The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of 3 segments: Confined water dives, knowledge development and open water dives. Each plays an important role in learning to dive in meeting the performance objectives you need to qualify as a diver.

The fun begins in the five confined water dives, during which you will apply dive principles, and learn and practice dive procedures and skills. You’ll do this either in a swimming pool or in body of water with pool like conditions under your instructor’s guidance and supervision. There are 5 confined water dives that correspond with 5 knowledge development sections (the 1st 3 sections correspond to the Scuba Diver Course & if these 3 knowledge reviews, the 1st 3 confined water dives and the 1st 2 Open Water dives are completed & then the diver may be signed off as a PADI Scuba Diver & this can easily be upgraded to the Open Water certification by simply completing the rest of the course. Note that this is a great option from PADI as it allows students with less time to get qualified half way and is great for resort divers nearing the end of their holiday & the 2nd half can be taken next holiday.

Knowledge development establishes the principles and basic information that all divers need to have fun diving safely. It’s divided into 5 bite sized segments that you’ll complete primarily in your own time or in the classroom by using the PADI Open Water manual and video to guide you. For each segment your instructor reviews and elaborates on the material, applying what you’re learning to your specific needs and the local dive environment. A short quiz at the end of each section in the manual confirms that you have picked up the information that you need from that section.

The underwater world

Dive Equipment

Scuba Systems

The Buddy System (Your partner in the underwater environment)

Confined water dive preview

Adapting to the underwater world

Respiration

Dive Equipment

Buddy System communication and procedures. There are many hand signals that you need to learn for communicating under the surface of the water.

These are generally:

• OK signals on the surface, on the surface to the boat or shore, OK with gloves on, OK on the surface when you have one hand occupied
• STOP signal
• Something is wrong
• Distress signal on the surface and the danger signal to your buddy
• Going up or ascend
• Going down or descend
• Low on Air
• Out of Air
• Buddy breathe or share air signals
• Come here
• Me, or watch me
• Under over or around obstacles
• Level off at this depth
• Go that way
• Which Direction?
• Ears not clearing/equalizing /Barotraumas - pressure problems/ I am cold
• Take it easy or slow down
• Hold hands
• Get with your buddy
• You lead and I shall follow

The above are just some examples of the general signals that need to be learned but each dive destination might have a unique and different set of signals that you’ll learn over and above these. For example the signal for a certain fish variety or current direction. Your instructor and divemaster will guide you through these and generally most are common sense.

• The Dive Environment
• Dive Planning : This would be the basics of gathering your equipment, safety procedures, gaining a buddy, dive conditions etc.
• Boat Diving
• Problem Management
• Confined water dive preview
• General Open Water Skills
• Open Water Dives 1 & 2

Dive accessories

Health for diving

Breathing Air at Depth

Confined water dive preview

• Special Dive Table and Computer Procedures
• Using the Dive Table (RDP & Recreational Dive Planner)
• The RDP displays to you how to easily manage the planning of your dive safely, showing you how to stay within the limits of time and depth underwater without going into decompression diving. This means that you’ll know exactly how deep you can go and for how long before you ascend to surface maintaining a safe dive profile. As recreational divers we ensure that we can safely surface at any time without having to make decompression stops.
• Basic Scuba Compass Navigation
• Confined water Scuba dive preview
• Open Water Dives 3 & 4 and optional Skin Dive
• Dive Safety Practices Summary

At the end of the knowledge development section there is a 50 question examination (in leisurely conditions) which covers all of the 5 knowledge review sections and your instructor will go through this with you for “reinforced” learning.

The Confined Water Dives will prove that all of the effort studying the book has been worth it. This is where the fun really begins.

NOTE: All of the skills are demonstrated by your instructor first.

• Mask defogging & prevention of mist in your mask
• Donning and adjusting your equipment (in water)
• Inflation and deflation of your BCD (Buoyancy Control Device)
• Breathing underwater
• Regulator clearing
• Regulator recovery & how to retrieve and replace your regulator should it fall or be knocked for the mouth
• Clearing of a partially flooded mask (if water should leak in)
• Practice underwater swimming in scuba gear
• Equalization & a simple technique to equalize your ears with the surrounding pressure as you go into depth
• Submersible pressure gauge & you are shown how the gauges on your console work
• Practice hand signals
• Alternate air source use & switching to your buddy’s octopus if you are in an out of air situation
• Ascents & taught the correct signal for ascent and to ascend slowly
• Exit and equipment disassembly
• Debriefing

You will note that all of the equipment was assembled ready for your use directly in the pool & we do this is confined dive as to get you familiar with scuba in the water more quickly. You have waited long enough already.

• Equipment preparation and set up
• Don scuba equipment (first use of your buddy)
• Pre-dive safety check & to be performed before any dive in training and everyday diving
• Deep water entry (seated position)
• Snorkel breathing and clearing
• Surface swimming with scuba
• Snorkel/regulator exchange
• Five point descent (the correct way to execute a descent)
• No mask breathing
• Mask replacement underwater
• Disconnection of low pressure inflator hose
• BCD & oral inflation
• Proper weighting at the surface & buoyancy test
• Air depletion exercise
• Five point ascent (the correct way to execute a ascent)
• Weight removal at surface
• Deep water exit
• Don scuba equipment
• Deep water entry (giant stride)
• Exit and equipment disassembly

• Equipment assembly
• Don scuba equipment
• Pre-dive safety check (as always!)
• Deep water entry
• Neutral buoyancy underwater & fin pivot
• Neutral buoyancy swim
• Cramp removal & different techniques taught if you have a cramp whilst diving.
• Tired diver tow (assist your buddy if out of breath)
• Air depletion/alternate air source
• Free flow regulator breathing
• Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) & how to reach the surface in a controlled manner if out of air on a dive
• Exit and equipment disassembly

• Don scuba equipment
• Entry
• No mask swimming
• Buoyancy control & hovering underwater
• Buddy breathing (this is optional but I like to teach it)
• Exit and equipment disassembly

• Equipment assembly
• Don equipment
• Entry
• Remove and replace scuba unit & underwater
• Remove and replace weight system & underwater
• Remove and replace weight system & surface
• Remove and replace scuba unit & surface
• Exit and equipment disassembly

NOTE: In-between all of the skills or at the end of each session there is plenty of time to have fun and practice the skills over again.

The Open Water Dives complete your training as an entry-level scuba diver by applying all that you have learned and further developing your knowledge and dive skills in a dive environment under your instructors supervision and direct guidance.