Are you curious about the time it takes to become certified as a diver? There are many options available depending on your level of experience. PADI offers a beginner course which teaches you the basics of diving. PADI Open Water Diver is another option to get certified.
PADI's entry-level diver course
PADI entry-level divers course consists five chapters, 4 Knowledge Reviews and a Final Exam. It is generally completed over three to four days, though it can be faster if you can take the online course instead. This course covers all aspects of diving, and also includes open-water dives.
PADI Open Water Diver Manual provides a guide to diving basics. It includes information on proper equipment, terminology, safety procedures, and more. It also has five videos to help you understand each topic better and answer any queries.
Open water certification dives
Open water certification requires a few steps. Get your training. Before you can begin open water diving, you will need to spend a few sessions in the pool. These sessions will allow you to re-examine your diving skills. The orientation dive is the first, and the scuba skills dive is second. Relaxation is the goal of the third dive, while the final dive is intended to consolidate all that you have learned.
Your certification can be completed in one weekend if your local dive center is available. But, you will need to follow the instructions of your instructor or dive center if you are training at a remote location. Generally, it takes three to four days to get open water certified.
Next-level certification dives
For beginners, you can start by trying out a few dives at the pool. Then, you can move on to the next level. You can usually do try-dives in shallow water (less 6 feet). Open water diving requires you to be more confident in all aspects of the aquatic environment, from navigating the waters to staying safe. Open water diving occurs in water bodies such as lakes, oceans, and even flooded pits.
It takes approximately four days to get certified. However, the process can vary. An online course can take you through the entire process in less than a week. You don't have to meet any deadlines for entry-level classes, but some professionals might need to wait.
Prerequisites for the next-level certification
Get some experience in the pool before you start to earn your next-level diving certification. Try-dives in a pool are a good way to get acquainted with the sport. You can also dive in lakes or flooded quarry pits. Open water diving takes more practice than a "try-dive".
The SDI open-water training course is designed for those who want to continue their scuba training. You will learn basic skills in scuba diving and problem solving. You will learn how to self-rescue, which is a technique used by rescue divers. Open water training must be completed before you can dive on more difficult dive sites or liveaboards.