Open Water Diver

Now is the time to dive into the PADI Open Water Diver course, the most popular dive programme in the world! This is your ticket to a lifetime of intense adventure!

Why PADI Open Water?

As a certified PADI Open Water Diver, the most widely recognized and respected rating in the world; you have the freedom to dive with a buddy independent of a professional.

What do I need to start?

Virtually anyone who is in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water can earn a PADI Open Water Diver certification. You must be older than the age of 14 to begin the PADI Open Water Diver programme. For those of you who are between the ages of 10-14, the PADI Junior Open Water Diver Programme is available to you.

What will I do?

Throughout the course, you’ll learn fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. You earn this rating by completing pool dives and knowledge development sessions and by making four open water (ocean or lake) dives.

How long will it take?

PADI programmes are performance based. You proceed as you demonstrate mastery of the course skills. This allows you to work at a pace that is comfortable for you.

Knowledge Development

When you book onto the Open Water Diver Course, you will be given a ‘Crewpak' containing the 'Go Dive' manual which accompanies the course and forms the basis of the theory that you will be learning. 'Go Dive' contains five chapters and each week for the duration of the course, we ask you to read one chapter before coming into the dive centre for the Knowledge Development session. In the classroom, you will watch a short DVD, view a brief presentation and complete a quiz. We aim to be as flexible as possible when scheduling Knowledge Development sessions so that you can come in at a time that suits you.

Confined Water

After completing your Knowledge Development session each week, you will then have the chance to put theory into practice learning diving skills in the safe confines of a swimming pool.

All the Confined Water training takes place in a fully equipped pool at the UKSA Sailing centre in Cowes. We will provide all of scuba diving equipment that you need for the course. All you need to bring is swimwear and a t-shirt to wear over the top.

Open Water

After successful completion of knowledge development and confined water training, all that remains are four open water dives, during which you demonstrate to your instructor that you have mastered the core skills enabling you to be a safe diver. These can be conducted over a weekend in the UK, either at a lake or at the coast, or on one of our overseas trips. The choice is yours!