Training Information
Depending on the course you choose to take, the requirements for completion vary. Most courses require a combination of classwork, pool / shallow water training, and dives in a practical dive environment.
Students who participate in entry level training will spend approximately 4 full days learning to dive, broken up between the classroom where you learn the fundamentals, the pool where you actually learn to dive, and open water where you demonstrate your diving skills.
Other classes have varying requirements for successful completion.
Our Dive Center offers a full line of equipment for purchase or rental, and depending on your class, the equipment may be included.
Open water and beginner classes require each student to provide their own mask, fins, snorkel, and boots. To help our students purchase this equipment, we offer discounts to our students who buy equipment packages. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff can help you get the equipment you need to carry you through your diving career. The remainder of your equipment such as the tanks and regulators are all provided as part of the course tuition.
Advanced classes may require the ownership of a particular piece of equipment such as a compass or dive computer, and our staff can help you find the perfect addition to your class needs.
Technical divers will need to provide special equipment for their classes. To help you plan for the equipment needs of your technical class we have established a page dedicated to the needs of the technical equipment setup.
Rental equipment is available to all levels of divers.
As part of your certification, our instructors will introduce you to a variety of diving environments.
Open Water students can expect to train in various environments to make them a better and more rounded diver, to include a boat charter as their final certification dive.
More advanced students will also spend much of the certification dives on one of our two boats.
The costs for certification obviously vary with the course but we understand your desire to get the absolute best training possible at the best price.
Divers looking to get their basic open water certification can expect to spend money on their personal equipment (Mask, Fins, Snorkel, Boots) and for the certification class. The cost of rental equipment, books, materials, instructor fees, transportation, and a boat charter is all included in the price of the course. Our instructors introduce you to a variety of diving conditions and prepare you to be the best possible diver at the best possible price.
More advanced divers can expect the same value from their instruction. We are extremely proud of the caliber of diver we produce at all levels of certification.
Within the scuba training realm there are several training organizations overseen by a larger international group. PADI, NAUI, and TDI are all training organizations for which Our Dive Center offers classes.
PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, is the largest certification organization and is recognized internationally. NAUI, the National Association of Underwater Instructors, is also one of the largest training organizations, and TDI, Technical Diving International, focuses on training technical divers.
Students in our certification classes can expect to be exposed to several diving environments, making you a better all-around diver.
Our entry level classes will place divers in shore diving, and diving from one of our boats during a half day charter. During these endeavors divers can expect to see a variety of marine life ranging from turtles to stingrays! Divers often see eels, octopus, dolphins, turtles, hard and soft corals, grouper, flounder, sea bass, arrow crabs, and a variety of other marine life.
By exposing our students to a variety of diving conditions, you will leave better prepared for wherever your diving career takes you.