Your next scuba adventure doesn’t have to wait for somebody else’s schedule.
Whether you’re learning to dive, building new skills, or getting ready for your next trip, Dive With Frank offers private and small-group scuba training throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Some courses have published dates, but most are scheduled around you.
Training at a Glance
Schedule: Year-round, with most courses available by request.
Class size: Private instruction and small groups, with personal attention and flexible scheduling.
Locations: Pool, classroom, and open-water sites throughout the region, depending on the course and conditions.
Winter training: Heated indoor pools, classroom courses, emergency response training, and cold-water specialties keep things moving.
Availability: Check the DWF Calendar or ask Frank about arranging a class.
How Scheduling Works
Most dive shops build a class schedule and ask you to fit into it. I usually do the opposite. Tell me what you want to learn, and we’ll find dates that work for both of us. That might mean one-on-one instruction, training with a friend or family member, or joining a small group that’s already forming.
Don’t see a date on the calendar? That doesn’t mean the course is unavailable. The calendar primarily shows my availability, not every class I can teach. Some courses require suitable weather or open-water conditions, but plenty of training happens year-round.
You can explore the courses below, review details and pricing through WeTravel, or just get in touch. There’s no need to wait for me to announce a class.
Get Started with Scuba
Brand new to diving, or coming back after some time away? Start here. Not sure which option fits? My New to Scuba guide explains the path to certification.
PADI Open Water Diver
Your ticket to the underwater world. Learn to dive through personalized instruction, small classes, and pool sessions that move at your pace. Academics and confined-water training are offered year-round, with checkout dives arranged separately when you’re ready.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details |
Already have a referral? Book checkout dives
Discover Scuba Diving
Curious about breathing underwater but not ready to commit to certification? Try scuba in a pool with an instructor right beside you. It’s a relaxed introduction to the underwater world and a great way to find out whether scuba is for you.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
Scuba Review
Been out of the water for a while? Refresh your skills, rebuild your confidence, and get comfortable with your equipment again. No pressure, no judgment, and no need to remember everything perfectly before you show up.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
Continue Your Dive Education
Already certified? There’s a whole lot more to learn. Whether you’re looking to expand your capabilities, prepare for more challenging dives, or become a better dive buddy, these courses are a great next step.
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
Build experience and confidence through five adventure dives, including deep diving and underwater navigation. Explore new skills and environments while working toward becoming a more capable, well-rounded diver.
Schedule: By request, primarily spring through fall; conditions permitting
Course details
PADI Rescue Diver
One of the most rewarding courses in recreational diving. Learn to recognize problems before they become emergencies, assist divers in trouble, and respond more effectively when things don’t go according to plan.
Schedule: By request, primarily spring through fall; conditions permitting
Course details
PADI Specialty Courses
Specialty courses let you focus on the diving that interests you most. Improve your buoyancy, understand your equipment, explore new environments, or prepare for more demanding underwater adventures. Here are some popular options, and you can explore the complete PADI specialty course list for even more choices.
PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Diver
One of the most useful certifications for traveling divers. Learn how to safely use enriched air, manage oxygen exposure, and take advantage of longer no-decompression limits on appropriate dives. Especially valuable for repetitive diving, charters, and liveaboards.
Schedule: Year-round, by request; no open-water dives required
Course details
PADI Dry Suit Diver
Because shivering is overrated. Learn dry suit use, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures so you can stay comfortable when the water gets cold. Cold water doesn’t have to mean the end of your dive season.
Schedule: Year-round by request, with fall and winter training when conditions allow
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PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy
Better buoyancy makes almost everything about diving easier. Improve your trim, weighting, breathing, and underwater control while reducing unnecessary effort and protecting the environment around you.
Schedule: By request, based on open-water conditions
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PADI Equipment Specialist
Learn how your dive equipment works, how to care for it, and how to recognize problems before they spoil a dive. This is practical, hands-on knowledge that every diver can benefit from.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
PADI Self-Reliant Diver
For experienced divers who want to strengthen their planning, redundancy, problem-solving, and independent decision-making. An advanced specialty focused on developing the skills to manage demanding situations with greater self-sufficiency.
Schedule: Private instruction by request; open-water conditions permitting
Course details
PADI AWARE Coral Reef Conservation
Understand how coral reef ecosystems work, what threatens them, and how divers can help protect these remarkable underwater environments. A great choice for ocean lovers, traveling divers, and anyone interested in marine conservation.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
Distinctive & Unusual Specialties
Not every scuba class has to look like a traditional scuba class. Dive With Frank also offers distinctive specialties that combine real underwater skills with creative challenges, conservation, and a healthy sense of adventure.
The Original PADI Zombie Apocalypse Diver
The underwater apocalypse is excellent motivation to work on buoyancy, navigation, teamwork, and problem-solving. This scenario-driven specialty makes real dive skills part of a fictional mission to save humanity.
Schedule: Halloween season and by request
Course details
Underwater Secret Agent Diver & Shuck-Fu
Want something different? Underwater Secret Agent Diver challenges your buoyancy, movement, navigation, and task management through mission-based diving. Shuck-Fu: Oyster Conservation combines scuba skills with hands-on underwater conservation techniques.
These distinctive specialties are available by arrangement, subject to course requirements and suitable training conditions. Explore the specialty course collection or contact me to plan a class.
DAN Safety & First Aid Courses
Some of the most important skills a diver can learn happen above the surface. Dive With Frank offers practical Divers Alert Network emergency response training for recreational divers, dive professionals, and others who want to be ready when somebody needs help.
DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid
Learn CPR, AED use, bleeding control, patient assessment, and essential emergency response skills. Online learning is followed by hands-on practice with an instructor.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries
Learn to recognize suspected diving injuries and provide emergency oxygen while professional medical assistance is on the way. Practical, hands-on training with emergency oxygen equipment.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
DAN Diving First Aid (DFA)
DAN’s comprehensive diving first aid program combines basic life support, emergency oxygen, neurological assessment, and hazardous marine life injury management. Especially valuable for dive professionals and divers who want broader emergency response skills.
Schedule: Year-round, by request
Course details
Looking for more information? Explore all available DAN safety and first aid courses.
Have Something Else in Mind?
This isn’t every course I teach. Whether you’re interested in another specialty, want to sharpen a particular skill, or have a group of friends who would like to train together, there’s a good chance we can make it happen.
You don’t need to wait for a class to appear on a schedule. Tell me what you’re interested in, and we’ll look at the possibilities.
Let’s Get You Underwater
Take a look at my availability, explore the complete course catalog, or just ask me about the training you want. Small classes, flexible scheduling, and no unnecessary obstacles.
