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Push beyond basic certification with a two-day PADI Advanced Open Water course in Fort Walton Beach. Practice deep, wreck, navigation, and night dives under small-group instruction and return to the surface a more capable diver.
Push beyond basic certification with a two-day PADI Advanced Open Water course in Fort Walton Beach. Practice deep, wreck, navigation, and night dives under small-group instruction and return to the surface a more capable diver.
Book with Taz's Excursions
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Taz's Excursions · Fort Walton Beach, Florida
On the turquoise edge of Florida’s Emerald Coast, Advanced Open Water invites certified divers to extend their underwater range from the sheltered shallows to darkened wrecks and greater depths. Based in Fort Walton Beach, the two-day PADI Advanced Open Water course meets at 922 Denton Blvd NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 and delivers concentrated, hands-on instruction across four-hour days.
This program is built around adventure dives: expect deep dives that stretch your comfort below 60 feet, navigation exercises that sharpen compass skills, and specialty exposures such as wreck or night diving depending on conditions and instructor recommendations. Small class sizes (6 passengers) mean more surface time with the instructor to review skills and more guided practice underwater, so you'll finish with practical competence rather than just theory.
The local dive terrain is the Gulf of Mexico’s nearshore reefs and scattered wrecks. You’ll transit from shore or a short run to sites where limestone ledges, artificial reef modules, and retired vessels create vertical structure for reef fish, rays, and occasional sea turtles. Visibility on a good day gives you a clean field of view for honing buoyancy and underwater navigation; night dives deliver an entirely different cast of life, with crustaceans, sleeping fish, and bioluminescent microfauna taking center stage.
Logistics are straightforward: arrive early to 922 Denton Blvd NW for check-in and gear setup, expect two consecutive days of instruction (roughly 4 hours each day), and factor in surface intervals. Equipment rentals are available a la carte—from individual mask, fins and snorkel to full rental packages and Nitrox tanks—so you can tailor what you borrow or bring. The course requires existing Open Water certification (or equivalent) and basic comfort in open water conditions.
What makes this course a standout on the Emerald Coast is the combination of accessible wrecks and reef sites, flexible specialty options (night, wreck, deep), and a small-group learning environment that prioritizes confidence-building. Whether you’re aiming for more complex dives or simply want to feel steadier on your next trip, this course opens routes to advanced local sites and beyond.
Practical note: practice buoyancy, service your regulator and consider a dive computer for depth-aware planning. Follow local conservation practices—no-touch policies and reef-safe sunscreen—so these underwater neighborhoods stay healthy for the divers who follow.
Expect instructors to log and debrief each dive, provide navigation drills and emergency procedures training, and offer guidance on using Nitrox if you choose the Nitrox option. Bring certification card, medical clearance if applicable, and a positive attitude for surface intervals and classroom briefings. The course balances classroom review with in-water repetition so you graduate with practical decision-making skills. For bookings and detailed pricing, use the operator's booking portal and confirm dive times today.
This offering runs two days with roughly four hours of guided instruction each day plus surface intervals and briefings.
You must hold an Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent) and be comfortable in open water conditions.
Nitrox tanks are available as an add-on; instructors will advise on enrichment if you select that option.
Minimum age may follow PADI standards—check with the operator if registering a teenager.
Courses may be rescheduled or moved to alternative nearby sites depending on sea state and instructor discretion; contact the operator for policies.
Successful completion results in PADI Advanced Open Water certification, allowing deeper and specialty dives within PADI limits.
Taz's Excursions operates out of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, offering guided scuba diving experiences and PADI training for divers of varying experience levels. The company provides boat-based two-tank dives both inshore (less than 9 miles offshore) and offshore (9 miles plus), specialty courses such as PADI Deep Diver Specialty and PADI Night Diver Specialty, and certifications like PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) and Advanced Open Water. Experienced instructors lead specialty trips including the USS Oriskany Dive, night dives in calm inshore waters, and spearfishing excursions in federal waters. Taz's Excursions also offers re-activate/refresher sessions to help certified divers regain comfort with safety procedures, buoyancy, and basic skills before returning to regular diving. Trips emphasize safe gas management, navigation, and dive planning suited to each course level and location. Boat dives explore reefs, wrecks, and offshore sites with opportunities to see abundant marine life typical of the Gulf of Mexico. Training courses focus on practical skill development, gas analysis for Nitrox, deep dive safety principles, and night diving communication techniques. The business is positioned to serve recreational divers seeking structured PADI instruction, guided wreck exploration, specialty certifications, and organized two-tank boat trips departing from the Fort Walton Beach area. Prospective divers are encouraged to review trip prerequisites and certification requirements for advanced and offshore dives to ensure readiness and safety for each specific experience. Equipment checks, dive briefings, and tank analysis are standard parts of each trip, ensuring participant preparedness. Schedules vary by season and location. Reservations are recommended in advance year-round.
Book with Taz's Excursions
