El Mar Diving Center

Students must be a minimum of 18 years old (10-14 for Junior SCUBA Diver), comfortable in the water, able to swim 200 yards and float for 10 minutes, have a completed Medical Statement with a doctor's signature if required, and create a DiveSSI profile with the DiveSSI app on a smartphone. Digital academic materials must be completed before the first class night.

El Mar Diving Center provides classroom training, pool training, lake certification dives, student digital materials, instructor fees, the Open Water Diver certification card, and the total diving system (tank, weights, buoyancy system, air delivery system, and information system) for pool training and certification dives. They also provide DAN Student Dive Accident Insurance.

Students are required to provide their own SCUBA mask, SCUBA fins, SCUBA snorkel, SCUBA boots, mesh bag, safety tube, whistle, and mask defog/scrub. Students receive a 10% discount on equipment or can purchase a "Student Personal SCUBA Snorkeling Equipment Package" for $328.90.

The course fee is $549.00. Accelerated courses typically run over a Thursday class session, followed by Saturday and Sunday pool training, and then weekend lake certification dives. Two-week courses involve Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday classes and pool sessions for two consecutive weeks, followed by lake dives. Specific dates for 2026 are listed on their website.

Yes, you can upgrade your certification to San Carlos, Mexico, for an additional $299.00 per person (double occupancy). This upgrade includes 3 nights lodging, 1 day of 3-tank boat diving, 1 day of 2-tank boat diving, snacks and water on the boat, taxes, and rental of the total diving system, including an exposure suit. Transportation is not included.