Dive Certification

AUSC helps members get certified through local dive shops

Scuba Certification in Adelaide

Take the plunge! The first step to become certified is the Open Water Course. AUSC can assist members or prospective members in any questions in getting started and discuss the options that local shops can provide. The Open Water Course is the first level most divers will obtain when learning to dive and will teach you to dive up to 18 meters, which is the depth the majority of the dives are with the club. If you are keen for more adventure you can then pursue an Advanced Open Water certification which will to push that 18m limit to 30 meters, this allows diving some of the deeper and more challenging sites sites around Adelaide such as the Ex HMAS Hobart.

There are two main certifying organisations that shops train students under which are internationally recognised. The largest is PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) whom most instructors and shops in Adelaide use and SSI (Scuba Schools International) which has no presence in Adelaide as of 2023. There are many other training orginisations that also exist such as BSAC, CMAS, and TDI/SDI.

Open Water Course

Open Water courses are usually held over one or two weekends, and involve theory components, pool time and dives in the ocean. Most shops use an online learning package to assist in learning the theory. Online learning is self-paced, reduces the overall learning time and reduces the overall cost of the course.

Can you teach me how to dive at the club?

We rely on training partners for training as we do not have in house instructors. For diving courses this is done through dive shops located in and around metropolitan Adelaide. For boat handling and radio courses we do these through Sea Rescue Adelaide.

How do I decide which dive shop to do my training through?

Its always tricky when starting a new hobby such as SCUBA Diving to make the right decision! While all shops that train have international standards they need to meet to certify divers there are still differences. Such differences could include price, inclusions in the course such as included boat dives and equipment, and schedules of the course. There are a few dive shops in Adelaide to choose from and it can be worth while heading into the shops to have a chat to the staff and a look around to get a feel of the shop and see if you vibe with their staff. You are also welcome to have a chat to our committee on a club night to give you some pointers!

Medical Form

Prior to starting your Open Water scuba diving course, you will be required to fill out a medical questionnaire to make sure you are fit to dive. If any issues are identified through the questionnaire, or the dive shop have any reason to believe that you are not fit to dive, you may be required to do a dive medical with a doctor that specialises in hyperbaric medicine. Dive medicals are available at the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), but there can be a long wait (average of six weeks). Medicals are also available privately through several doctors in and around Adelaide. For a current list of doctors qualified to do dive medicals please check out the list of doctors at SPUMS

Equipment Requirements

Some shops require students to buy their own mask, snorkel, boots, and fins (MSBF) for the course, although they usually have some for hire as well. These pieces of gear are compact and will serve you well into the future. If nothing else, we recommend you take your time to invest in a high-quality mask that fits your face comfortably, as this will make a huge difference in the enjoyment of your diving for years to come.

Apart from MSBF, there is no need to rush into buying a full kit. It can take some time before you work out what type of equipment you really want, and you will gather useful information as you associate with other divers and gain more experience. AUSC has a full supply of scuba diving equipment which you can rent as required.

Advanced Courses

The PADI Advanced Open Water (AOW) is a good way to gain experience, obtain a higher-level qualification, and be certified to dive to 30m. It is completed after your Open Water Certification and unlike a single dive specialty course that focus on one skill the PADI AOW is a way of trying out five different specialties. These experience dives usually consist of a deep dive, wreck dive, night dive, buoyancy session, and underwater navigation in the one training course but can vary based on the preference of the students, experience of the instructor, and dive sites available in the local area.

While you can go for AOW straight away, don’t feel rushed at jumping AOW – Getting some experience with AUSC first is probably best before then getting best value from AOW between courses. However, shops may offer the OW and AOW courses as a package which can be cheaper.

After your AOW course you are on your way to further your training in areas of interest. This could include deeper diving, wrecks, caves or professional certification to allow training of other dives. Please note the difference between becoming a Dive Master and Master Scuba Diver. A Dive Master is the first step towards becoming a professional or instructor in the scuba industry, whereas being a Master Scuba Diver is simply recognition that you are very experienced and have done certain courses.