You're not the only one wondering about how long it takes for a scuba certification. There are a variety of options depending on how experienced you are. PADI offers a beginner program that teaches the basics of diving. PADI Open Water Diver allows you to be certified.
PADI's entry-level diver course
The PADI entry-level diver course consists of five chapters, four Knowledge Reviews and a final exam. You can complete the course in 3-4 days. If you prefer to take the online course, it may take less time. This course covers the fundamentals of diving and includes several open-water dives.
PADI Open Water Diver Manual - This manual will teach you the basics of diving. It covers terminology, safety, equipment, and much more. Five videos are included to explain each topic and answer your questions.
Open water certification dives
There are a few steps to getting open water certification. First, you need to complete your training. Before you dive open water, you'll need to have several sessions in the pool. These sessions will help you improve your water skills. The first dive is dedicated to orientation, while the second dive is devoted to scuba skills. The third dive is designed to relax and consolidate what you have learned.
You can get your certification done in a weekend if you are a member of a local dive club. To complete your training, however, you might need to adapt to the schedule of the instructor or dive centre if the location you chose is not available. Generally, it takes three to four days to get open water certified.
Next-level certification dives
An instructor can give a beginner scuba diver a few try-dives in a pool before moving on to the next level. Most of the time, try-dives take place in shallow water (less than 6 feet). Open water diving will require you to become more comfortable in all aspects, from navigation to safety. Open water diving occurs in water bodies such as lakes, oceans, and even flooded pits.
The time it takes to get certified varies, but usually takes about four days. Online courses can be completed in as little as a week. You don't have to meet any deadlines for entry-level classes, but some professionals might need to wait.
Prerequisites for next-level certification
Before you get your next-level scuba certification, you should first get some experience in the water. To get a feel for the sport, you can try scuba diving in a pool. You can also go diving in lakes, or in flooded quarry pits. Open water diving requires more experience than a try-dive.
The SDI open water training course is intended for those who want scuba certification. It will teach you basic scuba skills and problem-solving skills. It will also teach you how to perform a self-rescue, a technique used by rescue divers. Open water training must be completed before you can dive on more difficult dive sites or liveaboards.