Learn to Dive with a SSI Open Water Course from $799
Learn to Scuba Dive with Dive Now
- Are you ready to learn to Scuba Dive and take your first plunge underwater?
- Have you always wanted to see the world beneath the waves?
- Do you like adventure?
- Do you like spending time with like minded people?
- Would you like to be able to bring home your own sea food?
If the answer to any of these is YES, then come and learn to Scuba Dive with us and open up a whole new world to explore.
Feel free to check out photos from some of our previous courses and trips and follow us on Facebook or Instagram. We even have some “how to” videos on our YouTube channel to help prepare you for your course.
More photos are available on our Google account.
Your Open Water course with us is just the beginning of a great journey; whether you want to sight see, take photos, explore hidden places or collect sea food, this is the starting point in that journey.
- Become a licensed scuba diver and be able to dive to 18m* by the end of the course. 10 and 12 year olds are limited to 12 metres.
- No prior experience required.
- Your SSI Scuba qualification is recognised worldwide.
- Breathe underwater for the first time (something you’ll never forget).
- Train using the best quality equipment at Northlands Largest Dive Training and Retail Centre.
- Dive the world famous Poor Knights Islands as part of your course (worth $349).
- Get 3 full gear rentals to use within 3 months of completing your course (worth $360)!.
- We train in small groups with a max of 6 students per instructor.
- We have top end dive gear for you to use as part of the course.
- Neutral buoyancy training, no kneeling on the bottom nonsense.
- Location in central Whangarei with on-site training pool.
- Dry Suit option for those of you who feel the chill.
- PLUS we offer all of our students a discount on all dive equipment bought from us.
- We have our own indoor on-site training pool and changing facilities with showers
What to expect from your course when you Learn to Dive with us.
The Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases.
The first phase is Knowledge Development. This covers everything you need to know about the basic techniques, terminology and safety procedures used in scuba diving.
You will complete the Knowledge Development and the multiple choice final exam on your MySSI App on your computer, phone or tablet device in your own time before attending the course. It will take about 8 to 10 hours.
We then reinforce this learning during your time with us and you will be introduced to all of the equipment involved as we walk around our store, discuss it uses and even try it.
Before jumping into the water for the confined water dives, you will have tried on the key pieces of equipment and practised operating them to help you become comfortable.
As a large dive retail store, we will expose you to the variety of styles for each piece of equipment that you will using as a scuba diver, so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing the right kit for you and your needs and budget.
The second phase is the Confined Water Dives, which are training sessions conducted in our on-site pool.
The pool sessions give you the opportunity to get used to the gear you’ll be using in the ocean. There you will learn, practise and master the basic diving skills you need to have fun, be confident and to keep you and your buddy safe.
This is where you will find out if you are a fish or human.
And if you need do a little bit of extra time, then that’s fine too. We understand that people learn at different speeds. Having our own on-site pool means we are more flexible in teaching you at your own pace. Private extra sessions can be arranged.
The third phase is your Open Water Dives.
This is what diving’s all about – you’ll make your first dives in the ocean! During your four dives, you’ll put the skills that you learned during your confined water sessions to the test by repeating them again in the ocean. All of this will help make sure you’re a safe and competent diver.
We do our best to make sure there is plenty of time to swim around with your instructor and buddies, exploring the underwater world. And the best part is that you’ll do 2 dives at the world famous Poor Knights Islands Marine reserve!
Not only will you enjoy seeing lots of aquatic animals, (some may come and say hello, some will shy away from you as we are pretty big), but you will also enjoy the feeling of flying when you swim neutrally buoyant above the bottom stopping occasionally to look around.
Once qualified you will be able to scuba dive anywhere in the world down to 18 meters, (12m if you are aged 10 or 11 years old) with a certified and appropriate buddy (Junior divers must dive with a certified adult diver). You can buy or rent scuba equipment, we recommend investing in your own equipment once you have completed the course as it will help you make a better choice when deciding what suits you best.
But this is just the beginning. There are a number of exciting courses that you can then do to enhance your diving experience and open up even more dive sites, destinations and adventures. Plus scuba diving is hugely therapeutic and a great way to make new friends.
Standard Course Schedule
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Home study (8 -10 hours)
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Open Water Diver Course eLearning (Theory).
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Monday night 5PM - 10.00 PM
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Theory re-enforcement and introduction to the equipment. Swim test and snorkelling
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Wednesday night 5PM - 10.00 PM
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First Pool Session on SCUBA. Skills circuit
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Monday night 5.PM - 10.00 PM
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Second Pool Session on SCUBA, more skills and gaining confidence
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Saturday, Times to be confirmed
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Two Open Water ocean dives, (lake, if the sea conditions are unfavorable). Times will vary depending on tides and the dive site. Usually a 6 hour day.
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Sunday 7.00AM - 5.30 PM
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Two Open Water dives at the famous Poor Knights Islands Marine reserve, (valued at $349).
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Pricing
Standard scheduled course with (1 day shore diving and 1 day Poor Knights) 4 to 6 students $799 pp
Scheduled courses with (2 days at the Poor Knights ) 4 – 6 students $999 pp
Privately scheduled course with (1 day Poor Knights) 4 to 6 students $899pp
Privately scheduled course with (1 day Poor Knights) 3 students $1099 pp
Privately scheduled course with (1 day Poor Knights) 2 students $1299pp
Privately scheduled course with (1 day Poor Knights) 1 student $1899
If we do not have enough students to run a scheduled course, we can offer to run it for 2 students at an additional cost of $200 pp or for 3 students for an additional $150pp.
Junior diving students require a little more care and so they are $999pp
If at any time you are uncomfortable or feel you need any extra time in the pool with our staff, we are happy to provide this. We pride ourselves on producing high-quality divers who have the confidence and skills to go diving safely with their buddy!! Extra pool sessions $120 pp per session.
A minimum of 4 students are required for this course to run as standard- Maximum of 6.
Group bookings, private courses or pick your own dates?
If you cannot make it to our scheduled dates, don’t worry, you can pick your own dates for the course at the privately scheduled rates
Or if you would like a private course for just yourself or with a partner or a few mates, that’s possible as well! For all group, school and private course bookings, please contact us to discuss details and pricing! Private courses are a lot more affordable than you might think!
Before You Start The Course
- You must fill out a medical questionnaire to check whether you are fit to dive
- You have to complete the theory course. This takes about 8-10 hours for the online theory (eLearning).
- You need to be able to swim 200 metres continuous in our pool.
- You need to be able to float or tread water for 10 minutes in our pool.
- A minimum age of 10 years applies.
- Every student under 18 needs to have a parent or a guardian sign a consent form.
- Why not check out our YouTube Channel and watch some skills videos.
Junior divers.
Students younger than 15 years of age will attain a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver certification which has some restrictions. 10 and 11 year olds can only dive to a maximum of 12 metres. We can only have 2 junior students per instructor as per SSI standards. Divers younger than 14 must first attend our junior pool diver programme SQUID SQUAD.
SSI courses are fantastic and are recognised world wide.
Important information
Failure to attend a course without a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to the course starting time, will result in loss of deposit.
A rebooking fee for changing any dates of a course is $200.
The course must be completed within 12 months of booking.
If a break in training of 2 months or more occurs, the student will have to complete a skill circuit to refresh the skills at the cost of $200.
What to expect once you book your course
We will send you an information pack with everything you need to know for the course. We will also send you out information regarding your course and registration.
It is important that you complete the medical form and get clearance from your doctor if you answered “YES” to any of the forms before attending your course.
Leave yourself enough time to complete the eLearning prior to the course start date.
And of course if you have any questions then we are only a phone call or email away and always happy to help. Contact us on 09 438 1075 or 0800 DIVE NZ or info@divenow.co.nz.
We limit our courses to small groups and so if a student does not turn up for a course, they will have have to rebook and pay a rebooking fee of up to $200.
Extra pool sessions if needed are $120pp each session.
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Open Water Course Dates
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Join one of our scheduled courses or contact us to choose your own dates.
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Saturday 15th June from 9am, (then Sunday 16th from 9am and Saturday 23rd June from 8.30am and Sunday 24th June from 7am)
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Wednesday 3rd July from 5.30pm, (then Mon 8th & Wed 10th July from 5.30pm and Saturday 13th July from 8.30am and Sunday 14th July from 7am)
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Monday 12th August from 5.30pm, (then Wed 21st & Thurs 22nd August from 5.30pm and Saturday 24th August from 8.30am and Sunday 25th August from 7am)
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Monday 9th September from 5.30pm, (then Wed 11th and Mon 16th September from 5.30pm and Saturday 21st September from 8.30am and Saturday 28th September from 7am)
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School Holiday programme Monday 7th October from 8am, (then Tuesday 8th Oct from 8am and Thursday 10th from 8am and Friday 11th from 7am)
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Monday 21st October from 5pm, (then Wednesday 23rd and Wednesday 30th Oct from 5pm and Saturday 2nd November from 8am and Sunday 3rd November from 7am)
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Saturday 9th November from 9am, (then Sunday 10th, Saturday 16th from 9am and Sunday 17th from 7am). Weekend Course 2 days Poor Knights $999
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Monday 18th November from 5pm, (then Wednesday 18th and Monday 25th Nov from 5pm and Saturday 30th November from 8am and Sunday 1st December from 7am)
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Saturday 7th December from 9am, (then Sunday 8th, Saturday 14th from 9am and Sunday 15th December from 7am). Weekend Course 2 days Poor Knights $999
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School Holiday programme Monday 16th December from 8am, (then Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th from 8am and Thursday 19th December from 7am)
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Saturday 11th January from 9am, (then Sunday 12th, Saturday 18th from 9am and Sunday 19th January from 7am). Weekend Course 2 days Poor Knights $999
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School Holiday programme Monday 13th January from 8am, (then Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th from 8am and Thursday 16th January from 7am)
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Monday 20th January from 5pm, (then Wednesday 22nd and Wednesday 29th January from 5pm and Saturday 1st February from 8am and Sunday 2nd February from 7am)
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Monday 3rd February from 5pm, (then Wednesday 5th and Monday 10th January from 5pm and Saturday 15th February from 8am and Sunday 16th February from 7am)
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