You want to become SCUBA certified, now what? As a dive instructor, the thing that I most enjoy is seeing new divers come out of the water with a mile long smile, realizing what they have just accomplished. But the question is,
What does it take to become an “Open Water SCUBA Diver?”
First, you must sign up for the class. Come by Extreme Sports SCUBA to sign up for the course and fill out waivers and file folder. While you are here, you will set-up classroom and pool schedule. Don’t let that word “classroom” scare you off! At the time of sign-up, you are given “homework,” an open-water manual and knowledge questions to take home and read and answer at your own convenience. Again, don’t let that word homework scare you off. It’s not scary, promise.
There are five chapters,
- Underwater Environment
- Physics/Physiology
- SCUBA Equipment
- Skills Development
- Planning Your Dive.
After this is complete, you will come in for 2 classroom sessions. Each of these sessions are about 3 hours in length. Then, time for your 2 pool sessions. However, we will schedule more sessions if needed, and don’t feel bad if you feel you need more time in the pool. We want you to feel comfortable and we want you to succeed. The pool sessions take about 2 1/2 hours.
Remember: Our goal is for you to become comfortable in the water and be able to perform all the skills with ease.
Skills include:
- Mask clearing
- Regulator clearing
- Air sharing
- BCD removal
- Tired diver tow
- and Practicing a few quick, buoyancy skills.
Don’t worry that you don’t know exactly what those skills mean. That’s why you come see us and take classes. When you’re finished, you’ll be proficient at the walk and the talk.
After classroom sessions and pool sessions are complete and you are comfortable and confident, it is time to go to the lake or ocean for your checkout dives.
Checkout Dives
There will be a total of 5 dives completed split up between two days. Each day starts with a dive briefing where we run down what each dive will consist of, but here’s the general break-down.
On the first day of your Checkout dives, you will complete 3 dives.
The first dive is with no skills, just a quick tour dive getting you comfortable being underwater.
The second dive you will perform some skills (same ones that you performed in the pool).
The third dive will finish up any skills missed on the second dive.
On the second day of Checkout dives, you will do two dives.
Dive number 4 (or the first of the day) is done with the instructor by your side.
Then the second of the day, or dive number 5, you will have to do a navigation dive underwater with a dive buddy, under our leadership.
Once you have mastered the skills of the five dives and you feel comfortable, You are now an Open Water Certified Diver.
Remember: Our goal is that you are comfortable, safe divers and ultimately Have Fun!
We have been in the business of certifying safe divers for 20+ years, so come make your dream come true with Extreme Sports SCUBA.
Another good article.