Open Water Scuba Diver
Book online now!Activity details
- Welcome to the underwater world! Embark on your adventure to learn to breathe underwater and explore a whole new environment.
- This is the certification course to allow you to dive anywhere in the world.
- Upon successful completion of the training you will be certified to dive to a maximum depth of 60 feet.
- Joe’s Scuba teaches under the SDI (Scuba Diving International) Training agency.
- We do have instructors on staff that are also PADI instructors but the administrative costs for PADI are much higher, so if that is the certification agency you would prefer, understand the cost of all PADI classes is an additional $400 over the SDI class.
- If you are a veteran able to use the GI Bill, you may be able to have your SDI courses reimbursed by the VA! Call for details: 843-849-4868
- The minimum age to complete this course is 10 years old but 10 and 11 year old’s generally must be a private class due to the significantly higher attention needed for the younger children. This is an additional cost of $400. Call to discuss if you have questions or would like special accommodations.
What’s included
- eLearning (so you can complete the knowledge portion and exams at your pace).
- Rental scuba equipment for all pool sessions and open water dives (wetsuit, tank, weights, regulator, buoyancy control device).
- Pool sessions are completed at the shop pool, in one of the city pools or in your pool if desired for a private class.
- Pool sessions are completed in one day (takes about 4-5 hrs).
- You will need to have your own mask, snorkel, fins and booties for the class. These can be purchased in conjunction with the class or purchased elsewhere, but must actually be scuba quality gear, not snorkel gear.
What’s not included
- If you have not purchased your own mask, snorkel, fins and booties in conjunction with the class. These may purchased elsewhere, but must actually be scuba quality gear, not snorkel gear.
Itinerary
There are 3 available class schedules for completing your Open Water Certification Training
- Option 1 – Relaxed 2 weekend class
Day 1 (Friday, Saturday or Sunday)
10 am – 3 pm – Meet at Joe’s Scuba Shop
Meet and greet, go over eLearning, size for wetsuits and any purchased gear, review gear assembly and complete student gear assembly, swim test (200m swim and 10 min tread water), go through all scuba skills in the pool
Day 2 (Saturday the following weekend)
9 am – 1 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dives 1-3
Day 3 (Sunday the following weekend)
9 am – 12 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dives 4 and fun dive - Option 2 – Standard weekend class
Day 1 (Friday)
10 am – 3 pm – Meet at Joe’s Scuba Shop
Meet and greet, go over eLearning, size for wetsuits and any purchased gear, review gear assembly and complete student gear assembly, swim test (200m swim and 10 min tread water), go through all scuba skills in the pool
Day 2 (Saturday)
9 am – 1 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dives 1-3
Day 3 (Sunday)
9 am – 12 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dives 4 and fun dive - Option 3 – Compressed weekend class
Day 1 (Friday)
6 pm – 8 pm – Meet at Joe’s Scuba Shop
Meet and greet, go over eLearning, size for wetsuits and any purchased gear, review gear assembly
Day 2 (Saturday)
9 am – 1 pm – Complete student gear assemby, swim test (200m swim and 10 min tread water), go through all scuba skills in the pool
3 pm – 5 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dive 1
Day 3 (Sunday)
9 am – 1 pm – Meet at the quarry for Dives 2-4 - Pool Locations
The pools we generally use are:
Joe’s Scuba Pool, 1493 Appling Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
North Charleston Aquatic Center, 8610 Patriot Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29420
MLK, Jr. Pool, 155 Jackson St, Charleston, SC 29403 - Quarry Location
5812 New Rd, Ravenel, SC 29470
Turn left at the large black gate just before the train tracks - Trips to the Florida Springs are also available during with winter months, cost of the trip to FL is an additional $450 over the open water class fee (lodging not included).
- Classes scheduled from November-March are not necessarily completed in the initial weekend due to how cold the water is here in those months. It is possible to add on the drysuit class in conjunction with your open water class for an additional $200, but realize the cold water will make everything much more challenging.
$650 for SDI / $1050 for PADI (If you would like a private class, typically in your own pool, $400 additional)
You will need to have your own mask, snorkel, fins and booties for the class. We can provide those for you for $275, or you can purchase on your own somewhere else.
To get started, either book online from this site, give us a call at (843) 849-4868 or email at joesscuba@gmail.com for further questions.
SDI Advanced Adventure Diver / PADI Advanced Open Water
Book online now!This course certifies you to dive as deep as 100 ft. The course is broken into 5 adventure dives. There are two required dives (Underwater Navigation and Deep), then you can choose dives that appeal to you for the other 3 adventure dives. The options available to you that we can teach are:
- SDI
- Advanced Buoyancy, Boat, Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV), Drift, Computer Nitrox, Full Face Mask, Night, Search and Recovery, Solo, Wreck
- PADI
- Boat, Dive Against Debris, Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV), Drift, Enriched Air, Fish Identification, Full Face Mask, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search and Recovery, Self-Reliant, Wreck
$350 for SDI / $750 for PADI
Includes:
- eLearning
- Instructor time on 5 dives
- Dive locations additional (cannot complete deep dive in the quarry)
- Ravenel quarry $50/day
- Trips costs to the springs in Florida are typically $500 for a weekend class (lodging and gear not included)
- We offer charters for the deep dive for $200 with Whole Other World Scuba
- If you do not have your own gear yet, rental equipment and tanks are available
SDI Advanced Diver
This course certifies you to dive as deep as 130 ft. The SDI Advanced Diver course signifies you are truly an Advanced Diver. It included 4 specialties, typically Nitrox, Deep, Underwater Navigation, and Night/Limited Visibility. Once you have completed 4 specialties and have a minimum of 25 dives experience, you will be certified as an SDI Advanced Diver.
$750
Includes:
- SDI Computer Nitrox
- SDI Deep Diver
- SDI Underwater Navigation
- SDI Night/Limited Visibility Dive
- eLearning for all certifications
- Instructor time on 6 dives
- Dive locations additional (cannot complete deep dive in the quarry)
- Ravenel quarry $50/day
- Trips costs to the springs in Florida are typically $500 for a weekend class (lodging and gear not included)
- We offer charters for the deep dive for $200 with Whole Other World Scuba
- If you do not have your own gear yet, rental equipment and tanks are available
Rescue Diver
Book online now!This course teaches how to rescue another diver in trouble. This is the first class where you are focusing more on the divers around you, rather than your own diving abilities. CPR/EFR and O2 Administrator/Emergency O2 Provider are pre-requisites to completing this class. They can be done in combination with Rescue.
$300 for SDI / $700 + $75 kit for PADI
Includes:
- eLearning
- Instructor time on 2 dives
- Dive locations additional
- Ravenel quarry $50/day
- If you do not have your own gear yet, rental equipment and tanks are available
Divemaster
Book online now!This is the first professional scuba rating. After completing this course you will be able to work for pay in the dive industry.
$700 + 314 kit for SDI / $1100 + $543 kit for PADI
Includes:
- eLearning
- You need to have your own gear by this point!
- Tanks included
SDI Assistant Instructor
Book online now!This course will allow you to assist in open water classes. You will also be able to teach and certify students in non-diving specialties.
$900 + 403 kit for SDI
Includes:
- eLearning
- You need to have your own gear by this point!
- Tanks included
SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor (OWSDI)
Book online now!This course will allow you to teach and certify new open water divers, advanced divers, rescue divers, and divemasters. You can also add-on additional specialty instructor ratings if desired for an additional cost.
$2500 IDC + $385 kit + $500 IEC (Instructor Exam)
Includes:
- eLearning
- You need to have your own gear by this point!
- Tanks included
Computer Nitrox Specialty
Book online now!This course will certify you to dive with EANx (Enriched Air Nitrox) up to a max 40% oxygen mix. This gives you more bottom time and shorter required surface intervals.
$150 for SDI / $350 for PADI
Includes:
- eLearning
Other Specialties
Book online now!There are other specialties we can teach that each have their own requirements as far as number of dives and special equipment. We can discuss in more depth if there is a certain class you are interested in.
The SDI/TDI specialties we can teach are:
The PADI specialties we can teach are:
Prices vary but most classes are $150 for SDI / $350 for PADI
Includes:
- eLearning if available for the specialty
- Instructor time on required dives
- If you do not have your own gear yet, rental equipment and tanks are available, dive charters and quarry admission not included
Scuba Refresher
Book online now!This course will refresh your dive skills if you haven’t been in the water in some time but are already certified.
$150
Includes:
- eLearning
- Pool dive to go over all skills (usually done in conjunction with my open water class in a city pool)
- Rental equipment (Regulator, BCD, Tanks and Weights)
Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) Experience
Book online now!This course is to experience what scuba diving is like without having to go through the full certification process
$150
Includes:
- Instruction on Scuba theory and operation
- Pool dive to experience Scuba diving (completed in city pool or your own pool if private)
- Rental equipment (Regulator, BCD, Tanks and Weights)
Referral Open Water Dives
Book online now!If you completed your open water class somewhere else and you need to finish the open water dives
Costs:
- $350 for SDI / $400 for PADI locally joining a scheduled class
Includes:
- Knowledge check and quick review
- Pool dive to assess your skills and refresh as needed (in city pool, or your pool if private or in the quarry if combined with the actual open water dives)
- 4 open water dives, must be completed over 2 days (Recommend completing in the quarry)
- Rental equipment (Regulator, BCD, Tanks and Weights)
Advanced Technical Classes
There are other technical classes we can teach that each have their own requirements as far as number of dives and special equipment. We can discuss in more depth if there is a certain class you are interested in. More details on the Technical classes page.
The SDI/TDI specialties we can teach are:
Includes:
- All our technical diving course fees are based on the minimum days needed to complete, but may require additional days if you are unable to master the required skills. There is an additional charge for added days.
- Course fees include instruction and the certification card only (upon course completion). Clients are responsible for academic materials/eLearning, gas fills, rental gear, and boat charter/park entrance fees if applicable.