ELIZABETH CITY GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Advanced Dive Class: Five Instructor-Led Dives to Sharpen Deep, Night and Navigation Skills
An SDI Advanced Diver Class that includes five instructor-led dives — a skills refresher, night dive, navigation and a deep dive — plus clear prerequisites and equipment requirements for planning.
Advanced Dive Class: Five Instructor-Led Dives to Sharpen Deep, Night and Navigation Skills.
Adventure brief
Advanced Dive Class: Five Instructor-Led Dives to Sharpen Deep, Night and Navigation Skills
This SDI Advanced Diver Class, operated through Roanoke Island Outfitters and Dive Center, is focused instruction that bundles a skills refresher with specialty dives: navigation, a deep dive, a night dive and one additional guided training dive. The program is delivered as a multi-dive course intended to advance recreational divers’ underwater competence and judgement.
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, offers more than just its historic ties to early aviation—it is a gateway to the Atlantic's vibrant underwater world. The Advanced Dive Class here presents an intense, skill-building opportunity for certified divers eager to push their limits. Over three days, participants complete five dives, including thrilling night and deep dives that reveal a side of the ocean few get to witness. The region's underwater landscape is defined by its varied wrecks, reefs, and abundant sea life typical of the Outer Banks, including expansive sand bottoms and mysterious shipwrecks resting on the seafloor. This course is tailored with flexibility, allowing divers to fit training around their schedules while benefiting from expert guidance and small group instruction fostering safety and camaraderie.
Kill Devil Hills stands out as a dive destination because of its unique blend of natural underwater features and historical shipwreck sites, which provide engaging scenarios for advanced divers looking to refine their buoyancy, navigation, and night-diving skills. The constant current and variable visibility conditions challenge divers to adapt and sharpen their experience. The nesting sights and salt marshes nearby also highlight the area's ecological richness, with opportunities to witness marine species like loggerhead turtles and cobia.
Completing this course not only elevates a diver’s certification but also deepens their understanding of local ocean conservation efforts, emphasizing responsible diving practices to protect fragile underwater ecosystems. Whether enriching personal skills or preparing for specialized underwater tasks like search and recovery, the Advanced Dive Class here is a distinctive step into the region's aquatic depths.
Route Schematic
Dive itinerary
Five dives are completed over the course of the program; below are the typical training stops.
Dive 1 — Skills Refresher
An introductory session with an instructor to review core scuba skills and assess comfort in the water.
Dive 2 — Navigation
A navigation-focused dive practicing compass use, heading control and underwater route planning.
Dive 3 — Deep Dive
A supervised deep dive that applies training around buoyancy control, decompression awareness and team procedures.
Dive 4 — Night Dive
A night or low-light dive using underwater lights to practice planning, communication and navigation in reduced visibility.
Dive 5 — Final Practice Dive
A concluding dive that reinforces lessons from earlier sessions and gives the instructor a chance to assess readiness.
Participants must meet the operator’s certification baseline: Open-water certification and a minimum of 10 logged dives beyond initial open-water certification before signing up; check with the operator for schedule adjustments or additional local requirements.
What the day feels like
How the course proceeds
The Advanced Diver Class unfolds across multiple instructor-led dives over consecutive days, mixing a skills refresher with targeted specialty sessions — navigation, deep and night diving — plus one additional practice dive so students consolidate techniques under guided conditions. The schedule can be tailored to fit students’ availability.
THE DIVES
Five focused training dives
The class comprises five instructor-led dives designed to build on open-water experience and includes a deep dive and a night dive among the scheduled sessions.
THE SKILLS
Navigation and refresher instruction
Alongside specialty dives the syllabus includes a skills refresher and navigation training to sharpen buoyancy, situational awareness and underwater orientation.
THE PREP
Bring the right kit or arrange rentals
All students must own, rent or purchase their equipment; the course lists specific items required so divers arrive fully equipped for instruction and specialty dives.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course suits — and who should wait.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
All students must own, rent or purchase their equipment. Special equipment listed includes: mask, snorkel, fins, boots, BCD, regulator, dive computer, octopus, wetsuit, weights and belt/system, dive compass, underwater light, SMB, slate, and reel.
Plan to arrive with complete personal kit or arrange rentals in advance; the operator requires each student to have access to all listed items for training and specialty dives.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How many dives are included in the course?
The class includes five instructor-led dives.
Over how many days is the course run?
Course descriptions indicate the dives are completed over consecutive days; the program is described both as taking place over two days and elsewhere as a three-day offering — contact the operator for the current schedule.
Where do divers meet for the class?
The meeting location listed is Lake Phoenix Scuba Park, Rawlings, VA.
Do I need to bring my own equipment?
Yes. All students must own, rent or purchase all their equipment prior to participating.
What special equipment is required for specialty dives?
Required special equipment includes: dive compass, underwater light, SMB, slate and reel, in addition to standard personal scuba gear such as mask, snorkel, fins, BCD, regulator and dive computer.
Am I eligible if I just finished my Open-water course?
No — you must have an Open-water certification plus a minimum of ten dives after your open-water certification to sign up for this class.
What should I do if I wasn't certified with this operator?
The operator requests that you call before signing up if you have not been certified by them to confirm eligibility and any additional requirements.
How this guide was prepared
This field guide is synthesized using verified supplier specifications, route descriptions, and destination data. Some booking links may generate affiliate revenue for ADV Guides.
- Verified: 2026-09-10T12:13:47.161Z
Some booking links may generate revenue for ADV Guides or The Adventure Collective.
Availability, pricing, schedules and operating details can change.
Trip details and contextual sources were reviewed by ADV Guides Editorial.