Becoming a scuba diver is a wonderful adventure! Scuba certification includes three phases:

PHASE 1: Knowledge Development

During the first phase of your scuba lessons, you will learn the fundamental principles of scuba diving, which include:

• How to plan your dives effectively
• How to choose the right scuba gear for your needs
• Underwater signals and other essential diving procedures

This important information will be provided through your eLearning Open Water Manual. At the end of each chapter, you will answer questions to ensure your understanding. If you have any questions, please reach out to one of our instructor staff members. 

At the end of the course, you will take a final exam to confirm your thorough knowledge of scuba diving basics. Additionally, you will watch videos that preview the scuba skills you will practice in a swimming pool or a similar environment. One of our staff instructors will demonstrate each skill for you as well.

PHASE 2: Confined Water Dives

This is what diving is all about! You’ll begin by developing basic scuba skills in a pool or confined water, such as calm beach conditions. The skills you learn during your certification course will help you become familiar with your scuba gear and prepare you to explore underwater. Some of the essential skills you’ll acquire include:

• Setting up your scuba gear
• Removing water from your mask
• Entering and exiting the water
• Controlling your buoyancy
• Navigating underwater
• Following safety procedures

You’ll practice these skills with an instructor until you feel comfortable. Once you’re ready, your underwater adventure will begin at an open water dive site.

PHASE 3: Open Water Dives

After completing your confined water dives, you’ll proceed to “open water,” where you and one of our staff instructors will embark on four dives over the course of two days. During these dives, you’ll explore the underwater world and apply the skills you learned in the confined water sessions while enjoying the local environment. These dives will take place at Vortex Springs in Florida. Additionally, we offer local certification options, and we can also arrange a referral for you to finish your certification anywhere in the world with a certified and insured scuba instructor.

The Open Water Diver eLearning course is designed to be flexible and performance-based, allowing you to choose from a variety of schedules tailored to your progress. We offer options ranging from regular monthly classes to semi-private and private sessions. You can complete your confined and open water dives in just three days by finishing the knowledge development portion online through eLearning, or through other home study options we provide.

Our experienced Staff Instructors are dedicated to helping you become a confident and comfortable diver, focusing on your skill development rather than the duration of the course. You will earn your certification by demonstrating your knowledge and abilities, meaning you can progress at your own pace—whether that’s faster or slower—until you become a competent and safe scuba diver. The course is flexible and performance-based, offering a wide variety of schedules tailored to your progress. We offer classes ranging from regular monthly sessions to semi-private and private sessions. It’s possible to complete your confined and open water dives in three days by completing the knowledge development portion online via PADI or SSI eLearning, or other home study options offered by us.

One of our many Staff Instructors will focus on helping you become a confident and comfortable diver, not on how long it takes. You earn your certification by demonstrating you know what you need to know and can do what you need to do. This means that you progress at your own pace – faster or slower depending upon the time you need – to become a competent and safe scuba diver.

Compared with other popular adventure sports and outdoor activities, learning to scuba dive very affordable. For example, you can expect to pay about the same as you would for:

• A full day of surfing lessons.
• A weekend of rock climbing lessons.
• A weekend of kayaking lessons.
• A weekend of fly-fishing lessons.
• About three hours of private golf lessons.
• About three hours of private water skiing lessons.

Learning to scuba dive is of great value when you consider that you learn to dive under the guidance and attention of a highly trained, experienced professional – your Scuba Instructor. What’s more, you receive a certification to scuba dive at the end of an Open Water Diver course, which will never expire (few other activities can offer that). Click on this link (Class Information & Price Sheet Flyer) for a flyer that goes over the cost of the course and what is included and involved in getting your open water certification.

From the first day, scuba diving starts transforming your life with new experiences you can share with friends. And you can do it almost anywhere there is water. For group pricing or specials that might be available, give us a call @ (228) 392-7830. We offer classes every month with several dates to choose from. Semi-private and private lessons are also available for those with tight schedules or who want to do courses at their own pace. Give us a call and let us help you find the class you are looking for.

Here are some questions you might consider asking:

• Are the course materials included in the price?
• What personal dive equipment do I need to provide?
• Is rental gear included in the course fee?
• Are there any additional fees, such as a boat fee or a certification fee?
• How many student divers will be participating in the course?
• Where will the open water training dives be conducted?

Selecting and utilizing your scuba gear is an enjoyable part of the diving experience. Our qualified professional staff can provide you with all the necessary equipment in less time than you might expect. Each piece of scuba gear serves a unique purpose, allowing you to fully adapt to the underwater environment.

List of dive minimum dive gear you want to own:

• Mask
• Snorkel
• Fins
• Dive Booties
• Weights

These have a personal fit, and we will help you choose gear with the best fit and features for you. During your pool sessions, if something doesn’t work for you or fit, we will gladly swap it out for another product, no questions asked.

During your Open Water Diver course, you will learn how to use essential scuba equipment, including a regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD), dive computer or dive planner, scuba tank, wetsuit or drysuit, and weight system. It’s a good idea to invest in your own scuba equipment as you start your course because:

• You will feel more comfortable learning with gear you have personally chosen.
• You will be using equipment that is properly fitted to you.
• Owning your gear makes it more convenient to go diving whenever you want.
• Having your own scuba gear adds to the enjoyment of the experience.

The type of gear you need will depend on the diving conditions you encounter most often.

You may want:

Tropical scuba gear (Used in the Caribbean): In warm, clear water, you only need minimal exposure protection and can choose lightweight, streamlined scuba components. Use this scuba gear when diving in water that is 24ºC/75ºF or warmer.

Temperate scuba equipment (Used in the Southern Region): When you’re equipped for temperate climates, you have maximum versatility because you can dive in the tropics and also in water that’s a bit cooler. Use this scuba gear in water that is 15-24ºC/60-75ºF

Coldwater scuba diving equipment (Used in the Northern Region): Cool climates often have spectacular diving. With good exposure protection and the right equipment, you can scuba dive in cold water in comfort. Use this scuba gear in water that is cooler than 15ºC/60ºF.

Technical diving scuba equipment (Used throughout all the Regions): Tec diving requires additional experience, training, and equipment. Technical divers typically wear twin cylinders or closed-circuit rebreathers (CCRs), plus wear additional tanks, each with different gas blends. They also usually have backups for all their other dive gear. Interested in tec diving?

If you have a passion for excitement and adventure, chances are you can become an avid scuba diver. You’ll also want to keep in mind these requirements:

The minimum age is 10 years old (in most areas). Student divers who are younger than 15 earn the Junior Open Water Diver certification, which they may upgrade to Open Water Diver certification upon reaching 15.

All student divers must complete a brief scuba Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire that asks about medical conditions that could be a problem while diving. If none of these apply, sign the form and you’re ready to start. If any of these apply to you, your DOCTOR must, as a safety precaution, assess the condition as it relates to diving and sign a medical form that confirms you’re fit to dive. In some areas, local laws require all scuba students to consult with a physician before entering the course.  (Download the scuba medical questionnaire above in the highlighted link)

Before completing the Open Water Diver course, one of our staff instructors will have you demonstrate basic water skills to be sure you’re comfortable in the water, including:

Swim 200 meters/yards (or 300 meters/yards in mask, fins, and snorkel) without stopping. There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.

Float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods you want.

Any individual who can meet the performance requirements of the course qualifies for certification. There are many adaptive techniques that allow individuals with physical challenges to meet these requirements. People with paraplegia, amputations, and other challenges commonly earn the Open Water Diver certification. Even individuals with more significant physical challenges participate in diving. Give us a call and talk to one of our qualified professional staff members for more information.

Some swimming ability is required. You need to have basic swim skills and be able to comfortably maintain yourself in the water. One of our staff instructors will assess this by having you do the following:

Swim 200 meters/yards (or 300 meters/yards in mask, fins, and snorkel). There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.

Float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods you want.

Any individual who can meet the performance requirements of the course qualifies for certification. Many adaptive techniques allow individuals with physical challenges to meet these requirements. People with paraplegia, amputations, and other challenges commonly earn the Open Water Diver certification. Even individuals with more significant physical challenges participate in diving.

You can dive practically anywhere there’s water – a swimming pool, the ocean, and all points in between, including quarries, lakes, rivers, springs or even aquariums. Where you can scuba dive is determined by your:

• Experience level
• Dive site access and conditions
• Interests

For example, if you’ve just finished your Open Water Diver course, you probably shouldn’t dive under Antarctic ice on your next dive. However, don’t limit yourself. Some of the best diving is closer than you think.

Your local dive site can be anything from a purpose-built site, like a large aquarium, or a more natural site like Belize’s Blue Hole or Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It may be a manmade reservoir or a fossil-filled river. It’s not always about great visibility because what you see is more important than how far you see.

The only truly important thing about where you dive is that you have the training and experience for diving there and that you have a dive buddy to go with you. We can help you organize a great local diving or a dive vacation.

Now, assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your eardrums. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust to pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you’ll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.

Not necessarily. Any condition that affects the ears, sinuses, respiratory or heart function, or may alter consciousness is a concern, but only a doctor can assess a person’s individual risk. Doctors can consult with the Divers Alert Network (DAN) as necessary when assessing fitness to dive. Download the medical statement to take to your doctor. 

Sunburn, seasickness, and dehydration, all of which are preventable, are the most common problems divers face. Injuries caused by marine life, such as scrapes and stings, do occur, but these can be avoided by wearing an exposure suit, staying off the bottom, and watching where you put your hands and feet.

When you’re lucky, you get to see a shark. Although incidents with sharks occur, they are very rare and, with respect to diving, primarily involve spear fishing or feeding sharks, both of which trigger feeding behavior. Most of the time, if you see a shark it’s just passing through and a rare sight to enjoy.

Aside from pregnancy, there are really no concerns. Because physiologists know little about the effects of diving on the fetus, the recommendation is that women avoid diving while pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Menstruation is not normally a concern.

With the necessary training and experience, the limit for recreational scuba diving is 40 meters/130 feet. Beginning scuba divers stay shallower than about 18 meters/60 feet. Although these are the limits, some of the most popular diving is shallower than 12 meters/40 feet, where the water’s warmer and the colors are brighter.

Your dive kit includes a gauge that displays how much air you have. You’ll learn to check it regularly, so it’s unlikely you’ll run out of air while scuba diving. However, if you run out of air, your buddy has an extra regulator (mouthpiece) that allows you to share a single air supply while swimming to the surface. There are also other options you’ll learn in your scuba diving training.

People find the “weightlessness” of scuba diving to be quite freeing. Modern scuba masks are available in translucent models, which you may prefer if a mask makes you feel closed in. During your scuba diving training, any of our staff instructors will give you plenty of time and coaching to become comfortable with each stage of learning. Your scuba instructor works with you at your own pace to ensure you master each skill necessary to become a capable scuba diver who dives regularly.

Scuba diving certifications from other training organizations can often serve as prerequisites for enrolling in the next-level course. For instance, if you hold an Open Water Diver certification or another entry-level certification from a different organization, you may be eligible to enroll in the Advanced Open Water Diver course. However, you cannot obtain an Open Water Diver certification from another agency unless you have completed that course through that specific agency. There is no straightforward “equivalency” or “crossover” between certifications. The best approach is to take the next step in your dive education. If you are interested in advancing your training and obtaining your next-level certification, please contact us to learn about your options.