See new things, even in the most familiar dive sites. Once you’ve completed the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty you’ll have a better understanding of the local ecosystem and the differences between terrestrial and aquatic worlds. You’ll soon start to notice behaviours and see creatures you may have previously missed.
Take the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course and you’ll see new things, even on the most familiar scuba diving sites.
Once you know more about symbioses, underwater ecology, and aquatic plant and animal habitats, you’ll notice behaviors and see creatures you may have previously missed.
Following some ‘self study’ you’ll complete at home, you’ll meet the NHDC team to review your theory before getting on with the fun bits!
During two open water dives you will put into practice all the things that you’ll have read about. You’ll learn more about the key differences between the terrestrial and aquatic worlds, investigate major aquatic life groupings, observe interactions and gain knowledge that dispels myths and promotes responsible interactions with aquatic life.
Price
Standard Course: £165
Executive Option: additional £50 on the Standard Course fee.
Elite Option: We’ll come to you! For an additional £100 on the Standard Course fee we’ll complete the training at your own facilities.
Pre-requisites
Min Age: 10 years old
Medically Fit: Complete this Medical Statement and have GP countersign if required.
Ability: You will need to be PADI Open Water Diver (or Junior Open Water Diver) certified (or equivalent) to enrol onto this course.
Reserve your place
Contact Us to Reserve your Place
Knowledge Development
As part of the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty Course, you’ll complete some Knowledge Development before the fun bits. This will be reviewed with your instructor before putting the theory into practice during two open water dives.
The theory side can be completed at you own pace before being reviewed. Currently only available as a physical manual, this can be collected from the NHDC Dive Centre.
Open Water Dives
You’ll complete two open water dives, usually completed within a single day. You’ll learn a lot more about:
- Key differences between the terrestrial and aquatic worlds.
- Major aquatic life groupings, interactions and information that dispels myths.
- Responsible interactions with aquatic life.
We’ll provide everything you need. We pride ourselves on ensuring there are no hidden costs.
We will provide all the basic, as well as any specialised, equipment for recording your observations. Comfort is everything in scuba diving, therefore if you already have your own equipment, we’d encourage you to bring it along to keep you warm and comfortable while you observe and monitor the marine life around you!
Knowledge Development can be completed at your own pace but will be reviewed with the NHDC team before certification.
Open Water dives are usually completed over a day, with courses arranged on a regular basis.
While this course can be completed at one of our usual inland sites, the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course is best completed on one of our trips, where you can really interact with a range of species and ecosystems.
New Horizons aims to be flexible with arranging courses to suit your schedule so please give us a call to discuss suitable alternatives.
On all of our PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course options you will receive…
- Coaching and on-going support from an experienced, passionate and professional PADI Instructor
- 1 hours (minimum) Knowledge Review (held with your NHDC Instructor)
- 1.5 hours (minimum) open water dives
- FREE rental of all required equipment (including, but not limited to: cylinders & air fills, dive computer, fins, mask, snorkel, drysuit & undersuit, specialist equipment [e.g. dive slates])
- Course materials
- PADI Certification
For dives completed in UK water, we recommend you use a drysuit and undersuit for greater comfort. If you have no previous drysuit experience, we will arrange a pool based orientation session for an additional £40 before your Open Water dives so you are fully prepared and confident to jump in.
Please note, our course fees covers equipment rental, PADI Certification fees etc, but do not cover entry fees to open water dive sites or for dive trips. These vary according to location; please ask for further details.
Standard course
All of the above.
Knowledge Development
Completed in your own time, this can be started at any time and completed at your own pace. Currently only available as a physical manual the course materials can be collected from the NHDC Dive Centre.
An initial £75 deposit will ensure course materials can be issued, allowing you to start as soon as you want!
The NHDC team will be on hand to help you through and answer any questions as you progress. We will then review things and allow you to ask any questions you may have before the fun bits start.
Open Water Dives
During the course of two dives, usually completed during one day, you’ll put into practice the things you’ve been reading about. We offer standard schedules, with a minimum of 1.5 hours spent in the water observing and recording information about the natural underwater world.
Standard Course
Complete the PADI Sidemount Diver Specialty Course following our standard schedules.
Executive Option
Our standard schedules are designed to offer flexibility, however, if these aren’t convenient, or if you feel you’d benefit from the more personal touch, we can tailor our schedules to a more bespoke timetable.
This executive option allows a 1:1 program, giving you the chance to work with a member of the NHDC team to become a master of sidemount diving.
Elite Option
If you have access to your own facilities, we can come to you! We will work with you to make a truly tailor-made course schedule. Use the course materials then when you’re ready, we’ll complete the Skills Development at your own facilities. Choose to join us at our usual open water dive sites, or let us escort you overseas. There’s a whole world of possibilities.
Trip Completion
This course is ideally conducted and completed on one of our trips. Please get in touch with the team to discuss this option and applicable discounts.
Payment Plans
A single £75 deposit will allow us to issue the relevant course materials.
Further instalment payments can be made with the final balance paid before the open water weekend (or final pool session if completing the Referral option). Talk to us about instalment payment options.
Let us know you want to join us! Simply send us a Course Booking Form and completed Medical Statement. Once we’ve received your deposit we’ll issue your course materials, so you can get started straight away!
Get in touch for our bank account details or to make payment over the phone.
Your place will be confirmed on receipt of the Course Medical Statement (Countersigned by a GP if required). Please note, we will not be able to start any in water activities without one!
