PADI Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Diver is one of the most famous diving courses and normally spreads over 3 to 5 days.

It constitutes the beginners’ diving course of the diving organisation. The training corresponds to the Independent Diver in accordance with ISO 24801-2 and EN 14153-2 certification.

Thanks to this course, millions of people have already dived into the secrets of the underwater world and expanded their life experience with an adventurous factor.

Requirements for the PADI Open Water Diver

For the participation to this diving course, a minimum age of 10 years (for the Junior Open Water Diver) is stipulated. Whoever has already completed the Discover Scuba Diving Programme, can have all of the acquired skills accredited to the complete PADI Open Water Diver Diving Course.

Course contents

In this course, the diving student learns how to breathe under water and other basic principles. The course contents are, among others, observations regarding diving gear for the diving environment, planning and executing dives, as well as preventing and dealing with problems. The pleasure of diving is always present in the foreground. However, taking responsibility for oneself and others is not neglected.

The course is divided into three parts:

1. At home via the Internet or on site in a classroom, the basics of scuba diving are taught (theoretical knowledge).
2. Only once this is completed, you go into restricted waters to practise the essential diving skills. In order to do so, swimming pools or defined areas in outdoor water bodies are used. The use of the diving equipment also becomes a routine.
3. Dives in open water are subsequently planned, so that everything that was learned can be practised and recapitulated.

An exemplary procedure of such a course, spread over 5 days, can be as follows:

Day 1

Theory

• Chapter 1 of the course book
• Answering the knowledge review questions in the book
• Quiz on the first chapter

Evaluation of swimming fitness

• 10-minute swimming or floating on the surface
• Swimming for 300 metres with ABC equipment (mask, snorkel, fins)
• Diving vertically with the equipment into the water, which is too deep for standing
• When surfacing, blowing out the snorkel and then breathing through it

1^st Dive in restricted water

• Putting on and adjusting the diving equipment
• Inflating and emptying the buoyancy jacket
• Breathing under water
• Blowing out (removing the water) of the diving regulator
• Putting the diving regulator on again
• Removing the water from a partly flooded mask
• Swimming under water
• Using the pressure gauge
• Breathing from an alternative air supply (Octopus)
• Hand signals
• Ascending
• Practising the diving skills
• Getting out of the water and recapping

Day 2

Theory

• Chapters 2+3

2^nd Dive in restricted water

• Safety check (Buddy check) before the dive
• Getting into the water
• Blowing out the snorkel
• Changing from a snorkel to the diving regulator
• Snorkelling on the surface with full diving equipment
• Begin of the dive
• Taking off the mask, putting it on again and blowing out
• Underwater breathing without a mask
• Releasing the inflator tube
• Neutral buoyancy
• Simulation of the situation: “Too little air”
• Practising the diving skills
• Ascending
• Blowing out and emptying the jacket
• Taking off the weight belt
• Taking off the equipment and getting out of the water

3^rd Dive in restricted water

• Descent to dive
• Neutral buoyancy underwater
• Blowing the buoyancy jacket with the mouth and inflator
• Simulation of the situation: “Running out of air” combined with breathing from the alternative air supply (Octopus)
• Breathing from a deflating diving regulator
• Controlled, swimming emergency ascent
• Practising the diving skills
• Easing a cramp on the surface
• Towing a “tired” diver
• Getting out of the water and recapping

Day 3

1^st Open water dive

• Meeting
• Preparation of the diving equipment
• Putting on and adjusting the equipment
• Safety check (Buddy check)
• Getting into the water
• Buoyancy check at the surface of the water
• Controlled descent up to maximum 12 metres
• Exploration of the underwater world
• Ascent
• Getting out
• Recapping and common logbook entry

2^nd Open water dive

• Meeting
• Preparation of the diving equipment
• Putting on and adjusting the equipment
• Safety check (Buddy check)
• Getting into the water
• Buoyancy check at the surface of the water
• Easing a cramp – for oneself and the partner
• Towing “tired” diver for 25m
• Changing from a snorkel to the diving regulator
• Controlled descent up to maximum 12 metres
• Creating neutral boost
• Blowing out a partially or totally flooded mask
• Putting on the diving regulator again and blowing it out
• Breathing from an alternative air supply (Octopus)
• Exploration of the underwater world and buoyancy exercises
• Ascent
• Taking off the weight belt at the surface
• Getting out
• Recapping and logbook entry

Day 4

Theory

• Chapter 4
• Written final examination

4^th Dive in restricted water

• Diving for one lap without a mask
• Neutral buoyancy underwater
• Practising the diving skills
• Getting out and recapping

5^th Dive in restricted water

• Taking off and putting on the diving equipment and the weight belt again under water
• Ditto at the surface
• Practising the diving skills
• Getting out and recapping

Day 5

3^rd Open water dive

• Meeting
• Preparation of the diving equipment
• Putting on and adjusting the diving equipment
• Buddy check
• Getting in
• Buoyancy check at the surface of the water
• At the surface, navigating with a compass for 50 metres
• Descent to a depth of 6-9 metres (max. 18 metres)
• Buoyancy check with the mouth
• Blowing out the mask
• Controlled emergency ascent
• Exploration of the underwater world
• Safety stop at 5 metres for 3 minutes
• Ascent
• Taking off and putting on the equipment again at the surface
• Getting out
• Recapping and logbook entry

4^th Open water dive

• Meeting
• Preparation of the diving equipment
• Putting on and adjusting the diving equipment
• Buddy check
• Getting in
• Buoyancy check at the surface of the water
• At the surface, navigating with a compass for 50 metres
• Descent up to max. 18 metres
• Buoyancy check
• Taking off the mask, putting it back on and blowing out
• Navigation with the compass
• Exploration of the underwater world
• Safety stop at 5 metres for 3 minutes
• Ascent
• Getting out
• Recapping and logbook entry

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