Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Diver Course Part A (Referral) at London School of Diving is meticulously designed to build your foundational scuba skills in a controlled and supportive environment. This initial phase begins with PADI eLearning, an online component that typically requires around 10 hours to complete at your own pace. It covers essential theoretical knowledge, including diving principles, equipment familiarization, and crucial safety procedures. Following the successful completion of the eLearning, you will attend a dedicated day of pool training at the Chertsey centre, a session lasting approximately 5 hours.

During your pool session, you'll work closely with an experienced PADI instructor within the centre's purpose-built, heated training facility, which features two dedicated pools. The focus is on progressively developing your skills and confidence, ensuring you are comfortable with vital techniques such as mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures. This confined water training is a critical stepping stone, preparing you thoroughly for the open water dives that follow.

Upon successfully completing Part A, you will receive a referral document, enabling you to proceed to Part B for your open water dives. This referral is recognized globally by PADI facilities, allowing you the flexibility to complete the final open water certification dives at another PADI dive centre, perhaps during a holiday. The course has a minimum age requirement of 10 years, and no prior diving experience is necessary, although a basic water competency is assessed through a 200m swim and a 10-minute float.

The comprehensive price for Part A is £350, with absolute transparency and no hidden extras. This fee encompasses your PADI eLearning access, all pool training sessions conducted by certified instructors, and the final certification processing fee. It represents an excellent pathway for individuals who prefer to master the academic and practical pool components locally before venturing into open water environments for their certification dives.