Skeleton Key Diving
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Learn online, train in a pool built for plenty of practice, and finish in open water. Every course is taught to PADI standards, with every dive planned and briefed beforehand.

SEMI-PRIVATE · 4 STUDENTS MAX

PADI Open Water Diver

Your first scuba certification, and your passport to the underwater world. PADI Open Water Diver is recognized by dive operators around the world, so it's good wherever you travel. PADI allows up to eight students in a class. I keep mine to four, so every diver gets real attention, honest feedback and the time to get things right. That's what makes it a better value than a crowded class.

Your PADI eLearning, all scuba equipment and every tank of air are included. Bring a wetsuit, a swimsuit, a towel, and a rash guard or t-shirt. If you don't have a wetsuit, we can make arrangements with a local dive shop.

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$550
per student
CLASS SIZE
Four students at most
POOL TRAINING
Hampton Cove Pool, Olympic-size
OPEN WATER DIVES
Blue Water Park, Pelham
INCLUDED
All equipment and air. Wetsuit not included. We can arrange one through a local dive shop.
PADI ELEARNING FEE
Included in the $550
SCHEDULE
Scheduled with you, typically weekends, May through October

Scheduled around you

There's no fixed class calendar. I schedule each class directly with the students, so it fits your life. Weekends work best, and the season runs May through October.

2 mornings
IN THE POOL
Hampton Cove Pool, at your own pace.
2 days
OPEN WATER
Your certification dives at Blue Water Park in Pelham.
Weekends
MAY THROUGH OCTOBER
Scheduled around you, not a fixed calendar.
Tell me what weekends work
Groups of up to four. Bring family or friends and pick a time together.

Your path to breathing underwater

1
Sign up
Send an inquiry and tell me which weekends work. I schedule each class directly with you, and groups of up to four can pick a time together.
2
Online eLearning
The PADI eLearning is self-paced, so you study at home as your schedule allows. It frees our time together for building real, practical diving skills.
3
Pool training
Two mornings in the Olympic-size Hampton Cove Pool, with plenty of room to work. No clock: we take as long as you need to master each skill before open water.
4
Open water dives
Two days of certification dives at Blue Water Park in Pelham, with your instructor beside you and a small group that's easy to keep an eye on.
5
Get certified
Walk away with your PADI Open Water Diver certification, recognized worldwide, and a lifetime of dives ahead.

Young divers

The same careful training, in the same small classes, for divers as young as ten. Younger students tend to pick up good habits quickly and arrive genuinely excited, which makes for great classes. They earn the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification, which upgrades to a full Open Water Diver certification at age 15. A parent or guardian signs the paperwork.

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MINIMUM AGE
10 years
CERTIFICATION
PADI Junior Open Water Diver. Upgrades to Open Water Diver at age 15.
FORMAT
Same as the Open Water Diver course
PRICE
$550 per student, PADI eLearning included
SCHEDULE
Scheduled with you, typically weekends, May through October
IN THE DEEP END

One diver at a time.

With no more than four students, I'm never far from any of them. I show each skill, then stay right beside you while you practice it, close enough to see exactly what's working and what needs another try.

That's how confidence gets built: with patient, hands-on attention until the skill feels easy.

An instructor kneeling face to face with a student on the bottom of the pool, guiding a scuba skill

Beyond Open Water

Training up to Divemaster
Once you're certified, keep going. I can take you as far as Divemaster, with the same small classes and unhurried pace as the Open Water course.
PRICE
Based on your needs
Ask about training
Scuba skills refresher
Been out of the water for a while? We'll go over your skills in the Hampton Cove Pool until you feel comfortable and ready to dive again.
PRICE
Based on your needs
Book a refresher

What to bring

A wetsuit, a swimsuit, a towel, and a rash guard or t-shirt to help prevent abrasion from the BC. We provide the rest, including every tank of air. No wetsuit? We can make arrangements with a local dive shop. In the warmest months, a wetsuit may be optional, so just ask.

Questions, answered

Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
You need to be comfortable in the water. As part of the course you'll do a short swim and a 10-minute float or tread, and we'll practice both in the pool, so no one has to arrive as a competitive swimmer.
How old does my child need to be?
Ten. Younger divers earn the PADI Junior Open Water certification, and a parent or guardian signs the paperwork. Junior certifications upgrade to full Open Water at age 15.
I'm nervous about breathing underwater. Is that normal?
Very. Most people are. We spend as long as it takes in the pool, one skill at a time, before anyone goes to open water. With only four students, you won't be rushed or lost in a crowd.
What's included in the $550?
Your PADI eLearning, all scuba equipment and every tank of air. Bring a wetsuit, a swimsuit, a towel, and a rash guard or t-shirt. If you don't have a wetsuit, we can make arrangements with a local dive shop.
Is there a medical form?
Yes. PADI asks every student to complete a short medical questionnaire before getting in the water. If any answer is yes, a doctor's okay is needed first. It's best to sort that out early.
$550 · all included
Max 4 students
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Skeleton Key Diving
SCUBA INSTRUCTION · ALABAMA
brian@skeletonkeydiving.com