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Sea Saba offers professional training programs for all ages and all levels from first time beginners to more experienced or those who want to enhance specific skills. Already certified? Let our team of professionals intrigue you with a variety of specialty courses: We offer several digital photography options, three distinctive eco programs including National Geographic and, of course, a number of PADI Specialty Courses: three Nitrox (Enriched Air) options and more. In the spring of 2009, we launched our Saba Eco Immersion program, just another Sea Saba difference. Consistent with Sea Saba's quality assurance, any course with Sea Saba will be conducted with a dedicated instructor who will work with you to ensure you have a positive, thorough learning experience. So whether you want to hone your buoyancy, increase your comfort level, dive safer, have a greater appreciation for the environment, or all of the above, we can get you there! Many of our clients return to Saba with a friend or family member knowing that Sea Saba is a dive center that takes diving seriously but always makes it fun. In addition, we have a policy of making every diver a better diver, whether as a sanctioned course or just by providing you information and assistance on the boat and underwater. on this page of our website...
other
interesting pages regarding training...
Why choose Sea Saba for your training?
A word
about dive training and pricing. We assume your decision to
initiate dive training is because you wish to learn and/or become a
better diver. Although we make every course fun, we promise each
course is thorough and professionally conducted. As quality is
synonymous with Sea Saba (whether referring to our boats, the clothing
we sell or teaching practices), we have specific policies adhered to for
teaching. An instructor will be assigned to you and work with you
to master the academic aspects of your course and when required, confined water training.
Whether you are doing dives for your Advance Open Water certification or
Naturalist course, Sea Saba will have a dedicated instructor on
board for your training. The dedicated instructor ensures your
training is the focus of his or her attention. Our instructor
guides do not multi task (lead other certified divers) at the same time
they are conducting training. We won't just 'go through the
motions' and 'sign you off'. For this reason, our pricing for
continuing education courses may be slightly higher than other dive
shops. We urge you to shop and compare; hopefully the price
is not the only factor in your decision making. Learn to Dive Options Your first dive is the most important. Under the proper conditions and guidance, almost anyone can become a scuba diver and enjoy the natural wonders below the surface.
*prices are in U.S. dollars and based on 3 persons. No Hidden Costs! Our prices include use of all scuba equipment, instructor time, pool usage, use of academic materials, transfers to and from the boat, licensing fees. Prices do not include Saba Marine Park fees of $4/dive. Private and Semi Private
Prices: Discover
Scuba Diving
Open Water Certification
July 2008--Beware of on-line E-Learning options that are not accredited by RSTC--the board that PADI, NAUI, SSI, SDI, YMCA, NASDS, IDEA belong to. If you complete a course with an 'agency' that is not a member of this organization, any dive shop affiliated with the RSTC will not accept your 'referral'. You just wasted $90 and your time. Thus far, we have only encountered: www.onlinescubalessons.com and http://www.aquastrophics.com/index.html. No doubt these organizations provide good information but Sea Saba, nor any shop we are aware of, can legally accept your documentation. Buyer Beware! Read what others have to say on the Scuba Board forum. From the RSTC website:
RSTC Position Regarding Agency Neutral On-line Training Programs
Referral Refresher
Course
Let
Sea Saba's
professionals take you to the next level!
*Price quotes based on 3 persons. Private and semi private courses always available; price is slightly higher. Photo and Night dives done as and Advanced Open Water Course are considered premium dives, subject to higher price. **The number of dives listed
for Rescue and Divemaster are only those dives done on our regularly
scheduled dive boat--many other diving exercises are conducted during the
course. Price for Divemaster course is for the academic training
portion only--price for diving is additional at our package rates less
20%. PADI requires specific academic material and equipment for training at this level
which must be purchased by the candidate.
Adventure
Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver The PADI Adventures In Diving program offers two certification options. Complete any three Adventure Dives to earn the PADI Adventure Diver rating. Complete the Deep and Underwater Navigation Adventure Dives and three additional Adventure Dives (five total) and earn a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification. Divers between the ages of 12-14 who complete the dives can earn a PADI Junior Adventure Diver or Junior Advanced Open Water Diver rating. The maximum recommended depth for adventure dive is 30 metres/100 feet.
Emergency
First Response Rescue
Diver
If you simply want to "collect a badge", Sea Saba is not the place. If you are serious about expanding your diving skills and abilities to accomplish the next step in diver training, Sea Saba promises a thorough and fulfilling course, one that we will proudly sign our name to. Be ready!
What areas of diving interest you?
Specialty courses allow you to focus in areas you are most interested. Sea Saba doesn't let just any instructor teach a course to 'go through the motions' and 'issue you another badge'. Sea Saba is committed to offering you only specific courses that our staff has a background in and can truly deliver a superb learning experience. For that reason, you won't just get a quick briefing on the boat prior to going on a dive. Instead, the instructor will meet with you in the late afternoon prior to your dive (normally the day before), at your hotel or an agreed meeting spot, so that there is more than adequate time to teach you the academic portion of your course. This way when you're on the boat you will be comfortable and confident; knowing what to expect and equipped with all the tools to learn as much as possible. If you are looking for a quality educational experience, we are confident you will consider our prices competitive and fair once you compare the actual time you will spend both academically and underwater. Choose from the following top quality specialty courses:
Let Sea Saba teach you:
Underwater
Naturalist Certification
*Price includes instructor time, use of textbook, calculator and tables, two nitrox tanks, licensing fees--based on 3 persons; prices vary with number of participants. Pricing based on package add-on; dives not included. Private Course $169; Semi-Private $149 p/p ***PADI standards do not require a nitrox dive must be done for this certification, but is recommended. See our explanation and recommendations on this course below. Private Course $149; 2 persons $129 per person; 5 or more only $99 per person
Dive Today Nitrox Introductory
Course
Discover Nitrox
National
Geographic Certification Our top quality course involves three dives. You will have a full academic presentation and discussion conducted in a relaxing learning environment for each dive done with this program.
Saba Eco Immersion Program
Consider the island of Saba as your eco laboratory. Explore eight eco zones from rocky desert tide pools to lush mountainous rainforest and of course, the famous Saba Marine Park. Design your own "hands on" learning program to include marine surveys, fish and fauna identification, mapping the substrate, observing the effects of geological processes and our cloud forest cycles, Diving, hiking, birding, exploring, learning and experiences for a lifetime...Multiple opportunities for friends and families to work as a team as they create a project of their own design to represent their Saba experience. So how does it work? 1) You let us know what your diving level is (need to learn? beginners looking to improve? or somewhat experienced? or a mix?)Easy! We promise you will leave Saba with excellent diving skills but also with an enhanced understanding of our planet and what we can do to make a difference. 2) We also need to know how many days you can spend on Saba. This program is based on a minimum 7-day stay but is best suited for 10 or even more. Why? Because there's plenty to learn and experience on this 5-square mile microcosm. Depending on your timeframe and budget, in addition to our professional dive team, we can set up your program to include local naturalists, a geologist, botanist. A few examples of things you can learn about: coral reef ecology, Elkhorn coral transplanting, how to conduct marine surveys, fish and creature biology and identification, coral health and mapping the substrate, our cloud forest, medicinal purposes of tropical plants, orchids, geology, volcanoes and landform processes, rain shadow and orographic effects, coastal geomorphology and oceanographic processes.
REEF Fish
I.D. and Surveying Certification
Underwater
Photography Sea Saba offers a variety of underwater digital photography courses depending on your understanding of photography, type of camera you are using and how much time you are willing to devote to enhancing your skills. Sea Saba's photography programs are presently run by Troy Hooper. When Troy is not busy with his Sea Saba regular duties, he continues his passion with his own Inner World Images.
*Pricing for specialty courses are based on 3 persons, package add-on; dives not included. Specifics regarding pricing for each course are footnoted below:
Diver's Alert Network is synonymous with diving safety: click here to D.A.N. register before coming to Saba. This page last updated on 05/30/2009 from our Windwardside office. |
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What
was once called a Resort Course is now known as Discover Scuba Diving.
Sea Saba conducts many Discover Scuba Diving courses throughout the year with great success.
One key to our success is the amount of time we spend with our
guests. We first conduct a full lecture session that explains the
equipment, basic physics and physiology. The fun then begins with
your instructor spending time with you in the
familiar environment of a swimming pool--where you will become comfortable with the
equipment and be taught a few skills to prepare you for your dive in
the ocean. Your dive is done in the Saba Marine Park aboard 
This course is designed for vacationers who do not want to
commit to 4 days of training or intend to only dive a few times each year. This
two-day course* covers the academic portion of the manual with the
exception of learning dive tables. Pool sessions will prepare you
for two instructor-supervised dives. Once complete, you will be
issued a limited license which restricts your diving depth and requires diving with a professional. The beauty of
this course is that you earn a license that allows you to continue
diving. Once you decide you want to take the next step in diving,
you can simply upgrade the license by doing the necessary additional
course work and dives. At Sea Saba, if you have been actively diving
during this time, an Open Water Certification should take two more days
and cost only $100 additional. ELearn this
course in advance of arrival and take just one day instead of two. 
Introducing...ELearning!
Learning to scuba
dive has never been more convenient!
If you want to spend less time in the classroom and have more fun
diving, E-Learn the academic portion of this
course when and where it works for you.
Whether
you’re on the go or want to take it slow, now you can complete the
knowledge development portion of the PADI Open Water Diver course online
with PADI eLearning. It’s a great match for your active schedule. Once you get to Saba, you
can complete the course in just 2 easy days...simply follow these steps:
And yet another option, the referral works beautifully if you
have the time to begin a course at your local dive shop.
Establishing a relationship with a dive shop in your local area is always
a good idea--even if you only
intend to 'dive in paradise'. Buying
dive equipment from a local dealer will give you an outlet for future
service. Many local dive shops are also sources for group or
individual travel, offer social activities and offer advance training to
keep you active when you can't be in paradise. If you prefer to do
your first dives in the tropics, just let your local dive shop know you
want to do the 'first part' of an open water course: academic and pool
work. This way, you come to the Caribbean with only the really fun
part to do--4 open water dives (and it's nicer than cold and dark waters
of the north!). Referrals can be easily accomplished. As
a PADI International Resort as well as an SSI Universal Referral Center, 
Have other life priorities prevented you from keeping your diving skills
honed? We recommend that divers who have not been diving for a year or more take a refresher
course. We'll make it easy and fun--we provide everything you
need--starting with a review book and an instructor who meets you
poolside...you can ask questions and review skills before heading to our boat for a
shallow afternoon dive. Most divers find the Refresher Course the
perfect preparation to ready them for all that Saba has to offer. Once you are ready to make a reservation, just remind us that you'd like the
Refresher Course so that we have our instructor scheduled.
PADI's
Adventures In Diving program fine-tunes your dive skills and allows you
to explore all that diving has to offer. The
Adventures In Diving program offers you a structured program where you
gain additional experience and skills under the guidance of a PADI
Professional. Deep and Navigation dives are mandatory. On Saba,
you can choose other diving areas that interest you: Drift Diver,
Multi-Level Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Naturalist,
Underwater Photographer, Night Diver, Search and Recovery, Project AWARE
and Fish Identification. (We have no ice, wrecks or
mountain lakes or need to wear a drysuit.) You can even do a nitrox
training dive as one of your electives. With this choice, you can
also use this dive training toward obtaining your nitrox certification
and save $25.
Want to be
ready in an emergency? Then this program is for you! The PADI Emergency
First Response program covers basic training for cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and emergency care. In addition, it’s a medically
based program covering primary care, secondary care and treatments
following national consensus guidelines. An EFR certification or
proof of a recent CPR and First Aid course is a pre-requisite for Rescue
Diver enrollment. 
Considering making your hobby
your career? Or perhaps you just want to be as knowledgeable as
possible about your sport. Becoming a divemaster is the first step in becoming a
professional diver. A divemaster is someone who 
Mastering
neutral buoyancy is the pivotal point as a diver. Before you can
consider progressing in any other areas, buoyancy skills are a must.
You not only look better in the water, it is safer for you, those around
you and the environment. Unfortunately, many divers either did not
master buoyancy in their initial training or have not been diving
regularly to hone this skill. We can fix that! Once you have learned
to glide effortlessly, you will also use less air and ascend, descend or
hover, almost as if by thought. You can then interact gently with
aquatic life and affect their surroundings minimally. The PADI Peak
Performance Buoyancy course refines the basic skills you learned as a 
Are you a comfortable diver ready to learn something new in a fun
environment? Let a Sea Saba expert share the enthusiasm and knowledge they have gained
from years of diving. This course starts with the basics of marine
life identification providing the tools and know how to take your learning
to a next level. So whether you just want to know what kind of fish
that is or whether your goal is to be involved in a marine
conservation effort, let Sea Saba provide the cornerstones to build upon.
Our Underwater Naturalist Course includes the use of a digital camera on
both dives so that when you're de-briefing with your instructor, you have
actual images to discuss the fish, corals and creatures identified on your
dive. And, we'll download the images to a c.d. so you have a great
souvenir of your experience.
This course is designed as an introduction
to nitrox diving. You must be a PADI Open Water diver (or
equivalent) and complete Practical Application 1 (a brief 'homework'
assignment) and be briefed by one of our nitrox instructors and dive under
their supervision. Easy? You bet! Benefit? The
course is designed to "de-mystify" what all those other divers on the boat
with green and yellow labels on their tanks are doing. You will be
shown how simple it is to analyze your tank and the difference of a nitrox
profile versus an air profile. Of course, the intention is that you
will take things to a next step and become fully certified to regularly
reap the benefits of the safer gas usage.
PADI now gives us more learning to
dive nitrox options. This course is a quick compromise to dive
nitrox with less time required for licensing but with limitations.
For this reason, we recommend spending just a few more hours to become
Sea Saba offers
a PADI International Enriched Air license, an easy and fast way to be
diving nitrox and benefit from the advantages of nitrox use. The new
manual makes your nitrox certification quicker and easier to obtain.
Two easy unobtrusive afternoon sessions, between 4 and 6 hours total time
is all it takes. Most often, you can be diving nitrox after the
first class. The
advantage of the Enriched Air course over the Discover Nitrox course is
that you can dive any mix up to 40% (not just 32%) with no depth
restrictions, utilize a nitrox computer for extended range benefits and
dive as a buddy team--not just under instructor supervision. Of
course, we still recommend safe recreational limits of 130 feet or 40
meters.
will not only
teach you to look at the reef differently, but you will never again
claim to have a 'ho hum dive'. The course begins with simple
identification skills of more common Caribbean reef fish and builds
upon those identification skills to incorporate surveying skills.
It's easier than you think. Once the skills are achieved, you
will be come a member of REEF, and as a certified surveyor, you can
contribute to the world wide database as well as building your
personal life list of fish sightings. Your contribution helps
conservation efforts not only on Saba but for your future dive trips.
Your dives can now become a quest to determine not only that you saw a
fish, not just a Parrot Fish, not just a Stoplight Parrotfish but
whether it's in its terminal phase and whether it's a mail or female
and whether it's common to see it on this area of the reef.
has
changed dramatically with the advent of digital technology. If you
have tried underwater photography with a film system in the past without
great success, it's time to try again! The new camera systems are easier to use and yield fantastic results even for first
time users. Any aware diver who attempts his first underwater photograph
is immediately humbled. Once you have your buoyancy fine tuned, you
then realize looking through a view finder is even challenging...now how
to adjust for sunlight or lack of it, controlling back scatter and before
you know it, the fish moved! 
