PADI Open Water Diver
Why train with us?
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Low student to instructor ratios : 3 or 4 students per instructor both in the pool and ocean
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Our retail store is located downtown.
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Diving courses available all year-round. Private courses available.
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We teach children 10 years and older.
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Passionate team of Instructors and Divemasters who love to teach.
At Diving Sports we believe in making sure all our students receive the highest quality instruction and customer service. We are in the business of training, mentoring, and supporting people to become safe, skillful and confident divers and in doing so, we know we are certifying divers who are able to continue to enjoy the sport incident free for many years.
We also believe in supporting those in the industry who make it as great as it is. We find that the common course structure of shortening class times to lower cost doesn’t benefit our students or our staff. We are changing how we do things to give students the time to excel in all the areas in diving so they can be proud about achieving their certification. This does mean that training will take longer and cost a little bit more than what some other dive companies may be offering. Our instructional staff have decades of experience between them and when you take dive training with us, you will be able to benefit from all that experience. We believe that the way we structure our courses has the most benefit to our students to set them up for continued success in diving.
We begin by scheduling our courses with the number of classes it typically takes most students to master the knowledge and skills, not simply the minimum recommended training hours set by the agencies. Our instructors are open and honest about your progress during each part of the course. Students may need to schedule additional pool or ocean training dives prior to certification. While not very common, it does happen occasionally as many divers take more time on certain skills than others. This ensures our students complete their courses with all the skills and knowledge they need to be safe and enjoy their future dives and courses. When you take a course with Diving Sports, you are welcomed into a passionate and inclusive community of divers eager to support your diving journey well beyond the duration of your class. We do offer private instruction for those needing more one-on-one time with their instructor.
Prerequisites for the Open Water Training
All prerequisites must be met before the beginning of the training otherwise students may be required to reschedule. See our Rescheduling Policy HERE
What is Included
What is Not Included
Learn how to dive in Vancouver with our Diving Sports Team. We offer the most comprehensive Scuba Diving Lessons. The PADI Open Water Course is the gateway to what is often a life changing experience. Get your Scuba Diving Certification and explore our local diving in Vancouver and around the world. Sign up for your Scuba Diving Course Today
Course Description
To enroll in the PADI Open Water Diver course with Diving Sports you must be 12 years old or older. Students WILL be required to demonstrate the ability to swim 200 meters without stopping and treading water/floating for 10 minutes prior to any SCUBA training as it is a prerequisite for the course. Throughout your course you will learn all the required scuba skills to plan and execute dives without a Divemaster or Instructor. On completion of the full course you will be issued with your certification card and will be allowed to present your card anywhere in the world and dive to a maximum depth of 60ft.
The Open Water Course requires you to complete 3 components for your certification:
- 1: eLearning/Knowledge Development. We are doing all of our courses with the online theory so you can go learn at your own pace, however all students are required to complete ALL sections and the final exam before the start of the Confined Water (pool) sessions, otherwise we will ask to reschedule the start date. On the first evening of your course, students will meet at Diving Sports to receive a full orientation, equipment fitting, and theory review before going to the pool.
- 2: Confined Water Sessions. All new divers will begin learning their skills in a pool first. We have a semi-flexible system of 6 nights to complete all the required skills before going to the ocean. Although we have 6 nights scheduled, some divers require more training sessions before they have mastered the skills required for the course, so be sure to ask your instructor how you are progressing along the way! Drysuit training is included in the standard 6 evening training sessions. *More information about drysuit below*
- 3: Ocean Dives. After you have mastered all the skills in confined water, you will begin your ocean dives to explore, see some exciting wildlife and complete your certification. We schedule our ocean dives on the weekends and you will need to complete all 4 required ocean dives (2 Dives per Day) to complete the course. You are required to attend both Saturday and Sunday of the weekend you have chosen.
Meet times are 1 hour earlier for those needing transportation to ocean dives.
What You Will Learn
At Diving Sports you will learn how to safely use all of the necessary SCUBA diving equipment to have safe and enjoyable dives. You will also learn about decompression theory and how to plan dives on your own. After the Open Water course, you and a buddy are certified to dive without a professional or guide, and we will make sure you are well prepared to do that and have fun! Since all of our training dives are done in local cold water, all students completing ocean dives with be able to add drysuit pool training for 109$. You will get you own pair of dry gloves INCLUDED with the course! This is not a full drysuit certification.
See the Course Standards HERE
Drysuit Specialty Option
In order to complete training in our oceans comfortably and safely, drysuit diving is necessary. However a full drysuit certification does not come with most standard Open Water courses. Since Diving Sports, like other facilities in the industry, require a drysuit certification as proof of experience using the equipment for courses and trips after the OW course, we offer the Drysuit Specialty Certification for an additional 389$ for all Open Water Students. You will spend one more day diving with an instructor in the ocean, scheduled after the Open Water Course, to receive the full certification.
Class and Pool Only
We also have the Open Water Referral Program. This is a terrific option for students who wish to complete their ocean dives in tropical water or on vacation but want to complete all the academic and pool training first. Referral students are still required to complete the 6 standard pool training sessions. Rental equipment is included for your pool training (except mask and snorkel) so you can experience high performing equipment without extra cost.
Prior to signing up, we encourage everyone to look over the Diver Medical Form to make sure they will be cleared to dive.
Student Discount :
When you enroll in your PADI Open Water Course, you’ll automatically receive 10% off a customized Mask, Snorkel, and Fins package of your choosing if you purchase all items together!
Equipment Rental :
Diving Sports includes all the basic gear included in our Wetsuit rental packages. Drysuit rental and training for Open Water are available. Mask,snorkel, and wet gloves are not included.
Transportation :
Transport can be provided from our shop to the dive site. We have our shop van (limited to a 6 passenger maximum capacity). Available passenger places in the shop van will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Please see our Cancellation and Refund Policy for Courses and Trips here:
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Commitment to Safety and Enjoyment
At Diving Sports we believe in making sure all our divers (Scuba and Freedivers) receive the best possible experience while maintaining a high standard for safety, both for the divers, the guide, and the environment we are visiting. Our dive guides have many years of experience diving locally in cold water. All Dive guides are trained in first aid and oxygen delivery. First Aid kits and DAN Oxygen Kits are present on all trips and courses. Dive sites or dive plans may be changed due to weather conditions or experience level of the group, as well as anyone not adhering to proper dive practices will politely be asked to adapt to better interact with the underwater environment.
