The PADI Open Water Diver course certification is the most well known and respected in the world, opening the world's oceans, rivers and lakes for exploration and adventure.
Our course provides new divers with the knowledge and training to safely explore the exciting undersea world.
This is a performance-based curriculum, enabling students to progress at their own speed. The course includes academic, confined water and open water instruction.
State-of-the-art teaching techniques and tools are included in the curriculum, in order to ensure that the content is up to date and exciting.
Below we answer the most common questions about learning to dive. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us.
Flexible
Our Flex course option allows you to set your own schedule and generally takes a total of three days. We will conduct your pool session in the store during regular store hours (most students complete this part of the course in one day). After you complete the pool session, we will do four open water training dives (which will take two additional days). These sessions- pool and open water dives- do not need to run consecutively. Pool sessions and open water dives can occur any day of the week during store hours. The price for one person is $699 plus tax. Get a friend or family member to sign up with you, and the price drops to $649 per person plus tax. (Available for students 10 years and older. Cancelation Policy for this option is 48 hours).
Private
If our regularly scheduled course format doesn't meet you needs, private sessions will give the one-on-one instruction time that you desire. This is the perfect learning opportunity for busy professionals and those who simply want the most in terms of individual attention. You and your friends and family get your own private Squalo Divers instructor and learn on a schedule that meets your needs (weekdays and irregular hours are no problem). This course generally lasts three to four days. Price $1595 plus tax (Available for students 10 years and older, Cancelation Policy for this option is 24 hours).
Just about anybody who is comfortable and relaxed in the water — and who has the desire — can learn to scuba dive. This includes children as young as ten and seniors well into their seventies.
Becoming certified consists of three phases: Self Study, Academic Review/Pool Training and Open Water Training.
Self Study. At one time, a beginning scuba class could drag on for weeks. These days, few people have that kind of time — nor is it needed. With PADI’s unique self-study materials, the adventure begins the moment you sign up. You will be able to easily complete most of the necessary academic learning when and where it is convenient, and at your own pace.
Academic Review/Pool Training. Once you have completed your home study, you join us for academic review and pool sessions.
Open Water Training. This section of the course consists of four dives conducted over two days. Each guided dive, under the direct supervision of your instructor, will give you the opportunity to apply the skills you mastered in the pool.
Once you’ve completed your academic/pool session and open-water training, you’ll be awarded your PADI Open Water Diver certification! But remember, this is only the beginning. Once you’ve experienced the underwater world, you’ll be hooked! You’ll be eager to further your diving education and get back in the water as soon as possible. Our newly certified Open Water Divers almost always immediately sign up for their Advanced Open Water Diver and Enriched Air Nitrox Diver courses. These two ratings will allow you to participate in a much wider range of activities, both here at home and on vacation. Your learning opportunities don’t stop there. Depending on your interests, you can further your training in a variety of specialties, such as underwater photography and wreck diving. By taking five such Specialty Diver courses, and earning your Rescue Diver certification, you can eventually obtain the coveted Master Scuba Diver rating (the black belt for scuba divers).
Every one of our pool sessions is conducted at Squalo Divers, where we proudly feature our own heated swimming pool.
Living in South Florida, we are lucky to have access to some of the finest dive sites in the world, all just a stone's throw away. Many of these locations are ideal for training new divers. We strive to provide all our entry-level students with the chance to explore a variety of sites. The specific locations we visit each day are determined by the prevailing weather conditions.
You can start whenever you want! With our modern learning materials, it can be as soon as you sign up for the PADI eLearning class. Our regularly scheduled academic review, pool sessions and open water training dives take place every week throughout the year. Here is a breakdown of the class:-Orientation. As soon as possible, you’ll need to schedule your orientation session with one of our staff members. This can take place any time before the start of the class or the same day you start your class. However, the further in advance, you can do this, the better. You will want to allow about 45 minutes for the orientation. Here is what we cover:
Orientation is an ideal time to purchase all of the personal equipment items you will need. Getting through the self-study materials and doing the required homework takes the average student approximately fifteen hours.
The program encompasses:
Participants are required to provide the following equipment items listed below, in addition to:
Diving is a equipment-intensive activity, meaning the quality and appropriateness of your equipment significantly impact your comfort, safety, and overall enjoyment.
Nothing can diminish the investment you've made in learning to dive safely quite like having the wrong gear. We are pleased to offer most of the essential equipment for your pool and open-water training dives, including BCDs, cylinders, regulators, dive computers, and weights. All our gear is top-notch and meticulously maintained.
For students enrolled in our introductory scuba courses, the following items are mandatory:
We also recommend additional items such as mask defogger/scrub, silicone mouthpiece, gear bag, a rash guard, and neoprene mask strap.
The fit and comfort of your personal gear are crucial, as these are items that dive operators expect you to possess. As a certified diver, you wouldn’t want to venture out without them.
It's essential to recognize that scuba masks, snorkels, and fins have specific requirements that differ from casual snorkeling gear. Therefore, we advise against purchasing any equipment without consulting us first.
We offer a wide range of scuba masks, snorkels, booties, fins, signal marker tubes, silicone mouthpieces, rashguards, gear bags, and wetsuits for sale both online and in our physical store. Wetsuits are also available for rental.