Diving

PADI Open Water Diver Course

To become a scuba diver, you need to be comfortable in the water and have basic swimming skills. When you visit your chosen PADI Dive Shop, your instructor will have you do a 200 metre/yard swim or 300 metre/yark mask, snorkel and fins swim and a ten minute float to determine if you have basic swimming abilities. You should also be in good overall general health, particularly your respiratory and circulatory systems.

In addition to the online knowledge development portion of the PADI Open Water Diver course, you’ll need to complete inwater training. You can visit your chosen PADI Dive Center or Resort to begin your dives at any point after you complete the first section. When you visit the facility, be sure to bring the eLearning Record with you and remember, the course amount fee is for the online portion of the course only. You will be required to pay an additional fee to your chosen facility for the inwater portion of your certification. You are also responsible for purchasing or renting any required equipment such as a mask, snorkel and pair of fins, as well as the scuba system. Your PADI Dive Center or Resort may suggest additional equipment along with the required purchase of a Recreational Dive Planner (Table, eRDPml, computer or eRDP) and a log book.

NOTE: We recommend you visit your local PADI Dive Shop as soon as possible after beginning your eLearning course. Don’t wait - they will introduce you to a lifestyle of opportunities you won’t believe!

You must also complete a medical statement before any inwater training. This information is confidential and, because it identifies medical conditions that may be affected by diving, it is vital that you are complete and accurate. If any of the conditions apply to you, you will need to consult with a physician and receive written clearance before any inwater training. Your instructor will be able to help you with this step if necessary. Also, local regulations or laws in some areas require all prospective scuba divers to receive medical clearance. If you require a physician’s approval for diving, you may print the medical statement, complete it and take it to your physician for approval. Then, take this completed form (including physician’s signature if necessary) with you when you visit your PADI Dive Center or Resort to schedule your inwater training. Contact your PADI Dive Center or Resort if you have any questions about the form.

Learning to dive is fun and exciting, but it is a learning experience and you need to commit to learning the information. The most important thing is that you, and you alone, complete all the Quick Quizzes, Knowledge Reviews, the section quizzes and the final exam. These assessments help insure you understand the basic principles and guidelines of diving. In addition to these online assessments, your instructor will have you complete a Quick Review prior to PADI Open Water Diver certification.

• Knowledge Development (online):
  • Section 1
    • Being a Diver 1
    • Equipment 1
  • Section 2
    • Being a Diver 2
    • Equipment 2
  • Section 3
    • Being a Diver 3
    • Problem Management
    • Equipment 3
  • Section 4
    • Equipment 4
    • Being a Diver 4
    • Using Dive Computers and Tables 1
  • Section 5
    • Using Dive Computers and Tables 2
    • Being a Diver 5
  • Final Exam: 50 questions, 75% pass mark.
• Confined Water Dives:
  • Dive 1 (09-Jul-2019)
    • 200m swim
    • Assemble, put on and adjust scuba gear
    • Pre-dive safety check (BWRAF)
    • Inflate and deflate BCD
    • Clear water from your regulator
    • Recover your regulator from behind your shoulder
    • Disconnect and reconnect the low pressure inflator at surface and at depth
    • Clear a partially flooded mask
    • Clear a fully flooded mask
    • Tighten a loose cylinder band
    • Cramp release on buddy and on yourself at surface and at depth
    • Tired diver tow
  • Dive 2 (16-Jul-2019)
    • Swap from regulator to snorkel, snorkel to regulator several times
    • Practice a controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA)
    • Remove mask and swim for at least 15 metres, replace and clear mask
    • BCD oral inflation at surface and at depth
    • Deep Water Entry: Enter the water safely using an appropriate deep water entry (giant stride)
    • Descend underwater (SORTED)
    • Use your SPG and signal your remaining air
    • Remove ans replace scuba gear at surface and at depth
    • Remove and replace weights at surface and at depth
    • Out of air exercises: use alternate air source, provide alternate air source, practice buddy breathing for one minute while swimming
    • Breathe from a free-flowing regulator for 30 seconds (sip air)
    • Tread water for 10 mins
• Open Water Dives:
  • Dive 1 (08-Sep-2019):
    • From beach (Wading Water entry): Fin pivot (buoyancy), CESA
  • Dive 2 (08-Sep-2019):
    • From boat (Back Roll entry): 18m, remove mask
  • Dive 3 (09-Sep-2019):
    • From boat: 12m, trim, buoyancy
  • Dive 4 (09-Sep-2019):
    • From boat: 18m, leisure dive

Skills Slate: