Scuba Courses

Open Water Certification is your entrance into the world of scuba.  The “C-Card” is good for life and gives you access to a variety of dives, dive travel, dive equipment, rental gear and additional classes.  The SEI open water class consists of independent study, classroom study, 16 hours of pool practice, and 5 open water dives usually conducted over a weekend.

Classes will be offered on a variety of schedules in an attempt to meet the needs of as many people as possible.

The 2023 calendar has been finalized for the first part of the year.

Open Water SCUBA Certification

Registration

  • Call (505) 570-3483 or email the shop
  • Please plan on scheduling a 1-hour in-person orientation session with us to go over study and equipment requirements.

Phase 1 – Independent Study

  • Self-guided study with periodic online testing
  • Book and study materials can be picked up at the shop at the orientation appointment

Prerequisite Swimming Qualification

  • You must be able to swim laps, tread water/float, hold your breath underwater, and perform other basic skills in the water without assistance. Goggles are allowed for most skills.
  • Swimming Qualification can be completed at any point during Phase 1 when Prereq & Exit Swim for All Certifications days are scheduled. Please call and reserve your spot in the pool with us when you are ready. Pool sessions fill up quickly, so we recommend doing this as soon as possible. 

Phase 2 – In-person Classroom Learning

  • Students must complete the self-guided Phase 1 portion and be approved by the instructor before admission to Phase 2
  • All classroom sessions – marked OW – Classroom Session (multiple session numbers) on the calendar – must be completed before student can proceed to Phase 3.
  • February 4, 2023 is the first available in-person class day. 

Snorkeling Skills Pool Day

  • Before proceeding to Phase 3, students must complete OW – Snorkeling – Pool Session. Please see available days on the calendar, and call us to reserve your spot in the pool. 
  • This session introduces snorkeling skills and familiarizes the student with mask clearing and maneuvering in the water with personal scuba equipment.

Phase 3 – Scuba Pool Skills

  • Students will don scuba gear and will perform skills in the pool.
  • All sessions, exit skills, and tests must be completed to advance to Phase 4.
  • OW pool sessions start March 4. Please call us to reserve your spot in the pool and to arrange for equipment.

Phase 4 – Open Water Checkouts

  • We will travel to an open water dive site to complete this last phase.
    • Perch Lake, Santa Rosa, NM; Homestead Crater, UT, and Balmorhea State Park, TX are some of the dive sites we use. Please check the calendar for dates. 

Advanced Open Water

  • Multiple Advanced Open Water classes will be offered during the year. Please see the calendar for future availability.

Advanced Open Water 3

  • The first series of classroom sessions for AOW 3 start January 10
  • AOW 3 pool sessions are listed on the calendar
  • The first Prereq/Exit Swim Qualification day is January 24

Dive Rescue and Accident Management (DRAM)

  • Enhance your troubleshooting and accident management skills. 
  • This will be offered multiple times throughout the year. Please see the calendar for future availability.

Other Specialties

Nitrox

Altitude Specialty

…and many other higher level, technical specialties, and certifications are available. 
Please call, text or email us for more information.