Want to gain the freedom to dive in? Take the OWD course! This is a basic diving degree that will allow you to dive safely anywhere in the world!
The diving adventure begins with the first dive. This is most often enough to catch the diving bug. Diving can be a sensational hobby, but it can also be a passionate sport where you will develop your skills and gain more specialties. Do you want to dive safely? Take an OWD course! This is a basic scuba diving course that will open the door to your next degrees of initiation! What is an OWD course and who can get OWD certification? What courses and specializations can be pursued in the next steps of a diving career?
Open Water Diver course – what is it?
Divers who care about development and independence can take courses and trainings. The basic type of courses for divers are those that allow you to acquire more diving degrees. These are courses conducted by professional schools and institutions that are subordinate to international diving organizations and operate according to the standards set by these organizations.
The Open Water Diver course (OWD course for short) is a basic diving course that allows you to achieve the first diving degree. The aim of the course is to equip the diver with theoretical knowledge and practical skills so that he or she can dive safely on any objects and waters, in accordance with the assigned authorizations.
OWD – basic diving course
OWD course is a basic training for a diver, the successful completion of which means that the diver is awarded a certificate confirming his skills at the level of the first diving degree.
OWD courses for the first diving degree, among others, are provided by several international diving organizations, primarily:
- PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) – the world’s largest diving organization, diving standards developed and set by PADI are wholly or partially adopted by other organizations; OWD courses allow you to obtain the PADI OWD degree;
- SSI (Scuba Schools International) – an international organization specializing in high-quality training for divers and diving instructors, diving certificates issued by SSI are recognized worldwide; OWD courses allow you to obtain the SSI OWD degree;
- CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) – CMAS’s affiliate organization includes. Polish Scuba Diving Association; OWD courses allow you to obtain the P1 degree;
- SDI (Scuba Diving International) – a sister organization to TDI(Technical Diving International), specializing in training recreational divers (TDI trains technical divers); OWD courses allow you to obtain the SDI OWD degree.
OWD certificates obtained under one of the above organizations (or affiliated organizations) are equivalent and mutually recognized.
OWD diving course qualification
In order to participate in the OWD course, you must meet the following conditions:
- minimum age of the student: 15 years old (selected schools and organizations offer training to children as young as 10 or as old as 12),
- The ability to swim (freestyle or unstyled) to swim 200 meters without fins or 300 meters with fins,
- The ability to lie on the water for a minimum of 10 minutes (moving arms and legs is allowed while lying on the water),
- good physical condition,
- No health contraindications to diving.
Course flow and duration
The course and duration may vary slightly depending on the specific school or organization providing the training. OWD courses are conducted in a variety of modes to choose from: weekend (two-day intensive training), evening (classes held on designated days, during specific, usually afternoon or evening hours) or as part of a dive camp.
As a standard, each course for the first diving degree is held in three stages: theoretical classes (onsite or online, culminating in an exam on theoretical knowledge), classes in the pool / restricted waters and classes in open water. The maximum dive depth during training is 18 meters. In most cases, the duration of the course ranges from a dozen to several dozen hours in total.
Privileges after OWD course
The OWD certificate certifying the acquisition of the first diving degree allows diving in all open waters: up to 18 meters deep, with a partner, but without an instructor. In addition, a diver with a first diving degree can develop his skills in selected specialized courses and, in due course, take an advanced (AOWD) course, allowing him to acquire a second diving degree.
OWD course price
The price of the OWD course may vary depending on the particular school, the location of the practical exercises and the form of the course (weekend, evening, continuous). In most cases, the cost of obtaining OWD certification is in the price range of PLN 1,500 to 2,500. The issuance of a certificate can be included in the price of the course or paid additionally (usually within the range of PLN 100 – 200).
What comes after the OWD course – paths for a diver’s development
The next step in the development of a diver who has successfully completed the OWD course may be the AOWD(Advanced Open Water Diver) course, which allows the attainment of a second diving degree. As part of the course, the diver deepens theoretical knowledge and acquires additional skills, including specialized skills in the following areas: deep diving, night diving and diving in limited visibility, and navigation. The AOWD license entitles a diver to dive to depths of up to 30 meters (with a partner of equivalent or higher qualifications) and to dive with a partner of lower qualifications (only to the extent of the partner’s qualifications).
An OWD-certified diver can also take selected specialized courses. These are courses designed to improve and develop specific skills and gain new qualifications. Specialty Diver courses (exemplified by the SSI organization) for OWD-certified divers include Deep Diving, Night & Limited Visibility Diving, Navigation Diving, Wreck Diving, Boat Diving or Ice Diving.
How do you prepare for an Open Water Diver course?
A diver can take any specialized and preparatory courses and training before taking the Open Water Diver course, including certified courses such as: SSI Scuba Diver, SSI Indoor Diver, SSI Referral Diver and Junior Open Water Diver (JOWD).
SSI Scuba Diver, SSI Indoor Diver and SSI Referral Diver certifications are also a way to shorten your OWD course and accelerate your OWD certification.
- SSI Scuba Diver – SSI Scuba Diver certification entitles you to dive to a depth of 12 meters with an instructor in open water, obtaining this certificate is equivalent to completing nearly half of the OWD course;
- SSI Indoor Diver – SSI Indoor Diver certificate entitles you to dive to a depth of 18 meters with a partner in pools (e.g., Deepspot), having this certificate means that during the OWD course you will only need to demonstrate your skills in open water during two training dives (the theory part and the pool part are credited from the Indoor Diver course);
- SSI Referral Diver – The SSI Referral Diver certificate entitles you to dive to a depth of 5 meters in pool-like waters (including Deepspot); holding this certificate means that during the OWD course you will only need to demonstrate your skills in open water during four training dives (the theory part and the pool part are credited from the Indoor Diver course);
The Junior Open Water Diver course is open to children ages 10 and up. A JOWD license entitles a child to dive up to 12 meters deep, paired with an adult guardian who holds a diving license. When the child reaches the age of 15 – the JOWD license can be exchanged for an OWD license, without any additional courses or exams.
At Deepspot, we organize professional Deepspot Scuba courses, or SCUBA equipment diving training. Taking the course and passing the exam entitles you to dive with a partner in confined waters (such as Deepspot) to a depth of 18 meters. Completion of the Deepspot Scuba program earns a SSI Indoor Diver and/or SSI Referral Diver certification.
