Prerequisites
Our PADI Open Water class is limited to 4–6 students to give you maximum interaction with your instructor. To enroll in a PADI Open Water Diver course or Junior Open Water Diver course, you must be 10 years old or older. You need adequate swimming skills and should be in good physical health. No prior experience with scuba diving is required.

Equipment
In the PADI Open Water Diver course, you’ll learn to use the total diving system. Olympus will supply all scuba-related equipment — regulator, scuba tank, buoyancy control device, wetsuit, and dive computer. Students only need to supply personal equipment: mask, fins, boots, snorkel, and gloves (Olympus has student packages available for sale). Please make sure you have your personal equipment before the first day of class.

Academics
Our training program is designed so you can learn the academics at your own pace, when it’s convenient for you. You can complete the academics online through PADI eLearning or by reading a traditional manual and completing chapter reviews. Either way, your instructor will verify that you are familiar with the basic concepts. The classroom portion is usually done over a two-day period — classroom in the morning and pool work in the afternoon.

Pool Training
Once you’ve become proficient in assembling your scuba equipment, you’ll begin pool training. Your instructor will put into practice the techniques you’ve learned in the academic program. Proper buddy procedures, buoyancy control, and handling emergencies are highlights of the confined water process. The pool sessions are usually done over two days — classroom in the morning and pool work in the afternoon.

Open Water Training
Get ready to experience everything you’ve learned with the freedom of open water! After your two days of classroom/pool training in Morehead City, you’ll travel to Florida to complete four open water training dives over two days at the Blue Grotto and the Rainbow River. With year-round warm water, outstanding visibility, and beautiful natural surroundings, the springs are an ideal environment for new divers.

Included in the Florida Springs Open Water Course:

• All Instruction, books, and materials
• Pool and Certification Fees
• Training Equipment (regulator, dive computer, buoyancy compensator, wetsuit, tanks, and weights)
• Four open water training dives (Blue Grotto & Rainbow River)
• Two nights hotel accommodations
• Park entry & Boat fees for Blue Grotto & Rainbow River
• Two Lunches
• Air Fills

Students must provide their own personal items, including mask, fins, snorkel, boots, and gloves. These items are available at the dive center, and our staff can professionally assist you in selecting and fitting them.

For our January & February Florida Springs trips, we also offer the option to add a Manatee Snorkel Experience and an extra hotel night — a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to round out your certification weekend!

Not Included: Transportation, Dinners

Once your training dives are approved by your instructor, you’ll be a certified diver. PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognized worldwide, so your diving experiences will be limitless.

Why Florida Springs?

• Year-round diving: Constant 72°F water means perfect conditions in winter and spring.
• Unmatched visibility: Crystal-clear water makes learning and exploring stress-free.
• Unique experiences: Explore Blue Grotto’s cavern, drift the Rainbow River, and (seasonally) snorkel with manatees!
• Scenic beauty: Florida’s natural springs are just as stunning above the surface as they are below.

Price: $1055/person
Class size is limited to 6 students
Weekend or weekday scheduling formats, year-round
E-Learning Available: $1105/person

Your Next Adventure
Certified Open Water Divers can continue their journey and enroll in the Advanced Open Water Diver program. We recommend completing a few dives before moving on to AOW to help solidify what you learned in the Open Water course and build confidence and independence.