Finally, a course to teach the basics that every diver should know! This workshop provides you with a solid base of knowledge which will allow you to plan dives and predict currents with confidence.

In this workshop, you will have a brief introduction to general tide characteristics and come to understand what diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed tides are, and which ones we experience in the Puget Sound. You will learn about the daily and monthly tidal cycles to help you better plan your future dives.

Next we will roll up our sleeves and learn how to use the most comprehensive advanced dive planning resource: the NOAA tables. We'll run through plenty of examples that allow you to determine when slack water occurs at a particular site, how strong the current will be, and when to enter the water. We'll unravel the mysteries of the "knot" and figure out just how powerful of a current a neoprene-clad diver can swim against. You will learn how to determine the duration of slack, as well as the speed of the current anytime during the day.

Required text: 2008 Pacific Northwest Tide and Current Tables from Pelagia Scuba. Click here to order.

Bring to class any other resources you might have, including Northwest Shore Dives, Third Edition.

Cost: $45. Click on the class schedule to find the next class.

After the Tides Workshop, check out the Advanced Workshop which qualifies you to do two dives and earn a NW Current Diver PADI Distinctive Specialty Certification.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the dive planning worksheets.