Houston's Premier Scuba and Dive Shop Oceanic Ventures Inc.

(713) 523-3483 (dive)
5808 Newcastle Drive
Houston, TX 77401

Classes and Training

by

The Special Classroom Sessions

Did your Spring Break plans change or so you need something different for Spring Break? We have a solution — Some evening Specialty classes!

DayTimeProgramDescription
Monday6:30 – 9:00Night
& Limited Visibility		Some of the ocean’s most amazing creatures only come out at night, so your dive doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. You will learn how to enter and exit the water, use specialized equipment, and how to communicate and dive with a buddy at night or in limited visibility.
Tuesday6:30 – 9:00NavigationYou will learn how to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, estimate distance, basic navigation patterns and how to leave and return to a designated point.
Wednesday6:30 – 9:00Search &
Relocation		You will learn about search patterns, specialized dive plans, underwater communication, and how to recover small to medium-sized objects using specialized equipment like lift bags.
Thursday6:30 – 9:00Equipment
Maintenance		You will learn how your equipment works, ways to care for it and how to make simple repairs at the dive destination.
Friday   
Saturday10:30 – 2:00Stress
& Rescue		This program teaches you the skills and knowledge required to recognize and deal with stress, prevent accidents and properly deal with emergency situations encountered by divers.

This is the classroom portion for the classes, the pool and open water sessions will be scheduled for May and another one for June. The cost of the combination of Night & Limited Visibility, Navigation and Search & Relocation is $395 ($425 for non-Club members). Contact Dive Mom so she can open the digital kits for you and send you the codes and instructions for our digital classroom.

by

Accept the Master Diver Challenge

When Ann was certified, she was so excited about diving that she dove every opportunity she could get. Since she started a Scuba Boutique at around the same time, she had the opportunity to go diving a lot! In 2004 Ann wondered, “how could a new diver do 100 dives in their first year of diving?” She proceeded to look at how it could be done doing mostly local diving with one trip to Cozumel thrown in. Every year since then she has challenged our new divers to commit to the 100 Dive Challenge. To date only three people have successfully completed making 100 dives in their first year.

Ann Keibler, 100 Dives in 1990
David Morris
Susan Long Language Consultant

SSI loved the idea and the Master Diver Challenge was born. Since then, the Challenge has grown to become a national program where dives have the opportunity to win prizes including being eligible for a live aboard trip for 2.

So, while we still challenge our divers to meet the 100 Dive Challenge, we also challenge all of our divers to accept the Master Diver Challenge!

Oceanic Ventures has partnered with SSI to offer you the opportunity to become a Master Diver. SSI even partnered with the Aggressor Adventures to offer the winner of the 2020 SSI Master Diver Challenge an exclusive 7-night, all-expense* paid, trip for two onboard the Roatan Aggressor! On this exciting dive adventure, you will enjoy the best of the Bay Islands. These Islands have some of the best diving Honduras has to offer, with sheer walls, beautiful shallow reefs, spectacular wrecks and offshore seamounts. This trip is valued at over $6,190!

BECOME A MASTER DIVER IN 2020!

Join the growing ranks of the most exclusive Master Diver Program in diving and enter for a chance to win an exotic dive vacation.

EVERY DIVE COUNTS….

We love diving!  Every time you log your dive, your dive counts towards numerous SSI Recognition ratings, including the Master Diver rating. So whether you are diving as part of a Course or just for fun, each logged dive gets you one step closer to earning your Master Diver rating.

BECOMING A MASTER DIVER IS EASY AND FUN!

The Master Diver program is designed with you in mind. Choose from a wide variety of Specialty Courses and participate in those that you are interested in. To become a Master Diver, you need to complete a minimum of 5 Specialties with one being Diver Stress and Rescue and log over 50 dives. It is that easy!

Not an SSI Diver? No problem! Up to 2 Specialties from a recognized agency can count towards your 5 SSI Specialties. SSI Diver Stress and Rescue not included.

HOW DO I ENTER THE SSI MASTER DIVER CHALLENGE?

Divers certified as an SSI Master Diver between January 1 and December 31, 2020, are automatically entered to win. The Winner will be chosen on January 15, 2021.

WIN OTHER PRIZES TOO!

Every Diver who reaches the Master Diver Level in 2020 will receive a special Master Diver Challenge Coin! Divers who have already achieved their SSI Master Diver Rating can come buy their coin in March when they arrive.

SSI Master Diver Challenge Coin

by

Sidemount Diving Course Starts in November 2019


If you missed David’s Club Aquarius Social Club presentation on Sidemount diving you missed a fun topic about one of the latest trends in Open water scuba diving!
There is a lot of interest in diving because of the benefits this style of diving offers.  As David explained, people have varied reasons for learning to sidemount dive.  Some of these reasons are:

  • Health – By moving the cylinders off of your back and putting them on the side, you can reduce back strain especially of you put the cylinders on in teh water.
  • Duration – You have double the gas available on a dive so your duration can be increased significantly.
  • Safety – By adding the second cylinder and the accompanying second air delivery system, you introduce an independent,  redundant system which results in more safety for the diver.
  • Buoyancy Control – Having two cylinders on the same plane as the diver, makes the entire platform more stable.  In other words, it is easier for you to master buoyancy,
  • Appearance – Ok, let’s face it, you look cool!  And you have always heard that looks are important.
  • Opens Up Extended Range and technical diving – By learning to sidemount as a recreational diver, you begin to get more comfortable with your diving and this platform is one that translates easily to extended range or technical diving.

Learning to dive sidemount is not difficult and our program is designed to get you started with your new equipment configuration and to help you begin to feel comfortable.  Of course you will need to go diving to truly internalize what you have learned.  You can look at the program applying the Diver’s Diamond:

  • Knowledge
    • Procedures and Configuration
    • Classroom Sessions
  • Skills
    • Learn how to deal with equipment
    • Swimming in a new configuration
  • Equipment
    • Need some new equipment to carry the bottles and to breath from them
  • Experience
    • Some diving needed

If you find this intriguing, come in and talk to Ann, David or me and we will be happy to fill in the blanks.  You can find the upcoming classes here or email Dive Mom to get the schedule for the next program.

by

Wade's Excellent Scuba Diver Specialty Weekend

Wade in Truck with Snorkel
Let’s Go Diving!

Wade is hosting a Specialty Diver Weekend!  Now, before you tune it out, it isn’t until May so the water will be warm and the weather will be stunning (ok, the water will be warmer, we can’t guarantee the weather).  This is the perfect opportunity to improve your diving skills, become more confident in your diving and learn some valuable diving skills while having fun!

If it is in May, why mention it now?

I can hear you asking, “if it is not until May, why should I sign-up now?”  Because “now” is the perfect time to start reading the material; it is cold outside!  One of the requirements for a Specialty Diver Weekend is that you must complete all of the educational materials before you show up. By enrolling now, you

  1. Have time to complete your reading;
  2. Guarantee your space;
  3. Have time to make sure you have the required equipment for the program;
  4. Have time to purchase what you are missing; and
  5. Plan your contribution to the “Pot Luck Dinner” (remember as Eric says, Texas Diving is a BarBQ interrupted by diving).

What specialties can I take?

You can participate in a number of specialty programs this weekend including,

How Do I sign-up?

Enrolling in a class is “as easy as squeezy” as they say in Trinidad.  You can either call Dive Mom to sign-up or simply, click a button below, which will take you to the product to purchase it.  Either way, we will open up the training materials so you can get started and be ready for diving in May.
 

by

Silence Underwater – Recreational CCR Diving

Dräger put it best when they coined the term dive silently in their advertising for the Dolphin semi-closed rebreather system.  Technology has advanced significantly since recreational divers were introduced to rebreather diving by Dräger.  However, the joy of hearing the sounds of the underwater world and getting up close and personal with the fish has not changed.  The rebreathers currently available to divers make diving silently more fun and safer.