Is PADI Open Water Difficult? Understanding the Course

While some people often ask what the hardest part of the PADI Open Water course is, the reality is that the PADI course is not hard at all. Yes, there may be some challenging parts, but there are many different things you must do to complete the course and just because one of those things happens to be difficult for you, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is all that challenging.

Overview of Scuba Diving Certification

Scuba diving certification is your gateway to exploring the mesmerizing underwater world. The PADI Open Water Diver course is the most popular and widely recognized certification globally. This course equips you with the skills and knowledge needed to dive safely and confidently. Once certified, you can enjoy scuba diving adventures anywhere in the world, encountering diverse marine life and stunning underwater landscapes. The PADI Open Water Diver certification is not just a ticket to underwater exploration; it’s a lifelong passport to adventure and discovery.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Before you can embark on your journey to becoming a PADI Open Water Diver, there are a few prerequisites to meet. You must be at least 15 years old and in good physical health. A medical examination is required to ensure you’re fit for diving, and you’ll need to provide proof of age. The course itself includes a series of confined water sessions and open water dives, along with quizzes and a final exam to test your knowledge and skills. These requirements ensure that you’re well-prepared and confident as you progress through the course.

Knowledge Conquers Fear in Scuba Diving

The PADI Open Water Course is designed for 10-year-olds to complete. The course begins with online Theory (PADI eLearning) to give you a solid understanding of diving, the principles behind diving, dive equipment and skills involved. The eLearning is designed so that it meets the needs of each individual no matter their preferred learning style. Because the program is so in-depth, it takes most people around 10 hours.

Course Structure and Content: The course includes confined water dives, which are essential for learning and skill development. These sessions often take place in a swimming pool, providing a controlled environment for learners to develop confidence and master essential techniques before progressing to open water dives.

Course Structure and Content

The PADI Open Water Diver course is thoughtfully structured to build your skills and confidence gradually. It consists of five confined water sessions and four open water dives. During these sessions, you’ll learn essential scuba diving skills such as hand signals, buoyancy control, trim, and proper swimming position. You’ll also get hands-on experience with scuba diving equipment, including regulators, BCDs, and wetsuits. The course is designed to ensure you gain a comprehensive understanding of diving techniques and safety procedures, setting a solid foundation for your underwater adventures.

The Need to Be Comfortable in Water for Beginner Scuba Divers

As you begin to learn how to dive, it is the most important thing to feel comfortable in the water. Confined water sessions are crucial as they provide a safe environment to get accustomed to breathing underwater, allowing participants to manage any nerves and build confidence before progressing to deeper open water dives. To demonstrate this comfort, at the beginning of the in-water training you are asked to demonstrate that you can comfortably keep oneself afloat in water too deep in which to stand by completing a 10-minute swim/float without using any swim aids.

At some point you will complete a 200-meter continuous surface swim or a 300-meter swim with mask, fins and snorkel. Most people who are of average fitness and have spent enough time in a pool or the sea to feel comfortable in the water have no problems with the 300-meter snorkel.

Start Just Centimeters Below the Surface

Course Schedule and Duration

The duration of the PADI Open Water Diver course can vary depending on the dive shop and location. Some courses are designed to be completed in as little as three days, while others may extend over several weeks, offering more flexibility. It’s crucial to choose a dive shop that aligns with your schedule and learning style. Researching and reading reviews can help you find a reputable dive center that provides a supportive and effective learning environment. Whether you prefer an intensive course or a more relaxed pace, there’s a PADI Open Water Diver course that fits your needs.

Start Just Centimeters Below the Surface 

Once the theory has been completed, it is then converted into practice through confined water dives. In confined water, you learn all the skills you’ll need for the open water, but in an environment where for much of the time your head is only a few centimeters below the surface and where if you have an issue, you can merely stand up and talk the problem through with your instructor.

Confined water is one of the most difficult areas where the majority of beginner scuba divers typically have difficulty. The difficulty occurs to a large extent because they are not used to breathing through their noses instead of their mouths nor are they accustomed to be able to alternate between mouth and nose breathing to clear their masks. Mask clearing is where the majority of beginner scuba divers typically encounter the most problems. At this stage of the training, it is overcoming these psychological issues that pose the biggest challenge.

The Ocean is the Fun Part

The final requirement is to complete four ocean dives that increase bit by bit in depth, ranging from 6m and down to a maximum of 18m. During these training dives, you will explore various dive sites, each offering unique experiences and opportunities to witness diverse marine life. This is the easiest part of the course as the beginner diver has grown accustomed to all the skills involved in confined water. After completing essential skills, divers can enjoy a fun dive focused solely on exploration and experience. The ocean section is the toppings on your cake as the beginner diver gets to experience the magic of the underwater world while practicing all the skills they perfected in confined water.

So, to answer the question, “Is the PADI Open Water certification hard?”, the answer is that realistically, it is not hard at all. The average person can easily learn to dive but on the way, they will have to address psychological issues. Going below the surface of the water is not a natural process, but once you become a certified open water diver then you have something special that will fuel a lifetime of adventure and wonder. Abyss Scuba Diving and PADI would love to help make the beginning of this adventure as easy as possible.