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Open Water Diver Certification

Academic Sessions

The SSI Open Water Diver course is designed as a home-study program. The expectation is that the student reads the book, completes the Study Guide Questions and watches the DVD prior to coming to class. In the classroom, the instructor will ensure that the material was understood and then supplement the information and show how it applies to real world diving situations.

Topics to be covered in the Academic Sessions:

  • Your Diving Equipment
  • Using Your Diving Equipment
  • Your Body and the Underwater World
  • Planning and Executing Your Dive
  • Your Underwater World
  • Your Scuba Diving Experiences and Beyond

Pool Sessions

The Pool, also known as the Open Water Simulator is where comfortable and confident divers are made. In the comfortable confines of the 80 degree pool water, you will be given the opportunity to make sure that you are comfortable with the equipment and with the required skills.

Pool Topics include:

  • Equipment Adjustment and assembly
  • Watermanship Evaluation
  • Mask Clearing
  • Snorkel Clearing
  • Kicking/Finning techniques
  • Surface Dive Techniques
  • Entries and Exits
  • Regulator Breathing
  • Regulator Clearing and Retrieval
  • Proper Weighting
  • Buoyancy Control
  • Air Sharing
  • Surface procedures and surface swimming
  • Controlled Ascents and Descents
  • Removing and Replacing the Weight System on the surface and underwater
  • Air Sharing Ascents
  • Emergency Ascents
  • Removing and Replacing the Scuba Unit underwater and at the surface
  • Lots and Lots of practice time

Open Water Evaluation Dives

You will have completed your entry level skill development before we move to the open water. The dives in the open water give the student an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform these skills. By the time you are finished with your Open Water Evaluation Dives, you will have the confidence to be able to dive independent of your instructor.

You will be completing a minimum of 5 dives, one snorkel dive and 4 scuba dives.

Open Water Topics include:

  • Dressing Procedures
  • Snorkeling skills evaluation
  • Buddy Aid and Assistance
  • Scuba Skills evaluation
  • Basic Navigation skills
  • Buddy Procedures
  • Entries and Exit Procedures

Course Fees

Standard Open Water Diver Course – $ 179.95

Course starts the first Tuesday of the month and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for two weeks. The pool sessions are on Saturday and Sunday and the Open Water Sessions follow the classroom sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

Students must purchase the required course materials which includes a book, TotalDive Log, and handy carry case.

Fee Includes

  • Course Tuition
  • Use of Rental Scuba Unit and Wetsuit
  • Air fills for pool and open water sessions
  • Four Classroom Sessions (about 12 hours)
  • Pool Sessions (6 hours)
  • Open Water Evaluation Dives (1 snorkel and 4 scuba)
  • Instructor Fee
  • Certification Card

Weekend Open Water Diver Course – $ 179.95

Course generally starts the last weekend of the month. This is a condensed course and requires that all Home Study content must be completed prior to the first day of class. Classroom time is generally from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturday and Sunday with the pool sessions following from about 3 pm to 6 pm. The open water dives will be completed the following weekend. Times are subject to change.

Students must purchase the required course materials which includes a book, TotalDive Log, and handy carry case. Get this material early so that you have enough time to complete all the work before the first class session.

Fee Includes

  • Course Tuition
  • Use of Rental Scuba Unit and Wetsuit
  • Air fills for pool and open water sessions
  • Two Classroom Sessions (about 8 hours)
  • Pool Sessions (6 hours)
  • Open Water Evaluation Dives (1 snorkel and 4 scuba)
  • Instructor Fee
  • Certification Card

Private Open Water Diver Course – $ 425.00

This option is for the student who wants one on one attention or who cannot make the regularly scheduled classroom sessions. Pool sessions will be scheduled for the same dates and times as that month’s regular classes. The classroom sessions will be scheduled at the convenience of the student. Four classroom sessions are usually necessary.

Students must purchase the required course materials which includes a book, TotalDive Log, and handy carry case.

Fee Includes

  • Course Tuition
  • Use of Rental Scuba Unit and Wetsuit
  • Air fills for pool and open water sessions
  • Four Privately Scheduled Classroom Sessions (about 12 hours)
  • Pool Sessions with one on one instruction (6 hours)
  • Open Water Evaluation Dives (1 snorkel and 4 scuba)
  • Instructor Fee
  • Certification Card

Executive Open Water Diver Course – $ 550.00

This option is for the student who wants one on one attention or who cannot make the regularly scheduled classroom sessions or pool sessions. The classroom and pool sessions will be scheduled at the convenience of the student. Four classroom and two pools sessions are usually necessary.

Students must purchase the required course materials which includes a book, TotalDive Log, and handy carry case.

Fee Includes

  • Course Tuition
  • Use of Rental Scuba Unit and Wetsuit
  • Air fills for pool and open water sessions
  • Privately Scheduled Classroom Sessions (about 12 hours)
  • Privately Scheduled Pool Sessions (4 hours)
  • Open Water Evaluation Dives (1 snorkel and 4 scuba)
  • Instructor Fee
  • Certification Card

Course Scheduling

Please use one of the ways listed below to initiate the scheduling of this course or to request additional information.