Are You Ready for Your Next Big Dive?
- Cuddlefish Divers
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
A Fun Guide to Diving Skills, Specialties & Leveling Up Your Dive Game
Ever wondered if you’re really ready for that dream dive location?Sipadan, Maldives channels, Nusa Penida downcurrents, or even our very own Singapore Pulau Hantu visibility surprise attacks?
The truth is: Great dives don’t just rely on luck — they rely on training.And upgrading your skills is the fastest (and most fun!) way to make every dive safer, smoother and way more enjoyable.
At Cuddlefish Divers, we see more and more divers asking:
“What specialty should I take next?”
“How do I prepare for stronger currents?”
“Am I ready for deeper dives?”
So here’s your friendly, fun guide to levelling up.
🟦 1. Buoyancy: The Foundation of EVERYTHING
If scuba diving had a superpower, this is it.Good buoyancy makes you:
Glide effortlessly
Save air
Avoid kicking up sand
Look really good in underwater photos
Stay safe in currents
Most divers think they’re “okay”…until they try to hover perfectly still at 5m without finning.
✔ Consider taking: Perfect Buoyancy Course
Or join a Cuddlefish Divers buoyancy clinic on weekends
🟩 2. Nitrox: Your Ticket to Longer & Safer Dives
If you love:
Long dives
Macro hunting
Bali / Lembeh photography
Multi-day dive trips
Nitrox is your new best friend.
Why everyone loves it:
Longer bottom time
Less nitrogen loading
Less fatigue (most divers report feeling better after 3–4 dives/day)
Great for:
Maldives liveaboards
Sipadan barracuda tornado trips
ANY destination with 3–4 dives per day
✔ Upgrade: SSI Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx)
🟥 3. Deep Diving: For the Brave, Curious & Well-Prepared
So you want to explore:
Thresher sharks in Malapascua
Deeper wrecks
Magical 30–40m landscapes
Deep diving is beautiful — but requires respect.
You’ll learn:
Gas planning
Narcosis management
Emergency deep skills
Controlled ascents
✔ Specialty to consider: Deep Diver (40m certification)
✔ Usually taken after or together with Advanced Adventurer
🟧 4. Drift Diving: The Skill for Indonesia & Maldives
If you’re planning:
Bali (Nusa Penida)
Komodo
Raja Ampat
Maldives channels
Then drift diving skills help A LOT.
Knowing how to:
Position yourself in currents
Deploy an SMB properly
Maintain buoyancy while mid-water
Work with your buddy during fast descents
✔ Certification: Drift Diver Specialty
✔ Highly recommended before Manta Point / Crystal Bay / Blue Corner
🟪 5. Rescue Diver: The Course That Changes Everything
Every diver remembers their Rescue Diver course because it’s:
Challenging
Fun
Super empowering
You’ll learn:
Self-rescue
Recognising stress before it becomes panic
Handling out-of-air emergencies
Surfacing an unresponsive diver
Search patterns
Towing & equipment removal
If you want to be a confident diver (or eventually go pro), this is the turning point.
✔ Specialty: SSI Stress & Rescue
✔ Great next step after Nitrox & Advanced
🟫 6. Bonus: Singapore-Specific Skills That Matter More Than You Think
Singapore’s conditions are PERFECT for training:
Low visibility
Currents
Navigation challenges
Precision buoyancy environment
Divers who train in Singapore become some of the most prepared divers overseas.
Take advantage of:
✔ Cuddlefish Divers Pulau Hantu training dives
✔ Navigation workshops
✔ SMB deployment clinics
✔ Local safety drills
🟦 WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE NEXT? (Fun Guide)
If your goal is…
👉 Sipadan / Maldives → Drift + Deep + Nitrox
👉 Macro trips (Lembeh / Anilao) → Buoyancy + Nitrox
👉 Wreck diving → Deep + Navigation
👉 Singapore mastery → Navigation + Buoyancy + Rescue
👉 Going pro → Stress & Rescue → DM → ITC at Cuddlefish 😉
🐙 CALL TO ACTION (CUDDLEFISH SPECIAL!)
Ready to level up your diving?
📢 Join Cuddlefish Divers for your next specialty adventure!Whether it’s Nitrox, Deep, Rescue, or Drift diving, our instructors make learning fun, safe, and confidence-boosting.
👉 Message us on Instagram @CuddlefishDivers
👉 Check out upcoming courses & local dives
👉 Train local, dive global — Cuddlefish style!
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