As a PADI professional, I am often asked by my non-diving friends and family about the best way to start their underwater adventures. With thousands of PADI dive centres and resorts across the world, and many different courses to take, it is important to understand the entry-level options available.
The PADI Discover Scuba Diving and Open Water Diver programs will teach you how to be safe and have fun while you do it! Whether scuba diving is your life-long dream, or you’re curious to see what it’s all about, there’s an option here for you.
Discover Scuba Diving Program
The PADI Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) is a short try-diving experience for adults and children aged 10+. This course introduces you to the basics of scuba diving without certifying you as a diver. The DSD program is a single-day activity, so is ideal for those interested in trying scuba, but lacking spare time.
The PADI DSD program typically involves a detailed briefing on the effects of water pressure, underwater communication, equipment use, and diving safety. Then, you’re ready to go!
The first session involves confined water practice in a swimming pool or pool-like area. During this time, candidates get to grips with breathing through a regulator and swimming efficiently in diving gear. You’ll also be shown a few simple skills from the Open Water Diver course.
When you’re ready, the second session involves an open water dive. This will take place at an easy, shallow ocean dive site – this is what it’s all about, after all!
During the DSD program, you will become familiar with the use of basic scuba gear including a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD), dive gauges, and a scuba tank. You will also receive information about how to become part of the PADI community upon completion of the program. Most importantly, you will build the self-confidence required to fully immerse yourself in the diving world through the PADI Open Water Diver Course
Open Water Diver Course
So you’ve completed a PADI Discover Scuba Diving program, and loved it! What’s next? To get certified, of course!
After completing the PADI Open Water Diver Course, you’ll be certified to dive independently up to 18m/60ft, anywhere in the world. This course is longer than the DSD but highly informative and very rewarding.
The PADI Open Water Diver course is typically 3-4 full days, and consists of three key elements:
- Knowledge development, comprising video lessons, knowledge reviews, quizzes, and a final exam
- Confined water dives in a pool (or pool-like environment)
- Open water dives in an open water environment (the ocean, a lake)
You’ll also learn how to assemble and disassemble your own kit, and how to care for it properly. Throughout both the confined and open water dives, candidates will master a series of essential skills such as mask clearing, which your instructor will teach you step-by-step.
There’s nothing quite like breathing underwater for the first time. Ready to take the leap?
Interested in what comes after the PADI Open Water Course? Read about our Advanced Open Water Course here.
About the Author
Originally from the UK, Liz Wilkie has been working, writing, and diving her way around Asia, Australia, and Europe since 2010, and is currently a PADI MSDT in Cyprus. She is trained in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and teaches the English Language during the off-seasons. Find out more about Liz here and here.
