Memorial Weekend Closures

Ocean First will be closed on Monday, May 28th for Memorial Day. 

Ocean First Swim School will be closed Friday, May 25th - Monday, May 28th. 

Come say hi to us at our booth at Creek Fest! (We'll be in the Kid's Place all weekend)

Splash Day 2018

Our favorite swim school event of the year! New families are invited to try a class for free (register here!), and current swimmers get to put their water safety skills to the test in a safe and fun environment.

June 3rd from 12-4pm. Learn more here. 

2018 Ocean First Summer Party & Sale

Our biggest party of the year is coming up on June 9th, so clear your calendar and get excited for a full day of scuba madness, including amazing sales, classroom seminars, drysuit and freediving demos, free food and drinks, volleyball, and our HUGE raffle. If you know us, you know that we pull out all the stops to make this our best event ever! See the full event page here. 

Saturday, June 9th. 

Zeal Optics x Ocean First Volleyball Tournament

In conjunction with our annual Summer Party & Sale, we have joined forces with Zeal Optics to host an epic beach volleyball tournament. Winners receive free Zeal sunglasses! Grab a team of four and contact us to register. 

Saturday, June 9th from 10am-5pm. More info here. 

Mishka: A Live Benefit Concert for Ocean Conservation

Ocean First and A Rising Tide present an evening with reggae great, Mishka. This intimate acoustic set will be held at Boulder's iconic Sunrise Amphitheater on Thursday, June 28th. Proceeds benefit Ocean First Institute.

Purchase Tickets Here

Ocean First Photo Contest

Submit pics of where your Ocean First merch has taken you for a chance to win a $100 gift card! Email photos to marlee@oceanfirst.blue before December 2018. 

Weekend Open Water Class

Earn your open water certification in two weekends. Classes generally meet on the first and second Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the month.

Upcoming Classes:

• July: 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15
• Aug: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12
• Sept: 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16

Monday/Tuesday Open Water Class

Earn your open water certification in three weeks. Classes meet on Monday and Tuesdays for three weeks.

Upcoming Classes:

• June: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19
• July: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17
• Aug: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
• Sept: 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25

Private Weekend Open Water Class

Earn your open water certification in two weekends with personalized private instruction for you and your family or friends. Classes generally meet on Friday-Sunday. 

Upcoming Classes:

• June: 15-17, 22-24
• July: 20-22, 27-29
• Aug: 17-19, 24-26
• Sept: 21-23, 28-30

Accelerated Open Water Class

Complete your open water certification in one weekend! Ask about eligibility. Classes meet the last Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each month.

Upcoming Classes:

• June: 19, 22, 23, 24
• July: 24, 27, 28, 29
• Aug: 21, 24, 25, 26
• Sept: 25, 28, 29, 30

Open Water Practice Sessions

All current open water students are invited to our free open water practice sessions on select Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, where students can work on their comfort and skills in the pool before their open water dives. Please call ahead to ensure your space. 

Upcoming Dates:

• May 27th 9-11am
• June 24th 9-11am
• July 14th 1-3pm
• July 22nd 9-11am
• Aug 11th 1-3pm
• Aug 26th 9-11am
• Sept 8th 1-3pm
• Sept 23rd 9-11am

Scuba Skills Update

Refresh your scuba knowledge before your next open water dive. This three-hour class will re-introduce you to your dive skills so you can have a safe and worry-free dive trip.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 13th 6-9pm
• June 23rd 9am-12pm
• July 11th 6-9pm
• July 28th 9am-12pm
• Aug 8th 6-9pm
• Aug 25th 9am-12pm
• Sept 12th 6-9pm
• Sept 22nd 9am-12pm

Group Try Scuba Class

Get your feet wet in our exciting introductory two-hour Try Scuba class. Everything is included, just bring your bathing suit!

Upcoming Dates:

• June 6th 6:30-8:30pm
• June 17th 1-3pm
• July 15th 1-3pm
• Aug 1st 6:30-8:30pm
• Aug 19th 1-3pm
• Sept 5th 6:30-8:30pm
• Sept 16th 1-3pm

Freediving Class

Learn how to safely explore the underwater world on a single breath in our Level 1 Freediving class. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June: 7, 14, 21
• July: 18, 19, 20
• Aug: 15, 16, 17
• Sept: 19, 20, 21

Freediving Club

The Freediving Club meets to practice skills in the pool. No experience necessary. 6:00-9:00pm. The club generally meets on the first two Thursdays and the last two Saturdays of each month. Call to confirm or visit the Freediving Club Facebook page. 

Aurora Reservoir, Colorado

Complete your certification dives closer to home at Aurora Reservoir, only an hour from Boulder. Summer water temperatures are generally 65-70ºF. Available July through September.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 23-24th
• July 21-22nd
• Aug 18-19th
• Sept 8-9th

Blue Hole, New Mexico

Located in Santa Rosa, New Mexico along old Route 66, the Blue Hole is an 80ft deep natural sinkhole filled with cool, crystal clear springwater. Trips run year-round.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 16-17th
• July 7-8th
• Aug 4-5th
• Sept 22-23rd

Homestead Crater, Utah

Complete your dives in the geothermally heated Homestead Crater in Midway, Utah. The toasty 95ºF water makes this a truly unique dive experience. Trips run from the fall through the spring.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 2-3rd
• Trips resume in the fall

Key Largo, Florida

Complete your certification dives in the warm waters of the Florida Keys. Fly in on Thursday, dive Friday and Saturday, and return on Sunday. Trips run quarterly. More information. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June 21st-24th
• August 9th-12th
• November 8th-11th

Looking for something more exotic?

Ocean First Travel offers a variety of group trips to exciting international dive destinations, and are able to help plan a custom trip for all types of divers.

Enriched Air Nitrox

Nitrox allows for longer bottom time and larger safety margins. One of our most popular con-ed courses, and can be completed without pool time. Class times are from 1-4pm

Upcoming Dates:

• June 2nd
• July 7th
• Aug 4th
• Sept 1st

Ecology Programs

NEW IN 2018! These programs offer a wealth of knowledge about different aspects of the underwater world, including how to identify fish based on physical appearance and behavior, the life-cycles of sea turtles, the unique reproductive cycle of corals, and how human behaviors impact the marine environment.

React Right

Learn the the basics of First Aid, CPR, AED and Oxygen administration in diving emergencies and how to properly evaluate an emergency situation. Required prerequisite for Stress & Rescue. Class runs from 5:30-9:30pm. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June 14th
• July 12th
• Aug 9th
• Sept 13th

Stress & Rescue

Learn how to avoid, recognize, and solve problems on the surface and underwater and be prepared for an unexpected emergency. Class time is from 6-9pm for three days in a row. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June 25-27th
• July 23-25th
• Aug 27-29th
• Sept 24-26th

Science of Diving

This program provides an in-depth and detailed study of physics, physiology, decompression theory, the aquatic environment and diving equipment. It is required training for most SSI Dive Professional programs.

Upcoming Dates:

• July 16-18th

Underwater Navigation

Learn how to use a compass, natural navigation skills, estimate distances, perform search patterns, and find your way back to the exit point. Class time is from 10-12pm.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 2nd
• July 7th
• Aug 4th
• Sept 1st

Waves, Tides, and Currents

The motion of the ocean can have a big effect on your enjoyment of a dive. This course will teach you how to interact with a variety of water conditions. Class time is from 10-12pm.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 17th
• July 15th
• Aug 19th
• Sept 16th

Wreck Diving

Wreck dives offer a glimpse into the past and a hearty history lesson. Learn how to stay safe while navigating these exciting nautical artifacts. Class time is from 10-12pm.

• June 16th
• July 21st
• Aug 18th
• Sept 15th

Night & Limited Visibility

This course will teach you about planning and conducting safe night and limited visibility dives. Class generally runs from 2-4pm

Upcoming Dates:

• June 3rd
• July 1st
• Aug 5th
• Sept 2nd

Boat Diving

This course covers the knowledge you need to make your first boat diving vacation a true success, and how to prepare for diving from all sizes and types of boats. Class time is from 1-3pm. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June 17th
• July 15th
• Aug 19th
• Sept 16th

Deep Diving

This course will give you the knowledge, skills, and experience to safely dive to deeper depths. Class time is from 12-2pm.

Upcoming Dates:

• June 3rd
• July 1st
• Aug 5th
• Sept 2nd

Perfect Buoyancy

Proper buoyancy control is best mastered with proper training. The Perfect Buoyancy course will teach you how to reduce your effort and improve air consumption underwater, while preventing you from accidentally damaging the reef. Class time is from 6-9pm. 

Upcoming Dates:

• May 30th
• July 26th
• Sept 27th

Photo and Video

This program teaches you the skills needed to dive with an underwater camera, and provides the in-depth knowledge and experience required to properly use, maintain and store your equipment. Our goal is help you capture your amazing underwater experiences. Individually scheduled. 

Equipment Techniques

Become one with your Total Diving System. In this course, you will learn about equipment selection, care and maintenance of your gear, and proper gear storage. Your equipment will thank you! Individually scheduled. 

Altitude Diving

When diving at altitudes higher than 1000’, your dive table changes. Altitude Diving teaches you how to safely plan dives at high altitudes. Individually scheduled. 

Shark Diving

In scuba diving, it is considered lucky to see a shark on your dive. This class will help you separate fact from fiction when it comes to these magnificent and often misunderstood creatures, and will teach you how to react when you encounter sharks underwater. Individually scheduled.

Drysuit Diving

With a Dry Suit Diving speciality course, never fear cold water again! Learn the basics of dry suit diving in this specialty course, and ensure your comfort and safety underwater. Individually scheduled.