| The PADI Open Water Diver Course teaches you | | | | The practical side of the course will consist of five |
| the fundamentals of scuba diving. You'll learn about all | | | | confined water sessions followed by four open water |
| of your scuba diving equipment and how to gear up | | | | dives - where the fun really starts! Some of the |
| correctly, and all the basic diving dos and don'ts. On | | | | practical skills you will learn include: |
| successful completion, you will receive an Open | | | | - Mask clearing and removal |
| Water Diver card and a diver number - your key to | | | | - Failed BCD inflator |
| the exciting and exhilarating world of scuba diving. | | | | - Alternate air source use |
| With this under your belt, you can hire equipment and | | | | - Regulator freeflow |
| dive to your heart's content (within the safety | | | | - Buoyancy control |
| parameters, of course!) and you needn't sit a single | | | | - Kit removal and refit |
| test more, if you don't want to. Most divers, | | | | - Tired diver tow |
| however, find themselves hooked by this stage, and | | | | - Controlled emergency swimming ascent |
| progress to the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver | | | | - Compass use (on land and underwater) |
| Course, providing them with the necessary training to | | | | You must be at least 10 years old to undertake the |
| dive to deeper depths. | | | | PADI Open Water Diver course. There is no |
| The PADI Open Water Diver Course lasts from 3 to | | | | maximum age limit. You'll need to be able to swim |
| 5 days. It teaches the necessary skills to enable you | | | | 200 metres unaided (or 300 metres with flippers and |
| to plan and dive to a maximum of 18 metres. You | | | | snorkel) and tread water for ten minutes. Bearing in |
| may find it all a bit daunting at the outset, but it's | | | | mind that the average swimming pool is |
| surprising how quickly you learn. You'll be gearing up | | | | approximately 25 metres long, this equates to |
| like a pro in no time! | | | | approximately 8 lengths (without stops). You will |
| There are two parts to the course: practical and | | | | need to complete a health questionnaire prior to your |
| knowledge. You'll need to invest in a PADI Open | | | | training. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, |
| Water Course Crew Pack. This contains your PADI | | | | this may not necessarily preclude you from diving. If |
| Manual, which contains all you need to know about | | | | you have any health concerns, it would be prudent to |
| diving and your scuba diving equipment. You'll also | | | | visit your doctor beforehand to discuss them, and, if |
| receive a dive table (for dive planning) and logbook | | | | necessary, obtain a note confirming your fitness. This |
| to record all of your dives. Some Crew Packs also | | | | may save the inconvenience and expense of a |
| feature a PADI Open Water DVD - a useful learning | | | | doctor's examination once you reach the resort. |
| aid. You may undertake the knowledge section of | | | | Once you've decided that scuba is for you, your |
| your PADI course online before commencing your | | | | next step will be choosing where to learn. With tens |
| practical training. Ideally, though, you should undertake | | | | of thousands of PADI approved dive centres |
| the knowledge and practical aspects concurrently. | | | | worldwide, you certainly won't be short of choice. |
| You wouldn't, after all, take your driving theory test | | | | Pick out your scuba diving equipment, gear up and |
| without ever having sat behind the steering wheel. | | | | go! |