The SSI Open Water Diver certification is globally-recognised and the most popular entry level course.

If you want to start exploring the magic of the oceans around the world, this is the course for you!

On completion of the course, you will be certified to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres (for 15 years+). Junior Open Water Divers (10 – 15 years) will be able to dive to 12 metres, with a qualified and responsible adult diver.

SSI Open Water Diver is also the starting point for a lifetime of underwater exploration. You can start to build more experience and take specialty training in particular areas of interest – wreck diving, deep diving, dry suit diving, navigation, night diving, boat diving, stress and rescue or enriched air nitrox (for safer diving and longer bottom time) are just a few of the possibilities.

This programme is ideal for anyone who wants to explore the underwater world. Open Water Diver is an entry level programme, designed to equip you with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to safely scuba dive with a suitably qualified buddy.

It’s just the beginning of an exciting lifetime of never ending adventures! Once you have completed the Open Water Diver certification, you can build more experience and master more skills, that will open up even more doors for you to explore much more of the underwater world.

The minimum age for Open Water Diver is 10 years. Basic swimming ability and a general level of fitness is required. We will discuss the prerequisites and your personal circumstances with you beforehand, to make sure this programme is a good fit.

Firstly, we believe in developing safe, confident and happy divers that will truly feel ready to continue exploring the underwater world, once they qualify. This takes time to achieve and a considerable amount of practice to master key skills such as buoyancy. For this reason, we do not believe in the following practices which are (unfortunately) very common in the industry:

• Fast track courses
• Groups of more than two students per instructor
• Fixed course schedules
• Ticking boxes

Therefore, we take pride in differentiating ourselves from others in the industry. To begin with, unlike many other dive centres, our sessions are delivered on a private, tailored basis. There are no fixed dates and large groups, so you can expect to learn at your own pace and have the full, undivided attention of your instructor at all times.

This is the only way to provide you with the best level of service and a completely personalised experience.

The programmes comprises the following components, which will be discussed with you in much more detail:

• An introductory preparation session
• Digital, self-study learning materials, including online workbooks and videos
• Further instructor-led education sessions (can be delivered online or in person)
• Knowledge review quizzes and a final multiple choice exam
• Pool sessions required to master to your skills and gain confidence
• A swim assessment before progressing to open water
• Open water dives – a minimum of 4 is required.

The Open Water Diver programme is performance-based, not time-based. Therefore, our aim is to get you to a stage where you are confident, comfortable and safe enough to complete the programme. In most cases, this takes time and cannot be achieved in a couple of weekends!

Here’s why you should choose us for your Open Water training.

To provide our clients with the best experience and a first-class service, this programme is delivered on a tailor made basis. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach and off-the-shelf courses. Everyone is different and will progress at their own pace, with their own unique requirements.

Many of our clients prefer to learn in the UK but wish to do their qualifying dives in warmer waters. As well as our UK locations, we work in close partnership with dive centres in Egypt, Cyprus and Kenya to offer unique possibilities, to suit all requirements and budgets.

Options start from £725 per person and we would be delighted to discuss a bespoke programme and schedule the works for you. Please get in touch for an informal chat!