Drysuit Specialty course (+ certification card)
Single diver $375* Buddy pair $650*
* Prices include all taxes, all gear, PADI course manual, certification fees and transportation from downtown Vancouver.
A drysuit is a technical piece of equipment that a diver must operate and manage actively, unlike a wetsuit, which is worn passively for exposure protection. The drysuit is connected to the regulator first stage and air cylinder by a low pressure hose, just like the inflator hose of the BCD. Air gets added to and exhausted from the drysuit throughout a dive, like a BCD. This course will introduce you to drysuits in general, and train you to operate a drysuit while adapting your buoyancy control technique. Drysuits have advantages over wetsuits, but they introduce additional risks that a diver must know about and manage.
If you're planning to dive around Vancouver or anywhere in BC, then you will eventually learn to dive in a drysuit. And if you want to rent one, all dive shops require this course/certification as proof of drysuit training. The water temperature around BC averages about 10C, and can be as low as 6C near Vancouver in the wintertime. Drysuits are standard equipment all-year round. The course involves:
- A two-tank day trip up Howe Sound for certified divers.
- A short manual for you to read and answer questions. No exam.
- A full briefing on the operation of the drysuit and adapting your buoyancy control.
- Completion of the course will earn you a Drysuit Specialty certification card.
- Get a 20% discount off the everyday price of all your gear purchases from partner dive shops when enrolled in this course.
- For more details, navigate to the Blog page.
Try diving in the pool: basic Discover Scuba Diving course
Single diver $200* Buddy pair $300*
* Prices include all taxes, gear and transportation from downtown Vancouver.
- A one-session introduction to scuba diving in the pool at the UBC Aquatic Centre.
- Includes a briefing session describing the gear and it's use, with one hour of pool time.
- It's a great way to try out diving in a safe environment before committing to a full Open Water course...or just for the fun of it.
- And if you decide to sign up for the full Open Water course, you'll get $50 off.
Try diving in the ocean: full Discover Scuba Diving course
Single diver $350* Buddy pair $550*
* Prices include all taxes, gear rentals and transportation from downtown Vancouver.
- An exciting one-day two-tank introduction to diving in the ocean, with a maximum depth of 12m/40feet.
- This course is offered May to October, when the water temperature is above 10C/50F. Divers wear a wetsuit.
Pre-vacation tune up: Open Water Pool Refresher - PADI ReActivate
Single diver $375* Buddy pair $650*
* Prices include all taxes, gear and transportation from downtown Vancouver.
- One comprehensive session for certified divers to review and practice over 40 basic dive skills that you learned in the Open Water course. This 3-4 hour session includes an hour on the pool deck reviewing safety procedures and equipment configurations, and 2-3 hours in the pool.
- A great way to tune up for your tropical vacation.
- If this tune-up isn't enough and extra pool time is needed to remediate/retrain lost skills , extra time is charged at $100/hour of pool time.
- You will be required to write a short exam online at the PADI website, and will receive a new Open Water certification card as proof of re-training.
- Get a 20% discount off the everyday price of all your gear purchases from partner dive shops when enrolled in this course.
Full Open Water Ocean Refresher - PADI ReActivate
Single diver $600* Buddy pair $1,000*
* Prices include all taxes, gear and transportation from downtown Vancouver.
- A full Open Water Diver course review for certified divers, which includes a current edition of the PADI Open Water Diver course manual, a 3-4-hour pool session to refresh safety procedures and practice/sharpen over 40 diving skills, and a full day trip two-tank dive in the ocean.
- You will be required to write a short exam online at the PADI website, and will receive a new Open Water certification card as proof of re-training.
- Recommended for divers who haven't been in the ocean for over a year.
- It sometimes happens that a certified diver has gone so long without diving that they've essentially forgotten their knowledge and skills...and they no longer know how to dive safely.
- Get a 20% discount off the everyday price of all your gear purchases from partner dive shops when enrolled in this course.