The Typical PADI Open Water Course
Here is some step-by-step information on a typical PADI Open Water Course with Aussie Divers Phuket.
Learn to Scuba DiveDay 1 – Theory and Confined Water
Your PADI Open Water Course will begin with some online theory that you can pre-study in your own time, it is best to have 100% of the theory completed prior to the first day of training. The first day of the course begins at the Aussie Divers Chalong Training center at 8:00 am, hotel pickup times vary between 07:00 – 07:50 depending on location in Phuket.
The PADI Open Water course online theory component is divided into five chapters. Each chapter consists of some videos, knowledge review questions, and a quick review quiz. Studying in your own time this can take anywhere from 4-6 hours, and having this completed will save you several hours on day 1 of the course.
If all of the online theory is completed then on the first day you will review this theory with your PADI instructor. The instructor will assess your knowledge reviews, do 4 quick quizzes, and a final exam with you prior to heading to the pool for the practical skills.
Confined Water- Pool Training
Once you have reviewed the theory with your instructor it is a short drive to the training pool for the practical skills. There are several training pools, purposely built for scuba diving that we have access to.
At the pool firstly you will complete your 200-meter swim and tread water for 10 minutes these are two skills required by PADI for your PADI Open Water certification. Then you will learn how to set up your scuba diving equipment, you will do this at least five times throughout the session.
You will enter the pool for your five confined water dives. Your PADI instructor will teach you and have you demonstrate the in-water skills that you need to complete to move on to open water/ocean dives. The confined water section will take approximately 3 – 6 hours, depending on how quickly you pickup the skills.
Aussie Divers Open Water Pool Session
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The first day of the PADI Open Water course here at the Aussie Divers Phuket training center could be completed anywhere between 4 pm – 7 pm. This really depends on how much self-study you complete before the first day.
Day 2 – Open Water Diving
The following day between 7:15 – 7:30am you will be picked up from your hotel and will travel to the Chalong Pier to the south of the island where you will board your dive boat for the day. All the boats here in Phuket are specifically designed scuba diving boats and hold between 30 – 60 people when full.
After setting your scuba diving equipment up you will be able to sit down and enjoy your freshly cooked breakfast and then will be given a dive briefing by your PADI Instructor. Your PADI instructor will explain to you what skills you will need to perform, the expected scuba diving conditions and the site and what you will likely to encounter under the water.
First Open Water Dive
In most cases your PADI Open Water Course for the first day open water scuba diving will begin with the combination dive day to Racha Yai and Racha Noi. These are the perfect beginner dive site that has the best local visibility, nice sandy bottoms, is well protected for the weather and is also often protected from strong currents.
You will enter the water from the boat using what PADI call a deep water entry or giant stride. When you float initially and then you will swim on the surface to shallower water where you maybe demonstrate some surface skills for your PADI instructor. You will then descend into shallow water either by a buoy line or water deep enough to stand up in.
Your first underwater scuba dive is free of underwater skills so hopefully you will have between 30 and 50 minutes to take in the amazing world that is scuba diving.
The Typical PADI Open Water Course
At the completion of the dive you will board the boat and head for a new dive site. Your PADI Instructor will then brief you on the new dive site and prepare you for the underwater skills of your second dive. During this dive you will have several skills to perform, these are some of the same skills that you practiced the day before in the confined water of the pool. Once the skills are completed you will be able to explore the underwater world some more.
The first days diving you are limited to the depth of 12 metres.
At the end of this day you should be back at your hotel between 5:30 – 6:30pm.
You will return to the boat where your freshly cooked lunch will be served and you will plan for the next dive.
Day 3 – Open Water Diving
The second day of open water scuba diving will almost mirror the first however your most likely dive sites this day will be Phi Phi and Shark Point. This day you will be able to experience a bit deeper water and may head to the depth of 18 metres.
There are less skills to perform on this day and you will have more free to explore the amazing underwater world. If we are able to get to the best dive sites at Phi Phi you will be blown away by the amount of marine life to be enjoyed at this world famous dive site.
For this day you should return to your hotel somewhere between 6:30 -7:30pm.
At the completion you will be a certified PADI Open Water diver and be licensed to scuba dive to the depth of 18 metres.
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