A diver swimming over a reef with a buddy behind

Open Water Diver

Name: Open Water Diver
Brand: PADI
SKU: OWD001
Price: 5650.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

SKU OWD001

R 5,650.00 R 7,550.00

Product variants

The course at a glance

Qualifies you to dive to 18 metres with a buddy, for life
Five pool sessions in a heated indoor pool in Fourways, four students per instructor
Four open water dives at Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, or in the ocean on request
PADI eLearning, all scuba equipment and air fills included
Free DAN Student Dive Cover for the course, paid for by DAN
No diving experience needed. Swim 200 m (or snorkel 300 m) and float for 10 minutes

Learn it in the pool. Prove it in open water.

Most new divers remember their first breath underwater: slow, loud in the regulator and stranger than expected. Within a few minutes it feels normal, and that change from nervous to comfortable is what the pool sessions are for. The PADI Open Water Diver course takes you from that first breath to diving independently with a buddy.

It's the most widely recognised scuba certification in the world, and the card dive operators ask to see before they take you diving. The card is the start, though. The logged dives after it are what make you a diver.

You'll learn to move through the water without fighting it, control your own buoyancy, and handle your gear with the ease that only comes from proper training. All scuba equipment is included for the duration of the course, so there's nothing to source or hire beforehand. You also get free DAN Student Dive Cover for the course, paid for by Divers Alert Network Southern Africa (DAN). No prior experience is needed. Turning up ready to train is.

What You Can Do With This Certification

Once certified, you're qualified to dive independently with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 metres, anywhere in the world. That covers guided reef dives on holiday, wreck dives within your depth limit, and the speciality and advanced courses when you're ready for more.

The certification carries no expiry date and is recognised by dive operators internationally, from tropical reefs to cold-water kelp forests to the inland sites closer to home. For some divers it's the goal. For others it's the first step towards a speciality, a Divemaster rating, or simply more time underwater.

Ready to get certified? Add the course to your cart, or get in touch with the shop if you'd like to talk it through first.

What This Course Entails

Your course starts online through PADI eLearning, worked through in your own time, wherever suits you. Across five interactive modules, you'll cover the core theory: buoyancy control, equipment use, underwater communication, safety procedures, and how to dive responsibly around marine life.

Once the theory's done, your in-water training begins in a heated indoor pool in Fourways. Over five confined water sessions with a certified instructor, you'll build the practical skills that carry you through every dive that follows: mask clearing, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures, all in a controlled, low-pressure environment. Before your first pool session, you register online for free DAN Student Dive Cover, using the link and instructor details we send you. It lasts until your final qualifying dive or six weeks, whichever comes first.

From there, you'll head to Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, two of South Africa's most established inland dive sites, to complete four open water qualification dives. This is where the theory and pool work come together and where your certification is earned. Ocean-based qualification dives can also be arranged on request, for those who'd rather do it in salt water.

Prerequisites

Minimum age is 10 for Junior Open Water and 15 for the standard Open Water certification.
Able to swim 200 metres, or snorkel 300 metres.
Able to float unassisted for 10 minutes.
Complete a basic health screening questionnaire to confirm you're fit to dive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any prior diving experience to do the PADI Open Water course?

No. The course is built for complete beginners. You do need to meet the swimming and fitness prerequisites (swim 200 metres or snorkel 300 metres, and float unassisted for 10 minutes), but no previous diving experience is required.

How long does it take to complete the PADI Open Water Diver certification?

It depends on your pace through the eLearning, but most divers complete the course, including pool sessions and open water qualification dives, within a few days. The theory is self-paced, so you can move faster or slower depending on your schedule.

Where do I complete my open water qualification dives?

Qualification dives are typically completed at Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, both popular inland dive sites in South Africa. Ocean-based qualification is also available on request if you'd prefer to certify in the sea.

What depth am I qualified to dive to once I'm PADI Open Water certified?

A PADI Open Water Diver certification qualifies you to dive independently with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 metres, anywhere in the world, for life. There's no expiry date on the certification.

What's included in the PADI Open Water course price?

The course fee covers your PADI eLearning materials, five confined water (pool) training sessions with a certified instructor, four open water qualification dives, air fills, and all scuba equipment for the duration of the course. The one cost outside it is the dive site entrance fee, paid at the site on the day.

Do Open Water students get free DAN Student Dive Cover?

Yes. Open Water students get free DAN Student Dive Cover from Divers Alert Network Southern Africa (DAN). DAN pays for it, so it isn't part of your course fee. Once your course dates are confirmed, we send you DAN's registration link and your instructor's DAN number, and you register online before your first pool session. Have your ID, your medical aid details and your completed PADI medical questionnaire ready. The cover pays up to R300,000 in medical costs for a diving injury during your training, to 18 metres with your instructor, in the DAN Southern Africa region. It runs from when DAN receives your registration until your final qualifying dive or six weeks, whichever comes first, and it sits on top of your medical aid rather than replacing it. For Junior Open Water, a parent or guardian fills in the registration.

Are air fills included in the course price?

Yes. The air for your five pool sessions and your four open water dives is included in the course fee, along with your PADI eLearning, your instruction and the use of all scuba equipment. The one cost outside it is the dive site entrance fee, paid at the site on the day.