Consistently voted a top-five world destination in categories such as best wreck diving, best big marine life and best visibility, some of North Carolina's greatest assets are only appreciable underwater.
Warm, clear blue water originates in the Caribbean and travels north via the Gulf Stream to the North Carolina coast carrying with it 80-degree temperatures and an abundance of marine life. Our PADI Open Water Diver course will prepare you for diving in North Carolina and anywhere else in the world. Gain access to the undersea wonders here and throughout the world's waters.
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 need to be in good physical health. No prior experience with scuba diving is required.
In the PADI Open Water Diver course, you learn to use the total diving system. Olympus will supply all scuba-related equipment - Regulator, scuba tank, buoyancy control device, wetsuit, and dive computer. The student only needs 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 prior to the first day of class.
Our training program is designed so that you can learn the academics at your own pace when it is 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.
Once you've become proficient in assembling your scuba equipment you can begin your 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 a two-day period. Classroom in the morning and pool work in the afternoon.
Get ready to experience everything you've learned with the freedom of open water. After your two days of classroom/pool training, you will complete 4 dives over 2 days for your scuba certification. The dives are usually a combination of 2-3 dives at our Freshwater Training Facility Scuba Park (Rolesville, NC) and one Ocean Dive off of our boats on a shallow shipwreck (weather permitting). As soon as your open water training dives are approved by your instructor you will be a certified diver. PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognized worldwide so your diving experiences will be limitless.
*Students must provide their own personal items including mask, fins, snorkel, booties, and gloves. These items are available at the dive center and our friendly staff can professionally fit you for these items. Second Optional Boat Dive - Available at a discounted price
Your Next Adventure
Certified Open Water divers can continue their adventure and enroll in the Advanced Open Water Diver program. We recommend completing a few dives before moving on to AOW. This will help solidify what you learned in your Open Water course and instill more independence.
For more information or to schedule an Open Water class, please contact Olympus Dive Center at (252)726-9432.