Courses & Training

The PADI Skin Diver course teaches you about:

• How to choose, adjust and use skin diving equipment.
• Basic safety guidelines for being in and around the water.
• Snorkeling and skin diving techniques including checking buoyancy, surface swimming, clearing water from your snorkel and performing effortless surface dives.

The PADI Skin Diver course teaches you how to use basic snorkeling equipment including a

• mask and snorkel,
• fins,
• exposure protection like a wet suit and
• dive weights as needed.

You learn the basic safety guidelines and skills needed to dive under the direct supervision of one of Pissouri Bay Divers PADI Professionals. If you make an open water dive, you’ll practice a few more skills in shallow water to prepare for your adventure. Get ready to:

• Go over the scuba equipment you use to dive and how easy it is to move around underwater with your gear.
• Find out what it’s like to breathe underwater.
• Learn key skills that you’ll use during every scuba dive.
• Have fun swimming around and exploring.
• Hear about becoming a certified diver through the PADI Open Water Diver course.

We here at Pissouri Bay Divers will provide all the basic scuba gear you’ll use including:

• mask and snorkel,
• fins,
• regulator,
• buoyancy control device,
• dive gauges and a tank.

The PADI Scuba Diver course consists of three main phases:

• Knowledge Development (online, independent study or in a classroom) to understand basic principles of scuba diving – just the first three of five sections of the Open Water Diver course.
• Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills – just the first three of five dives of the Open Water Diver course
• Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore – just two of four dives of the Open Water Diver course.

You learn to use basic scuba gear, including:

• mask, snorkel and fins,
• regulator,
• buoyancy control device,
• dive gauges and a tank.

The equipment you wear varies, depending upon the water temperature. One of Pissouri Bay Divers experienced Instructors will explain the equipment you need and may suggest additional educational materials, such as the required logbook.

The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases:

• Knowledge Development ( online, independent study or in a classroom) to understand basic principles of scuba diving
• Confined Water Dives to learn basic SCUBA skills
• Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore!

You learn to use basic scuba gear, including:

• mask, snorkel and fins,
• regulator,
• buoyancy control device,
• dive gauges and a tank.

The equipment you wear varies, depending upon the water temperature.

You can choose what you’re most interested in learning. Need to work on your buoyancy skills? Try the Peak Performance Buoyancy Adventure Dive. Want to know what you’re looking at down there? Try the AWARE – Fish Identification or Underwater Naturalist Adventure Dives. You’ll plan your path with one of Pissouri Bay Divers experienced instructors, go over what you need to know and dive in quickly.

Beyond using basic scuba equipment, you’ll learn to use specialised gear depending on the Adventure Dives you choose. For example you will need a dry suit for the Dry Suit Adventure Dive or recovery equipment for the Search and Recovery adventure dive. Your Pissouri Bay Divers Instructor will explain the equipment that you need and may suggest additional gear, such as a dive light for night diving or a lift bag for search and recovery diving.

You’ll plan your learning path with your instructor by choosing from a long list of Adventure Dives. There are two required dives – Deep and Underwater Navigation – and you choose the other three, for a total of five dives. During the Deep Adventure Dive, you learn how to plan dives to deal with the physiological effects and challenges of deeper SCUBA diving. The Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive refines your compass navigation skills and helps you better navigate using kick-cycles, visual landmarks and time.

The other knowledge and skills you get vary with your interest and the adventures you have – photography, buoyancy control, fish identification, exploring wrecks and many more.

Beyond using basic scuba equipment, when required Pissouri Bay Divers will supply you with a compass and dive knife or dive tool. You’ll also use specialised gear depending on the Adventure Dives you choose. For example you will need a dry suit for the Dry Suit Adventure Dive or recovery equipment for the Search and Recovery adventure dive.

Your Pissouri Bay Divers Instructor will explain the equipment that you need and may suggest additional gear, such as a dive light for night diving or a lift bag for search and recovery diving.

The PADI Rescue Diver course prepares you to deal with dive emergencies, minor and major, using a variety of techniques. Through knowledge development and rescue exercises, you learn what to look for and how to respond. During rescue scenarios, you put into practice your knowledge and skills. Topics include:

• Self rescue
• Recognizing and managing stress in other divers
• Emergency management and equipment
• Rescuing panicked divers
• Rescuing unresponsive divers

You’ll use your basic scuba equipment and will need a pocket mask to practice in-water resuscitation. During exercises, you’ll work with an oxygen unit, floats, marker buoys and perhaps CPR mannequins.

An experienced Pissouri Bay Divers Instructor will explain the equipment that you need and may suggest additional gear, such as your own first aid kit, which will be useful throughout your diving career.

The PADI Divemaster course teaches you to be a leader and take charge of dive activities. Through knowledge development sessions, waterskills exercises and workshops, and hands-on practical assessment, you develop the skills to organize and direct a variety of scuba diving activities.

Topics and practical workshops include:

• The role and characteristics of the PADI Divemaster
• Supervising dive activities and assisting with student divers
• Diver safety and risk management
• Divemaster conducted programs and specialised skills
• Business of diving and your career
• Awareness of the dive environment
• Dive setup and management
• Mapping an open water site
• Conducting dive briefings
• Organizing a search and recovery project and a deep dive
• Conducting a scuba review and skin diver course
• Assisting with Discover Scuba Diving and leading Discover Local Diving programs

Age Requirement

18 years or older

Course Prerequisites

Rescue Diver, 40 logged dives, CPR and First Aid certification within 24 months, medical clearance to dive

Time Commitment

Approximately 50 hours

You’ll use your basic scuba equipment and will need a pocket mask to practice in-water resuscitation. During exercises, you’ll work with an oxygen unit, floats, marker buoys and perhaps CPR mannequins.

An experienced Pissouri Bay Divers Instructor will explain the equipment that you need and may suggest additional gear, such as your own first aid kit, which will be useful throughout your diving career.