If you are planning on becoming a PADI Instructor or PADI IDC Staff Instructor, you are also required to be an EFR Instructor.
Anyone can become EFR certified or an EFR Instructor, it is not even required to be a diver. These courses teach first aid and CPR skills that are valuable for everyone on the planet. As well as an adult First Aid and CPR Instructor you will become a Care for Children Instructor and will be able to teach infant and child CPR techniques.
The Underwater Spotter California Ocean Life Guide highlights the 50 most common and interesting ocean animals found in California waters. Designed for divers and snorkelers, this guide makes fish identification simple, visual, and genuinely fun—no scientific jargon required.
Instead of overwhelming you with hundreds of species, Underwater Spotter focuses on just 50, helping you build confidence and recognition dive by dive.
We wanted a fish identification guide that didn’t feel like homework.
Underwater Spotter Guides are:
visually clean and easy to use
packed with fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) fish behavior
designed for real underwater observation, not memorization
Whether you’re diving, snorkeling, or flipping through between dives, this guide helps you see more by knowing more.
Challenge yourself to find all 50 ocean animals in the guide.
Each species includes a checkbox so you can track your progress and turn every dive into a purpose-driven search.
Skip the scientific names and focus on what matters.
Each entry highlights:
fun fish facts
unique behaviors
when and where you’re most likely to spot them
The result: better observation and deeper appreciation of marine life.
Learn to recognize entire fish families, not just individual species.
Each family includes:
3 obvious visual traits for quick recognition
3 simple distinctions to tell commonly confused fish apart
This makes identification faster, easier, and more intuitive underwater.
Top 50 California ocean animals
Fish, sharks, nudibranchs, starfish, sponges, clams, rays, turtles, and more
Interactive progress tracking
Clear visuals and comparison tools
Behavior-based insights for each species
For divers who want to recognize what they’re seeing—without diving into technical manuals.
A confidence-building tool that simplifies fish identification and avoids overwhelm.
For anyone who loves asking “Why is that fish doing that?” and wants real answers.
Also great for snorkelers and marine life enthusiasts.
Weight: 5.5 oz
Dimensions: 8.5 × 5.75 × 0.5 in
Format: Durable, dive-friendly guide
This guide pairs perfectly with:
Fish Identification specialty courses
Catalina Island and SoCal diving
Divers who want to feel more connected to the ocean
It turns every dive into a discovery.
A dive log book is used by a scuba diver to record the details of dives they have done. This serves many purposes that are both safety focused and personal.
From a purely personal view point, as you progress through your training you should keep a close eye on your air consumption, weighting, and use of equipment. Seeing how you improve and react to different diving conditions and events will help you become an efficient, and safe diver. Only if you log these down will you remember them. Additionally, in your early days, when you go on holiday you should expect to take your log book and certification cards to prove your competence to go diving. A dive center will want to see proof that you can handle the diving conditions.
A log book is also a great way to journal your experiences, sightings, new buddies, travels, and it will serve as a great walk (or swim!) down memory lane.
