- 2 - 4 Hours
- Kauai
- Water
Dive Kauaʻi’s Introductory Experience is exhilarating and unlike anything else you have experienced!
Quick Details
Scuba Certification begins here! Start with PADI’s online eLearning Course before learning practical skills and taking ocean dives with Dive Kauaʻi!
- Approximately 2 days
- Get certified online and in the open ocean
- For non-certified divers, Ages 10+
**This course has skills prerequisite requirements that should be fully understood before making reservations (See Below for details)
PADI eLearning Open Water Course
The PADI eLearning Open Water Course is a 2-day course that consists of 5 confined water dives (in a pool) and 4 open water dives.
Dive Kauaʻi makes the process simple! If you’ve always wanted to take scuba diving lessons, experience unparalleled adventure and see the world beneath the waves, this is where it starts.
Get your scuba diving certification with the PADI Open Water Diver course – the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba course. Millions of people have learned to scuba dive and gone on to discover the wonders of the aquatic world through this course.
Learning to scuba dive requires both knowledge development – including facts, principles and concepts – and dive skills including techniques and methods. PADI Open Water Diver Online uses videos, audio, graphics and reading to help you learn, plus short quizzes that let you gauge your progress, and then offers a review of anything you happen to miss.
You develop dive skills during actual dives with a PADI Instructor at Dive Kauai. By completing knowledge development online, you’re ready to meet with your instructor and start having fun in the water rather than sitting in the classroom on your vacation!
Your PADI Open Water Scuba Course is conducted in 3 parts:
Knowledge Development Independent Study: Once you are scheduled for your certification course, they will send you the eLearning Code so you may begin your Knowledge Development online. You will be responsible for completing the 5 chapters of reading, 5 knowledge reviews, 4 quizzes and 1 final exam all prior to beginning the practical course work.
Confined Water Skills Development: Once your knowledge development is complete, they will get you in the pool to teach you the necessary skills to begin your scuba certification process. Learning the fundamentals in the clear confined water of a pool leads Dive Kauai students to greater success when reaching the ocean dives because you were able to master the skills and gaining confidence in your ability to execute those skills without having to worry about poor visibility or constantly battling waves as a first-time diver.
Open Water Dives: Finally, they will get you out to the open ocean to practice your newly acquired skills and begin to experience the magic of the underwater world.
Dive Schedule
A typical course is conducted over two (2) days. The first day being the longest: 7:30am to 5:30pm. Dive Kauai will begin in the pool to teach you the “Confined Water Skills” in the clarity and calmness of the pool. This will last most of the morning. (Dive Kauai recommends bringing a “Grab & Go Lunch” with you incase they run short on time). The afternoon session will head to their shore dive site to do the first two “Open Water Dives” where you not only will get a sense of deeper water than the pool, but you’ll also get to be face to face with marine life and begin exploring the underwater world.
The second day is just a half day typically 12:30pm – 4:30pm (depending on their schedule) to complete the final 2 “Open Water Dives”. These dives will also be from Dive Kauai’s shore location. Please Note: Dive Kauai always recommends students complete the course from the shore and then add an additional “Fun Dive” from the boat once you’ve completed the certification process. The reason being its that they have “bigger” water conditions in Kauaʻi and the shore leads to a higher success rate of completion for their students.
Course Skills Prerequisites
- Able to swim, medically fit for diving, comfortable in the water
During the Open Water Diver Course, your instructor will ask you to:
- Float or tread water without aids for 10 minutes
- Swim 200 meters/yards with no aids OR 300 meters/yards with mask, fins and snorkel
- Minimum age: 10 (No exceptions)
- Divers certified between the ages of 10-14 earn a Junior Diver Certification. Junior Open Water Divers automatically become Open Water Divers at age 15.
If you’re unsure about meeting the above requirements or if trying something new in a group setting makes you uncomfortable or if you’re unsure if scuba diving is for you, Dive Kauai strongly suggests starting with their Discover Scuba Dive experience before committing to the full Open Water Certification. You’ll get to try on the gear, test your comfort level in more calm shallow water environment with our PADI Dive Pro and ensure committing to the full Open Water Certification is for you.
What Scuba Gear Will You Use?
In the PADI Open Water Diver course, you learn to use basic scuba gear, including a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device, and a tank.
Dive Kauai provides all gear/equipment at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE for use during your course! Many shops will charge you to rent the gear or sometimes require you purchase the gear. They will not. They want you to become just as passionate about Scuba as Dive Kauai is before you make the investment in your own gear!
Know Before You Go
Not All Students May Be Able To Complete The Course
Dive Kauai’s instructors are all PADI professional dive instructors who have to adhere to very strict teaching guidelines. Just because you enrolled in a course doesn’t mean you will become certified. If students are not able to properly complete the course requirements per these guidelines, due to anxiety, poor performance, health issues or other circumstances, Dive Kauai will be unable to process your certification. Dive Kauai’s team strives to work with each individual to help them overcome fears and work on specific skills where they identify struggles, but sometimes the expedited manner of the course is not conducive to the student. In this scenario Dive Kauai will modify the course to best fit the situation. If Dive Kauai cannot get you fully certified as an “Open Water Diver”, they will strive to at least get you a partial certification called “Scuba Diver”. Doing this will allow you to still receive a partial certification without a time limit for completing the full course. (Some scenarios this may not be possible either). There is no difference in price of the course when these modifications must be implemented. Should the schedule allow additional days to help complete the course, Dive Kauai will do so at their determined rate.
What to Bring
Wear a swimsuit. Bring a towel, sunscreen, and waterproof camera.
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- Must be at least 10 years old
- Non-Certified Divers
- Due to safety, you should NOT go to elevations above 1000′ within 18 hours after diving. This includes Waimea Canyon, Helicopter Tours and Commercial Airline Flights. Please keep this in mind when booking your dives.
Recreational scuba diving and free diving requires good physical and mental health. There are a few medical conditions which can be hazardous while diving. Those who have, or are predisposed to any of these conditions, should be evaluated by a physician. This Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire provides a basis to determine if you should seek out that evaluation. If you have any concerns about your diving fitness not represented on this form, consult with your physician before diving. If you are feeling ill, avoid diving. If you think you may have a contagious disease, protect yourself and others by NOT participating in dive training and/or dive activities. References to “Diving on this form encompass both recreational scuba diving and free diving. This form is principally designed as an initial medical screen for new divers, but is also appropriate for divers taking continuing education. For your safety, and that of others who may dive with you, please answer ALL questions honestly!
PLEASE NOTE: All Non-Certified Divers and Students of Certification Courses with Kauai Down Under will be REQUIRED to complete this electronically on your booking confirmation. Should you feel you may need medical clearance for any of the questions on the form, please PRINT the form and submit to your physician to complete PRIOR to your dive.
First-time (non-certified) divers will experience the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program, which covers the fundamental rules and guidelines of safe scuba diving. All non-certified divers will have a detailed, hands-on orientation covering all of the important aspects of diving to be aware of. You’ll receive extensive overview of the equipment and how it properly works and then learn 3 basic scuba skills you’ll be putting into practice. After satisfactorily completing the skills portion of your lesson, you are qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 40 feet under the direct Supervision of Dive Kauai professional PADI Instructors.
MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Divers who have had symptomatic COVID-19, should wait a minimum of TWO months, preferable THREE, before resuming their diving activities.
- Divers who have tested positive with COVID-19 but have remained completely asymptomatic, should wait ONE month before resuming diving.
- Divers who have been hospitalized with pulmonary symptoms related to COVID-19, should, after a three-month waiting period, undergo complete pulmonary function testing as well as a cardiac evaluation with echocardiography and exercise test (exercise electrocardiography) to ascertain normal cardiac function prior to your return to diving.
Feeling Sick? Stay Home!
Guests or staff who are feeling sick or know that they have been exposed to COVID-19 are REQUIRED to stay away. If a guest or staff member begin to show any symptoms or feel ill in anyway, they will be asked to leave the tour and our facilities.
Face Coverings:
In accordance with the KAUAI MASK MANDATE, Dive Kauai staff will be wearing face coverings when appropriate during your visit. Dive Kauai requires that everyone on their properties and locations have a face covering and use it when in close proximity to others. Failure to comply will result in the tour being cancelled and considered a day of cancellation NOT eligible for refund.
Limited Contact Check-in:
To minimize their eliminate opportunities for transmission, their have designed a limited contact check-in procedure.
- Additional check-in times will be added to minimize guest interaction between reservation parties
- Guests will receive a link to their digital liability waiver in the confirmation email. Please have one waiver per adult completed before arrival (minors can be on the same waiver as an adult)
Equipment Sanitization and Cleaning
Dive Kauai request that guests please limit contact with equipment they are NOT personally using. their staff have put additional cleaning procedures in place.
- All Scuba & Snorkeling equipment, will be cleaned and disinfected after every tour. All cleaning and sanitizing will be done using procedures and products verified by the CDC and FDA.
- Boat will be thoroughly cleaned between every trip
- Rental gear will be properly rotated so it is only rented to one guests per day.
- Regulators, specifically 2nd stage mouthpiece and internal surfaces, snorkels, BCD Oral Inflator & Masks will face extra protocols for sanitization due to their use.
- Brand new mouth pieces will be available for purchase if guests would rather have a brand new mouth piece on regulators and snorkels. ($8)
Trip Sizes:
Trip sizes will be reduced to maintain proper social distancing.
- Non-Certified Shore dives will be a maximum of 4 divers
*Non-Certified POOL dives, certification courses and demonstrations will be 4 maximum of 4 divers
Transportation:
Dive Kauai will NO LONGER be providing transportation for any of their tours to help eliminate being in a confined space. Guests will be responsible to use their own method of transportation to get to and from the dive site or snorkel locations. Please pre-arrange a taxi if you don’t have a rental car.
Personal Sanitation:
All staff are required to frequently wash their hands throughout the day. Guests are also expected to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly before, during and after activities. Dive Kauai will have hand sanitizer in all of our vehicles and on our vessel where hand washing with soap and water is not possible.
- Maintain a social distance of 6 feet and avoid direct contact with other people
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Make sure you and people around you follow good respiratory hygiene. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, and dispose of that tissue right away.
- The CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering and Dive Kauai strictly require this when not in water.
*NOTE: Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are incompatible with compressed gas, especially oxygen-enriched gas. If alcohol-based hand sanitizers are used before filling cylinders, ensure hands are completely dry and all alcohol has evaporated before touching.
Public Restrooms:
It is strongly advised to ensure you use the restroom facilities at the hotel or lodging accommodations prior to arrival. The only facilities we have access to are port-o-johns at the shore dive site and public restrooms at the small boat harbor.
Health Concerns & Diving:
At this time, PADI has not modified liability waivers for COVID-19. However, according to DAN (Divers Alert Network) there are still many unknown questions regarding a diver who has had COVID-19 and wishes to return to diving. If you or anyone in your party has had, thinks you have had or has been exposed to COVID-19, please inform your reservations agent or dive master right away. Dive Kauai will REQUIRE A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL waiver prior to you joining a tour.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATION:
- Divers and dive centers should observe strictly the guidelines for disinfection of diving gear (as issued by the diving federations and Divers Alert Network).
- Dive Kauai Scuba Center soaks all regulators and masks in a chemical bath of “Bacto” for 15 minutes, this was certified by CDC and FDA to kill virus and bacteria. All gear is then thoroughly washed with fresh water and hung to dry. Gear is ONLY being used ONCE each day for additional safety protocols to ensure all gear is properly cleaned and sanitized. (New Mouthpieces and Masks are available for purchase for those who want additional peace of mind)
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Light Snacks and beverages.
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PLEASE NOTIFY HAWAII ADVENTURE CENTER IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE AN ACTIVITY.
You can do so by calling (888) 207-0722 or contact us online.
- No refunds for cancellations within 48 hours of activity
- For groups of 6+ there are no refunds for cancellations within 72 hours of activity
- We will gladly reschedule your activity at no extra cost if changes are made prior to the 48 or 72 hour cancellation period
- Cancellations from date of booking to 48 hours before activity or for larger groups 72 hours before activity are subject to a 10% service charge
- If for some reason we are unable to confirm your reservation with the activity operator due to oversold seats or other unforeseen reasons, a full refund will be provided and you will be notified immediately to discuss alternative dates and activities
If a tour operator cancels any trip due to weather, mechanical failure, unsafe conditions, or insufficient reservations, a full refund will be provided.