FAQ

Yes! Scuba diving is accessible to almost anyone in reasonable health, and no prior experience is needed. Your instructor guides you step by step, starting in confined water (pool-like conditions) before moving to the open water. If you’d simply like to try breathing underwater before committing to a full course, our Scuba Discovery experience introduces you to scuba in a controlled environment under the direct supervision of an SDI professional.

When you’re ready to become certified, the SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course is the place to start. It gives you the skills to plan and conduct your own dives with a buddy, without an instructor’s direct supervision.

Trying scuba—through our Scuba Discovery program—is a short, supervised introduction. You breathe underwater in a controlled setting under the direct supervision of an SDI professional, with no certification prerequisites. It’s the perfect way to see if diving is for you. Afterward, you can roll straight into the full Open Water course.

Getting certified through the Open Water Scuba Diver course is more comprehensive: you complete knowledge development, confined-water training, and a minimum of four open-water dives. On completion you earn a globally recognised certification that lets you dive independently with a buddy.

The SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course suggests around 20 hours of training, but the real duration depends on your schedule and pace. Many dive centres offer it over a few consecutive days, across several weekends, or split into evening sessions plus weekend dives.

You’ll need to complete a minimum of four open-water dives, with no more than three dives per day and all dives during daylight. Using eLearning for the knowledge portion beforehand can shorten your in-person time. Contact us and we’ll help you find a schedule that fits your life.

The minimum age for the SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification is 18. Students aged 10 to 17 can take part with written parental consent. Children aged 10 to 14 earn a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver certification and must dive under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or active dive professional. When a Junior diver turns 15, they can upgrade to the full certification by completing the Junior Open Water Upgrade Form.

Beyond age, you’ll need to be comfortable in the water, pass a basic swim and float evaluation, and complete a medical statement—details are covered in the questions below.

You don’t need to be a competitive swimmer, but you do need to be comfortable and capable in the water. Before any scuba skills are taught, SDI requires you to complete a basic watermanship evaluation:

• A non-stop swim of 200 metres / 650 feet using any stroke, with no mask, snorkel, or swim aids — or 300 metres / 1,000 feet using a mask, snorkel, and fins.
• A survival swim or float lasting 10 minutes.

There’s no time limit on the swim—it’s about comfort and endurance, not speed. If you’d like to build confidence beforehand, a little practice at your local pool goes a long way.

Yes. Children as young as 10 can begin scuba training with written parental consent. Those aged 10 to 14 earn a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver certification, which requires them to dive under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or active dive professional. This keeps young divers safe while they build experience.

Once a Junior diver reaches 15, they can upgrade to the full SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification by completing the Junior Open Water Upgrade Form. We also offer supervised try-scuba experiences that are a great, low-pressure introduction for younger would-be divers.

The SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course blends three parts: knowledge development (via manual or eLearning), confined-water training in pool-like conditions, and open-water dives. You’ll learn dive theory, then practise essential skills in a controlled setting before applying them in the open water.

To graduate you must complete a minimum of 4 open-water dives, staying underwater at least 15 minutes on each dive for a total of at least 80 minutes. Training dives take place between 5 and 18 metres / 15 and 60 feet, with a maximum of 3 dives per day, all during daylight. The suggested total training time is around 20 hours.

You’ll master the core skills every safe diver relies on, including assembling and disassembling your scuba unit, proper weighting and buoyancy control, and using your BCD (buoyancy compensator). You’ll also practise partial and full mask clearing, breathing and swimming without a mask, regulator recovery, and pre-dive safety checks with your buddy.

On the knowledge side, the course covers dive physics and physiology (pressure, buoyancy, and gas behaviour), the aquatic environment, dive planning within no-decompression limits, equipment, and how to prevent and manage common problems. Your instructor signs off each skill once you can perform it comfortably.

Yes. SDI offers eLearning for the knowledge-development portion of the Open Water course, so you can work through the theory online at your own pace before or alongside your in-water sessions. It covers the same material as the printed manual—dive physics and physiology, equipment, planning, and safety.

Completing the academic portion online often means less classroom time and more time in the water during your course. You’ll still complete all confined-water and open-water training in person with your instructor, since those hands-on skills can only be learned by doing.

That’s completely normal—scuba skills are learned through practice, not perfection on the first try. SDI courses are performance-based, which means you progress when you can perform each skill comfortably and correctly, not on a fixed timetable. Your instructor works with you until you’ve genuinely got it.

If a particular skill takes extra time, your instructor can offer additional practice sessions. The goal is confidence and competence, so there’s no pressure to rush. Everyone learns at their own pace.

You’ll graduate as a certified SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres / 60 feet in conditions similar to those in which you trained. Your certification also allows you to dive with other certified divers at the same or higher level and to conduct dives that don’t require decompression.

During the course itself, training dives stay between 5 and 18 metres, and you’ll naturally start shallower to build comfort before working toward that maximum. Once certified, you can extend your limits through continuing education such as the Advanced Adventure Diver program and individual SDI specialties.

Yes. SDI is a globally recognised diver-training agency, and your Open Water Scuba Diver certification is honoured at dive centres and resorts around the world. Once certified, you can rent equipment, fill tanks, and join guided dives internationally in conditions similar to your training.

Your certification doesn’t expire, though if you’ve been out of the water for a while, a refresher (such as an Inactive Diver / Scuba Review) is a smart way to knock off the rust before diving again.

The Shallow Water Scuba Diver course is an alternative entry-level certification built around a shallow water scuba system rather than conventional scuba equipment. Graduates are qualified to conduct open water dives in conditions similar to their training, to a maximum depth of 9 metres / 30 feet.

It’s a focused option for divers who want to stay shallow. Note that it’s specific to the shallow water scuba system—conventional scuba gear isn’t used in this program. If you’re interested in this path, get in touch and we’ll explain whether it or the standard Open Water course suits you best.

Scuba diving has an excellent safety record when you dive within your training and follow the practices you learn in your course. SDI training is built around safety from the very first session: you practise every skill in confined water before entering the open water, and you always dive with a buddy at the same or higher certification level.

Your course teaches the physics and physiology behind safe diving, how to plan dives within no-decompression limits, and how to stay calm and solve problems underwater. A personal dive computer is required on every training dive so you can monitor your depth and time. Staying within recreational limits—like the 18 metre / 60 foot maximum for new divers—keeps risk low.

Every student completes an SDI Medical Statement Form before training begins. If none of your answers raise a concern, you’re cleared to dive. If any answer indicates a possible risk, you’ll need a physician to review and sign a medical clearance before entering confined or open water. A physician-signed medical is generally valid for up to 12 months, provided your condition doesn’t change.

Conditions such as asthma, heart issues, ear or sinus problems, diabetes, pregnancy, or use of certain medications may require a doctor’s sign-off—not because diving is necessarily off-limits, but to make sure it’s safe for you. If you’re unsure, check with a diving physician before your course.

Before training, you’ll complete two standard SDI forms: a Liability Release and Express Assumption of Risk form, and the Medical Statement form described above. These are required for every SDI course and help ensure you understand the activity and are fit to take part.

Dedicated diver accident insurance isn’t mandatory to get certified, but many divers choose to carry it for extra peace of mind. We’re happy to point you toward reputable providers if you’d like to arrange coverage.

As you descend, water pressure increases and you’ll feel it on your eardrums. To relieve it you ‘equalise’—gently adding air to your middle ear, most commonly by pinching your nose and softly blowing, or by swallowing and wiggling your jaw. Your instructor teaches this in your very first sessions.

The golden rule is to equalise early and often, before you feel discomfort, and to descend slowly. If your ears hurt, stop, ascend a little, and try again gently—never force it. Diving with a cold or congestion makes equalising hard, so it’s best to skip diving until you’re clear.

Decompression sickness (sometimes called ‘the bends’) can occur if a diver ascends too quickly or exceeds their no-decompression limits, causing dissolved gas to form bubbles in the body. The good news is that recreational training is specifically designed to keep you well clear of it.

You avoid it by diving within no-decompression limits, ascending slowly, and using your dive computer to track depth and time—which is exactly why SDI requires a personal dive computer on every dive. As a new Open Water diver you also stay within 18 metres / 60 feet, giving you a comfortable safety margin.

For your first session, bring your swimwear, a towel, and a sense of adventure. We provide the scuba equipment you’ll use during training. A personal dive computer is required on all confined- and open-water training dives—if you don’t own one, we’ll make one available to you.

If you already own personal gear you’re comfortable with—such as a mask, snorkel, fins, or a wetsuit—feel free to bring it along. Using your own well-fitting mask in particular can make learning skills like mask clearing more comfortable.

No—you don’t need to buy anything to complete your certification. All the essential scuba equipment is available for use during your course, so you can focus on learning without a big upfront investment.

That said, many divers eventually invest in their own basic kit (mask, snorkel, fins, and exposure protection) because personal fit and familiarity add comfort and confidence. Once you’re certified and know what kind of diving you enjoy, we’re glad to advise on building a setup that suits you.

A complete scuba setup includes a mask, snorkel, and fins; exposure protection such as a wetsuit or drysuit; a BCD (buoyancy compensator) to control your buoyancy; a regulator that delivers air from your cylinder; a cylinder (tank) of breathing gas; a weight system; and a personal dive computer, which SDI requires on every training dive.

Don’t feel you need to buy all of this to start—it’s provided during your course. As you gain experience you can gradually build your own kit, and we can help you choose pieces that fit well and match the diving you enjoy.

A personal dive computer continuously tracks your depth and time and calculates how long you can safely stay before approaching no-decompression limits. It also monitors your ascent rate and prompts safety stops. Because it does this in real time for your specific dive profile, it’s a core safety tool—SDI requires one on every confined- and open-water training dive.

Learning to use a dive computer is part of your course, and if you don’t own one yet, we’ll provide one for training. Many divers make it their first personal-gear purchase.

Once you’re an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, the underwater world is open to you. You can dive with a buddy at dive sites around the world in conditions similar to your training, rent or buy equipment as a certified diver, and join guided dive trips.

Many divers keep growing their skills through continuing education—the Advanced Adventure Diver program lets you sample specialties like deep, navigation, and night diving, while individual SDI specialty courses let you focus on what excites you most. Whatever you choose next, your Open Water certification is the foundation.

After Open Water, popular next steps include the Advanced Adventure Diver program, which introduces several specialty dives in one course, and individual SDI specialties such as deep, navigation, night and limited-visibility, wreck, drysuit, and nitrox diving. Learning rescue skills and first aid is another highly recommended step that builds confidence and makes you a safer buddy.

These courses let you dive deeper, in new environments, and with new skills—progressing toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating and, eventually, dive-leadership levels if you choose. We can map out a path based on the diving you want to do.

Your certification never expires, but skills and comfort can fade with time out of the water. If it’s been a while since your last dive, an Inactive Diver / Scuba Review is the ideal way to refresh essential skills and safety procedures in a controlled setting before heading back to open water.

Regular diving is the best way to stay sharp, but even a quick refresher session helps you feel confident again. If you’re planning a trip after a long break, get in touch and we’ll set you up with a suitable refresher.

Absolutely. Many people who start with an Open Water course go on to become dive leaders and instructors. After building experience and completing continuing-education courses, you can progress through leadership levels such as Divemaster and Assistant Instructor, and eventually become an Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor.

It’s a rewarding path whether you want a career in diving or simply to share the sport with others. If becoming a professional interests you, let us know and we’ll explain the steps and prerequisites.

Course pricing depends on the format, group size, and whether you rent or bring equipment, so the best way to get an accurate quote is to get in touch with us directly. We’ll walk you through what’s included—training materials, instruction, equipment use, and certification.

Booking is simple: head to our website or contact us to choose your course dates, and we’ll confirm your spot and send everything you need to prepare. If you have questions before committing, just reach out and we’ll help you find the right starting point.

Your open-water training dives take place at sites chosen for learning—typically calm, clear conditions in an ocean, lake, quarry, spring, or similar body of water, always during daylight and within 5 to 18 metres / 15 to 60 feet of depth. Your instructor selects sites that match the conditions you’ll be certified to dive in.

Confined-water sessions happen in a pool or similarly calm, clear body of water with good visibility. Contact us for specifics on the local sites we use.

Yes—beyond training, we organise guided dives and trips for certified divers, matched to your experience level. These are a great way to explore new sites, meet fellow divers, and keep building experience after your course.

Trips can range from local outings to destination travel. Reach out to find out what’s on the calendar and which trips suit a newly certified Open Water diver.

Both are common and manageable. If you’re prone to seasickness on boats, staying hydrated, looking at the horizon, and speaking to a physician about suitable remedies beforehand can help—and getting into the water often settles it quickly. Let your crew and buddy know so they can support you.

Pre-dive nerves are completely normal, even for experienced divers. Slow, calm breathing, a thorough buddy check, and descending gradually all help. Your instructor and dive guides are there to keep you comfortable, and you can always take your time.