MDS Beginners Guide
Getting your first ever scuba certification can be daunting but we are here to help!
Here you can see all the different certifications Padi offers along with the specialty courses offered for each level. If you are over the age of ten an open water diver certification is going to be your first step. Keep in mind anyone under the age of 13 must have permission from a parent or guardian.
Check out this video for a brief overview from Padi on getting certified first!!
The Padi Way!
Where to start???
Most people will start with either the Discovery Scuba program or the Open Water Diver. If you follow this chart it starts at the left with beginner course options and gets more advanced the farther right you go. The Specialty boxes can tell you what specialty courses you can also choose to take with that certification.
Anyone over the age of 10 looking to get certified for life starts with the Open Water Diver Certification
Here at MDS you will become Padi certified. Padi stands for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and they work to create the guidelines and rules for courses to keep diving safe and fun.
We are strict in ensuring we follow ALL of Padis rules and follow their guidelines
No exceptions will be made and any customer who refuses this will NOT be diving with us
Open Water Diver
This is the most popular Padi certification and is the best first step for most divers. To get started you need to sign up for classroom instruction. This can either be done entirely online via the Padi eLearning program or if you are a local you can reach out and request in person classroom instruction (Even if you choose to do eLearning your instructor will keep in constant contact with you and will be around for a zoom session if needed to answer questions. This is where you will learn basic dive theory. The next step is pool sessions. This is where you will get to work with the gear and practice your underwater skills in a safe setting until all divers feel comfortable. You will not be allowed to move on from this until you pass all of your classroom exams. The next step will be your open water dives. You will have to complete four of these and it typically takes about two days. Once you pass your open water dives with your instructor you will get your Padi certification to go 60ft (Unless you are 10 or 11 Then you can only do 40ft) !
Start here if you….
-Want to get scuba certified
-Want to take your first breathe underwater
-Want to learn a skill that lasts a lifetime
Discovery Scuba
A discovery scuba course allows a new diver to try out the gear and get in the pool/calm water once. You will NOT walk away from this course will a certification it is merely introductory and an instructor will always be directly by your side and in control. The course typically begins with a brief classroom session where the instructor introduces participants to basic scuba diving principles. This may include information on equipment use, safety guidelines, and key concepts related to underwater breathing and buoyancy. The next phase of the course takes place in a confined water environment, such as a swimming pool or shallow area in the ocean. Here, participants will practice basic scuba skills under the supervision of the instructor. The highlight of the Discover Scuba Diving course is the open water dive. Participants, still under the close supervision of the instructor, will get the opportunity to explore the underwater world in a controlled environment.
Start here if you….
-Arent sure if you want to get scuba certified
-Want to take your first breathe underwater
-Find out if scuba is for you
Here we have our instructor Fred teaching a discovery diver neutral buoyancy