According to PADI the highest non-professional qualification that any recreational scuba diver can aspire to is the Master Scuba Diver.

The requirements for the qualification are:

• 12 years old
• PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
• PADI Rescue Diver or Junior Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
• Minimum of five PADI Specialty Diver courses
• Minimum of 50 logged dives

I am 32, so I meet the age requirement. I achieved my PADI OW and AOW in 2009 and then in 2011 I became a Rescue Diver. Only two requirements are left – at least 5 specialities and a minimum of 50 logged dives.

Currently I have only 36 dives and no specialities. So I fall short of the mark on those two counts. However, I am going to Malta on Friday to do 8 specialities and a minimum of 20 dives. So by the April 14th I should meet the requirements of a Master Scuba Diver.

What specialities have I decided to do?

As my main goal is to become an instructor I decided to do some specialities that I thought would be beneficial to completing the PADI Divemaster qualification.

• Deep
• Wreck
• Nitrox (EAN)
• Night
• Dry Suit
• Search and Recovery
• Navigaton
• Peak Performance Buoyancy

I will update over the coming two weeks how it goes with each of the specialities. I am looking forward to this.