There are many courses and brands available for open water diving certification. There are many courses available. You can choose to get certified with SSI or PADI. You should wait until you're more experienced in scuba diving before you purchase scuba gear. You will use it to dive.
PADI
Once you have your PADI open-water scuba certification, there are many options available for your diving vacation. You can choose to dive in the waters of a local city, or you can choose to explore natural sites such as the Belize Blue Hole or Australia's Great Barrier Reef. This certification costs anywhere from $350-$500, depending on where it is learned. For example, you can take private lessons for about three hours and then join a dive tour with a PADI instructor for the remainder of the trip.
SSI
SSI has the distinction of being the world's most widely recognized scuba certification body. Its philosophy is to train competent divers by providing ongoing education and rigorous training. There are many SSI certification options. One option is SSI Autonomous Diver, which provides the most thorough introductory training. This course can also be offered digitally. Register for a student package or the lifetime diamond package to get started.
SSI eLearning
When choosing between a PADI and SSI open water scuba certification, it's important to consider what you want from the course. PADI courses adhere to a strict curriculum which makes it difficult for students to adjust their learning pace. SSI courses let you adapt the course to suit your schedule and time in the water. This is a great option if you are looking to get your certification while you're on vacation.
SSI courses
PADI & SSI have a lot of things in common. But what makes them different? Both companies require you to purchase course materials in advance. PADI courses are available in a book format. SSI courses, however, can be accessed online. The difference lies with the materials. PADI courses require more adventure dives than SSI, so they have a much more extensive curriculum. The PADI course requires more adventure diving than SSI courses. Before you choose a training center, make sure you are familiar with all options.
SSI classes
SSI has a strong reputation for producing high-quality training materials. Whether you're looking for a certification or just want to learn more about diving, SSI's open water scuba courses can help you achieve both goals. The SSI Digital Training System features apps that allow you log your dives, track and review your progress, as well as view your qualifications right from your mobile device.
Other certifications for scuba divers
Perhaps you are curious as to whether there are other open-water certifications equivalent to yours. While there are many training agencies and bodies that award diving qualifications, the table below provides a rough guide for those seeking to gain a similar certification. These guides are based at maximum air depth. However, some grades may be deeper with more training. The maximum depth guides listed here are only indicative and not definitive.