Accelerated Open Water Diver

Imagine floating weightlessly, cruising with the currents among colorful fish, or exploring shipwrecks that serve as underwater museums. Scuba diving gives you the opportunity to experience a world that many people never get to see firsthand.

With your SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification, you gain access to this world with the knowledge and skills necessary to dive safely and confidently.

For motivated students who are ready to jump in, our Accelerated Open Water Diver Program takes you from no scuba experience to certified Open Water Diver in as little as two days.

Unlike our traditional Open Water program, the accelerated course takes place entirely at White Star Quarry. Your initial scuba skills, in-water training, and open-water certification dives are combined into two full days of training.

With a maximum of only two students, the program provides a highly personalized training experience with extensive individual attention from your instructor. Both weekday and weekend scheduling are available.

Accelerated Schedule. Full Certification Standards.

While the schedule is accelerated, the training standards are not.

Students in the Accelerated Open Water Diver program must complete the same SDI academic requirements, required skills, swim evaluation, and four open-water certification dives as students enrolled in our traditional Open Water Diver program.

No required skills or certification standards are skipped, shortened, or eliminated to fit the two-day schedule. Every required skill must be successfully completed to the appropriate certification standard before an SDI Open Water Diver certification can be issued.

The accelerated format is possible because of the maximum two-student class size, focused instruction, advance completion of academics, and the expectation that students enter the program as strong swimmers who are already comfortable and confident in the water.

The goal is a faster and more personalized path to certification—not an easier certification.

Who Is the Accelerated Open Water Program For?

The Accelerated Open Water Diver program is specifically designed for strong swimmers, confident water users, and motivated students who want to complete their certification on an intensive schedule without sacrificing the quality of their training.

This course is ideal for:

• Strong, confident swimmers
• Students who are already very comfortable in and around open water
• Motivated learners comfortable with an intensive two-day training format
• Travelers working with a limited timeline before an upcoming trip
• Students who value highly personalized instruction
• Individuals looking for flexible weekday or weekend training
• Students who want a maximum class size of just two divers

Previous scuba or Discover Scuba experience is strongly recommended, but is not required.

If you're still developing your swimming ability, water confidence, or comfort in open water, our traditional Open Water Diver program will likely provide a better learning environment.

Swimming Requirements

You must be a strong and confident swimmer to participate in this program.

Unlike our traditional program, where initial training takes place in a swimming pool, the Accelerated Open Water program takes place entirely at White Star Quarry. Your required swimming evaluation will therefore also be completed in open water.

Students must successfully complete:

• A 200-meter continuous swim without the use of swimming aids
• A 10-minute survival swim/float

You should arrive comfortable swimming in open water where you cannot simply stand up or easily reach the bottom.

What Skills Will You Learn?

Our training emphasizes confidence, safety, and real-world diving skills. Throughout your two days at White Star Quarry, you'll progress from learning how to use scuba equipment through the skills required to become a certified Open Water Diver.

Training includes:

Understanding the Aquatic Environment: Learn how vision, light, sound, and heat loss differ underwater and how environmental conditions affect diving.

Physics and Physiology: Understand buoyancy, pressure, air spaces, breathing compressed air, and how these principles directly affect you underwater.

Equipment Mastery: Learn how to properly assemble, use, disassemble, and care for your scuba equipment.

Buoyancy and In-Water Skills: Develop the foundational skills necessary to control yourself comfortably and confidently underwater.

Dive Planning and Safety: Learn buddy procedures, dive planning, underwater communication, emergency procedures, basic rescue techniques, and other skills necessary to become a safe recreational diver.

Open Water Experience: Apply everything you've learned while completing the four certification dives required for your SDI Open Water Diver certification.

Upon successful completion of all course requirements and required skills, you'll earn your SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification.

What If I Need More Time?

Two days is the planned training schedule, but certification is performance-based, not time-based.

Every student learns differently. If you're unable to maintain the pace necessary to complete your open-water certification dives during the accelerated program, you will have the option to register for one of our regularly scheduled group Open Water certification weekends at a discounted rate to complete your remaining certification requirements.

This allows us to maintain the same training and certification standards as our traditional program without rushing a student through skills simply to meet a two-day timeline.

Before Your Two-Day Course

Your training begins before you arrive at White Star Quarry.

You'll complete your SDI eLearning at your own pace before the course. The eLearning typically takes approximately 10 hours and provides the academic foundation you'll use during your in-water training. Additionally, your Computer Nitrox Diver eLearning bust also be completed. 

You'll also participate in a required Zoom academic session with your instructor. This session typically lasts approximately 90 minutes and is generally scheduled for the day before your in-water training. Scheduling is flexible and can be coordinated with your instructor.

All required eLearning and pre-course requirements must be completed before your in-water training begins.

What Gear Is Provided for Class?

Aquatic Adventures Ohio provides the major scuba equipment you'll need throughout the course, including:

• Full wetsuit
• Cylinder (you will need to purchase 2 airfills while at the quarry)
• Weights
• Regulator
• Dive computer
• Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD)

Students are responsible for bringing their own mask, snorkel, boots, and fins.

Students receive 10% off these personal equipment items when purchased through Aquatic Adventures Ohio.

Nitrox Certification Included

Your Accelerated Open Water Diver program also includes SDI Computer Nitrox certification.

Nitrox (Enriched Air) is commonly used by recreational divers and can provide longer no-decompression limits compared with air at appropriate depths. It's especially valuable for repetitive diving and dive travel.

Your Nitrox education must be completed 3 days prior to the start of class.

How to Prepare for Class

You'll receive a detailed email from training@aquaticadventuresohio.com with instructions for preparing for your course. If you don't receive this email after registering, please contact us.

Before your first day, you'll need to:

1. Log into your SDI account and complete the required waivers. This includes a medical questionnaire. Certain "YES" answers may require approval and a signature from a physician before participating.
2. Complete your SDI eLearning. Because this is an accelerated program, completing your academics ahead of time is essential.
3. Attend your required Zoom academic session. This typically lasts approximately 90 minutes and is usually scheduled for the day before your course.
4. Visit Aquatic Adventures Ohio before class to purchase any required personal equipment and be properly fitted for your wetsuit and BCD.

What to Bring to White Star Quarry

Please bring:

• Physician-signed medical form, if required
• Mask
• Snorkel
• Boots
• Fins
• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Water
• Snacks and food appropriate for two full days of training

A rash guard or dive skin is also recommended if you have one.

Two Full Days at White Star Quarry

Plan for two full days of training at White Star Quarry. This is an intensive program, so students should arrive prepared for two active days both in and around the water.

All in-water portions of the Accelerated Open Water program are completed at White Star Quarry.

White Star Quarry admission fees are not included in the course price and are the responsibility of the student.

Maximum Class Size: 2 Students

One of the biggest advantages of the Accelerated Open Water program is the amount of individual attention you'll receive.

Every accelerated course is limited to a maximum of two students, allowing your instructor to work closely with you throughout the entire training process.

Combined with flexible weekday or weekend scheduling, this creates an intensive, highly personalized path to becoming a certified diver.

Private Accelerated Open Water – $1,699

Looking for completely one-on-one instruction?

A Private Accelerated Open Water Diver course is available for $1,699, giving you the instructor's individual attention throughout your two-day program.

Contact Aquatic Adventures Ohio directly for availability and scheduling of private accelerated training.

Cancellation Policy

We understand that unexpected issues and illnesses arise. Please review the details of our cancellation and rescheduling policy before registering.

Ready to Become a Diver?

If you're a strong swimmer, comfortable in open water, and ready for an intensive two days of scuba training, the Accelerated Open Water Diver program provides a fast, highly personalized path toward earning your certification.

You'll complete the same certification requirements and skills as our traditional Open Water students, but in an environment specifically designed for motivated students capable of progressing at an accelerated pace.

Complete your academics ahead of time, meet your instructor at White Star Quarry, and in as little as two days, you can go from your first scuba skills to an SDI Open Water Diver.