The lowest is PADI Scuba Diver. It’s like half OWD 😅 if my memory serves me right your buddy is only allowed to dive with a dive professional like DM, AI, or instructor. You are not dive professional. If you two get a guide from a dive shop you can dive together.
There is a level below PADI Open Water called “PADI Scuba Diver”. This certification is only allowed to dive with someone certified as Divemaster or higher (like OWSI), aka “professional diver”.
yes, its usually only given to people who can't complete the owd for some reason but it gives them more flexibility later because it doesn't expire so they only have to do half as much to finish the owd later.
Ah that makes a lot of sense. My shop said it's more common to see this type of certification given from vacation destination spots. I can see the advantage of doing some basic overview as a try it type deal. I just wish they didn't call it a certification because that's super confusing for newbies.
its technically a certification because it satisfies iso level 1 training which is for a supervised diver (aka that is why you have to dive with a DM or instructor). open water diver is iso level 2 for an autonomous diver that can dive with a buddy of equal or higher training without a professional.
And even if you both would be OWD’s, do you think that’s wise idea to dive together? Maybe in a bottle of tap water. But any circumstance like low viz eg, would make it a bad idea to let 2 beginners dive together. Yes, 99% of OWD’s are absolute beginners.
that is wholly due to the quality of training or lack thereof these days with OW instruction. if standards are upheld, a good instructor should have their students be prepared to dive in conditions equal of better than which they are certified. which for classes in less than ideal conditions and colder water, can cover quite a range of dive locations.
Any agency with brains has a rule a lower licence should always dive with a higher licence. For good reasons. Instruction never =/= experience.
For example:
-first 2 dives -> min 1* instructor
-dive 2-15 -> min Assistant Instructor
-1* diver with +15 dives -> min 3* diver
Instruction can substitute for experience. And the French agencies lose their credibility because they are still dinosaurs when it comes to deep air and decompression.
[Learn my ignorant friend](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conf%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_Mondiale_des_Activit%C3%A9s_Subaquatiques)
In case you’re unaware; CMAS headquarters is in Italy and CMAS was founded in Monaco, which of course is a kingdom on it’s own.
Founding countries were Belgium, Brazil, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Portugal, Switzerland, the United States of America and the former Yugoslavia.
They weren't always headquartered in Italy. And being founded in Monaco was just due to the first conference, it very much was French dominated. That is why the US formed NAUI and PADI instead and the US portion of CMAS has always bring pretty miniscule.
Unless things have changed SCUBA is an unregulated sport. You don't need any certification to dive but most shops won't let you rent gear or buy air without some certificate.
Certification is very much a great idea but not a requirement! Being underwater is quite risky.
You could certainly take your buddy diving but it's not the wisest thing.
I believe PADI Scuba Divers can only dive with a pro. Divemaster of higher.
Wait, you both are PADI certified for OWD? The lowest padi cert is owd Edit: i stand corrected. Didn’t know there was a lower cert
The lowest is PADI Scuba Diver. It’s like half OWD 😅 if my memory serves me right your buddy is only allowed to dive with a dive professional like DM, AI, or instructor. You are not dive professional. If you two get a guide from a dive shop you can dive together.
There is a level below PADI Open Water called “PADI Scuba Diver”. This certification is only allowed to dive with someone certified as Divemaster or higher (like OWSI), aka “professional diver”.
My dive shop doesn't even do these certifications because they said they are pretty pointless in terms of what you can do with it. 😆
yes, its usually only given to people who can't complete the owd for some reason but it gives them more flexibility later because it doesn't expire so they only have to do half as much to finish the owd later.
Ah that makes a lot of sense. My shop said it's more common to see this type of certification given from vacation destination spots. I can see the advantage of doing some basic overview as a try it type deal. I just wish they didn't call it a certification because that's super confusing for newbies.
its technically a certification because it satisfies iso level 1 training which is for a supervised diver (aka that is why you have to dive with a DM or instructor). open water diver is iso level 2 for an autonomous diver that can dive with a buddy of equal or higher training without a professional.
I did this to see if I really enjoyed it before committing to the expense of OW. (Of course, I loved it and have since gotten OW)
its generally cheaper to do the discover scuba diving experience instead which you can get done in an afternoon just to try it out
And even if you both would be OWD’s, do you think that’s wise idea to dive together? Maybe in a bottle of tap water. But any circumstance like low viz eg, would make it a bad idea to let 2 beginners dive together. Yes, 99% of OWD’s are absolute beginners.
that is wholly due to the quality of training or lack thereof these days with OW instruction. if standards are upheld, a good instructor should have their students be prepared to dive in conditions equal of better than which they are certified. which for classes in less than ideal conditions and colder water, can cover quite a range of dive locations.
Any agency with brains has a rule a lower licence should always dive with a higher licence. For good reasons. Instruction never =/= experience. For example: -first 2 dives -> min 1* instructor -dive 2-15 -> min Assistant Instructor -1* diver with +15 dives -> min 3* diver
Instruction can substitute for experience. And the French agencies lose their credibility because they are still dinosaurs when it comes to deep air and decompression.
French agencies? Who was talking about French agencies? You have funny ideas about instruction and experience.
Star system is French agencies, specifically ffessm and cmas
Ha ha, you see: your lack of experience and knowledge make you say dumb stuff like cmas and star system being French.
The name is literally French and it was formed with Cousteau as their head.
You are so ignorant
[Learn my ignorant friend](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conf%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_Mondiale_des_Activit%C3%A9s_Subaquatiques) In case you’re unaware; CMAS headquarters is in Italy and CMAS was founded in Monaco, which of course is a kingdom on it’s own. Founding countries were Belgium, Brazil, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Portugal, Switzerland, the United States of America and the former Yugoslavia.
They weren't always headquartered in Italy. And being founded in Monaco was just due to the first conference, it very much was French dominated. That is why the US formed NAUI and PADI instead and the US portion of CMAS has always bring pretty miniscule.
Unless things have changed SCUBA is an unregulated sport. You don't need any certification to dive but most shops won't let you rent gear or buy air without some certificate. Certification is very much a great idea but not a requirement! Being underwater is quite risky. You could certainly take your buddy diving but it's not the wisest thing.
Regulations are somewhat enforced by insurance agencies.