Specialties of the Month

Get 10% off the PADI Equipment Specialist course when booking online.

Use code: specsaver

Build confidence, learn new scuba skills and make every dive more rewarding with Oyster Diving’s monthly PADI specialty courses.

Every month, Oyster Diving shines a spotlight on a different PADI specialty diving course to help divers develop new skills, explore new environments and enjoy safer, more exciting dives.

A single diving certification cannot cover every type of underwater adventure. As divers gain confidence, many want to dive deeper, stay longer, improve buoyancy, explore wrecks, use new equipment or become more self-reliant in the water.

That is where PADI specialty courses come in.

These focused courses give you structured training with a professional diving instructor, combining useful knowledge with practical, hands-on experience. Whether you are a newly qualified diver or already working towards Rescue Diver, Divemaster or Instructor level, our Specialty of the Month programme is a great way to keep progressing.

Why Take a PADI Specialty Course?

PADI specialty courses help you:

  • Improve your diving confidence
  • Learn practical skills you can use on real dives
  • Dive more safely and independently
  • Explore new types of diving
  • Get more from your dive trips and holidays
  • Work towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating

Each month’s featured specialty includes a special offer, making it even easier to continue your diving journey.

PADI Specialty of the Month Calendar

January: PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider

Be the Diver Who Makes a Difference

When a diving incident happens, the first few minutes matter. The PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider course teaches you how to recognise diving-related injuries and administer emergency oxygen correctly.

This course is valuable for divers, non-divers, club members, boat crew, trip organisers and anyone who spends time around diving activities. No previous diving certification is required.

What You Will Learn

During the course, you will learn how to:

  • Recognise signs of decompression illness, lung over-expansion injuries, shock and breathing difficulties
  • Assemble and use emergency oxygen equipment
  • Administer oxygen using different delivery systems
  • Handle, store and maintain oxygen equipment safely
  • Understand when oxygen should and should not be used
  • Emergency oxygen is one of the most important first aid tools in diving. Being trained to use it correctly makes you a safer buddy and a valuable member of any dive group.

Why Take This Course?

This course is especially useful if you are working towards PADI Rescue Diver, Divemaster or Instructor.

January Offer

Get 10% off the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider course when booking online in January.

Use code: specsaver

February: PADI Equipment Specialist

Get to Know the Gear You Rely On

Your scuba equipment keeps you safe, comfortable and confident underwater. The PADI Equipment Specialist course helps you understand how your kit works, how to care for it and how to deal with simple equipment issues before they affect your dive.

No technical experience is needed. This course is ideal for any diver who wants to feel more confident with their gear.

What You Will Learn

You will cover:

  • How regulators, BCDs, cylinders, exposure suits, computers and accessories work
  • How to rinse, dry, store and care for your equipment
  • How to spot early signs of wear or damage
    Simple fixes for common problems such as worn mouthpieces, O-ring leaks, sticky buckles and twisted hoses
  • What should always be left to a professional service technician

Why Take This Course?

Good equipment knowledge can save dives, save money and help your kit last longer. It also makes it easier to choose the right equipment when you are ready to upgrade or buy your own scuba gear.

March: PADI Dry Suit Diver

Unlock Year-Round Diving Without the Chill

Cold water does not have to stop your diving. The PADI Dry Suit Diver course teaches you how to dive comfortably in cooler conditions, making UK diving and year-round adventures far more enjoyable.

You will learn how dry suits work, how to care for them and how to manage buoyancy safely while diving in one.

What You Will Learn

The course covers:

  • Different types of dry suits, including neoprene, crushed neoprene and trilaminate suits
  • Dry suit valves, seals, zips and undergarments
  • How to clean, dry and store your dry suit
  • Dry suit buoyancy control
  • Managing air movement inside the suit
  • Safe ascents and descents
  • How to handle common dry suit issues such as excess air in the feet or stuck valves

Why Take This Course?

A dry suit opens up more dive sites, more seasons and more UK diving opportunities. It is ideal for divers who want to stay warm, dive locally and progress towards more advanced training.

April: PADI Underwater Navigator

Never Wonder “Where Am I?” Again

Good navigation makes diving calmer, safer and more enjoyable. The PADI Underwater Navigator course teaches you how to use a compass, natural references and route planning to stay orientated underwater.

If you want to become the diver everyone trusts to lead the way, this is an excellent specialty to take.

What You Will Learn

You will practise:

  • Compass headings and accurate turns
  • Natural navigation using depth, light, formations and bottom contours
  • Estimating distance using kick cycles and time
  • Planning and following underwater routes
  • Square and triangle navigation pattern
    Finding objects and returning to a boat or exit point

Why Take This Course?

Strong navigation skills reduce stress, improve air consumption and help prevent long surface swims. They are also essential for wreck diving, rescue training, mapping and professional-level courses.

May: PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy

Fine-Tune Your Control and Transform Your Diving

Excellent buoyancy is one of the most important skills in scuba diving. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course helps you move more efficiently, use less air, protect the environment and feel more relaxed underwater.

This course is suitable for divers of all levels.

What You Will Learn

You will work on:

  • Correct weighting
  • Trim and body position
  • Hovering techniques
  • Breath control
  • Smooth ascents and descents
  • Efficient finning techniques
  • Reducing contact with the seabed, reefs or wrecks

Why Take This Course?

Better buoyancy improves almost every part of diving. You will feel more in control, use less energy, improve your air consumption and enjoy smoother, more relaxed dives.

It is also a great foundation for underwater photography, wreck diving, dry suit diving, deep diving and professional training.

June: SpecSaver Weekend at Vobster Quay

Four PADI Specialty Courses in One Weekend

June is a special month. Oyster Diving’s SpecSaver Weekend at Vobster Quay gives divers the chance to take one or more exciting PADI specialty courses over a fun and social weekend.

Divers can also join for fun dives, food, drinks and time with the Oyster Diving community.

Featured June Specialties

PADI Diver Propulsion Vehicle Specialty

Learn how to use an underwater scooter safely and confidently. DPVs allow you to cover more ground with less effort and explore larger dive sites.

You will learn:

  • DPV handling and control
  • Team positioning
  • Speed management
  • Emergency procedures
  • Environmental awareness

Wreck Diver

Explore wrecks safely and responsibly while learning about mapping, hazards, navigation and penetration techniques where appropriate.

You will learn:

  • Wreck assessment
  • Mapping and navigation
  • Reel and line use
  • Hazard awareness
  • Anti-silting techniques

PADI SMB Diver

Master one of the most important UK diving skills: deploying a surface marker buoy safely and confidently.

You will learn:

  • SMB and reel selection
  • Bottom and mid-water deployment
  • Buoyancy control while task-loaded
  • Avoiding tangles and rapid ascents
  • Surface signalling

PADI Deep Diver

Gain the skills and knowledge to dive safely to greater depths, up to 40 metres.

You will learn:

  • Gas management
  • Narcosis awareness
  • Deep dive planning
  • Controlled descents and ascents
  • Emergency procedures

July: PADI SMB Diver

Take Control of Your Ascents and Stay Seen at the Surface

Using a surface marker buoy is an essential skill, especially for UK diving, boat diving and low-visibility conditions. The PADI SMB Diver course teaches you how to deploy an SMB safely without losing buoyancy control.

What You Will Learn

You will practise:

  • Choosing the right SMB, reel or spool
  • Deploying from the bottom
  • Deploying from mid-water
  • Avoiding line twists and tangles
  • Maintaining neutral buoyancy while task-loaded
  • Using SMBs for surface communication

Why Take This Course?

Reliable SMB skills make you safer, more visible and more confident during ascents. This course is highly recommended for UK divers and anyone planning wreck, drift or deep dives.

August: PADI Wreck Diver

Discover History Beneath the Surface

Wreck diving combines adventure, history and exploration. The PADI Wreck Diver course teaches you how to explore wrecks safely, navigate around them and protect fragile underwater environments.

Whether you are diving a UK quarry wreck, a coastal shipwreck or a famous wreck-diving destination abroad, this course gives you the skills to enjoy wrecks with confidence.

What You Will Learn

The course covers:

  • Wreck assessment and planning
  • Identifying hazards
  • Mapping wreck layouts
  • Navigating around wrecks
  • Using reels and lines
  • Safe penetration techniques where appropriate
  • Protecting marine life and historic structures

Why Take This Course?

Wreck diving opens the door to some of the most exciting dive sites in the world. This specialty helps you explore them safely, respectfully and with better control.

It is also excellent preparation for deep diving, technical diving and professional-level training.

Interested in wreck diving holidays? Oyster Diving offers trips to incredible wreck diving destinations including Truk Lagoon, Malta, Cyprus and the Red Sea.

September: PADI Sidemount Diver

Experience Freedom and Flexibility Underwater

Sidemount diving places your cylinders at your sides rather than on your back. This can improve comfort, balance, flexibility and access to tighter spaces.

The PADI Sidemount Diver course teaches you how to configure, trim and dive safely using sidemount equipment.

What You Will Learn

You will cover:

  • Sidemount equipment setup
  • Harness and cylinder adjustment
  • Regulator and hose configuration
  • Weight distribution
  • Trim and buoyancy
  • Gas management
  • Air-sharing and emergency procedures
  • Movement through tighter spaces

Why Take This Course?

Sidemount diving is popular with recreational, wreck, cave and technical divers. It can reduce strain on the back, improve streamlining and give divers a new sense of control underwater.

October: PADI Night Diver

Experience the Magic of the Underwater World After Dark

Night diving transforms familiar dive sites into something completely different. Marine life changes, colours appear under torchlight and the underwater world feels more mysterious and exciting.

The PADI Night Diver course teaches you how to plan, navigate and enjoy safe dives after sunset.

What You Will Learn

You will practise:

  • Planning night dives
  • Using primary and backup lights
  • Torch communication
  • Compass navigation in darkness
  • Buddy procedures
  • Managing limited visibility
  • Observing nocturnal marine life responsibly

Why Take This Course?

Night diving improves confidence, communication and awareness. It is ideal for divers who want more variety, better low-visibility skills and a completely new underwater experience.

November: PADI Deep Diver

Explore Greater Depths With Confidence

Deep diving opens up new sites, including dramatic walls, deeper reefs and historic wrecks. The PADI Deep Diver course teaches you how to plan and conduct deeper dives safely and confidently.

This specialty allows qualified divers to explore depths down to 40 metres.

What You Will Learn

The course includes:

  • Deep dive planning
  • Gas management and turn points
  • No-decompression limits
  • Controlled descents and ascents
  • Buoyancy at depth
  • Narcosis awareness
  • Emergency procedures
  • Team communication

Why Take This Course?

Many exciting dive sites require deep diving skills. This course helps you manage depth, gas and awareness more effectively, making it a key step for divers interested in wrecks, advanced diving or technical training.

December: PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Diver

Extend Your Dive Time and Dive Smarter

The PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Diver course is one of the most popular PADI specialties. Nitrox contains a higher percentage of oxygen and less nitrogen than normal air, which can allow longer no-decompression limits on many dives.

It is especially useful for repetitive diving, liveaboards, diving holidays and multi-dive days.

What You Will Learn

You will learn how to:

  • Understand the benefits and risks of Nitrox
  • Calculate maximum operating depths
  • Recognise oxygen exposure limits
  • Analyse your gas mix
  • Label cylinders correctly
  • Set your dive computer for Nitrox
  • Plan Nitrox dives safely

Why Take This Course?

Nitrox can help you get more from your diving by extending allowable bottom times on suitable profiles and reducing nitrogen loading. It is a valuable course for recreational divers, wreck divers, deep divers and anyone planning dive holidays.

Book Your PADI Specialty Course With Oyster Diving

Whether you want to improve your buoyancy, explore wrecks, dive deeper, use Nitrox, stay warm in a dry suit or become a more confident buddy, Oyster Diving has a PADI specialty course to help you get there.

Our experienced instructors provide friendly, professional training designed to help you build real skills you can use on future dives.

Special Offer

Book the featured Specialty of the Month online and receive 10% off.

Use discount code: specsaver

Ready to take the next step in your diving? Book your PADI specialty course with Oyster Diving today.