SDI Night/Limited Visibility

Specialty Course · Night & Low-Vis Diving · For Certified Divers

See your favorite site after dark. Night diving turns a familiar reef into a brand-new world, nocturnal life out feeding, bioluminescence in the water, your light beam leading the way. The SDI Night/Limited Visibility course trains you to dive it safely: lighting and backups, buddy contact in the dark, navigation without visual reference, and low-light emergencies. It counts as a specialty toward your Advanced Diver rating. You'll need your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel, plus a primary and backup dive light, and the rest of the rental gear is included.

Veterans can put their GI Bill toward their training, and families can use ESA or ClassWallet funds. See if you qualify.

Starting from

$199.00

Availability: Contact us for booking information

Description
Additional Information

SDI Night/Limited Visibility Diver Course

Specialty Course · Night & Low-Vis Diving · For Certified Divers

The same dive site you know in daylight becomes a different place after dark. Creatures that hide during the day come out, bioluminescence flickers around your hands, and your light beam becomes your reference point, your navigation tool, and how you talk to your buddy. The SDI Night/Limited Visibility course trains you to dive that environment safely: lighting and backups, staying with your buddy in the dark, navigating without visual reference, and handling the emergencies low light can bring. The same skills cover limited visibility any time of day, whenever silt, surge, or algae cut your sightlines. It counts as one specialty toward your SDI Advanced Diver rating.

What comes out after dark

Night diving is one of the most distinct experiences in the sport:

Octopus, lobster, eels, and other nocturnal life come out to feed
Bioluminescent plankton flicker wherever you move
A site you know by day feels like a brand-new place
The same skills cover any low-visibility dive, day or night

What you'll learn

The knowledge side prepares you for the dark and for any low-visibility water.

Choosing dive lights, backups, and personal beacons
Buddy contact and light-signal communication in the dark
Compass and terrain navigation without visual reference
Disorientation, separated-buddy, and light-failure procedures

In-water skills you'll build

You'll put it to work on a real night open water dive.

Planning entry, exit, buddy contact, and light signals
A safe entry and descent in darkness, at least 20 minutes down
Multiple direction changes and a two-minute swim without your compass
Staying in buddy contact throughout, and logging the dive

Night diving at Lake Pleasant

Lake Pleasant is Dive Arizona's primary training site and a regular night diving spot. At 1,700 feet with reliably clear water and no boat traffic after dark, it's one of the more accessible freshwater night dives in the region. Finish the course and you're ready to night dive Lake Pleasant and any comparable site.

Who can enroll

Open to certified Open Water divers, with a hands-on night dive at a local lake.

Certified Open Water divers, or equivalent
Minimum age 18, or 10 with parental consent
Divers who want to see familiar sites in a whole new way
Anyone who dives where visibility can drop

✓ What's included

Instruction and your night open water dive
Rental gear: BCD, regulator, computer, tank, weights, and wetsuit
Your SDI Night/Limited Visibility certification
One specialty credit toward your Advanced Diver rating

What to bring

Your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel (required, we don't rent these)
A primary dive light and a backup light (required for night diving)
Your Open Water certification card
A swimsuit and a towel

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the course cover?

Lighting and backup lighting, buddy contact and communication in the dark, compass and terrain navigation at night, disorientation and emergency procedures, and nocturnal marine life. The in-water part is a night open water dive with navigation and buddy skills.

Is night diving scary?

Most divers say it feels different in a good way. The dark narrows your view, which focuses your attention right in front of you, and the nocturnal life is active and visible. The course builds the skills that make it feel controlled, not disorienting.

What equipment do I need for night diving?

A primary dive light and a backup light are the minimum, and a personal beacon or strobe keeps you visible to your buddy when your light points away. Everything else is standard scuba gear. We carry lights in the shop, and enrolled students get a discount.

Can I night dive at Lake Pleasant?

Yes. Lake Pleasant is a regular night dive for Dive Arizona, with clear water and no boat traffic after dark. Call us at (480) 881-4013 for current conditions and access.

What is limited visibility diving?

Any condition where silt, surge, algae, or poor clarity cuts your sightlines, day or night. The navigation, buddy contact, and disorientation skills in this course apply in any low-visibility water, not just at night.

Does it count toward the Advanced Diver rating?

Yes, it counts as one of the four specialty credits toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating.

Let's. Go. Diving.

Ready to see the reef after dark? Call the shop and we'll get you scheduled.

📞 Call the shop (480) 881-4013

A specialty course that counts toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating. A primary and backup dive light are required. Prerequisite: an SDI Open Water certification (or equivalent).

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