The Open Water Course

THE OPEN WATER COURSE Your ticket to the underwater world.

BY OLIVER COX

Learning to dive is undoubtedly one of the In the Open Water section of your training best things I have ever done. It gives you you apply concepts learned in your knowledge an unparalleled sense of freedom that development and training through your confined a non-scuba divers likely won’t achieve. skills which you have shown mastery on. You

You'll see up close what those who merely float and your instructor will then go to a dive site above miss. From Iceland's world-famous Silfra suitable for your skill level, and experience the dive site to diving the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the world is certainly yours for the open water. picking once you have your qualification. After a couple of dives, and once your instructor

So you may be thinking, "This sounds interesting, where do I start?"…This is where the is happy that you have completed everything to a comfortable and confident level, you can

Open Water Course comes in; this is the very finally call yourself a successfully qualified Open first course you take if you want to submerge Water Diver! Your qualification will give you a yourself in the world of scuba. depth limit of 18 Metres/60 feet with a diving

The Open Water Course provides you with the skills you need to dive confidently. "It gives you an You are then qualified to dive wherever in the world you

You will learn 24 skills during unparalleled sense like (given your depth limits of your training, including assembly and disassembly of of freedom." course). Time to go and enjoy yourself! your equipment, removing and replacing your mask Writing this article has underwater, and simulating ‘out of air’ emergencies to name a few. These skills are normally performed in a confined environment; I learned all of my skills in Rosia Bay, though I know of people who did their training in a brought back fond memories of when I did my Open Water Course - nearly two years ago now! Now as a qualified Rescue Diver, I still have the same enthusiasm as when I started, if not more, pool - it all depends on your local Dive Centre’s as I have continued to learn and discover as I facilities. You will go through the skills with your have developed as a diver. instructor until they (and you!) are completely buddy. happy that you are ready to start the Open For all new divers, enjoy the sport safely, and

Water section of your training. spread the diving bug!