PADI Open Water Diver Certification Course

Discover a life-changing underwater world by earning your globally recognized scuba license in less than two weeks! Our comprehensive course at International Diving Centre takes you from absolute beginner to a confident, certified diver.

Learning to dive right here in British Columbia means you will build superior diving habits and buoyancy control. This gives you the skills and confidence to dive anywhere on the planet with total ease.

Course Highlights

• Course Length: 4 evenings over two weeks, plus one full weekend.
• Time Commitment: Around 8 hours of self-paced online eLearning, followed by structured pool and ocean sessions.
• Start Times:
  • Class & Confined Pool Training: Monday & Wednesday at 7:00 PM (starts early at 5:30 PM for July & August dates).
  • Ocean Weekend: Saturday & Sunday at 8:00 AM.
• Age Requirement: 12+ years old.
• Course Difficulty: Beginner – no prior experience required!

Course Overview

Your diving journey begins at your own pace with PADI eLearning. You will use interactive text, videos, and graphics to build your knowledge online before you step foot in the water.

After completing your home study, you will head into our store for interactive classroom discussions with an instructor. Next, you will complete four 1-hour pool sessions to master your equipment and underwater skills at a comfortable, progressive pace.

Once you complete your pool training, it is time to apply your skills in the real world! We head straight to the ocean, where you will show your instructor that you can confidently execute those skills in open water.

Vancouver boasts world-class scuba diving right in our own backyard. During the course, we primarily visit Whytecliff Park, a spectacular Marine Protected Area near Horseshoe Bay. Alternatively, if weather and tides dictate, we also utilize Porteau Cove to guarantee the best possible training environment.

Planning a vacation to a warmer climate? You can complete all your academics and pool training here first so you don't waste precious vacation time studying. Take a look at our PADI Open Water Referral Course for more details!

Prerequisites & Swim Requirements

Scuba diving is highly accessible to most people, but a basic level of swimming and water comfort is a prerequisite. To demonstrate your comfort, you will need to complete these two water-skill tasks using any swimming method you prefer:

• Swim 200 metres continuously without stopping (no time limit).
• Float or tread water for 10 minutes continuously.

We will teach you every other skill you need to know to safely navigate the underwater world!

The IDC Safety & Value Difference

At IDC, we value safety above all else. We are proud to keep our student-to-instructor ratios well below industry standards, allowing for more personal attention, supervision, and custom feedback.

To give you a better understanding of our unique local environment, we provide focused classroom sessions with your instructor before every pool dive. This ensures you learn the specific techniques and knowledge that apply best to BC diving.

Did you know that at IDC we do not charge extra for gear rentals? Our Open Water course includes rentals (with the exception of a mask, snorkel, and a mouthpiece), eLearning, and certification. We are the most affordable Open Water course in the Lower Mainland when all is said and done. Everything you need to complete your course is included in your fee.

What We Supply:

• PADI eLearning Course Materials Included ($280 Value)
• All Required Scuba Gear Rentals (with the exception of a mask, snorkel, and mouthpiece)
• Classroom Lectures & Facilitated Pool Sessions
• 4 Instructional Training Ocean Dives
• Certification Fees & Digital PADI Logbook
• Free Parking at the store, pool, and locker service

What You Supply:

• Personal Snorkeling Gear: You must have your own Mask, Snorkel, and personal Mouthpiece for safety and hygiene. These items can be purchased directly from IDC any day before your course begins, and student discounts are available at our shop!
• Personal Items: Swimsuit, towel, and a sense of adventure.
• Gear Deposit: A temporary equipment deposit is required for the gear you take off-site for the weekend. A credit card number is more than sufficient and will only ever be applied to broken or missing equipment.
• Transportation: You are responsible for your own transportation to and from the ocean sites. However, IDC Rideshare vans are available for just $15.00 per day (space is limited).

Detailed Course Curriculum

Part 1: Knowledge Development

• Registration Forms: Once you purchase the course, you will receive a digital IDC Online Learning Agreement via Google Forms. Please complete this and all accompanying documents promptly to secure your official course registration.
• PADI eLearning Setup: After completing your initial forms, you will receive a registration email from PADI. This unlocks your self-paced PADI eLearning program (approximately 8–10 hours of study featuring interactive text, videos, knowledge reviews, quizzes, and exams). All online training modules must be completed by the Sunday before your practical sessions begin.
• Medical Evaluation: Review the Diver Medical Questionnaire beforehand. If you answer "YES" to any health question, you must secure a signed physician’s clearance before the first day of class.
• Classroom Review: Before touching the water, you will meet with a PADI Instructor at the store to review core concepts, master dive planning, and discuss specific techniques tailored for Pacific Northwest diving. Comprehensive briefings and debriefings seamlessly bridge your classroom learning to the pool and shore.
• Punctuality Notice: Because this is an official certification program with tight facility bookings, you must arrive on time and fully prepared for all scheduled times and dates.

Part 2: Confined Pool Training

Our skill development takes place in a warm, indoor facility equipped with clean changing rooms, hot showers, and dedicated parking. We keep student-to-instructor ratios exceptionally low to ensure you progress at a steady, comfortable pace with personalized feedback.

• 7:00 PM (5:30 PM July & August): Meet at the shop for an instructor-led classroom knowledge review.
• 8:45 PM (7:15 PM July & August): On-deck instruction covering equipment assembly, care, and tracking.
• 9:15 PM (7:45 PM July & August): Suited up and ready on the pool deck for vital pre-dive safety buddy checks.
• 9:30 PM (8:00 PM July & August): In-water training covering essential emergency drills, regulator recovery, and mask clearing.
• 10:30 PM (9:00 PM July & August): Out of the pool for proper equipment disassembly, kitting down, and changing.
• 10:45 PM (9:15 PM July & August): Leaving the pool facility.

Part 3: Ocean Weekend Training

There is absolutely nothing new introduced during your open water weekend. This environment is simply about showing your instructor that you can confidently execute the exact skills you already mastered during Part 1 and Part 2, but this time within a real ocean environment. Over a single Saturday and Sunday, you will complete four instructional ocean training dives (two each day) averaging 30 minutes in length down to a maximum depth of 60 feet/18 metres (40 feet/12 metres for Junior Open Water divers).

• Training Locations: While our primary ocean training playground is Whytecliff Park near Horseshoe Bay, we are flexible to ensure you get the best possible training conditions. Depending on local weather patterns, visibility, and tidal exchanges, we may also conduct our ocean weekend at Porteau Cove.
• Friday Gear Pickup (12:30 PM – 6:30 PM): Students are fully responsible for dropping by the IDC retail shop to check over, verify, and pack their assigned rental gear (including weights and ocean tanks). Inspecting your own kit under our guidance is a crucial skill for every future diver.
• Transportation Logistics: If utilizing our $15.00/day shop rideshare, you must meet at the IDC Shop at 6:45 AM sharp each dive day. Otherwise, plan to meet the team directly at the dive site by 8:00 AM.
• 8:00 AM (Saturday & Sunday): Arrival at the designated dive site. Your instructor will provide a detailed site orientation mapping out local facilities, underwater landmarks, and safety considerations.
• The Experience: You will independently assemble and disassemble your gear before, after, and between your dives. Keep a sharp eye out for BC's vibrant local wildlife! Regular residents include colourful sea stars, sole, crabs, tubeworms, plumose anemones, and giant sea cucumbers. If we get lucky, a curious local harbour seal or an octopus might join the class.
• 2:00 PM Wrap Up: Days wrap up by mid-afternoon. On Saturday, teams return to IDC by 3:00 PM to refill ocean tanks for the next morning. On Sunday, teams return to the store to submit rental gear, log their final dives, and process official PADI certifications.

Course Extras & Graduation Perks

• Store Gear Discount: Enjoy an exclusive 10% to 15% discount on regular-priced, in-stock retail merchandise at our shop. Start building your kit with our team! Note: This excludes items with manufacturer-set fair market pricing, books, camera gear, and services like courses or rentals.
• The IDC "5th Dive" Rental Bonus: To keep your skills fresh after graduation, your course includes a voucher for one 50% off 24-hour equipment rental to be used within 3 months of certification (a value of over $100). This covers all essential scuba gear, including one tank. If you upgraded to a drysuit during your course, your 50% rental package includes a drysuit at no extra cost! You can easily use this to join one of our local organized group fun dives. Note: This voucher covers the equipment rental package only; external fun dive or boat fees are separate.
• Refer-A-Friend Reward: Love your experience? Once certified, refer a friend to take their Open Water course with us, and we will gift you a $25.00 IDC gift certificate as a sincere thank you

Drysuit Upgrades & Continuing Education Packages

Diving in British Columbia is a year-round sport, but water temperatures drop significantly from January to March and October to December. If you get cold easily, we highly recommend purchasing our Drysuit Upgrade for $99.95. Choosing this option means you will receive your pool training and ocean checkout dives completely in a drysuit, keeping you warm and focused.

Because you put in the extra training, we offer two special continuation pathways within 3 months of your course completion:

• Option 1: The Advanced Open Water Drysuit Bundle: Take your PADI Advanced Open Water course with us and receive your official PADI Drysuit Specialty certification concurrently for just $100.00 extra!
• Option 2: Standalone Drysuit Specialty: Want to fast-track your standalone PADI Drysuit Specialty certification? Upgrade your open water experience to a full specialty for only $200.00 more on top of your original upgrade fee.