Recreational Courses

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The Open Water SCUBA Diver course (OWSD) is NAUI's entry-level SCUBA Diver certification course. It provides the fundamental knowledge and skills required to become a competent, confident, capable, and safe SCUBA Diver. Upon completion of this course, graduates will be considered competent to engage in open water diving activities without supervision, provided the activities, areas, and conditions dived approximate those encountered during training.

This course is a 40 hour block of instruction and ISO Level 2 certification program (ISO 24801-2).

The minimum age for this course is:

• 15 years old with parental consent, a signed waiver, and an interview by staff, or
• 18 years or older.

There are no previous certification prerequisites for this course.

The OWSD course will cover the science and application of SCUBA diving, and include hands-on skills development covering everything from physics, biology, equipment, planning, neutral buoyancy from the beginning, basic survival, self-rescue and buddy rescue skills, dive planning, navigation underwater, emergency procedures, communication, and much more.

Students will be taught using a back-plate and wing BC with technical long-hose equipment setup.

Students will be required to pass an initial class 3 swim test (refer to question 11 on the FAQ's page), consisting of:

• Swim proficiency in 3 of the 4 basic strokes (side, breast, elementary back, and crawl)
• Survival Swim for 10 minutes (tread water or float)
• 15m (50ft) underwater swim on a single breath and without pushing off of another object

The OWSD Course will require completion and successful passing of online academics, formal lectures, skin diving skills, equipment recovery, self-rescue skills, buddy-rescue skills, rescue of unconscious divers both underwater and on the surface, confined water SCUBA training, and a minimum of 5 open water dives.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized ISO Level 2 Recreational Open Water SCUBA Diver certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and will be prepared to conduct open-water dives in waters and conditions proximate to those encountered during training. This is a restricted recreational SCUBA diver certification that limits divers to a maximum depth of 18m (60ft) within recreational limitations.

COURSE COSTS:

Please refer to Question 6 on the FAQ's page for transparency and a detailed explanation of costs.

This is a 40 hour course, covering online and formal academics, and a scheduled minimum of 6 in-water training sessions over 3 days.

Course cost includes:

• Administrative fees
• Account registration
• Account setup
• Licensing fee for access to course and academics
• Final certification fees
• Instructor Daily Rate for scheduled course duration
• Full equipment rental
• Tank rental
• Facility fees
• Diving tickets at location

Does not include:

• Transportation
• Food

Local Facilitation Locations:

• JDC (all dives)

Any training days beyond the scheduled timeframe will be billed individually per day.

To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Recreational Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form completely, and send it. We will get back to you as soon as able.

Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.

The Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver course (AOWSD) is a continuing education certification course for OWSD certified divers. It is designed to enhance the divers' knowledge and skills, while at the same time, introduce divers to a variety of additional diving activities, providing them with experience in these areas in a safe and controlled manner. After lectures, students will be required to take charge of all dives, from planning through execution, putting all knowledge learned to practical application, and each performance will be reviewed. Upon successful completion of this course, graduates will be considered competent, confident, capable, and safe to engage in unsupervised open water diving activities to the maximum extent of recreational limitations (40m/132ft and within NDL's), provided those open water dives and the areas dived approximate those of training.

The PDC AOWSD course focuses strongly on enhancing a diver's skills, fine-tuning their abilities, and making them better, more capable divers. This course includes advanced education in physics, biology, equipment, techniques, planning, safety, emergency procedures, and much more. When conducted locally, our AOWSD course will include: Core Skills Development (ideal breathing, neutral buoyancy, ideal trim, and all finning techniques), Advanced Dive Planning (with technical principles), Advanced Navigation, Night / Low Visibility, Deep (40m max.) with Simulated Decompression, Surf and Currents, and Boat and Wreck Dives (non-penetration), as a part of the course requirements.

This course is an 80 hour block of instruction program.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 15 years old with parental consent, a signed waiver, and an interview by staff, or
• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisites for this course are:

• OWSD certified.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 25 logged dives, and have spent time practicing basic skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.

The AOWSD course will cover more advanced topics on the science and application of SCUBA diving, and include hands-on skills development covering everything from rough water, limited visibility, planning and decision-making, advanced buoyancy control and finning techniques, leading dives, environmental considerations, self-rescue and buddy rescue, navigation, emergency procedures, communication, and much more.

If students do not yet have their own equipment, all students will be taught using a back-plate and wing BC with technical long-hose equipment setup. However, students are highly encouraged to supply their own equipment provided their equipment meets safety requirements.

The AOWSD Course will require completion and successful passing of online academics, formal lectures, limited visibility and night diving, advanced navigation, advanced buoyancy and finning, advanced dive planning, deep diving to 40m (132ft), boat and non-penetration wreck dives, and a minimum of 6 open water dives.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Unrestricted Recreational Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and will be prepared to conduct open-water dives in waters and conditions proximate to those encountered during training, to a maximum depth of 40m (132ft) within recreational limitations.

COURSE COSTS:

Please refer to Question 6 on the FAQ's page for transparency and a detailed explanation of costs.

This is an 80 hour course, covering online and formal academics, and a scheduled minimum of 6 in-water training sessions over 3 days.

Registration cost includes:

• Administrative fees
• Account registration
• Account setup
• Licensing fee for access to course and academics
• Final certification fees

Does not include:

• Instructor Daily Rate for scheduled course duration
• Student's cost of dives each day
• Transportation
• Food
• Lodging (additional cost, based on training location requirements)
• Equipment Rental if needed

Students will be billed (itemized) for the costs of registration, the instructor's daily rate, and the cost of their scheduled dives at the training locations. When conducted locally, the estimated costs for all scheduled dives is ¥31,000, including all fees, placing the total course training cost at ¥76,000 after registration, provided completion within scheduled days.

Any training days beyond the scheduled timeframe will be billed individually per day.

Additionally, the cost of the students transportation, lodging, food, and any equipment rental needs are not included.

Local Facilitation Locations:

• Osezaki (4 dives, 2 days, 1 night stay with additional lodging cost)
• Atami (2 dives, 1 day)

To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Recreational Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form completely, and send it. We will get back to you as soon as able.

Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.

The Rescue SCUBA Diver course (RSDC) is a continuing education certification course that trains divers in the knowledge and skills needed to manage risks and effectively handle limited in-water problems and diving emergencies.

The RSDC prepares divers to effectively recognize and prevent foreseeable emergencies, to manage basic emergency events when they do occur, to effectively provide search and rescue/recovery capabilities within limitations, to provide aid to victims of in-water emergencies, to perform diving first aid treatment, to perform BLS and oxygen administration skills, and teaches them accident scene management.

Depending on the version given, this course is either a 40 or an 80 hour block of instruction program.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 15 years old with parental consent, a signed waiver, and an interview by staff, or
• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisites for this course are:

• AOWSD certified.
• Nitrox certified.
• BLS (CPR/AED/First Aid) certified by a recognized agency within the previous 12 calendar months.
• O2 Provider certified by a recognized agency within the previous 12 calendar months.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 50 logged dives, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

The RSDC is a physically demanding course, and requires both surface rescue swimmer as well as complete SCUBA competency as a part of the course. For acceptance into the program, all candidates must individually complete:

• An open water distance swim without fins or snorkel for a minimum of 200m,
• A timed survival swim,
• An open water swim with mask, snorkel, and fins for a minimum of 400m,
• A tow of another diver (both with and without equipment) for a minimum of 400m,
• A recovery of a minimum of 5kg weight from a designated depth,
• A free-dive to a minimum of 10m depth,
• Must be able to demonstrate proficiency of all basic dive skills, navigation and basic search techniques in limited visibility, placement and recovery of a surface marker at a designated depth, proper techniques for entries, exists, pushes, and tows, and all basic rescue skills, including managing panicking survivors at the surface and underwater, and recoveries of unconscious divers both on the surface and underwater,
• Must be able to carry and transport an adult diver out of water and on to dry land.

The RSD Course includes training on diver assists, pushes, tows, search patterns, signaling, and transport of unconscious divers, surface swimmer rescues and rescues from depth involving both boat and shore-based skin and scuba dives, search and recovery, recognition and prevention of panic, stress, distress, and the psychology of panic, in-water and out-of-water first aid, rescue breathing, AED use, CPR and O2 administration, Emergency Action Plan (EAP) development and initiation, communication, and much more, and a minimum of 3 open-water dives.

Note: Adult CPR training (approximately four hours), which includes AED use, meets the required BLS prerequisite for enrollment in the Rescue SCUBA Diver Course. However additional CPR training that includes two-person CPR and the use of rescue breathing barrier devices, e.g., pocket mask, face shield, is required to meet the requirements for NAUI leadership certification.

This course meets the prerequisite rescue training for Skin Diving Instructor, Assistant Instructor, Divemaster, and Instructor certifications.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Rescue SCUBA Diver certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and will be considered competent to perform assists and rescues in open water provided the diving site and diving situations approximate those of the course.

COURSE COSTS:

Please refer to Question 6 on the FAQ's page for transparency and a detailed explanation of costs.

There are two versions of this course offered by PDC!

Version 1: This is the Standard recreational Rescue SCUBA Diver program. It is a 40 hour course, covering online and formal academics, and a scheduled minimum of 3 in-water training sessions over 2 days.

Version 2: This is the Advanced Rescue Diver program. It is an 80 hour course, covering online and formal academics, with an entire day of formal lectures and skills practice, a day dedicated to surface rescue swimmer skills, and a scheduled minimum of 5 in-water training sessions over 4 days.

Registration cost includes:

• Administrative fees
• Account registration
• Account setup
• Licensing fee for access to course and academics
• Final certification fees

Does not include:

• Instructor Daily Rate for scheduled course duration
• Student's cost of dives each day
• Transportation
• Food
• Equipment Rental if needed

Local Facilitation Locations:

• JDC (all dives)

Optional Facilitation Location:

• Osezaki (all dives, additional lodging cost)

Students will be billed (itemized) for the costs of registration, the instructor's daily rate, and the cost of their scheduled dives at the training locations for the type of course desired. When conducted locally, the estimated costs for all scheduled dives is ¥16,000, including all fees. The Standard course has an estimated total course training cost of ¥46,000 after registration. The Advanced course has an estimated total course training cost of ¥76,000 after registration. These estimates are provided the course is completed within scheduled days.

Any training days beyond the scheduled timeframe will be billed individually per day.

Additionally, the cost of transportation, lodging, food, and any equipment rental needs are not included.

To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Recreational Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form completely, and send it. We will get back to you as soon as able.

Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.

The title of "Master SCUBA Diver" must be EARNED.

The Master SCUBA Diver course (MSDC) is a continuing education certification course for divers who desire to increase their understanding of the science of diving and develop a mastery of all core diving knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's).

This is a long-term mentorship program with an emphasis on student participation in formal lectures and open discussion of subjects, followed by practical application of knowledge in open water until the student can demonstrate a mastery of all core diving KSA's taught from OWSD, AOWSD, RSD, Nitrox, and any other courses they maintain certification for at the time.

For a list of Core KSA's and a definition of "Mastery", please refer to Question 8 on the FAQ's page.

The MSDC is required for entry into Leadership and Occupational programs. Although not a mandatory prerequisite, it is strongly encouraged as a prerequisite before enrolling in Technical and Rebreather programs, as it is the capstone core skills developmental course for recreational diving.

The course is divided and taught in sections with the student’s Diving/Training Log being signed off for each section until all requirements are met, and will cover applied sciences, equipment, safety, environments, hazards, planning, navigation and limited visibility, search and recovery, salvage operations, deep diving with simulated decompression, emergency procedures, self and buddy rescues, and much more.

The MSD course will challenge you in your diving education and KSA's, and will build upon your existing knowledge, skills, and abilities, to help you truly master them.

This course is a long-term mentorship program, and students should expect between several weeks to several months for completion, depending upon individual performance and scheduling.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisites for this course are:

• AOWSD certified.
• Nitrox certified.
• BLS (CPR/AED/First Aid) certified by a recognized agency within the previous 12 calendar months.
• O2 Provider certified by a recognized agency within the previous 12 calendar months.
• RSD certified.
• Search and Recovery certified.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 100 logged dives, and have spent considerable time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
• Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations underwater.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

Note: Adult CPR training (approximately four hours), including AED use, meets the required prerequisite for enrollment in the Master SCUBA Diver Course. However additional CPR training that includes two-person CPR and the use of rescue breathing barrier devices, e.g., pocket mask, face shield, is required to meet the requirements for NAUI leadership certification.

This course meets the prerequisites for entry into Occupational programs, and Leadership Development Programs, such as Skin Diving Instructor, Assistant Instructor, Divemaster, and Instructor.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Master SCUBA Diver certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and will be considered competent to perform open water dives without supervision provided the diving activities and the areas dived approximate those of training.

COURSE COSTS:

Please refer to Question 6 on the FAQ's page for transparency and a detailed explanation of costs.

This is a mentorship-structured course, covering online and formal academics, and an undesignated number of minimum training days, with a minimum of 12 dives.

Course cost includes:

• Administrative fees
• Account registration
• Account setup
• Licensing fee for access to course and academics
• Final certification fees

Does not include:

• Instructor Daily Rate each training day

Costs for diving each day:

• Tank rental
• Facility fees
• Diving tickets at location

Or costs for:

• Transportation
• Food
• Lodging (based on training location requirements)

Students will be billed separately for the costs of their dives at each training location, as well as the instructor daily rate, each day. Students can expect to repeat all skills from Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Nitrox, Search & Recovery, and certified specialties. Depending on student performance, KSA's will be reviewed and practiced until the point of mastery, which may require more dives than the scheduled minimum.

Additionally, the cost of transportation, lodging, food, and any equipment rental needs are not included.

Local Facilitation Locations:

• JDC
• Atami
• IOP
• Osezaki
• Bommie

To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Recreational Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form completely, and send it. We will get back to you as soon as able.

Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.