the PADI DUP materials will show you: 

• Maintaining your digital camera
• Everthing you need to know to get great underwater shots.  What types of digital cameras are out there, the pros and cons of each etc.
• Setting up and taking shots
• How to use a computer software package to process, edit and store your pics and video  

What do I need to I start?

• PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent
• Be at least 15 years of age

When should I book this course ? 

To make sure we can fit you in and you get the best valve out of the course, please contact us ASAP. We can go through options and fit in around any timescales you have if we have enough notice from you.

What is the cost and what is included ? 

Course Duration: 2 days Includes: 

• Digital Underwater Manual and white balance slate
• 1/2 day pool and land based training
• 1 day (2 dives) on the S.S. Yongala Wreck
• Digital photography workshop
• Equipment hire inc. camera & dvd of photo’s
• PADI Certification

Cost: $460

Why not stay at our Dive Lodge and you can study in comfort in our lounge area – see our accommodation page