Learn to Dive with the PADI Open Water Course
There are three steps to learning to dive:
1. Knowledge Development
During the first phase of your scuba lessons, you’ll learn the basic principles of scuba diving such as
• What to consider when planning dives.
• How to choose the right scuba gear for you.
• Underwater signals and other diving procedures.
You’ll learn this valuable information by reading it in the PADI Open Water Course Manual or by using the tablet version – PADI Open Water Course Touch™, or online with PADI eLearning®. You can do this at home or at Dive Beyond where we have tablets and computers you can use.
Dive Beyond’s PADI Instructors are there if there is anything you don’t understand and at the end of the course, you’ll take a final exam that ensures you have thorough knowledge of scuba diving basics.
2. Confined Water Dives
This is what it’s all about – diving. You’ll develop basic scuba skills in the pool (just next door). The basic scuba skills you learn during your course will help you become familiar with your scuba gear and become an Open Water Diver. Some of the essential skills you learn include:
• Setting up your scuba gear.
• How to get water out of your mask.
• Entering and exiting the water.
• Buoyancy control.
• Basic underwater navigation.
• Safety procedures.
You’ll practice these skills in the pool until you’re comfortable that you can do them with confidence. When you’re ready, it’s time for your underwater adventure to begin in the sea!
3. Open Water Dives
After your confined water dives, you’ll head to the sea where you will do four dives, usually over two days. On these dives you’ll get to explore the underwater world seeing wrecks, marine life and probably other divers! You’ll apply the skills you learned in the pool while enjoying ‘proper’ diving.
Most student divers complete these dives close with us in Portland, but there is an option for finishing your training whilst on holiday. We run trips to Egypt every 2 months, and whilst this option obviously costs more you get a diving holiday thrown in too!
Tuesday - Friday Courses
Prices with manual
Thursday - Sunday Courses
Prices with manual
Weekend Only Courses
(2 consecutive weekends)
(just you and your instructor)
For Digital or Online learning
If you wish to use the Open Water Touch or do eLearning instead of a having the paper manual please add £25 to each of the above prices.
All our Open Water courses include all the required manuals and materials, certification costs and certification card, full equipment (for the duration of the course), air fills, all pool fees and boat fees – oh and we might even throw in the odd tea or coffee! In other words there are no ‘hidden’ extra’s and nothing else to pay for.
Please see our online calendar for course dates. Private Courses are run to dates agreed between you and Dive Beyond.