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OTA Scuba & Swim · Katy, Texas · PADI 5-Star Center
PADI Enriched Air
Nitrox Course
The single best upgrade you can make before your next dive trip — more bottom time, less nitrogen, same great ocean.
Course Price
$249.95
Regular $299.99
Save 17%
Every diver eventually hears the words "you should get Nitrox certified" and nods politely while having no idea what that actually means for their next trip. Here's the short version: when you dive on regular air, you're breathing about 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. Nitrox raises the oxygen percentage — up to 40% — which means your body absorbs less nitrogen on every dive. Less nitrogen absorbed means longer no-decompression limits, shorter surface intervals, and more time underwater where you actually want to be.
Our lakes in Texas top out around 40 feet — too shallow for Nitrox to make a meaningful difference. We're honest about that. This course is for your next trip to Cozumel, Roatan, the Flower Gardens, or the Red Sea — anywhere you're doing multiple dives a day and every extra minute at depth counts. One Nitrox certification, every dive trip for the rest of your life.
Why Nitrox
What Changes When You Breathe the Good Stuff
⏱
Longer Bottom Time
Reduced nitrogen absorption extends your no-decompression limits — significantly. More time on the reef, less time watching the clock.
🔄
Shorter Surface Intervals
Less nitrogen to off-gas means you get back in the water faster between dives. On a live-aboard or a multi-dive day trip, this adds up quickly.
🔋
More Energy After Diving
Many divers report feeling less fatigued after Nitrox dives. Not a guarantee — but common enough that it's worth knowing.
🛡
An Extra Safety Margin
Reduced nitrogen loading means an additional buffer between you and decompression limits — a margin most recreational divers are happy to have.
What You Get
Everything Included. No Surprises.
As with every OTA course — the price is the price. No hidden certification fees, no surprise charges at the finish line.
✓ PADI Enriched Air e-learning (complete on your schedule)
✓ Digital course manual
✓ In-person session — tank analysis and gas blending fundamentals
✓ PADI certification fee — your Nitrox card, issued directly
✓ Free PADI Club membership (a $55 value)
✓ No pool session required — this is a dry certification course
Course Schedule
How It Works
Enriched Air Nitrox — Course Timeline
Step 1
Complete e-learning online — finish the PADI Enriched Air digital course at your own pace before your in-person session. Takes most students 2–3 hours.
Step 2
Friday at 6:00 PM — in-person session at OTA Scuba & Swim. We cover tank analysis, how to read and verify your Nitrox mix, oxygen exposure limits, and how to plan dives using your dive computer. Don't have one yet? No worries — we'll show you your options so you can hit the water ready to make the most of every extra minute. Typically 2 hours.
Step 3
Certified. Your PADI Enriched Air Diver certification is processed and issued. Recognized at dive shops and fill stations worldwide.
Included With Your Course
Free PADI Club Membership
PADI Club
Every OTA course includes a complimentary PADI Club membership — a $55 value — activated when you register for your certification.
Discounts on future PADI courses
Digital certification card access
Exclusive member digital content
Dive trip planning resources
Already a PADI Club member? Contact us before purchasing — we will instruct you on how to get your discounts.
Common Questions
Before You Enroll
Do I need any specific certification level to take this course?
The only requirement is that you are a certified diver — any agency, any level. Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Divemaster — if you have a certification card, you qualify. No minimum number of logged dives required.
Is there a pool session or open water dive requirement?
No. PADI Enriched Air is a dry certification — e-learning plus one in-person session to cover tank analysis and dive planning. No pool, no open water dives required. You'll be certified after your Friday evening session.
Can I use Nitrox at local Texas lakes?
Technically yes, but practically no — our Texas lakes are too shallow for Nitrox to provide a meaningful benefit. Nitrox earns its value at recreational depths of 60 feet and beyond, where the extended no-decompression limits matter. This course is designed with your travel diving in mind — Cozumel, Roatan, the Flower Gardens, the Red Sea. One certification, every trip for the rest of your life.
As we expand our Advanced Open Water program, Nitrox will become a natural part of deeper dive training. Stay tuned.
Will dive shops and fill stations accept my OTA Nitrox certification?
Yes. Your PADI Enriched Air Diver certification is recognized worldwide. Any PADI dive center or fill station that offers Nitrox fills will accept it — no questions asked.
What's the difference between Nitrox 32 and Nitrox 36?
The numbers refer to the percentage of oxygen in the mix — Nitrox 32 is 32% oxygen, Nitrox 36 is 36% oxygen. Higher oxygen percentages give you longer no-decompression limits but also lower your maximum operating depth due to oxygen toxicity considerations. We cover all of this in the in-person session — how to analyze your tank, calculate your maximum depth, and plan your dives accordingly. By the time you leave Friday night, this will make complete sense.
What does the certification fee cover exactly?
Everything. The price you see — $199.95 — includes your PADI e-learning access, your digital course manual, your in-person session, and your PADI Enriched Air Diver certification fee. There is nothing else to pay. That's the OTA standard across every course we offer.
Ready to Dive Longer?
One Friday evening. One certification. More bottom time on every dive trip you take for the rest of your life.
ENROLL NOW — $249.95
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