Private Scuba › PADI® Courses › Scuba Diver
So, you're ready to start dive lessons but you have limited time to complete a full course or your swimming skills are not strong.
This section explains how the PADI Scuba Diver course offers beginners a cheap and easy path to become a diver - and it's possible to finish it in one day!
Some divers prefer not to go diving without a professional dive guide.
Even so, after completing this short course you will be able to:
Important: It is possible to complete the PADI® Scuba Diver or Junior Scuba Diver course in one (1) day. But, you need to be at least ten (10) years old, in good physical health, and have 'adequate' swimming skills.
Beginners can enrol and become PADI Scuba Divers without having any prior experience in scuba diving. But, you need to complete three (3) knowledge development sessions, take part in some basic pool training, and do two (2) dives in open water.
The three short phases for the Scuba Diver rating are a subset taken from the Open Water Diver certification, and they include:
Note: The minimum age to start training for PADI Scuba Diver certification is ten. But, older children will receive the Junior Scuba Diver rating until they reach fifteen (15) years of age.
We include the reference materials and the dive gear needed to complete the course in the price. Even so, you can buy extra manuals as well as specialist scuba diving equipment from the Dive Center in Pattaya, Thailand.
Some of the required safety gear and scuba diving accessories that you will be using during the in-water training dives, includes:
We also sell dive computers and watches, underwater compasses, digital underwater cameras, and diving knives at our Pattaya Dive School in Thailand.
You might complete the theory, pool skills, and two training dives in one day if you were short on time. The theory consists of learning information from a dive manual, video or multimedia DVD, and three short multiple-choice test quizzes.
Then, there are three corresponding pool or confined water skill sessions to complete. The training ends by making two open water dives to a maximum of twelve metres. Thus, most students take two days to complete the course at a more relaxed pace.
To wrap up the course training Scuba Diver, a PADI® Instructor will cover the following important topics during the lessons:
The Scuba diver limited qualification is ideal if you expect to make future shallow dives accompanied by a professional guide.
Plus, having the scuba diver card qualifies you to upgrade your certification to the full diving licence when you are ready.
The main benefit of completing the basic PADI Scuba Diver versus the Open Water Course is less time and cost. It is a quick and easy method to earn an internationally-recognised and respected licence to dive.
Important: There are some limitations to this certification level. Nonetheless, PADI® Scuba Diver rating qualifies you for PADI Equipment Specialist and Project AWARE Specialty certification courses.
The scuba diving buddy system is a safety rule that pairs two or more divers together.
Groups should also perform the standardised pre-dive safety checks (BWRAF) before entering the water.
Nonetheless, PADI does consent to a type of 'solo diving' through the Self-Reliant Diver certification course, which is available in Pattaya, Thailand.
Divers share a common responsibility to protect and conserve nature. As a result, passive interaction with aquatic animals helps to safeguard delicate and sensitive sea life.
A certain level of well-being and general fitness is needed to carry out scuba activities. Thus, you may need to get written approval from a physician before you go diving.
You can download the online version of the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire to check if your current medical status will require a physician's approval.
Note: You should not ask dive staff (e.g. divemasters, instructors) for medical advice and clearance to go diving. Instead, you can contact the Divers Alert Network (DAN) if you have questions about your medical fitness to dive.
So, now you may be wondering what comes next? In most cases, you will be hooked on diving and you will be looking to start your next course.
The logical step is to enrol in the PADI® Open Water Diver Course to complete your certification. Doing so removes many of the limitations attached to the Scuba Diver rating.
Note: The short video [3:09 seconds] presented by PADI® outlines what to expect from the Scuba Diver course. Click here to contact Private Scuba Instructors in Pattaya, Thailand.