PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the worlds’ largest diver training agency and the Open Water Course is the most popular and recognised diving PADI certification which is accepted at over 5,000 dive centres worldwide.
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Open Water Courses
Who Can Learn?
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- The minimum age for diving is 10, with additional restrictions placed on those under 12 years of age.
- Students 14 and younger will earn their Junior Open Water Certification.
- A Swimming requirement of a 200-yard swim (or 300-yard swim with mask, fins, and snorkel) and 10-minute tread or float.
- Medical Conditions-Each dive student will fill out a brief medical questionnaire before beginning the course. The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine if a physician should examine you prior to participating in recreational diving training.
PADI Scuba Certification
Your PADI Open Water lessons is divided into three sections:
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- Knowledge Development (home study, classroom and/or online) to understand basic principles of scuba diving
- Confined Water Dives (pool sessions) to learn basic scuba skills
- Open Water Dives to review your skills and explore
What Equipment Is Required?
Most of what you need for the pool dives is provided (wetsuits, tanks, regulators, BCD`s, etc.). We want our new students to learn on equipment that is comfortable and easy to use.
Advanced Open Water
What Is Involved?
You will undertake a total of five ‘Adventure dives’ over two or three days, each one targeting a unique set of skills. Before each dive, your instructor will do a brief review of what you`ve learned in the book and about the dive site.
- Self-study-When you sign up for the course, we`ll assist you in choosing the adventure dives you`ll be doing. You`ll read five chapters out of the Advanced Open Water textbook correlating to those adventures dives. You`ll also complete 5 knowledge reviews on these chapters.
- Adventure Dives
There two required dives for this course are:
- Underwater Navigation-practice using your compass and performing swim patterns to get your bearings underwater.
- Deep Dive-expand your open water depth limits to 100 feet by diving to 60 feet (dive to 100 feet is optional).
Three other dives will be chosen from 15 different options, based on the dive site. Some of the adventure dives we have done for this course are:
- Peak Performance Bouyancy-work on perfecting your buoyancy through a variety of skills such as hovering, swimming through hoops, etc
- Night-learn the techniques used in night diving, practice diving with a dive light, and experience the night life of fish!
- Search & Recovery-this underwater treasure hunt will allow you to use search patterns, line reels, and lift bags to bring items up off the bottom.
- Wreck-explore the many mysterious wrecks in our region or some of the ones we`ve sunk on purpose just for you.
- Deep-Open up the full realm of diving by learning to dive to 30m and the essential skills involved.
- Underwater Photography-fine tune your photography skills and learn how to produce fantastic underwater photos.
- Plus many more
Rescue Diver
- Self-rescue
- Recognising and managing stress in other divers
- Emergency management and equipment (AED and oxygen delivery systems)
- Rescuing panicked divers
- Rescuing unresponsive divers
- Missing diver procedures
- In-water rescue breathing
- Dive first aid
- Surfacing the unconscious diver
- Underwater emergency management
These are just some of what will be covered in this demanding and comprehensive course. You`ll be amazed at how much you will benefit from becoming a Rescue Diver!
Self-Study-A textbook and video are included in this course. Required reading, video, and knowledge reviews must be completed before each class.
- Classroom-Classroom usually consists of four sessions which the instructor will review homework, discuss rescue techniques, and demonstrate procedures to practice.
- Rescue Dives-Four dives are required for completion of this course. In-water and out-of-water techniques will be reviewed and demonstrated under the supervision and guidance of your instructor. You will put into practice all that you have learned in the classroom and will also respond to diving emergency scenarios.
Emergency First Response
- Scene assessment
- Universal precautions and barrier management
- Rescue breathing
- Basic Life Support CPR
- Bleeding and shock management
- Spinal injury management
- Basic first aid and first aid kit recommendations
- Splinting and bandaging techniques
- Choking response
- AED use
- Oxygen administration
Through a combination of independent study and skill practice with an instructor you’ll build the confidence and skills to provide basic emergency care.
Master Scuba Diver
- Rescue or Junior Rescue Diver
- Minimum of five PADI Specialty Diver courses
- Minimum of 50 logged dives
Divemaster
- Assist a PADI instructor during any PADI Diver course.
- Supervise training and non-training-related activities by planning, organizing and directing dives.
- Conduct a Scuba Review course.
- Assist in Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, or Specialty Dives.
- Continue your training to become a PADI instructor.
What Is Involved?
The Divemaster course will prepare and teach you dive leadership skills through classroom and independent study sessions. You will complete water skills and stamina exercises in confined and open water, training exercises to test your organisational and problem solving abilities, and finally an internship or series of practical training exercises.
What Equipment Is Required?
We recommend you own all your own scuba equipment, not only for your convenience, but for the familiarity with your gear that will make you a better diver.
When and Where?
The Divemaster course is designed to be completed at your own pace and within your schedule. You may complete the course within a few months or it may take as long as a year, depending on your commitment.
AWARE Coral Reef Conservation
What’s involved?
Through classroom discussions, you learn:
- How coral reefs function and the complex nature of life on a reef.
- Why coral reefs are so important.
- Why many coral reefs are in dire trouble?
- What you can do to prevent further decline.
- How Project AWARE unites divers and water enthusiasts to make a difference
Deep
- Deep Dives-Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills at depth in a series of four open water dives
Digital Underwater Photographer
- Choosing and using digital underwater cameras
- Shooting great photos quickly
- Primary principles and composition tips for getting great shots
- Editing your digital pictures and videos
- Buoyancy control for photography
Drift
- Receive an introduction to drift diving equipment-floats, lines and reels.
- Get an overview of aquatic currents-causes and effects.
- Practice with buoyancy control, navigation and communication during two drift dives.
- Learn techniques for staying close to a buddy or together as a group as you float with the current.
Equipment Specialist
- Routine, recommended maintenance procedures to prolong equipment life and reduce need for professional service.
- Transporting and storing equipment to reduce the risk of damage.
- Overcoming common problems with equipment and emergency repairs to save a dive.
- Simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations.
- Introduction to the latest developments in equipment technology.
No dives or pool sessions required, minimal self-study, and one classroom session, there is not a lot of time commitment required for this course.
Night Diver
- Light handling and communication techniques.
- Entering, exiting and navigating in the dark.
- Identifying how plants and animals differ or change behavior at night.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
- Determine the exact weight you need, so you`re not too light or too heavy.
- Trim your weight system and scuba gear so you`re perfectly balanced in the water.
- Streamline to save energy, use air more efficiently and move more smoothly through the water.
- Hover effortlessly in any position-vertical or horizontal
Search and Recovery
- Search and Recovery Dives-Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills at depth in a series of four open water dives
Wreck
- Wreck diving techniques and hazards
- Wreck diving equipment considerations
- Planning and organizing wreck dives
- Wreck entry techniques
Wreck Dives-Under the supervision of your instructor, you will perform skills underwater in a series of four wreck dives. You will be required to map out a wreck, tie and run a dive reel into a wreck, practice wreck entry and exit skills plus more.
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