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Why become a PADI Open Water Diver?
Your PADI Open Water Diver certification is a ticket to a whole world of adventure and experience. It is the basic certification required by dive operators and charter boats, and it provides a solid foundation upon which you can build skills through continuing education – gathering the experience and the know-how to shoot photos or video underwater, explore shipwrecks or engage in a number of other PADI Specialty Diver Certifications. There’s virtually no limit to how far you can go; remember, every PADI Professional began as an Open Water Diver!
Why PADI?
A true industry leader, PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) certifies more divers than all other certification organizations combined. Since 1966, PADI has issued nearly 15 million certifications – that’s like certifying every man, woman and child in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Two out of every three entry-level scuba certifications issued each year in the United States are PADI Open Water Diver certifications. Worldwide, one out of every two entry-level diver certifications issued annually is issued by PADI. That makes the PADI Open Water Diver certification the most widely recognized and respected diving certification in the world. From Antigua to Vanuatu, when trained by a PADI Instructor at a Sea Sports Scuba facility, you are assured that your training will be recognized anywhere you go to dive.
What happens in a PADI Open Water Diver course?
In a PADI Open Water Diver course, you learn more than a new set of skills. You learn when and how to use them. You master basic fundamentals first and build upon them gradually so you don’t feel rushed. Instead, you feel confident and comfortable. You learn at your own pace -- however fast or slow that is. Be prepared to laugh and smile a lot! And, don’t be surprised if you come away absolutely thrilled. Scuba diving does that to people!
The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three sections:
- Knowledge Development
To make sure that you have firmly grasped all the information you’ll need to enter the underwater world, all the facts and theories are delivered in three different forms. First you will read them either in your PADI Open Water Diver Manual or onscreen in your Open Water Diver multimedia. The PADI Open Water Diver video clearly explains what you need to know and shows you the key skills you’ll learn before you practice them. Finally, your instructor will recap all the essential information and answer your questions. Along the way, you’ll take short quizzes that assess how well you’ve grasped the material, and if you need some additional attention before you’re ready to proceed, you’ll get it.
- Confined Water Training
Conducted in a swimming pool, your confined water training is where you will learn and master the skills you’ll need to scuba dive. You’ll get truly comfortable in the water and amaze yourself with your ability to hover like an underwater helicopter, move with a minimum of effort and be a real asset to your dive buddy. You’ll soon discover one of scuba’s best-kept secrets: While it is a challenging and exciting activity, it can also be relaxing and an incredible way to unwind on a weekend.
- Open Water Dives
During the PADI Open Water Diver course, you’ll practice all the key skills you need before you go to the open water environment. Open water training is your opportunity to experience scuba diving and apply your new skills in real-world diving conditions. The first open water dive consists of little more than having fun diving and applying your new skills with a PADI Instructor right there to help you get the most from the experience. On later dives you’ll continue to practice the skills you mastered earlier, and perfect skills that will help you preserve and protect the delicate underwater world.
Other Scuba Diving FAQs
Can I do it?
Virtually anyone who is is good health, reasonably fit and comfortable in the water can earn a PADI Open Water diver certification. You must be at least 15 years of age to begin the course. However if you are younger, or if you have budding divers in your family who are younger, there is a Junior Open Water Diver certification for children aged 10 – 14. (Junior Open Water divers 12 years old and older may dive with another certified diver who is of legal age; Junior Open Water divers younger than 12 may only dive with a certified parent, guardian or PADI Professional, and also are limited to depths of 40 feet or shallower.)
Where do I get the gear?
The professionals at Sea Sports Scuba will completely cover the advantages of different types of equipment during your open water diver course, and help you find equipment that’s exactly right for the areas you’ll be visiting and the type of diving you plan to do. Because a proper fit is so very important for safe, comfortable and enjoyable diving, having the assistance of a Sea Sports pro is a significant advantage when you’re new to the sport and trying gear for the first time. Sea Sports Scuba is not only a good source for acquiring gear, but is the best place to have your gear serviced to keep your diving enjoyable.
That’s an important thing to bear in mind as you consider an adventure in diving. The Sea Sports Scuba professionals are not only your best source for diving education. We are a valuable resource who can guide and serve you long after you’ve filled your logbook with memories
Do I have the time?
It takes less time -- often considerably less time -- than you probably think. You can read the Open Water Diver Manual and watch the Open Water Diver video during your lunch hours, or in the comfort of your own home. During the actual class time, your instructor will review the material with you to ensure familiarity and understanding. Once you’ve reviewed the course material and completed some evaluations, the confined and open water dives can be accomplished in as little as two weekends!
Is it expensive?
As grown-up hobbies go, scuba diving is amazingly affordable. Equipment is reasonably priced and lasts, with basic maintenance and care, for years. And while dive travel can be the key to a trip of a lifetime, you don’t always have to fly to far-flung destinations to dive. Most of the dive resorts in the Caribbean Sea, (home to some of the world’s best diving) is only a short two-hour flight away from Houston! Sea Sports Scuba can also help you discover local diving so you can have fun year-round and keep your skills fresh.
I want to complete my open water training dives in a tropical destination. Can I do that?
Absolutely! PADI Professionals train to the same standards all over the world, so you can start the Open Water Course with us, and complete the course (your open water dives) with a PADI Instructor at the destination of your choice. You will still receive quality training and attention, as required by the industry’s leader in diver certification.
How will I find somebody to dive with after I’m certified?
Good question – the buddy system is one of the principal safety elements in sound scuba diving. Fortunately, you will probably make friends during your training --people with whom you can discover the underwater world. Better still, you can tell your friends about the new adventure you’re considering, and take the class with someone you already know well. But even if you take a private class, the staff at Sea Sports Scuba can put you in touch with people with similar backgrounds and interests. Joining the PADI Diving Society is another way to meet avid divers who dive virtually anyplace there’s water!
My schedule is crazy. Can my PADI Professional really work a class around it?
Sea Sports Scuba Instructors know how to build a course around you – even if it means a private class, tailored to fit your personal schedule. Just ask us; you will be surprised at just how do-able this is!
I’m looking for a social activity as well as a new sport. Can this be it?
Think about group classes. People learning together often bond – it’s a great way to build lasting friendships around the diving lifestyle.
I’m looking for an activity that my whole family can enjoy. Is scuba diving it?
Yes. While friends diving with friends accounts for a lot of the diving done each year, diving can be a great experience for families with children ages 10 and older. It’s also a great way to expose your family to parts of the world they may never otherwise get to see!
I want to know more. What’s my next step?
Your next step is to stop by the Sea Sports Scuba location near you. Come in and talk to a member of our professional staff. We can answer any of the questions you may have. If you are ready to signup for the Open Water Diver course, we can take care of that during the same visit!
For a map of our locations, click here.
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