So, you want to breathe underwater?

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 The course breaks down into three parts: learning the basics of dive theory, getting your fins wet in the pool to practice core skills, and finally, four open water dives where it all comes together.  Earn your PADI Open Water Diver certification, and you’ve got a passport to the underwater world — letting you dive reefs and wrecks up to 60 feet, anywhere across the globe. 

 The PADI Open Water Diver course typically takes two days to complete in Key Largo with Sail Fish Scuba—Day 1 includes pool training and 2 open water dives, and Day 2 continues with more pool skill sessions and 2 additional open water dives.

 With the PADI Open Water Diver certification, you can explore the underwater world and experience amazing marine wildlife. This certification is valid for life and allows you to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 metres (60 feet). You can book dive excursions with boats or resorts, rent scuba gear and tanks, get air fills, and connect with fellow ocean lovers!

 To complete your scuba diving certification, you must swim 200 metres/219 yards (or 300 metres/328 yards in mask, fins and snorkel) without stopping, and float/tread water for 10 minutes, using any swimming methods you want. 

 Your scuba diving certification lasts a lifetime! That said, it’s important to dive regularly to keep your skills sharp and your knowledge up to date. Try to avoid going longer than six months without diving. If it’s been a while since your last dive, consider taking the PADI Reactivate Scuba Refresher course to regain your confidence and refresh your skills before you jump back in. 

 Once you sign up for the PADI eLearning course, you’ll be asked to complete several waivers, including a Diver Medical Questionnaire which may require your medical doctor’s approval before diving. In addition to the PADI waivers, you’ll also fill out our own Smartwaiver online to complete all the necessary paperwork. 

  PADI courses/programs are performance-based. Certification signifies that the student demonstrated mastery of all course knowledge and skill performance requirements. 

 PADI defines mastery during confined and open water dives as performing the skill so it meets the stated performance requirements in a reasonably comfortable, fluid, repeatable manner as would be expected of a diver at that certification level.

 While many students complete their certification with ease, others may need additional time or practice depending on their individual comfort level, learning style, readiness, or overall understanding of the skills. At Sail Fish Scuba, we’re committed to providing the personalized support and extra training needed to help every student succeed and feel confident in the water. 

The only item not included in the course price is your personal gear, which we define as your mask, fins, and snorkel. While it isn’t required to purchase your personal gear from us, you're welcome to bring your own or take advantage of our great dive gear packages. As a student, you’ll receive a special discount on our high-quality equipment from Cressi, a trusted name in scuba diving gear known for its comfort, performance, and Italian craftsmanship. Cressi gear is designed by divers, for divers, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced underwater explorers!

Absolutely! You can always bring your list of completed skills from your other PADI instructor (known as the PADI Open Water Referral form) and we can take over your training with the open water checkout dives. If you finished only a part of your pool training, we can still finish the required remaining skills in the pool and then head out on the boat to get your open water check out dives done.

 Key Largo sits on the edge of the third-largest barrier reef on the planet—behind only Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Mesoamerican system in Central America.   It’s also the only living coral reef in the continental U.S., which makes it one of the best training grounds anywhere. Most of the dive sites in Key Largo are shallow, calm, and full of marine life—ideal conditions for learning to dive.  Instead of doing your checkout dives in a cold, murky lake wrapped in a 7mm wetsuit, you’ll be training in Key Largo’s clear water with comfortable conditions and abundant marine life.  

 If the weather isn’t suitable for your open water checkout dives in the ocean, we’ll arrange training dives in a protected, confined lagoon instead. This way, you can complete your certification safely and comfortably, regardless of the conditions. 

 Now that you’re a certified PADI Open Water Diver, the underwater world is truly open to you. With every dive in Key Largo and the Florida Keys, you’ll build confidence, sharpen your skills, and become a more capable and relaxed diver. 

The natural next step is enrolling in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, which includes required dives like Underwater Navigation and Deep Diving. On top of that, you’ll choose three specialty dives tailored to your interests. Whether you’re drawn to night diving, peak performance buoyancy, exploring wrecks, or discovering abundant marine life, the PADI Advanced Open Water course in Key Largo lets you customize your training and take your scuba adventures to the next level. 

 We understand that each student learns at their own pace, and our instructors are committed to providing a supportive and thorough training environment. While skill mastery is important, it's also essential to manage time effectively to ensure a productive training experience for all participants. Our goal is to provide focused, efficient instruction—extended training time is available if needed, but it must be scheduled in advance and will incur an additional fee of $100 per student.
 

 If you’re looking for an experienced PADI instructor to teach and guide you on a safe—and unforgettable—underwater adventure, we’re your Key Largo dive shop. At Sail Fish Scuba, you’ll learn in small classes with a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio while earning your PADI Open Water Diver certification in Key Largo and exploring some of the best Florida Keys dive sites, from vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life to historic shipwrecks. 

Best of all, you can sign up for your Open Water Diver certification in Key Largo any time of year—we’re open 365 days, so the ocean is always ready for your next adventure.