Open Water Diver - Learn to Dive

The Open Water Diver Course is the first and most important step in becoming a diver. If you want to really enjoy scuba diving, you need to be comfortable and confident doing it. We LOVE diving and we really care that you get started right so that you can enjoy diving as much as we do!

All of our classes are small (3-4 students), so you'll have lots of personalized attention and lots of practice time to get comfortable with the skills.

Our goal is that when you're done with your training, you're excited to go diving again, whether it's at the local quarry or to an exotic dive destination. We don't have a formal dive club here, but we have a fantastic family of divers in the Submerged community, so when you finish your training, you'll have a ready-made group to dive with you!

Please note:

Minimum age: 15 (Open Water) / 12 (Jr. Open Water)*

Medical history form required. Physician's approval may be required.

200 yard swim and 10 minute tread/float must be completed.

**Please call to discuss training kids younger than 15. Maturity and physical size of the potential young diver matter. Submerged is not equipped to train small children for scuba.

CALL or EMAIL to schedule your class

Part 1 - Class & pool training

This is where you learn the essential information and skills that an entry level diver needs to begin your journey underwater. Our course structure consists of three Saturday afternoons (inquire in the shop for exact dates). The first two Saturdays are class & pool sessions, and the third Saturday is pool only. After you have completed all of your class and pool training, you must complete your four final training dives to earn the Open Water Diver Certification.

Class and Pool Instruction - $595

What's included:

Scuba gear use (regulator, gauges, BCD, tank, weights
Pool admission

Additional fees:

Student online course materials for home study - $185
Personal gear: mask, fins, boots, snorkel - available in the shop for purchase. Students must have their own gear by the second pool session. We DO NOT rent personal gear items.
Additional instructor-led or divemaster-led pool training sessions if needed for skill development are $99 each including gear and admission

Part 2 - open water Training dives

This is where you put together what you learned in the classroom and pool and apply it to actual dives in open water. With your instructor, you will plan and conduct four open water training dives at Lake Phoenix in southern Virginia. During each dive you will do a handful of skills as well, but a good portion of each dive will be actually diving and spending time underwater, exploring the underwater features, practicing being neutrally buoyant and just generally improving your overall comfort underwater. Our goal is that when you are done, you feel like you can do a similar dive without us!

NOTE: if there is more than a 2 month time gap between finishing your pool training and going to open water for your final training dives, we require that you attend a pool practice session to brush up on your skills again before the open water training dives. This is to help ensure the dives in open water go smoothly.

We do our open water training at Lake Phoenix (Virginia) from late Spring to early Fall so that the water temperature is reasonable and training conditions are conducive to a positive learning experience. Location of Lake Phoenix: https://goo.gl/maps/FpbfD1BQVwbNbVUEA

Open Water Training Instructions - $396

What's included:

Scuba gear use (regulator, gauges, BCD, tank, weights, wetsuit, hood/gloves as needed)
Four training dives at Lake Phoenix (must be conducted over two days. We usually do 3 dives Saturday and 1 dive Sunday
Certificaiton processing and digital certification card upon completion

Additional fees:

Admission to Lake Phoenix - 2 days required
Travel expenses/ accommodation for overnight stay at or near Lake Phoenix (camping is available at Lake Phoenix, and it's fun!)
Air fills at Lake Phoenix
There is an additional fee if you want a physical certification card

Referral Option

If you choose to complete your final training dives on a trip you have planned, we can issue you a "Referral" and you can finish your training with any SSI training facility anywhere in the world. Please note you only have 6 months after completion of your pool training to finalize your Open Water Diver course.