PLAYA BLANCA WATER ACTIVITIES FIELD GUIDE
Extended Range: Learning to Lead Deep Dives off Playa Blanca
An intensive SSI Extended Range course in Playa Blanca that trains divers to plan and execute dives to 45 m using air or nitrox, manage decompression and practice real-world contingencies.
Extended Range: Learning to Lead Deep Dives off Playa Blanca.
The SSI Extended Range course at Playa Blanca is a rigorous, hands-on program that serves as the foundation for technical diving: students learn to plan dives to 45 m, work with air and nitrox as bottom gas, and manage decompression profiles up to 25 minutes while training extended-range equipment and procedures.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Dive Planning to 45 m
The course teaches planning and execution of deep dives to 45 m, including the use of air or nitrox as bottom gas and management of decompression obligations of up to 25 minutes.
Extended‑range configurations and stages
Students work with technical setups such as twinsets (bibotella) and learn to handle a decompression stage using up to 100% oxygen as part of their Extended Range equipment training.
Contingency drills and simulated failures
The program places special emphasis on simulating faults and problems under controlled conditions so divers learn to diagnose, decide and manage incidents during technical dives.
What the day feels like
What the course actually feels like
Expect an intense, highly practical course that alternates focused classroom or onshore planning with in‑water sessions: configuring and deploying twinset rigs, conducting progressive deep dives, practicing decompression procedures and running contingency scenarios to build decision-making under stress.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who should consider this course — and who should wait.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Bring your Extended Range or technical diving kit if you have it; training covers twinset (bibotella) configurations and stage management, so any personal technical equipment is useful alongside whatever the operator supplies.
Decompression gases are charged based on student consumption. Oxygen is billed at 0.04 €/L as an example of consumable costs.
The course emphasizes dive planning, decompression optimization and contingency management, with simulated scenarios to practice responses.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
What maximum depth does the course cover?
The SSI Extended Range course trains divers to plan and conduct dives to 45 m.
Which gases are used during the course?
The program uses air or nitrox as bottom gas and trains management of decompression stages using up to 100% oxygen.
How much decompression time will I learn to manage?
The course includes management of decompression profiles with up to 25 minutes of decompression.
Are there extra costs during the course?
Yes — decompression gases are billed according to student consumption; oxygen is an example charged at 0.04 €/L.
What will I learn about emergency situations?
Students practice simulated failures and contingency scenarios so they learn to diagnose problems and make appropriate decisions under pressure.
Is this course suitable for beginners?
No — the course is described as intense and is intended as the foundation for future technical training rather than entry-level diving instruction.