We know that starting your scuba journey can be intimidating. That’s why we have created this guide for you with the top features that you should be looking out for in any open water course ensuring you have the best possible start to your underwater adventure!

Introduce yourself

The best way to see if you like a dive store is to simply go and check them out for yourself! A good old fashioned vibe check. Most dive operators also have a retail shop. This means you can browse and create conversation naturally. Ask questions and see if that shop is the right fit for you. You may even get to meet your future instructor!

Quality gear

The gear that you wear underwater matters – It’s what’s keeping you safe after all! Following on from our last point of heading into the store and checking it out for yourself, ask for a tour of the equipment that you will be using. Even the untrained eye can see if the equipment looks well maintained. Gear can be confusing if you have never seen it before, but well maintained, quality gear will make your experience a whole lot safer and seamless! 

Small group sizes

For me as an instructor, this is up there with one of the most important features of a good course, for students and instructors. Everyone learns at their own pace and in their own way whether it be by reading, looking at pictures or by practical application. Small group sizes (1-6) allow the instructor to ensure that everyone is comfortable and confident with what is being taught, and if they aren’t, spend more time practicing together. Having a small number of people that learn differently can be fantastic to expose you to issues or questions you didn’t even think of, but having a larger group can see everyone’s learning impacted. Small groups means that there is more attention and time spent with you. At the end of the day, you want to go home feeling GOOD and confident in what you have learnt, not apprehensive about your next dive. Learning to dive is your introduction to the underwater world, and one of the best memories you will create as a diver! As a dive professional I have heard way too many times that people who learnt in large groups felt overwhelmed, and have since become nervous and apprehensive to dive again. It only takes a dive or two for them to get on their feet, but I would prefer instil confidence from the start! 

Course length 

Some courses are 2 days, while others can be longer.

2 days is a great amount of time to get everything done and have an overnight rest where you can reflect on what you’ve learnt, allowing space to ask questions the following day. Longer courses allow you to have more time with your instructor and practicing with the equipment. While all dive courses should provide the same number of dives in total, more time allows you time to improve and act on any feedback your instructor has given you, to get the most out of your course. Here at Swan Dive, we offer both 2 and 3 day courses.

I would recommend the 2 day course for anyone on a time restraint, or already confident with water sports like freediving, and the 3 day course for anyone who wants to practice and understand in detail, get the most out of their course and thinks they would enjoy a slower pace with time to rest between dives.

Experienced instructors

Lets start by saying that there is never such thing as a silly question when you’re learning. We all approach hurdles when doing new things! When you have an experienced instructor, they’ve probably seen it all before and so will be better equipped to assist if you reach a hurdle. When I was learning how to dive in a muddy puddle in the UK, my instructor was the one who kept me going, always motivating me and pointing out cool stuff! Now look at where we are! 

Dive sites

Diving is awesome, it opens the gateway to a whole new world (literally)! People think we need to go to space to check out aliens, but we don’t, the ocean is full of so much weird and wonderful life! When you’re going through your open water course, you want to make sure that you’re going to check out some awesome dive sites. This is what will keep you excited after all. Some courses will offer shore dives and are often priced lower for this reason, while others include boat dives, meaning you can reach dive sites you may not be able to otherwise. If all of your dives are on a sand patch, you will have an awesome time breathing bubbles but really, we all want to see epic corals and googly-eyed fish! 

Image: Emma Burdett @emmersionphotography

Why should you do your Open Water course with Swan Dive? 

We have it all! Biased opinion, I know, but it’s true! Here at Swan Dive, we pride ourselves on having a great open water course that our customers really do love. Feel free to check out our reviews!

We offer top of the range equipment, small group sizes, and experienced instructors. Our beachside location gives us access to many incredible dive sites – and all your dives will be boat dives! 

• Busselton Jetty – Australia’s longest timber jetty, including the underwater sculpture trail 
• 4 Mile Reef – A fault line ledge dive, hosting a large ecosystem
• HMAS Swan – A 112m shipwreck turned artificial reef, one of Australia’s best wreck dives

We offer 2- and 3-day courses tailored to your learning style, with a focus on safety, fun, and personal growth. Come by the shop or give us a call—we’d love to meet you!

Written by Meg