The PADI Open Water Diver course is the entry level, world recognised, scuba diving course and is your first exciting step to your underwater adventure. If you’ve always wanted to take scuba diving lessons and experience the excitement of the underwater world this is where it starts.
What do you need to start?
- To be ten years or older (children 10-14 years gain the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification)
- To have basic swimming skills and to be able to comfortably maintain yourself in the water. There are two swimming requirements, to swim 200m unaided, (in your own time, using any stroke of your choice) and to tread water/float for 10 minutes
- To be of reasonable physical health. You will need to complete a self certification medical questionnaire. If there are any health concerns you will need to take the questionnaire to your doctor for a final check before diving. Click here to go to the form/s you need to complete before starting this course.
- You do not need to have any previous scuba diving experience.
What will you learn?
- The Open Water course is performance based, where you progress at your own pace. It is taught in a fun and friendly manner by our Instructors and Dive Masters who will be by your side every step of the way, ensuring you feel comfortable with the skills and understand the basic principles of diving.
- There are six pool and theory sessions so you can learn and practice essential scuba diving skills under the direct supervision and support of your PADI Instructor
- Through structured knowledge development you are guided through the basic principles of scuba diving. You will find your understanding gradually builds from week to week, helping to increase your confidence and skills as a diver.
- The course ends with four open water dives (completed over two days, at a local, fresh water dive site) to review your skills and start your exciting exploration of the underwater world
- If you would like to complete your Open Water course in your own time frame (perhaps you are in a hurry or aiming to qualify before a holiday), please contact us and we can discuss putting together a bespoke course to suit your own needs.
What you will need:
- Your Open Water Diver Crew Pack (these course materials are provided by us and is included in the cost of the course)
- Your swim kit
- An old T- shirt or wet suit for the pool
- Your own mask, snorkel and fins are recommended, but are provided if you don’t have them
What does the Open Water Diver qualification give you?
- You will be qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres in conditions similar to or better than you trained in
- You can dive with another diver with the same or higher qualification anywhere in the world (Junior Open Water divers aged 10-11 years will be qualified to dive to 12 metres and must dive with a PADI professional or parent/guardian. Junior Open Water divers aged 12-14 years will be qualified to 18 metres and must dive with an adult certified diver)
- Your qualification opens the door to a whole new world of exciting scuba diving possibilities, from courses to advance your skills and experience, to club dives and wonderful diving holidays
What’s included in the price?
- Hire of all your scuba gear, including a dry-suit for the open water sections of the course and use of a dive computer
- Your Open Water Crew Pack, with all the learning materials you need
- Instruction and supervision from our PADI professional team
- PADI registration and certification card
- Air fills and pool entry fees
- Six confined water (pool) sessions and six theory sessions (including a dry-suit orientation dive)
- Four Open Water dives to complete your qualification
- Loads of fun and support from your PADI team
- See below for what a typical Open Water course schedule looks like
Where can you go from here?
- The PADI Advanced Open Water course is designed to advance your diving and take it to the next level. The course helps build confidence and expands your experience through five different types of adventure dives.
- Scuba School offers a wide range of PADI speciality courses to expand and develop your knowledge in the area/s of your choice, including night diving, deep diving, wreck diving, underwater navigation and diving on Enriched Air (nitrox). Please see the speciality list (PADI Specialities) on the site to explore the complete range of courses offered.
- Join our friendly dive club and take advantage of the special benefits it offers our members.
- Come and join us on our dive trips, dive holidays and social events.
- Come to our weekly pool sessions where you can jump in and have fun maintaining your dive skills, followed by a chat and drink at our social club.
If you have any questions or would just like to have a chat with us about this course (or any other course), please do contact us and we’ll be very happy to help.
Here is an example of our standard Open Water Diver Course schedule:
- Week 1: Meet the team, introduction to scuba diving, Module 1 knowledge development (in your Open Water book) with your Instructor followed by your first pool session.
- Week 2: Module 2 knowledge review and dive briefing with your Instructor followed by 2nd pool session and post dive de-briefing
- Week 3: Module 3 knowledge review and dive briefing with your instructor followed by your 3rd pool session and post dive de-briefing
- Week 4: Module 4 knowledge review and dive briefing with your instructor followed by your 4th pool session and post dive de-briefing
- Week 5: Module 5 knowledge review with your instructor and final multiple choice exam. Dive briefing followed by your 5th pool session and post dive de-briefing
- Week 6: Dry-suit orientation, your chance to experience how to use a dry suit in the pool before going on to do your open water dives. You will have a dry-suit briefing before the pool session.
- Weekend/two days diving at an open water dive site to complete your four Open Water Dives and qualify as a certified scuba diver!
Open Water Course Options:
| Entry Level | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
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All course materials and certification fee |
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Hire of all scuba diving kit, including dry-suit |
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6 pools sessions & 4 open water dives (OW site fees not included*) |
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Plus mask/snorkel and six months FREE Club Membership |
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Your own dive computer, worth £265, to use during the course and once qualified |
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Plus Dry suit Course |
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Plus Advanced Open Water Course |
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| Cost | £485 | £535 | £755 | £955 | £1,250 |
* Site fees are to Stoney Cove or Cromhall Dive Centre. Site fees are approx £20.00 a day.
Please Note: 1:1 and Fast Track options are available. Please contact us to discuss further.
