The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course

Gain experience, learn new skills and have a lot of fun!  That's what the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course is all about.

At Columbia Scuba we encourage all new Open Water divers to dive as often as possible. With every dive, you'll learn something about yourself and about safe diving. With the Advanced Open Water course, you can gain that experience with an Instructor committed to helping you become the best diver you can be. Along the way, you'll conduct at least five adventure dives where you can learn basic skills in five different specialties that are critical to being a good diver.

Navigation and Deep are required. We suggest Buoyancy, Search & Recovery and Rescue as the other three Adventure Dives you complete for the certification. However if there is a different area you wish to explore, we'll be happy to help guide you. 

The Advanced Open Water Diver course helps you increase your confidence and build your scuba skills so you can become more comfortable in the water. This is a great way to get more dives under your belt while continuing to learn under the supervision of your PADI Instructor. This course builds on what you've learned and develops new capabilities by introducing you to new activities and new ways to have fun scuba diving.

You'll hone your skills by completing five adventure dives that introduce you to:

  • Underwater navigation
  • Deeper water diving (typically anywhere from 18-30 metres/ 60-100 feet)
  • An introduction to three more Adventure Dives of your choice


The Fun Part: Your Choice

One reason you'll love the Advanced Open Water Diver course is that you and your instructor choose from 15 types of Adventure Dives to complete your course. You can try your hand at Digital Underwater Photography, Wreck Diving, Night Diving, Search and Recovery and much more.


Prerequisites

To take this course, you must be:

  • A PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
  • 15 years old (12 for Junior Advanced Open Water Diver)

 

What You Learn

The knowledge and skills you get in the Advanced Open Water Diver course vary with your interest and the adventures you have, but include:

  • Practical aspects of deep diving
  • Physiological effects of deeper scuba diving.
  • More ways to use your underwater compass
  • How to navigate using kick-cycles, visual landmarks and time
  • How to better use your dive computer and electronic Recreational Dive PlannerTM (eRDPTM)
  • And much, much more, depending on the Adventure Dives you choose

 

The Scuba Gear You Use

You use all the basic scuba gear including your underwater compass. Depending on which three adventure dives you pick, you may also be introduced to underwater photography equipment , a dive light, lift bags, a dive flag/float or other specialty gear.

 

The Learning Materials You Need

PADI's Adventures in Diving Manual and DVD provide information on more than 15 types of specialty diving.You'll use them as a guidebook to improve your diving skills and prepare for new experiences and adventures.

For all your learning materials and equipment, contact COLUMBIA SCUBA.

 

Getting Started

Sign up online or contact Columbia Scuba today at (803) 788-9166 or info@columbiascubasc.com to enroll in the course and schedule the first class session with your PADI Instructor.

 

Your Next Adventure

After you've tried a specialty in the Advanced Open Water Diver course, you'll probably want to take that Specialty Course and learn more : Choose your next adventure!