If you are not quite ready to "dive into" (sorry) a full certification course, Discover Scuba Diving gives you the chance to try scuba diving, to see if it something you might enjoy. You get to try on scuba gear and breathe underwater for the first time, in a pool, with a limited amount of preliminary instruction, under the guidance of a certified professional.  If you love it (and I know you will), you can progress on to a formal certification course. Under certain conditions, your Discovery Scuba Diving dive can count toward the first confined water dive of your open water certification program. Discovery Scuba Diving itself, however, does not certify you to dive, as such. You will need more training for that. Minimum age:  10. 

If scuba diving is not your thing, but you still love the water and looking at pretty things, think about taking our Skin Diver course. Skin diving and snorkeling require proper training, just like any other aspect of diving. Learn how to skin dive and snorkel properly, with qualified supervision and advice.  You learn proper equipment selection and donning, weighting and buoyancy, how to equalize your ears and properly descend, surface and clear your snorkel, and other safety tips.  The skin diver course is perfect for people who are not yet comfortable enough in the water to want to be scuba divers, but who want to see some of what divers experience. It's also great for kids too young for the Discovery Scuba Diving or Open Water certification experience. MInimum age: 8.

The PADI Open Water Diver certification is the first formal scuba diving certification level. It qualifies you to dive to 60 feet or less, in proper conditions, with another certified "buddy" diver.  An alternative is the PADI Scuba Diver course, which qualifies you to dive to depths of up to 40 feet, but only under the direct supervision of a qualified Divemaster or Instructor. The coursework for Open Water Diver and Scuba Diver are the same, except that there are fewer certificaton dives required for the Scuba Diver certification.

All PADI Open Water training programs require at least 5 confined water (pool) sessions and 4 open water dives.  Open water dives are not provided a part of the quoted fee. Those may entail traveling individualy or as a group to an open water site (the ocean, a lake, quarry or other suitable facility) at additional cost. Details about open water options are descussed below and/or will be provided at your course orientation.  Confined water dives and equipment are provided as part of the course fee, except as noted below.

As part of the PADI Open Water course, you must demonstrate certain basic waterskills, in addition to diving skills: A 10 minute float or tread, without using swimming aids; and, a 200 yard/meter swim without mask, fins or snorkel (or a 300 yard/meter swim facedown with mask, fins and snorkel). We also require a one-breath underwater swim for at least 50 feet.

All students are required to provide your own masks, fins and snorkels for the confined water and open water sessions; though some loaner equipment may be available. If you are going to become a scuba diver, you are going to want to have at least your own mask, fins and snorkel.  Compressed air cylinders, regulators and buoyancy compensators for confined water work will be provided as part of the course fee.  Wet suits will be arranged on an as-needed/as-available basis. 

There are different options for obtaining your Open Water certification, each beginning with an initial orientationi meeting where we outline what you can expect in the program and have you sign some paperwork.  Each student must complete and sign: (a) a PADI Release of Liability/Assumption of Risk Acknowledgement Form; (b) a PADI Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding; and, (c) a PADI Medical Statement. The Medical Statement asks a variety of questions about your health. If you answer "Yes" to any question on the form, you must obtain your physcian's written approval before beginning training in the water. There are no exceptions. Minimum Age: 12

Open Water Course Options:

PADI e-learning:  This format allows you to take all of your knowledge development training and most of your testing online.  An added fee of $75 would be due for e-learning students, because to the increased cost of course materials.  When training with e-learning, we use an enhanced e-learning format:  You complete each of the 5 training "modules" and assessments online, and then after each module we meet to discuss the topics presented and go over any questions you may have before moving ahead in the materials.  These meeting sessions will generally last only about one to two hours each, and are designed only to supplement or correct what you have learned online. Knowledge Reviews and/or quizzes may be administered. At the 5th meeting, you are given a Quick Review to test your knowledge. Your 5  confined water sessions may be scheduled concurrently with some of these knowledge development sessions.

Traditional instruction:  In this format, you receive a printed manual which breaks down the knowledge development components of the course into the same 5 "modules."  At the end of each module, you do a "Knowledge Development," which we discuss in a subsequent class session at which time videos may be shown that will help stress key concepts.  You are tested on each module when we meet, before we move on to the next module.  At the end of all 5 modules, you take a final exam.  This is the most time-intensive option, requiring an orientation, 5 classroom sessions, a final exam, and 5 confined water dives. But, it is also the least expensive and usually the best form of hands-on instruction, for those who have the time. Knowledge Development sessions are usually coupled with in-water sessions, when possible. Expect a minimum of 6 class and/orwater sessions of at least 3 to 4 hours duration each.

Touch Learning:  In lieu of the traditional approach, PADI also offers "touch" learning, for those with iPads or other "touch" devices.  The manual and certain video presentations are downloaded to your touch device, to be viewed or read at your leisure. The additional cost and format are othewise similar to e-learning. But, the ability to use your iPad, iPhone, tablets and other touch devices is a plus.

Think you're too old to try Scuba for the first time ?  Ridiculous!  You're never too old. I love to train people who (incorrectly) think they are "over the hill."  I've been diving for more than 40 years, and I plan to dive until I drop. Come see what you can do!  What did you do all of that planning and saving for? It's time to live a little. You'll have plenty of time later to play shuffle board.

"Scuba Review," now also called "Reactivate," is a course for certified divers who haven't been diving in 6 to 12 months, and who want to become comfortable with new equipment under the guidance of an instructor. You may want a refresher before embarking on a dive trip, or need to be assessed for training with a new instructor.  It can sometimes be embarrasing, and risky, to go on a dive trip when you haven't been in scuba gear in awhile. This course updates and polishes your diving skills and equipment knowledge.

The Adventures in Diving and Advanced Open Water Diver programs give certified divers the chance to sample several PADI Specialty courses. If you complete three different adventure dives you earn the PADI Adventure Diver rating. If you complete five adventure dives that include the Deep and Navigation dives you earn the PADI Advanced Open Water rating. Each adventure dive counts as the first dive of the corresponding Specialty course if you take the specialty course within 12 months. Most divers earn the Advanced Open Water rating, which is requried by many dive charters that visit more challenging dive sites such as deep sites. Advanced Open Water certification is also required prior to advancing to Rescue Diver, Divemaster, and beyond.  The course fee covers only the classroomwork and certification fee.  Open water certification dives will be extra and will be arranged and quoted on a per-student basis. Again, 3 to 5 adventure dives in an open water environment are required.

Diving with Enriched Air Nitrox opens a new door to your diving experience. Nitrox-qualified divers can stay underwater longer at moderate depths, sometimes much longer; and, they enjoy the health benefits of lower nitrogen loading.  Enriched Air is any air containing oxygen content above the level (approximately 21%) which we ordinarily breathe, most commonly 32% and 36%.  In a Nitrox course you'll learn how to dive safely with Nitrox and to plan your dives accordingly.  No competent dive operation will allow you dive on Nitrox without a Nitrox certification. The course fee includes classroom work and the certification fee.  Any confined or open water dives (not PADI-required) will cost extra.

In addition to Nitrox, I am also presently certified to teach Peak Performance Buoyancy,  and certain Project Aware Specialty courses, and plan to augment my Specialty instructor certification qualifications as soon as time allows. The course fee covers only the classroom work and certification fee, in addition to any fees paid for Adventures in Diving or Advanced Open Water certifications taken and which link to the Specialty in question. Any open water certification dives, if applicable, will be arranged and quoted on a per-student basis.

I am also available to teach CPR, AED and First Aid, under the PADI-associated Emergency First Responder (EFR) program. The Emergency First Response course is not specific to scuba diving. EFR teaches basic life support skills that everyone should know, including CPR, AED (Automated External Defibrilator) use, and basic first aid for a variety of injuries. EFR, or an equivalent course, is also a pre-requisite for the Rescue Diver course.

In the Rescue Diver course you develop the knowledge, skills, and awareness to recognize, prevent, and respond to problems in yourself and others. The Rescue Diver course dramatically improves your dive skills, your awareness of other divers, and generally makes you a better dive buddy. Most consider Rescue Diver to be the most challenging and rewarding course recreational scuba divers take. Every diver should take the Rescue Diver course.

Other Scuba diving courses are available upon request, including Divemaster (the first level of PADI professional diving), Bubblemaker, PADI Seal Team. Bubblemaker and Seal Team are for children 8 years of age and older, and only involve pool-diving, to limited depths. Rates for these courses will quoted on a per-student basis.