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To become certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, students must complete three areas of learning, consisting of academic (or classroom) sessions, pool sessions and open water dives. Academic and pool sessions are conducted during the same evening, while open water dives are scheduled during summer weekends.

Academic Teaching Sessions

The six week course will be broken up into 6 two and one-half hour sessions:

Week 1.......An introduction to the aquatic environment and your scuba gear.
Week 2.......Some diving physiology, underwater communications, and more dive gear.
Week 3.......Your diving world.
Week 4........The air we breathe and Dive Tables.
Week 5........Diving at higher altitudes and more Dive Table use.
Week 6........Review session and final exam.

Don't forget your manual and pen!!! Read each chapter and complete the corresponding knowledge review, PRIOR to each classroom session.

Pool Sessions

Immediately after the conclusion of the evening's classroom session, its into the pool for 2 hours of fun. Here we will experience:

Week 1.....Building the SCUBA unit, mask and regulator skills and underwater swimming.
Week 2....."BWRAF", snorkel and mask skills, ascents and descents.
Week 3......Buoyancy skills and diver assists.
Week 4......Snorkeling, hovering and waterskills assessment.
Week 5......Gear removal and replacement.
Week 6.......Skills review session.

The last portion of each evening pool session will be devoted to ”play time" where we can review all of the previously taught skills while getting more comfortable in the water.

It is commonly asked "Do we have to be able to swim to be certified as a SCUBA diver?" In fact, many people feel that swimming skills are not necessary as "divers sink". All PADI open water SCUBA divers must be able to complete a 200 meter continuous (non-timed) surface swim and a 10 minute "surface swim/float" (tread water or remaining afloat in a relatively localized area) without using a mask, fins, snorkel or any other swim aid, prior to certification. This evaluation is conducted in pool session #4.

Open Water Training

Open water training is conducted in a clear body of open water over a 2 day period.
Two dives are made on each of 2 consecutive days.

Dive 1...... Underwater tour for pleasure.
Dive 2....... Mask and regulator skills, buoyancy control and diver assists
Dive 3....... Compass navigation, buoyancy and mask skills.
Dive 4....... Compass skills, hovering and mask skills.

The local dive conditions in the Edmonton area are not inviting to new divers. The visibility in these lakes can be almost zero at times. The closest body of CLEAR open water suitable to enjoy this new experience in Jasper. Thus all open water dives are conducted on weekends in Jasper, Alberta (consult checklist of necessary gear before departing). Students are to meet at Lake Annette (see map) at 8 AM. on Saturday to experience dives 1 and 2. Leaving the lake by 4 PM., we usually meet as a group for supper (or after supper) to discuss the days activities, answer any questions and complete dive log books.

Sunday we meet at 8 AM again (same lake) and are usually prepared to head home by 4 PM. Students are responsible for their own transportation and lodging. (there are 2 large campgrounds and numerous bed and breakfast establishments available).