OWD courses: Nothing stands without a foundation

The Open Water Diver (OWD) is the first fully-fledged diving certificate and marks the transition from guided to autonomous diving. According to the ISO standard, the OWD qualifies as an “autonomous diver” – independent of the training organization.

This means that divers can dive independently under comparable conditions with a buddy who has undergone equivalent training – up to a maximum depth of 18 meters.

In practice, the OWD can be compared to a driver’s license: The basic skills are present, participation in road traffic – or in this case: in diving operations – is possible. At the same time, it is clear that additional training and experience is required for greater depths, more complex situations or complete independence.

Course structure and modular design

The OWD course consists of three central elements:

• 6 Chapter Theory,
• Skill training in the pool or in shallow water,
• 4 open water dives.

The training system has a modular structure. Those who do not (yet) wish to complete the entire course can join via clearly defined intermediate stages:

• Basic Diver: 1 theory session, 1 pool session, 1 open water dive
• Scuba Diver: 3 theory sessions, 3 pool sessions, 2 open water dives
• Open Water Diver: 6 theory sessions, 5 pool sessions, 4 open water dives

Important: The course contents are coordinated with each other.
Basic Diver and Scuba Diver are fully included in the OWD.
They can be seen as stages on the way to the goal, or as independent certifications, which also have their justification.