course prerequisites

Training Prerequisites

If you’re a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver who is at least 10 years old, you can enroll in the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course.


Age Requirements

The PADI Underwater Naturalist Course is for ages 10 Years and Older.



Extend your bottom time with Enriched Air (Nitrox).

The PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) diver course will certify you to use Enriched Air (Nitrox) to stay down longer during your shallow water dives.  Also by breathing a higher concentration of oxygen during your dive, you will come back feeling refreshed and ready for more diving. Click the banner for complete course details



Depth Restrictions After Certification

This PADI course does not increase your maximum depth rating. Standard depth restrictions apply.


Waivers and Liability Releases

all participants will need to have a completed set of liability releases signed and dated prior to any in water training. Note: Participants under the age of 18 will need to have a parent or guardian signatures as well. No exceptions.

For this Course you will need the following releases:

1 PADI Continuing Education Administrative Document 10038

2 PADI Equipment rental release form

3 PADI Boat dive release form


Course Duration

The duration of this Course is 1 day. The course is performance-based so we do not like to rush we want to make sure everyone is safe and fully understands the skills of the day. So there is a start time but never a set finish time.


Required PADI Course Materials

For your course you will need the PADI Underwater Naturalist Crewpak.

PADI Underwater Naturalist crewpak Includes PADI Underwater Naturalist DVD and PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty Manual. This package includes all the required materials for your course

If you purchase your PADI Underwater Naturalist Crewpak at the time you book your course.

You will receive your hard copy when you arrive at class.For your convenience we will provide you with all the materials you will need to get you started as soon as you book your course..

Each student is required to purchase from us their own PADI Underwater Naturalist Crewpak.



What does it all mean ?

Get Your PADI Underwater Naturalist Course Certification Today.

If you have ever been interested in Marine biology, then this might be the course for you. You will hone your buoyancy skills while conducting underwater research on a variety of marine life. You will locate and identify at least two aquatic plants, locate observe and identify at least for the quarter in vertebrate animals and locate and identify at least five vertebrate animals. This course is designed to be an introduction to the underwater aquatic environment and to help the student diver develop safe and responsible interaction with aquatic life.


Course Overview

This course is an introduction to aquatic life including an overview of responsible human interactions with aquatic life. The minimum number of recommended hours is 12, with time being equally divided between knowledge development and actual water-training sessions.

The Underwater Naturalist course includes:

1. The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of diving in different aquatic environments.

2. A basic overview of major aquatic life groupings (kingdoms and phyla).

3. Factual information that dispels myths of potentially dangerous aquatic life.

4. An overview of basic aquatic life interactions and associations.

5. Responsible human interactions with aquatic life.

6. Diving technique used to help preserve bottom dwelling aquatic life and minimize aquatic life disturbance.



Traditional Academics included with your course

You begin the academics in the comfort of your own home. Once you sign up for the course, you will receive all the academic materials needed to complete the home study portion of your course. To start your course you will watch The PADI Underwater Naturalist course video and complete your knowledge reviews in your PADI Underwater Naturalist Diver Manual. This will get you ready for Your classroom session and the in water training portion of your class.

Your instructor will review your knowledge reviews during your first class session.



Optional PADI Online Academics

Unfortunately PADI does not Offer Online academics for this course yet. You and your instructor will schedule the time for you to come in and complete the academic portion of your training in the classroom.


Note: online academics is not available for ages 12 and under.



PADI Underwater Naturalist Training Dives

1. Open-water Dive One–Dive goals: a. Preservation of the aquatic environment by avoiding potentially destructive contact with aquatic organisms and the bottom. b. Field identification of local, common aquatic organisms.

2. Open-water Dive Two–Dive goals: a. Preservation of the aquatic environment by avoiding potentially destructive contact with aquatic organisms and the bottom. b. Field observation of symbiotic and predator/prey interactions between aquatic organisms. c. Locate indications of impact by man on the local dive site and suggest possible causes.

Click the link for complete list of all PADI Specialty Dives Course



Required Equipment

At this level divers should have a complete set of personal SCUBA gear.

Don't panic if you need rental equipment we have it available for your class.

You will need the following equipment for this class Mask, Snorkel, Fins, BCD, Regulators, Dive computer, Thermal protection, Tanks and Weights. (We do not rent Thermal protection)

Additional required equipment for this class

None .

If you would like to purchase your own equipment, we guarantee the best price in town and extended warranties on everything purchased from us. If you’re going to be a diver it is best to have your own personal gear for fit and comfort.

You should always purchase your SCUBA diving equipment from the dive center where you do your training. Your SCUBA instructor is definitely more qualified to make sure you select the proper equipment for your needs. Your instructor will also make sure your equipment is properly adjusted and ready for your class. Nobody beats our prices or customer service guaranteed.

We carry all the best gear in store and online At scubadiveit.com for all your SCUBA diving adventures

Note: new scuba diving equipment always requires minor adjustments and a safety inspection before it is used. If you purchased your scuba equipment online or from a third-party to use in our class and it has a malfunction or requires adjustments during your training you will have to pay an additional cost for those adjustments. Our minimum service charge is $45

We do not accept equipment that is unsafe or damaged to be usedin anyof our programs. If you have any questions on whether the equipment you have will be acceptable for this program, please contact us prior to class for a free equipment evaluation. We service and repair Scuba equipment. Safety First!


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Click here for course schedule and availability


E-mail: info@scubadiveit.com