SSI Classified Diving
Diving is for everyone - SSI Classified Diving makes diving accessible to people with disabilities
What is the SSI Classified Diving programme?
The SSI Classified Diving programme is a dive training developed specifically for people with limited mobility or sensory disabilities. The programme was created by Scuba Schools International (SSI) and adapts skills to the needs of each individual diver.
The philosophy of SSI is clear: Classified Divers follow the standard Open Water Diver course and are supported where necessary by specially trained buddies or professionals. The focus is on what a diver can do, and how the required skills can still be performed to SSI standards with appropriate adaptations.
Dive School de Grevelingen is an SSI Classified Diving Center and offers this programme. We believe diving should be possible for everyone.
What does this mean for you?
- You follow the same theory, pool sessions and four open water dives as any other Open Water Diver
- Skills you cannot perform independently are supported by a Classified Dive Buddy or Classified Dive Professional
- The level of support is recorded on your certification
- You always dive with a buddy team tailored to your situation
- Upon completing the course you receive a full SSI Open Water Diver certification
Our SSI certifications
Three levels of support
SSI distinguishes three levels, depending on the degree to which a diver can perform all skills independently.
You need assistance entering or exiting the water.
Buddy team: You dive with one Classified Dive Buddy.
You additionally need support with emergency skills.
Buddy team: You dive with two Classified Dive Buddies.
You need assistance with almost all skills, including mask and regulator skills.
Buddy team: You dive with two Classified Dive Buddies and a Classified Dive Professional.
For every level: with the right agreements, good communication and a well-matched buddy team, a safe dive is always possible.
What does water do to you?
Water is a remarkable environment. Someone who relies on a wheelchair on land can sometimes move more freely underwater than the people around them. Freedom of movement increases, and with it the feeling of freedom. Diving is also a mindful activity: the focus on breathing, the calm, and the absence of everyday stimuli have a mental impact too. Many Classified Divers report improved mood, greater self-confidence and a higher sense of self-worth.
Diving at Het Koepeltje — accessible for everyone
Our home location in Scharendijke has a particular advantage: dive site Het Koepeltje is well accessible for divers with limited mobility. From the harbour car park, a paved path leads directly to the jetty. The platform has a chair lift, allowing us to assist divers into the water in a controlled way. The key for the lift is available at Divestore de Grevelingen. The maximum depth here is around 15 metres, making Het Koepeltje an excellent location for Open Water Diver dives.
More about this dive site
Requirements Classified Dive Buddy
- Minimum age 18 years
- SSI Diver Stress & Rescue (or equivalent rescue diver level)
- Valid first aid and CPR certificate (e.g. SSI React Right)
The Classified Dive Buddy specialty
Do you want to accompany a regular dive partner as a Classified Diver? The Classified Dive Buddy specialty is an excellent addition.
The specialty combines well with the Classified Diver course. Under instructor supervision, you can discover straight away what works best for the two of you.
Request more informationWant to know more?
Get in touch. We are happy to discuss the possibilities for you or the person you are accompanying.