During the PADI Open Water Diver course, you'll learn what you need to know to explore the underwater world using scuba. Most people find it a rewarding challenge.

The PADI Open Water Diver course includes three parts: Knowledge Development, Confined Water Dives, and Open Water Dives. Knowledge Development covers the principles, concepts and terms you need to know for dive safety and enjoyment. During the Confined Water Dives, you learn and practice scuba skills in a pool or water with pool-like conditions. You'll enjoy making one or more minidives, which take you through the same steps you follow when you make open water dives. To complete training you practice, apply and demonstrate what you learn during four Open Water Dives at a local dive site.

Earning a PADI Open Water Diver certification shows that you met the course requirements. Dive centers and resorts require proof of certification before they will rent scuba equipment, fill scuba cylinders or book dive excursions. As a PADI Open Water Diver, you'll be trained to a maximum depth of 18 metres/60 feet, and are qualified to dive in conditions as good as, or better than, those in which you trained. It's just the beginning of a lifetime filled with dive adventures.

Academic

The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases:

• Knowledge Development (online, independent study or in a classroom) to understand basic principles of scuba diving

• Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills

• Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore!

Prerequisites & Requirements

Age Requirement

10 years or older

Course Prerequisites

Able to swim; medically fit for diving

Time Commitment

Approximately 8-15 hours

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver eLearning is designed to improve your underwater knowledge and skills. You can enroll immediately after earning your PADI Open Water Diver certification regardless of your skill level. The course helps you build confidence in navigation, fine-tune buoyancy skills and introduces you to different diving activities such as wreck diving, night diving or underwater imaging. After completing your eLearning, you'll make five Adventure Dives: a deep dive (beyond 18m/60F), a navigation dive, and three additional Adventure Dives of your choice to earn your certification.

Academic

You'll plan your learning path with your instructor by choosing from a long list of Adventure Dives. There are two required dives - Deep and Underwater Navigation - and you choose the other three, for a total of five dives.

During the Deep Adventure Dive, you learn how to plan dives to deal with the physiological effects and challenges of deeper scuba diving. The Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive refines your compass navigation skills and helps you better navigate using kick-cycles, visual landmarks and time.

The other knowledge and skills you get vary with your interest and the adventures you have - photography, buoyancy control, fish identification, exploring wrecks and many more.

Prerequisites & Requirements

Age Requirement

12 years or older

Course Prerequisites

Open Water Diver/Junior Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification)

Time Commitment

Approximately 8 hours

Haven't been diving lately and want a quick scuba refresher? The PADI ReActivate™ program is the perfect way to update your dive knowledge and review basic scuba skills. Whether you just need a few reminders or want a more comprehensive review, this program provides an engaging, prescriptive refresher of scuba principles and procedures.

The program has two components: 1) a knowledge review that includes interacting with ReActivate eLearning and 2) a dive skills refresher you complete with a PADI Professional. After successfully completing both components, a PADI Diver receives a replacement certification card showing a “ReActivated Thru” date. Divers initially certified through other training organizations (with proof of at least an entry-level certification) receive ReActivate Recognition Cards.

Academic

ReActivate eLearning has 20 main sections with scenarios that help you recall and apply what you know and want to refresh in an integrated manner. You'll answer several questions and either move on to the next section, or review additional background information for more detail. It's intuitive and interesting.

Examples of section topics include:

• dive preparation

• boat diving

• dive computers

• aquatic life

• handling problems

• diving health and fitness

To complete your knowledge refresher, you'll be prompted to complete the ReActivate Quick Review. ReActivate eLearning also includes a dive skills review with video demonstrations along with RDP and enriched air diving reviews.

Prerequisites & Requirements

Age Requirement

10 years or older

Course Prerequisites

PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver certification or proof of entry-level diver certification from another training organization with four open water dives

Time Commitment

Approximately 2-6 hours

*This course can be completed without any in-water sessions, and  practical sessions can be administered virtually.

Enriched Air, also known as “nitrox”, is a form of breathing gas that allows divers to extend bottom time and reduce nitrogen loading. It is PADI's most popular specialty course. PADI Enriched Air Diver Online can be completed in as little as an afternoon. After completing your online learning you'll apply the knowledge you've learned by practicing procedures for obtaining and analyzing enriched air with your PADI Instructor. You also have the option of completing two open water enriched air dives. This certification counts towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating.

Academic

You'll learn why diving with air that has higher oxygen and lower nitrogen content gives you more bottom time, along with enriched air equipment considerations. During a practical session, and two optional (or required) scuba dives, you'll:

• Discuss managing oxygen exposure.

• Practice analyzing oxygen content in your scuba tank.

• Set your dive computer for diving with enriched air nitrox.

Prerequisites & Requirements

Age Requirement

12 years or older

Course Prerequisites

PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification)

Time Commitment

Approximately 18 hours

Dive Privée is pleased to offer a full range of PADI specialty and continuing education programs. If you are interested in a course that is not listed below, reach out to us directly. We will refer you to a trusted partner if we can't provide the program you are looking to complete.

Specialties

Academics for most specialties can be satisfied through eLearning and 2-4 open water sessions. There are also specialties which require only practical application and can be completed virtually, without any dives. 

We offer:

-Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx)

-Wreck Diver

-Dry Suit Diver

-Underwater Navigator

-Search & Recovery Diver

-Drift Diver

-Peak Performance Buoyancy 

-Project Aware Specialist 

-Project Aware Coral Reef Conservation Specialist

-Self-Reliant Diver

Continuing Education

Divers looking to elevate their skills can enroll in our advanced continuing education courses, including:

-Rescue Diver (and EFR Emergency First Response)

-Master Scuba Diver

-Dive Master