The PADI Open Water Certification.


The following is a quite detailed explanation of the PADI Open Water course content and will take some time to get through.

So, grap a coffee, sit back and read on...

Pre-Dive

However, before reading further, it is important to appreciate that although this course may seem rather 'full'! time quite literally fly’s, once you become engaged in the training, so don't be in any way intimidated by what on first inspection may seem a lot to learn.

It really is quite easy, as evidenced by the 10's of thousands before you who have successfully passed the course and gone on to thoroughly enjoy the sport of recreational diving.

You will end the course wondering where all the time went, you will have learnt so much, made new friends and have had an absolute blast of a good time in the process.

So without further adieu let's get into the detail… Following the PADI Open Water Diver Course can lead to two possible certifications:
  • PADI Scuba Diver and...
  • PADI Open Water Diver.
The Open Water Diver certification is a full entry level certification attained by successfully completing the entire Open Water Diver course. The PADI Open Water Diver certification qualifies you to:
  • Dive independently (with a certified diving buddy) while applying the knowledge and skills that you learned in this course and within the limits of your dive training and experience. You shall be licensed to dive to a depth of 18 meters.
  • Procure air fills, scuba equipment and other service for scuba diving.
  • Plan, conduct and log open water no stop (no decompression) dives when equipped properly and accompanied by a buddy in conditions which you have training and or experience.
  • Continue your diver training with a specialty dive in the PADI Advanced Open Water program, or PADI specialty course.
The PADI Scuba Diver (S/D) Qualification is earned by completing only a portion of the Open Water Course. The Scuba Diver course is a pre-entry level certification and qualifies you to:
  • Dive under the in water supervision of a PADI Dive master (or someone with a higher professional rating) while applying the knowledge and skills that you learned in the course, within the limits of your training and experience. You shall be licensed to dive to a maximum of 12 meters.
  • Procure air fills, scuba equipment and other servicse for scuba diving whilst under direct supervision.
  • Plan, conduct and log open water no stop (no decompression) dives when equipped properly and accompanied by a buddy in conditions which you have training and/or experience.
  • Continue your scuba dive training to the PADI Open Water Diver certification and some selected specialty courses.


Pre-requisites:

To become a Scuba Diver - you need to be comfortable in the water and have basic swimming skills, so your instructor will have you do some swimming and floating (nothing too demanding - 200 meter swim at your leisure and a 10 minute float on the surface).

This is just enough to determine you have basic swimming abilities.

You don't need to be an athlete, but you should be generally in good health, particularly your respiratory and circulatory systems. Mentally you need a mature attitude and the self-discipline to follow the guide-lines and principles required for safe diving.

Before any confined water dives (in the swimming pool or an environment similar to a swimming pool, i.e. an enclosed and sheltered bay) your instructor will have you complete a medical statement.

The information that you put on this shall be entirely confidential.

Because the statement identifies conditions that may be affected by diving, it is most important (for your safety) that you complete it entirely and accurately. If any of the conditions apply to you, as a sensible precaution, your instructor will ask you to consult a physician before taking things further. Most schools have access to a local physician who will confirm your fitness to dive if you meet the medical pre-requisites for safe diving..

The minimum ages for scuba certification are 10yrs for the Junior Open Water or Junior Scuba Diver certification (adult supervised diving), and 15 for the Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver certification.

These certifications show that you successfully completed the course according to the training standards and requirements established by PADI. Dive centres and resorts require a person to be a certified diver (or in training) before they will rent or sell you scuba equipment, fill scuba tanks for you, or let you participate in scuba activities.

There is a “Discover Scuba Diving” program which allows you to dive one day under the direct supervision of an instructor for the experience without certification but the diving is extremely limited and designed to give you just a taste for what is to follow on the full course.

Open Water Diver Course Structure: The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of 3 segments

  • Confined water dives,
  • Knowledge development and
  • Open water dives.


The fun begins in the confined water dives, during which you will apply dive principles, and learn and practice dive procedures and skills. You’ll do this either in a swimming pool or in body of water with pool like conditions under your instructor’s guidance and supervision.

There are 5 confined water dives that correspond with 5 knowledge development sections (the first three sections correspond to the Scuba Diver Course Once the three knowledge reviews, the first three confined water dives and the first two Open Water dives are completed - then the diver may be signed off as a PADI Scuba Diver - this can easily be upgraded to the Open Water certification by simply completing the rest of the course.

This approach provides for flexibility for those with less time to get qualified providing what is in effect a half way point which works well if you are nearing the end of your holiday and still want to get started. - the second half can be taken at a later date (perhaps on your next holiday).

Knowledge development establishes the principles and basic information that all divers need to have fun diving safely. It’s divided into 5 bite sized segments that you’ll complete primarily on your own time or in the classroom alone by using the PADI Open Water manual and video to guide you.

For each segment your instructor reviews and elaborates on the material, applying what you’re learning to your specific needs and the local dive environment. A short quiz at the end of each section in the manual confirms that you have picked up the information that you need from that section.

Section One covers:

  • The under water world
  • Dive Equipment
  • Scuba Systems
  • Confined water dive preview


Section Two covers:

  • Adapting to the underwater world
  • Respiration
  • Dive Equipment
  • Buddy System communication and procedures
  • Confined water dive preview


Section Three covers:

  • The Dive Environment
  • Dive Planning
    This would be the basics of gathering your equipment, safety procedures, gaining a buddy, dive conditions etc.
  • Boat Diving
  • Problem Management
  • Confined water dive preview
  • General Open Water Skills
  • Open Water Dives 1 & 2


Section Four covers:

  • Dive accessories
  • Health for diving
  • Breathing Air at Depth
  • Confined water dive preview


Section Five covers:

  • Special Dive Table and Computer Procedures
  • Using the Dive Table (RDP - Recreational Dive Planner)
    The RDP is an easy to use planning and reference tool that enables you to plan your dives safely whilst staying within the limits of recreational diving
  • Basic Compass Navigation
  • Confined water dive preview
  • Open Water Dives 3 & 4 and optional Skin Dive
  • Dive Safety Practices Summary


You may find that the sequence of course elements are changed slightly at the discretion of your instructor but you will find that everything needed to attain certification will be covered at some point in the course.

At the end of the knowledge development sections there is a 50 question examination (in leisurely conditions) which covers all of the 5 knowledge review sections. There is no need to worry too much as the content by this stage should be quite familiar to you following the section reviews by your instructor.

The Confined Water Dives soon show the studies to be well worth the effort.
As mentioned there are 5 Confined Water dives.
These dives build your skills, gradually getting harder in step with the growth in your confidence.
Your instructor will demonstrate each skill before you get to try it for yourself.

Confined Dive One covers: (General use and feel of dive equipment)

  • Mask defogging - prevention of mist in your mask
  • Donning and adjusting your equipment (in water)
  • Inflation and deflation of your BCD (Buoyancy Control Device)
  • Breathing underwater
  • Regulator clearing
  • Regulator recovery
    (how to retrieve and replace your regulator should it fall or be knocked from your mouth).
  • Clearing of a partially flooded mask (if water should leak in)
  • Practice underwater swimming in scuba gear
  • Equalization - (a simple technique to equalize your ears with surrounding water pressure as you go descend/ascend)
  • Submersible pressure gauge (SPG)
  • Practice hand signals
  • Alternate air source use - (Donating/Receiving air to/from your buddy in case you are ever faced with an out of air situation)
  • Ascents (How to do this in a safe and controlled manner).
  • Exit and equipment disassembly
  • Debriefing


Confined Dive Two covers:

  • Equipment preparation and set up
  • Don scuba equipment (first use of your buddy)
  • Pre-dive safety check - to be performed before any dive in training and everyday diving
  • Deep water entry (seated position)
  • Snorkel breathing and clearing
  • Surface swimming with scuba
  • Snorkel/regulator exchange
  • Five point descent (the correct way to execute a descent)
  • No mask breathing
  • Mask replacement underwater
  • BCD - oral inflation
  • Proper weighting at the surface - buoyancy test
  • Air depletion exercise
  • Five point ascent (the correct way to execute a ascent)
  • Weight removal at surface
  • Deep water exit
  • Don scuba equipment
  • Deep water entry (giant stride)
  • Exit and equipment disassembly


Confined Dive Three covers:

  • Equipment assembly
  • Don scuba equipment
  • Pre-dive safety check (as always!)
  • Neutral buoyancy underwater - fin pivot
  • Neutral buoyancy swim
  • Cramp removal (How to relieve a cramp whilst diving).
  • Tired diver tow (assist your buddy if he/she overly tired)
  • Air depletion/alternate air source
  • Free flow regulator breathing
  • Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA)- (how to reach the surface in a controlled manner in an out of air situation)
  • Exit and equipment disassembly


Confined Dive Four covers:

  • Don scuba equipment
  • Entry
  • Buoyancy control - hovering underwater
  • Buddy breathing (an optional component but good to gain the experience)
  • Exit and equipment disassembly


Confined Dive Five covers:

  • Equipment assembly
  • Don equipment
  • Entry
  • Remove and replace scuba unit - underwater
  • Remove and replace weight system - underwater
  • Remove and replace weight system - surface
  • Remove and replace scuba unit - surface
  • Exit and equipment disassembly


The Open Water Dives complete your training as an entry-level scuba diver by applying all that you have learned and further developing your knowledge and dive skills in a dive environment under your instructors supervision and direct guidance.

You'll make at least 4 Open Water Dives and perhaps an optional skin dive, during this part of the PADI Open Water Dive course.

Prior to certification, you’ll meet specific learning objectives that you’ll read about in the Open Water Divers manual.

You will progressively develop your skills and knowledge, building new skills based upon those already learn't as you work through the course.

The Open Water course is generally conducted over 4 days although it is feasible to complete the course in three days if circumstances and course scheduling allow.

Having read this far you are perhaps thinking that this is an awful lot to do!
You will not be the first to think this but rest assured you will hardly notice these stages as you enjoy the experience that is your path to certification.

So enjoy yourself as many thousands before you have done already. Diving is great fun and by following a prescribed and professionally delivered course you will have developed the skills necessary to be a successful and above all safe diver.