PADI Open Water Diver

SCUBA certification begins here!

Start with PADI’s online eLearning course -> then move to the beach and practice your new skills -> then experience FOUR open water dives off the boat in the beautiful and warm Caribbean Sea!

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If you’ve always wanted to take SCUBA diving lessons, experience unparalleled adventure and see the world beneath the waves, this is where it starts. Get your SCUBA diving certification with the PADI® Open Water Diver course – the world’s most popular and widely recognized SCUBA course. Millions of people have learned to SCUBA dive and gone on to discover the wonders of the aquatic world through this course. To enroll in a PADI Open Water Diver course (or Junior Open Water Diver course), you must be 10 years old or older. You need adequate swimming skills and need to be in good physical health. No prior experience with SCUBA diving is required.

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

Knowledge Development using PADI eLearning to understand basic principles of SCUBA diving.
Confined Water Dives to learn basic SCUBA skills.
Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore!

You may be able to get college credit for the Open Water Diver course as well.

Short on time? The PADI Scuba Diver course might be right for you instead. Contact Red Hook Dive Center for details.

In the PADI Open Water Diver course, you learn to use basic SCUBA gear, including a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device, and a tank. The equipment you wear varies, depending upon whether you’re diving in tropical, temperate, or cold water. In the US Virgin Islands, the water temperature is warm to moderate year round and many divers find “Shorty” style wet suits are sufficient to maintain body temperature.

Note: A 300 meter swim with mask, snorkel, and fins and a 10-minute float without using any swim aids are required for certification.

Prerequisites:

Minimum Age:

– 10 yrs (children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult throughout their certification process).
– An eLearner under the age of 13 requires parent or guardian permission to register online.

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Physical:

For safety, all students must complete a brief SCUBA Medical Questionnaire that asks about medical conditions that could be a problem while diving. If none of these apply, you sign the form and you’re ready to start. If any of these apply to you, as a safety precaution your physician must assess the condition as it relates to diving and sign a medical form that confirms that you’re fit to dive.

Download the Scuba Medical Questionnaire
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Course Fee

Two or More Students (per Booking) – $599
Single Student (per Booking) – $799

What’s Included:

Required SCUBA Equipment (BCD, Regulator, Wetsuit, Snorkel, Mask, Fins)
Instructor Fee
Boat Fee (Includes Tanks, Weights, Captain & Crew)
Certification eCard & PADI Processing Fee

Not Included:

PADI eLearning – See PADI eLearning for Price
Gratuity for Your Instructor and Crew

Enroll in PADI eLearning

Course Schedule

Students must complete the PADI eLearning before you meet the instructor for the Confined and Open Water Training sessions. Students should plan on taking 16 hours to complete the full eLearning program for PADI Open Water Diver (some students may take longer). An eLearner under the age of 13 requires a parent or guardian permission to register online.

Day 1 – Half Day to Full Day if Needed
8:00AM – 1:00PM Meet your instructor at the dive shop to complete the paperwork necessary to begin your in water training. You’ll do a Quick Review of diving theory (25 questions) and then head to the beach nearby for your Confined Water Training sessions (students are require to have separate transportation). This water portion includes 5 short dives to master 24 SCUBA skills before diving off the boat.

Day 2 – Half Day
8:00AM – 12:00PM Open Water Training 1 & 2 – Two Tank Boat Dive in the Morning

– or –

12:00PM – 5:00PM Open Water Training 1 & 2 – Two Tank Boat Dive in the Afternoon

Day 3 – Half Day
8:00AM – 12:00PM Open Water Training 3 & 4 – Two Tank Boat Dive in the Morning

– or –

12:00PM – 5:00PM Open Water Training 3 & 4 – Two Tank Boat Dive in the Afternoon

Some students may require more than 1 full day to complete the Confined Water Training or Open Water Training. Prices for the course are based on the above schedule, adding more time to complete will result in additional costs.

Please note that the purchase of this course does not constitute a guarantee of certification within the allotted time.

Enroll in PADI eLearning

Contact RHDC to Schedule

Save Vacation Time with the PADI Open Water Referral System:

Take advantage of PADI Referral System !! It’s ideal for vacationers, especially people who want to spend minimum time in our classroom during their stay in St.Thomas.

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