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SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving
Learn to dive comfortably and confidently with one or two cylinders mounted alongside your body instead of on your back.
Sidemount diving was originally developed for overhead environments but has become a popular recreational configuration for reefs, wrecks and open-water diving.
The SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving course introduces you to the equipment, gas-management techniques and in-water skills needed to use a sidemount system effectively.
Why try sidemount?
Sidemount provides a flexible alternative to carrying a cylinder on your back and introduces an engaging new set of diving skills.
Cylinders can be attached and removed in the water, reducing the need to walk while carrying the complete system.
Learn to position your cylinders and equipment to create a clean, balanced profile in the water.
Valves, regulators and cylinder attachments remain visible and accessible throughout the dive.
Learn to dive with a recreational one- or two-cylinder sidemount equipment configuration.
Develop the procedures required to monitor and manage gas correctly when diving with multiple cylinders.
Build a useful equipment foundation for further recreational or technical training.
Your training
Your course begins with SSI Digital Learning and equipment workshops. You will then practise in a controlled environment before completing your open-water training dives.
The emphasis is on correct equipment adjustment, buoyancy, trim, cylinder control and reliable gas-management procedures.
Complete your SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving course with Ocean Tribe in Diani Beach.
Complete the digital learning before your in-person training, then develop your sidemount skills in the pool and ocean.
The SSI Sidemount Diver course is open to certified divers aged 15 or older who have completed the Open Water Diver course or hold an equivalent rating from another recognised training organisation.
All course participants must meet the diver medical questionnaire requirements. Some medical conditions or medications may prevent you from diving. Visit our Can I Dive? page to check the requirements before booking.
SSI Recreational Sidemount Digital Learning.
All dive equipment, including air fills and weights.
Fruit, water and snacks on the boat.
A pool training session to practise essential sidemount skills.
3 sidemount training dives with an SSI Instructor.
Enjoy 1 ocean fun dive.
Transfers within Diani are included.
SSI RECREATIONAL SIDEMOUNT DIVER
Learn how to configure, manage and dive a recreational sidemount system through digital learning, pool training and three open-water dives.
START BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
Complete the SSI Digital Learning and join workshops with your SSI Instructor to understand sidemount theory, equipment options and gear configurations.
Study at home at your own pace and take notes in the app to discuss with your SSI Instructor. Quick reviews at the end of each section assess your understanding and must be completed correctly before you proceed.
BUILD YOUR CONFIGURATION
Learn how to set up, adjust and don your sidemount equipment before developing the core skills in confined water.
PUT YOUR SKILLS INTO PRACTICE
Travel by boat to suitable local coral reefs and wrecks to apply your sidemount skills in open water.
After mastering the techniques in the pool, complete three sidemount open-water dives over one or two days.
Your final dive may be a fun dive, giving you the opportunity to relax and put your new sidemount skills into practice.
Configure your equipment. Refine your buoyancy. Discover the freedom of sidemount diving.
Build your sidemount-diving toolkit
Sidemount Diving develops a streamlined, flexible and redundant equipment configuration. Combine it with specialist training in depth, wreck exploration, breathing gases and buoyancy to use that configuration with greater purpose and control.
Apply sidemount around wrecks
Build line-handling, gas-management and limited-penetration skills for wreck exploration. Sidemount’s trim, redundancy and flexible cylinders are valuable tools in demanding wreck environments.
Explore Advanced Wreck DivingTake the configuration deeper
Learn to plan and manage dives down to 40 metres. Combine deep-diving procedures with sidemount’s balanced twin-cylinder setup and accessible gas redundancy.
Explore Deep DivingPlan gas with purpose
Learn to analyse enriched-air blends, manage oxygen exposure and plan within the correct depth limits. Nitrox can support longer no-decompression time on suitable sidemount profiles.
Explore Enriched Air NitroxPerfect your trim
Fine-tune buoyancy, weighting, breathing and body position. Better control helps you keep cylinders streamlined, reduce drag and move efficiently in sidemount.
Explore Perfect BuoyancyThe complete training pathway
Combine Sidemount Diving, Deep Diving, Advanced Wreck Diving and Enriched Air Nitrox in one focused program. Apply the skills together across realistic training dives and become a more capable, confident and self-reliant diver.
Discover Mission Ready Diver
Capture your dive experience by purchasing photos and videos, taken daily by our in-house photo team. Or capture the underwater world yourself by hiring DJI Osmo Action 4 cameras from the front desk.*
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From turtles cruising the reef to tiny treasures hiding among the corals, every dive brings something different. Here are a few marine-life encounters to look out for around Diani.
Reef favourite
A highlight of Diani’s reefs. Watch for turtles gliding past or resting beneath coral ledges, especially at Galu.
Look in the crevices
Take a closer look at the reef’s nooks and crannies. You might spot a moray peeking out from its sheltered hiding place.
Reef resident
Striking stripes and fan-like fins make these reef fish a memorable sight. Enjoy watching them with plenty of space.
Tiny reef treasures
Slow down and look closely. These tiny sea slugs bring a splash of colour to the reef and reward a patient eye.
Seasonal · Oct–Mar
Keep an eye on the blue for a graceful passing manta. A seasonal possibility rather than an everyday reef encounter.
Seasonal · Oct–Mar
An unforgettable encounter if you’re lucky. These ocean giants may visit Diani’s waters during the seasonal window.
Wildlife, not a promise. Sightings vary with the dive site, season and ocean conditions and cannot be guaranteed. Give marine life space, never touch or chase animals, and keep clear of the coral.
Sidemount diving uses cylinders mounted alongside your body instead of on your back. This flexible configuration can improve balance and streamlining while giving you easier access to your cylinders, valves, and regulators.
You must:
The course takes three days. It combines SSI Digital Learning, equipment workshops, a pool session, three open-water training dives, and a recreational sidemount fun dive.
No. The course is designed for certified divers who are new to sidemount. Your instructor will teach you how to assemble, adjust, and use the equipment before you begin training in open water.
You’ll learn how to:
The course includes three open-water training dives with an SSI Instructor and one sidemount fun dive. The final dive gives you an opportunity to use your new skills while exploring Diani’s underwater environment.
Yes. Before heading into the ocean, you’ll practise equipment setup, buoyancy, gas management, and emergency procedures in a controlled pool environment.
No. The required sidemount equipment, cylinders, air fills, and weights are included. Your instructor will help adjust the harness and cylinder positions to suit your body and diving style.
No. Although sidemount was originally developed for overhead-environment diving, it is now popular with recreational divers. Many divers enjoy it for its balance, flexibility, streamlining, and accessible equipment configuration.
This course is recreational and does not qualify you for technical, cave, or wreck-penetration diving.
No. The SSI Recreational Sidemount certification teaches you to dive using a sidemount configuration, but it does not increase your existing depth limit. A separate Deep Diving certification is required to dive beyond the limits of your current qualification.
It can be. Sidemount cylinders can be attached in the water, reducing the need to walk with heavy cylinders on your back. Individual mobility and boat conditions vary, so speak to the Ocean Tribe team if this is an important consideration for you.
Training dives are conducted at suitable coral reefs and wreck sites around Diani Beach. The exact locations depend on sea conditions, training needs, and the day’s dive plan.
Yes. The course includes diving equipment, air fills, weights, boat dives, fruit, drinking water, and snacks. Transfers within the Diani Beach area are also included.
Everyone must complete a diver medical questionnaire. If you answer “yes” to certain questions or have a relevant medical condition or medication, you may need clearance from a doctor before diving.
After completing the digital learning, pool session, open-water dives, and all performance requirements, you’ll receive the internationally recognised SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving Specialty certification.
Yes. Recreational Sidemount provides a useful foundation for further training. To use additional cylinders or follow technical and overhead-environment dive plans, you’ll need the appropriate specialist technical training.
The course is offered regularly, subject to instructor availability and diving conditions. You can book online or contact Ocean Tribe to confirm suitable dates.
Choose Your Ocean Adventure
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Learn to Dive Earn your internationally recognised certification in paradise. 
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Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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