The SSI Open Water Diver course, it’s the beginner scuba-diving certification course. It generally consists of:

• Online/theory learning — basic scuba equipment, dive physics, physiology, safety, planning, and environmental awareness.

• Confined-water/pool training/beach training — learning essential skills such as:

  • Setting up and using scuba equipment

  • Mask clearing and removal

  • Regulator recovery

  • Buoyancy control

  • Controlled ascents and descents

  • Emergency procedures

• Open-water training dives — applying those skills in real diving conditions, usually over several dives.

• Certification requirements — demonstrating the required skills and completing the knowledge assessments and dives.

Once certified, the SSI Open Water Diver qualification allows you to dive independently with a similarly qualified buddy, within the limits of your training, generally to a maximum depth of 18 m / 60 ft.

The SSI Open Water Diver course, the exact order varies by instructor, but a typical course looks roughly like this:

Dive 1 — Getting comfortable underwater

The focus is on basic skills and becoming comfortable breathing underwater.

• Equipment setup and buddy checks

• Entry and descent techniques

• Regulator breathing and recovery

• Mask clearing

• Basic buoyancy control

• Hand signals and underwater communication

• Controlled ascent and exit

• Basic emergency procedures

Dive 2 — Building your skills

You start doing more skills while swimming around.

• Buoyancy and trim practice

• Removing and replacing your regulator

• More advanced mask-clearing exercises

• Controlled ascents

• Air-sharing with your buddy using an alternate air source

• Basic navigation

• Practicing skills while maintaining calm, controlled breathing

Dive 3 — Applying the skills

The dive becomes more like a normal recreational dive, with skills incorporated into the dive.

• Buoyancy control and proper weighting

• Underwater navigation

• Buddy procedures

• Air-management awareness

• Emergency ascent procedures

• More independent equipment handling

• Observing the underwater environment

Dive 4 — Certification dive

This is generally the closest to a normal fun dive. You demonstrate that you can manage yourself and your equipment safely.

• Pre-dive planning and buddy checks

• Controlled descent

• Buoyancy/trim

• Navigation

• Demonstration of required safety skills

• Managing your air supply

• Controlled ascent and safety procedures

The instructor isn't just looking for whether you can perform a skill once—they're looking for you to stay calm, maintain buoyancy, communicate with your buddy, and respond appropriately to problems.

One important point: SSI programs can be structured differently depending on each participant. If extra dives are needed in order to be certified, they will be charged separately.

For any questions, please contact us.