Scuba Diver

Name: Scuba Diver
Brand: PADI
SKU: SCD001
Price: 4300.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

SKU SCD001

R 4,300.00 R 5,750.00

Product variants

The course at a glance

Qualifies you to dive to 12 metres with a PADI professional alongside you, for life
Three pool sessions in a heated indoor pool in Fourways
Two open water dives at Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, or in the ocean on request
All scuba equipment and air fills included
No diving experience needed. Minimum age 10
Upgrade to Open Water later without repeating anything you've done

Half the Open Water course, all of the ocean. Just with a professional alongside you.

Not everyone has a week. The PADI Scuba Diver course exists for people who want a real, internationally recognised certification but genuinely cannot fit the full Open Water programme in before the trip they've already booked.

It's a subset of the Open Water Diver course rather than a different one: the first three knowledge sections, the first three pool sessions and the first two open water dives. Same standards, same instructors, same equipment, just fewer of them. All scuba equipment is included.

The trade-off is clearly defined. You're certified to 12 metres, and you dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor rather than independently with a buddy. For guided holiday diving, which is what most people actually do, that's rarely a limitation.

Where Scuba Diver Takes You

The certification is recognised worldwide and meets ISO 24801-1 as a supervised diver, so dive operators everywhere know exactly what it means. It has no expiry date.

It's also a genuine halfway house rather than a dead end. Upgrading to full Open Water Diver means completing the remaining knowledge development, the final confined water session and the last two open water dives. Nothing is repeated, and nothing you've already paid for is wasted.

Short on time before a trip? Book Scuba Diver below, or get in touch with our team and we'll be honest with you about whether the full Open Water course would actually fit.

What This Course Entails

You'll work through the first three sections of the PADI eLearning in your own time, including the quizzes, covering equipment, breathing underwater, buoyancy, pressure and the basics of dive planning.

Three confined water sessions in a heated indoor pool in Fourways follow, building the practical skills: equipment preparation and care, mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy, weight system removal and replacement, and disconnecting a low-pressure inflator hose. You'll also complete a 10-minute swim or float in water too deep to stand in.

Two open water dives then qualify you, at Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, or in the ocean on request. These cover the dive flexible skills including snorkel to regulator exchange, cramp release, DSMB deployment and emergency weight drop. All scuba equipment is included.

Prerequisites

Minimum age is 10 for Junior Scuba Diver and 15 for the standard Scuba Diver certification.
Able to complete a 10-minute swim or float in water too deep to stand in, before your second open water dive.
No previous diving experience required.
Complete a basic health screening questionnaire to confirm you're fit to dive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Scuba Diver different from Open Water Diver?

It's a subset of the same course. You complete the first three knowledge sections, the first three pool sessions and the first two open water dives, rather than the full five, three and four. The result is a certification to 12 metres that requires you to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor, rather than independently with a buddy.

What does "direct supervision" actually mean in practice?

It means diving with a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor in the water with you, rather than independently with a buddy. On a guided holiday dive, which is how most certified divers actually dive, that's exactly what happens anyway, so it rarely feels like a restriction.

Why would I choose this over the full Open Water course?

Time, mostly. It's a shorter course, so it suits people with a trip coming up who can't fit the full programme in beforehand, or anyone who wants to be certified for guided holiday diving without committing to the whole thing yet. If you have the time, do the full Open Water course.

Can I upgrade to Open Water Diver later?

Yes, and everything you've done counts. You complete the remaining knowledge development, the remaining confined water session and the final two open water dives, and you're a full Open Water Diver. Nothing is repeated and nothing is wasted.

Is the Scuba Diver certification recognised internationally?

Yes. It meets ISO 24801-1 as a supervised diver, which means dive operators worldwide know exactly what it qualifies you for without you having to explain. It has no expiry date either.