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What's the Advanced Open Water Diver certification all about?

Have you always wanted to try underwater photography? How about wreck diving? Here's your chance because you can sample three dives of your choice, get a taste of what you like, and feel more comfortable in the water, strengthening your underwater skills and letting you enjoy diving more than ever. During your Open Water Diver training you learned how to scuba dive, now you will learn what you can do as a scuba diver.

What will I do during the Advanced Open Water Diver course and how long will it take?

You can earn Advanced Open Water Diver certification is as little as one week. The program is performance based. You proceed as you demonstrate mastery of the course skills and knowledge. This allows you to work at a pace that is comfortable for you.

During the course, you will learn the skills and knowledge necessary to safety plan and conduct scuba dives in the specialty areas of your choice. It only takes two evenings at Divers Training Center and then five open water dives with your instructor.

Essentially the Advanced Open Water Diver course is broken down into three easy steps:

Step 1 - Independent Study: This is where you will learn the bulk of your advanced diving knowledge. With today's fast paced lifestyle, you can learn at your own pace and when time allows. Plan on spending about 5 - 6 hours developing your advanced diving knowledge using the Advanced Diver Manual and DVD. This can be done whenever and wherever is comfortable for you.

Step 2 - Knowledge Review with Instructor: One of our professional instructors will guide you through a review of the material you learned during independent study, answer your questions, and will ensure that you have learned the material. Depending on the dives you choose, you may even jump in the pool to practice some new diving skills.

Classes meet two consecutive nights from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

Step 3 - Adventure Dives: With a professional instructor, you will complete five open water adventure dives in a lake or the ocean. These dives are completed over a minimum two day period, and you will have the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills you learned during independent study and your knowledge review sessions. That's it! You're a certified Advanced Open Water Diver! Keep reading to learn about your options for completing the adventure dives.

What types of adventure dives can I pick from for the course?

Choose your own adventure! Your Advanced Open Water adventure dives will consist of a deep dive to between 60 and 100 feet, and an underwater navigation dive. You choose which of the other three dives you want to do from the list below.

For divers 10 years and older: - AWARE Fish Identification - Underwater Naturalist - Boat Diving - Underwater Navigation* - Peak Performance Buoyancy - Underwater Photography

For divers 12 years and older: - Altitude Diving - Multilevel Diving - Deep Diving* - Night Diving - Diver Propulsion Vehicle - Search and Recovery Diving - Drift Diving - Underwater Videography - Dry Suit Diving - Wreck Diving - Nitrox Diving

* Required for Advanced Open Water Diver certification.

What are my options for completing the adventure dives?

There are three options for completing your adventure dives for certification. You may even complete the dives in different locations at different times.

Option 1 - Weekend Lake Dives: This is the most popular option because it allows you the opportunity to be certified before any planned vacation, and you won't have to deal with any training during your vacation. We conduct adventure dives on a regular basis (Saturday and Sunday) at lakes in the Texas and Oklahoma area.

Option 2 - Referral: People choose this option either for tight scheduling reasons, or because they absolutely do not want to dive in a lake. Once you complete the independent study and confined water portions of training with DTC, your instructor will issue you a referral certificate. This certificate validates that you have successfully completed these portions of training and are ready to do the adventure dives. You may then complete your adventure dives anywhere in the world that you wish to go. We will be happy to assist you in finding a quality instructor at the destination of your choice. Or if you want, you can take your DTC instructor with you, but you'll have to pick-up the tab.

Option 3 - Combination: You may complete some dives at a local lake with Divers Training Center, and then complete your remaining dives where ever your travels might take you.

What are the requirements for Advanced Open Water Diver certification?

• Be certified as an Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver.

• Minimum age: 10* years old. Students younger than 15 who successfully complete the course qualify for the Junior Advanced Open Water Diver certification, which they may upgrade to Advanced Open Water Diver certification upon reaching 15.

*A Junior Advanced Open Water Diver between the ages of 10 and 11 years may only dive with a dive professional, a certified parent, or a certified legal guardian to a maximum depth of 40 feet.

• Be reasonably fit and in good health. Some individuals may require a physician's release.

• A desire to become a certified adventure diver and to learn more about and explore the underwater world.

• A completed and signed Medical Statement form. (Provided when you enroll.)

What materials and equipment are required for the Advanced Open Water Diver course?

• A sense of adventure.

• A completed and signed Medical Statement form. (Provided when you enroll.)

• If necessary, a physician's release. We will advise you if this is needed when you enroll.

• Swimsuit and towel.

• Proof of Open Water Diver certification. (C-card)

• Log book.

• Advanced Diver Manual. (Included with your tuition.)

• Training DVD. (Loaned to you with a small deposit.)

• Basic diving equipment and thermal protection suit. (Available for rental.)

• Underwater writing slate.

• Primary, backup, and marker lights for night dive.

• Underwater compass.

How much is the Advanced Open Water Diver course?

Standard Course Tuition: $200 per diver + $40 refundable DVD deposit

Equipment Inclusive Course Tuition: $300 per diver + $40 refundable DVD deposit
Use our regulators, alternate air sources, dive gauges, BCDs, weight systems, and air tanks during the course.

Private Course Tuition: $400 per diver + $40 refundable DVD deposit

Options Pricing

• Adventure Dives Referral Option (Step 3): Deduct $50

What's next?

Adventure dives can also count towards Specialty Diver certifications. For example, if you liked your Night Adventure Dive so much that you wanted to take a complete Night Diver Specialty course, your Night Adventure Dive can count as the first dive of that specialty.

Now that you've expanded you scuba diving skill and knowledge, it's time to enhance your abilities further and to learn how to help other scuba divers. The Rescue Diver course is your next step!