Open Water Diver
PADI Open Water Diver is the first scuba certification level made for those who want to learn how to scuba dive safely and independently.
Open Water Diver
You'll be trained to scuba dive at a maximum depth of 18m/60ft and 12m/40ft for Junior Open Water Diver. Your PADI Instructor will teach you how to scuba dive in a relaxed and supportive learning environment. By the end of the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to dive anywhere in the world.
After completing the scuba diving training, you are going to receive your internationally recognized PADI scuba certification that allows you to experience new adventures underwater.
Your scuba diving training includes all the necessary scuba diving equipment, refreshments between dives and insurance.
About the course
Course structure
The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three phases:
- Knowledge development (5 theoretical modules carried out through eLearning);
- Confined water dives to learn basic scuba skills;
- 4 open water dives to practice the skills and explore different dive sites.
Duration
PADI eLearning time commitment: 5-10 hours
Entire course: 3 days
You will learn how to
- Be a confident and skilled diver
- Assemble, use & take care of your scuba gear
- Control your buoyancy
- Respectfully approach marine life
- Navigate underwater
- Plan your dive
General information
Minimum age: 10 years or older (divers certified between the ages of 10-14 earn a Junior Open Water Diver certification and automatically become Open Water Divers at age 15);
Prerequisites: able to swim, medically fit for diving and comfortable in the water;
Depth: expect shallow dives of 12m/40ft, the maximum allowed depth is 18m/60ft.
Frequently asked questions
Open Water vs Advanced Open Water: what's the difference?
The Open Water Diver course is your first entry into the world of scuba diving, giving you the opportunity to dive up to 18m/60ft. Your Instructor will teach you fundamental skills and knowledge during practice sessions in confined water before moving on to open-water dives.
The Advanced Open Water Diver is the way to continue your scuba journey and develop your abilities to get even more out of your time beneath the surface. During this course, you will complete five different adventure dives, which concentrated on a particular diving specialty or skill. Once you’ve completed the course, you will be able to dive up to 30m/100ft.
How to pass the PADI Open Water Diver Course exam?
The PADI Open Water Diver final exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, without any time limit to complete it. You will have to answer questions about the basic principles of scuba diving, the right scuba gear, underwater signals and diving procedures.
Read your PADI Open Water Diver eLearning course carefully, all the answers to the questions are there. But most of all don’t stress out: this test is designed for a 10-year-old to pass!