Do you wonder what lies beneath the surface?  Curious about breathing underwater?  Open Water Scuba Certification is your key to exploring the underwater world!  During your open water diver class, you will learn everything that you need to know to explore the underwater world. 

What are the basic requirements to take the Open Water Diver class?

You must be at least 10 years old, and able to swim (there will be a short swim test during the certification.)  Your doctor must sign off that you are physically fit to scuba dive.

What is the Open Water Diver Class?

The Open Water Diver Class is your first step in getting certified to go scuba diving.  Dive stores, and charter companies will not rent you equipment or take you out on their boats to go diving if you cannot show them a certification card, commonly known as a "C-Card."  You will learn the skills you need to go scuba diving recreationally with a buddy.  You will also prove that you can swim and tread water.  The Open Water Diver class is broken up into three segments : knowledge development via e-learning (a class you will work through online at your own pace - no classroom needed! complete with a test at the end,) a short quiz to make sure you remember what you learned in your online class, 5 confined water dives, and 4 open water dives. 

Do you certify from different training agencies? 
Yes! We can do your open water training through PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or SSI (Scuba Schools International.) In terms of diver training there is very little difference between SSI and PADI. They both follow the diving standards set by the Governing body – WRSTC (World Recreational Scuba Training Council) meaning that knowledge and skill requirements (in water) are almost the same. 

What is confined water?

Confined water is a general term that refers to either a swimming pool or confined open water. Confined open water is an open water site that offers swimming pool-like conditions with respect to clarity, calmness, and depth. It has both shallow water and water deep enough to allow you to meet all the skill performance requirements laid out for an open water diver.  

What is open water?

Open water is a body of water significantly larger than a swimming pool, offering conditions typical of a natural body of water.  Within this definition, there are certain sites (very large aquariums and specifically-constructed environments designed for recreational diving, for example) that provide conditions typically associated with natural bodies of water, such as appropriate depths for diving, the ability to plan and experience a dive, bottom contour and composition, and water temperatures representative of the open water dive experience. 

What will I need to start diving?

We require our students to have their own personal gear: mask, fins, snorkel, booties, thermal protection, and Educational Kit (logbook and recreational dive planner.)  The rest of the rental gear that you will need to learn how to dive is included in the price of your open water diver class.  This gear will include your BCD (Buoyancy Control Device,) regulator, and tanks.  Once you have signed up for the class either online or in-store, we will send you an e-mail with your confined water and open water dates and ask you to set up an appointment at the store for getting your own personal gear. 

Where will I do my dives?

You will do the confined and open water dives over the course of three different training days.  We do our confined water dives at the USFSP Pool in Downtown St. Petersburg every other Sunday.  The following weekend you will go to Lake Denton to do part of your open water dives.  Lake Denton is located about 1.5 hours away from St. Petersburg.   All Open Water Diver certifications are also available to be done on the east coast of Florida (Jupiter, West Palm, Key Largo, etc.) – ask in store to find out how! Click here for more information on Lake Denton.  Following your Saturday dives at Lake Denton, we will go to Hudson Grotto to round out your certification. Click here for more information on Hudson Grotto. 

Still not convinced? Need more information?  Want to get your feet wet? Stop by the store and speak with one of our highly competent team members to learn more!

Sign-up for your Open Water Diver Class by clicking 
HERE