You may be interested in becoming certified in open-water scuba diving. Here are some of the courses and brands that you can choose from. Luckily, there are several options for this type of course. You can choose to get certified with SSI or PADI. Scuba gear should be purchased after you have been scuba diving for a while. After all, you will need it to dive.
PADI
PADI open water diving certification will allow you to have many options for your diving vacation. You can either dive in the local waters, or you could explore the great Barrier Reef or Belize Blue Hole. You can expect to pay anywhere from $350-$500 depending upon where you learn. For example, you could take private lessons for three hours and then join a PADI instructor on a dive trip for the remainder.
SSI
SSI, the largest and most well-respected scuba certification organisation in the world, is SSI. Its goal is to produce competent divers through rigorous training programs and ongoing education. There are many SSI certification choices. One option is SSI Autonomous Diver, which provides the most thorough introductory training. You can also take the course online. To get started, sign up for a free student package or the lifetime "diamond" package.
SSI eLearning
You should consider your goals when choosing between SSI and PADI open water scuba certifications. PADI courses follow a rigid curriculum that makes it difficult to change the pace of your study. SSI courses are flexible enough to allow you to adjust the course to fit your schedule and to make the certification happen while you're away.
SSI Courses
PADI and SSI are very similar, but what is the difference? Both require that you purchase course materials in advance. PADI courses are available in a book format. SSI courses, however, can be accessed online. The difference lies in the materials. PADI courses require more adventure dives than SSI, so they have a much more extensive curriculum. PADI courses also require more adventure dives than SSI courses, so you need to make sure that you're comfortable with the different options before choosing a training center.
SSI classes
SSI's reputation for quality training materials is solid. SSI's open water scuba classes can help you get a certification, or simply learn more about diving. The SSI Digital Training System has apps that let you log dives, track your progress and view your certifications from your smartphone.
Additional certifications for divers
Perhaps you are curious as to whether there are other open-water certifications equivalent to yours. There are many bodies and training agencies that offer diving certifications. The table below is a guideline for those who want to obtain a similar certification. Note that these guides are based on maximum air depth, and some grades may go deeper with additional training. Also, the maximum depth guides provided here are only for guidance and are not intended to be definitive.