Become a Certified Scuba Diver!

The PADI Open Water Diver course will start you on your journey into the underwater world! With your certification you will unlock a lifetime of discovery as you step off land and plunge beneath the surface.

In this course your PADI Instructor will teach you the skills needed to confidently enjoy scuba diving.

The PADI Open Water Diver course includes three parts: Knowledge Development, Confined Water Training Dives, and Open Water Training Dives (make sure you sign up for both the "Confined Water Class" and a later "Open Water Dive" above).

Knowledge Development

Knowledge Development covers the principles, concepts and terms you need to know for dive safety and enjoyment.

Through online eLearning you'll be presented with both written instruction and corresponding videos that you can review and learn and review at your own pace. The material covers a wide range of diving topics from how pressure affects your body to what to consider when planning dives. It is also full of helpful information such as how to choose the best gear. Along the way you will complete knowledge reviews and then complete a final exam. With PADI eLearning you have convenient online access to your online manual to review as needed.

Don't worry if you need something explained or have questions, we are always here to help answer those questions or explain any concepts you are struggling with.

This portion of your learning needs to be completed before your first confined water dive and can be started as soon as you sign up, or after the initial class orientation (typically one week before the first pool session)

Confined Water Dives

This is where you will take your first breath underwater! You'll get in the pool and have hands on training at the skills you've read about with personal direction from your instructor. Skills like setting up your gear, clearing your mask while underwater, equalizing your ears, and more! We will even practice some emergency procedures, so you can always safely end a dive.

Open Water Training Dives

Finally! This is what you have studied and mastered your skills for, the open water training dives. You'll join your instructor at the lake and get practical diving experience putting those skills to work. Your instructor will evaluate your mastery of some of the skills you learned in the pool, teach you the basics of navigation, and take you on a short exploration of the dive site, looking for various fish and exploring the many things sunk in the dive park.

Once you complete your open water training and pass all your skills you'll be a certified PADI Open Water Diver and ready to begin exploring the underwater world!

*For a complete certification select a date for the Confined Water Class portion and a date for the Open Water Dives portion below.

Prerequisites

• Student must be at least 10 years old for Junior Open Water Diver and 15 years old for Open Water Diver.
• Good health, reasonable fitness and comfort in the water.
• A Medical Questionnaire must be completed by all participants.
• Some participants may require their Physician's approval prior to any in-water activities.

Required Equipment

Students must own their own scuba quality personal gear (mask, snorkel, fins, and boots) prior to class. This is essential gear every diver should own to ensure proper fit and comfort. We offer a student discount off the purchase of all four items when purchased prior to your class. Our staff will work with each student to ensure the best purchase. We'll explain features, describe differences between styles, and be mindful of your budget.

Asside from your personal gear we provide all the other basic gear you'll need for your scuba experience, including rental BCD, regulator, computer, tank, and weights. However, we do not provide rental wetsuits, they can be purchased from us or rented at the lake if needed.

Recommended Supplimental Courses

This class will teach you all the basics of scuba diving, but there are two additional courses we encourage all new divers to consider (we offer a discount if you add-on one these courses to your open water course, call for details):

• PADI Peak Performace Buoyancy
  This class takes extra time to go beyond the basic mastery of Buoyancy and really help you dial in your weighting and trim. This course can be completed during your Open Water Training with just one additional dive.
• PADI Enriched Air Diver
  Longer bottom time at depth and less fatigue are just a few of the benefits of diving with enriched air (Nitrox) and we think every new diver should get certified in it's use.