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Divers Den offers a range of PADI Open Water learn to dive courses. This one covers the 4 day course, which includes 2 x days of pool and theory training and 2 x day tours to the Great Barrier Reef. Their other learn to dive courses include time on a liveaboard boat, rather than day tours. During this course you will complete 4 scuba dives on the Great Barrier Reef and on completion, will be a certified PADI Open Water Diver. Divers Den has been running since 1974 and has certified over 150,000 scuba divers, so are a very experienced team. Their inclusive pricing covers PADI learning manuals, Diver Instructor training, dive equipment rental and the 2 x reef day tours aboard their comfortable vessel AquaQuest. During pool sessions the maximum Dive Instructor to Dive Student ratio is 1 to 10, during open water training at the Great Barrier Reef, it is 1 to 8. The minimum age to participate in a PADI Open Water learn to dive course is 10 years old, however if the student is aged under 12 years old, you will need to pay additional costs for a private dive instructor. These courses start every day of the week except Wednesday.
PADI Open Water Course. 4 day course, including 2 day tours to the Great Barrier Reef. 4 dives.
PADI Open Water Diver Manuals and Instruction, Dive Equipment Rental, Pool Sessions, 4 Dives, Cairns city accommodation transfers, 2 Reef Day Tours including lunch.
Get a free underwater camera rental when you book tours through us valued at over $750, we’ll lend you a GoPro underwater camera to use for the duration of your tours. Numbers are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. Get in touch with us to claim this deal today.
Divers Den is a well-established Cairns Reef Touring company, providing day tours and liveaboard tours (staying overnight) to the Great Barrier Reef for snorkellers and divers. They also offer a range of learn to dive and advanced dive courses at their purpose-built dive training centre in Cairns. This 4 day course includes 2 x days of theory and pool sessions in Cairns, followed by 2 x Great Barrier Reef day tours aboard their vessel AquaQuest. AquaQuest is licensed to carry 125 passengers, but they limit day tours numbers to around 80 guests for space and comfort. Guests will be a combination of snorkellers, introductory divers, certified divers and dive students.
Learning to scuba dive involves learning the theory and principles that keep divers safe underwater, as well as the practical skills required and scuba diving equipment. As a part of your Divers Den PADI Open Water course training, you’ll complete the theory and practical components at their Cairns dive training centre, which has a large, heated training pool with a maximum depth of 3m. You’ll be guided and taught by experienced PADI Dive Instructors with manuals and videos.
*Dive Medicals: Please note that scuba diving is a strenuous activity and some health conditions, such as asthma, epilepsy, high blood pressure, chronic sinus issues and more, will prevent you from learning to dive. This is for your safety. Everyone wanting to participate in a PADI Open Water learn to dive course must first complete a self-assessment Dive Medical, which will indicate if further medical assessment is required. This can be downloaded here. Filling out the self-assessment questionnaire accurately is vital for your safety. If further assessment is required, you’ll need to get a doctor’s letter / medical clearance before you start the course, this clearance must be dated no older than 90 days before time of issue and time of course commencement.
Practising scuba diving skills in a closed water environment, such as the swimming pool, allows you to become comfortable at breathing underwater and safe ascent and descent skills, without the added pressure of waves and current. It’s the ideal way to practice and prepare for open water scuba diving. Divers Den has a large heated training pool, with shallow sides and reaching a maximum depth of 3m in the middle. Skills start in the shallow end for your comfort. Please note that as a part of the Divers Den PADI Open Water learn to dive course, you’ll be required to complete a swim test of 200m without stopping and also tread water for 10 minutes, without touching the sides or bottom. This is a PADI requirement for your safety in the open ocean. Instructors guide you through each exercise at a steady pace, so you feel prepared before moving on to your open water dives.
This Divers Den 4 day PADI Open Water learn to dive course includes 2 x day tours to the Great Barrier Reef, aboard their vessel AquaQuest. AquaQuest provides up to 5 hours at the Outer Great Barrier, visiting 2 different reef sites each day. You will complete 2 x training dives each day, with your Dive Instructor. At the end of their successful completion, you’ll be a certified PADI Open Water Diver, able to dive anywhere around in the world. Where will you be diving? Divers Den can access a number of different moorings, across multiple reefs, including Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reef. The best sites will be chosen each day, to maximise your experience in the water and comfort as a dive student.
This Divers Den PADI Open Water Course takes 4 days and starts every day of the week except Wednesday. It’s a small group course, with a maximum of 10 students to 1 Dive Instructor on the pool and theory days and 8 students to 1 Dive Instructor on the Great Barrier Reef days. Days 1 and 2 are classroom and pool theory days held at their dive training centre in Cairns, which is located at 319 Draper Street, Parramatta Park. City accommodation transfers are provided and included. Days 3 and 4 are day tours to the Great Barrier Reef.
Theory and Pool Training. Check in at Divers Den’s Dive Centre at 9am. The address is 319 Draper St, Parramatta Park, Cairns. City accommodation transfers are available if required. Lunch is not included, so bring money for this.
Meeting your fellow dive students and Dive Instructor. Participating in the diver training pool sessions.
The first day of the course covers a lot of the technical aspects of scuba diving. You’re guided by a professional PADI Dive Instructor, supported by videos. Check in is at 9am and the academic component occupies the morning. After a lunch break (lunch at your own expense), there are pool sessions for diver training. The first day ends around 5.30pm. Make sure you bring swimwear, a towel and money for lunch. Your Certified Dive Medical and passport or Australian Driver’s License.
Pool Training and Exams. This morning it’s back into scuba skills in the heated pool, followed by lunch. This afternoon final theory and exam.
Practising dive skills in the heated pool and completing academic work. This day prepares you for tomorrow’s trip to the Great Barrier Reef, where you have 2 x dives with your Instructor. Exciting!
Pick-ups are available from Cairns city accommodation and commence at 9am. This morning you continue practising dive skills in the heated pool, you will also complete the 200m swim test and 10 minutes of treading water. Lunch is at your own expense. This afternoon you complete your theory and a small exam. Make sure you bring swimwear and a towel, sunscreen and money for lunch.
Great Barrier Reef. Check in at the Divers Den counter at the Reef Fleet Terminal from 8am. City accommodation transfers available. Today is a full day tour on AquaQuest and includes 2 training dives with your Dive Instructor.
Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. This is what you came for and today you will do 2 training dives on the reef.
Check-in at the Reef Fleet Terminal from 8am and then make your way to the AquaQuest boat, which is moored at Marlin Marina, a 5 minute walk from the Reef Fleet Terminal. The boat departs at 8.30am. Today you will visit 2 separate reef sites and participate in 2 training dives with your Dive Instructor. The first dive will be just after 10am, at the first reef site, and another in the afternoon at the second reef site. A hot and cold buffet lunch is served from 12.30pm. The boat moves between reef sites while you eat lunch. You return to Cairns around 4.30pm.
Make sure you bring a small day bag with your towel and a change of clothes, swimmers, a hat and some sunscreen. Bring additional cash / credit cards to purchase additional drinks and snacks.
Great Barrier Reef. Today runs the same as yesterday, for check in and return times. It’s a day tour from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef.
Becoming a certified PADI Open Water Diver. Complete your training dives and become a certified diver.
Check-in at the Reef Fleet Terminal from 8am and then make your way to the AquaQuest boat, which is moored at Marlin Marina, a 5 minute walk from the Reef Fleet Terminal. The boat departs at 8.30am. Today you will visit 2 separate reef sites and participate in 2 training dives with your Dive Instructor, on the successful completion of these you become a PADI Open Water scuba diver. A hot and cold buffet lunch is served from 12.30pm. The boat moves between reef sites while you eat lunch. You return to Cairns around 4.30pm.
Make sure you bring a small day bag with your towel and a change of clothes, swimmers, a hat and some sunscreen. Bring additional cash / credit cards to purchase additional drinks and snacks.
The minimum age to learn to dive in Queensland is 10 years old. If the student is aged under 12 years old, Divers Den will want you to pay additional costs for a private dive instructor.
This Divers Den PADI Open Water course takes 4 days to complete. The first 2 days are classroom learning and pool training at their Cairns dive centre. The final 2 days are Great Barrier Reef day trips, where you complete 4 training dives. They have other options which include completing your training dives aboard their liveaboard boat and staying overnight on the Great Barrier Reef.
No prior scuba diving experience is required. The PADI Open Water Diver course is designed for beginners. Your experienced Dive Instructor will teach you all the skills you need during the classroom, pool and reef training sessions.
Yes. You must be able to swim and be comfortable in the open ocean, which might have currents and waves. It is a PADI dive course requirement that you can swim 200m and tread water / float for 10 minutes. This is for your own safety and is a standard, international requirement for scuba divers. You will need to demonstrate this in the pool session component of your dive course.
You will complete 4 open water training dives on the Great Barrier Reef. These are conducted over 2 separate reef day trips, with 2 dives completed each day under Dive Instructor supervision.
Yes. After successfully completing the training dives and theory components, you will receive a PADI Open Water Diver certification, which allows you to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 metres depth with a dive buddy.
Certified PADI Open Water divers can dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres. Depth limits are always dependent on conditions, experience and local dive guidelines.
Yes everyone wanting to participate in a Divers Den PADI Open Water Course will need to complete a self-assessment Dive Medical, which will indicate if further medical assessment is required. This can be downloaded here. Filling out the self-assessment questionnaire accurately is vital for your safety. If further assessment is required, you’ll need to get a doctor’s letter / medical clearance before you start the course, this clearance must be dated no older than 90 days before time of issue and time of course commencement.
*Please note: Scuba diving is a strenuous activity and some health conditions, such as asthma, epilepsy, high blood pressure, chronic sinus issues and more, will prevent you from learning to dive. This is for your safety.
Certain medical conditions may prevent participation, including asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, chronic middle ear issues, uncontrolled high blood pressure and pregnancy. If you have any of these then you will require a Dive Medical Certificate. This can be obtained in Cairns, but should be arranged prior to starting the course.
No. Scuba diving is not recommended during pregnancy. You can not learn to scuba dive if you are pregnant.
The course price includes all rental of all scuba diving equipment, PADI training materials, Dive Instructor supervision, pool training sessions and 2 x Great Barrier Reef day tours aboard AquaQuest
Each reef day trip provides up to 5 hours at the Outer Great Barrier Reef. During this time you will complete your training dives and have time to relax onboard between dives. You will visit 2 Outer Great Barrier Reef sites each day.
Students are trained in small groups with a dedicated PADI Instructor. The maximum in-water student to instructor ratio on a Divers Den PADI Open Water Course is 10 students to 1 instructor for the theory and pool days and 8 students to 1 instructor on the Great Barrier Reef days.
AquaQuest is a purpose-built Great Barrier Reef tour boat. It has 2 decks, a combination of air conditioned interiors, shaded back deck and sundeck. It’s licensed to carry 125 passengers, but day tour numbers are limited to around 80 guests for space and comfort. Guests will be a combination of snorkellers, introductory divers, certified divers and dive students.
Meals are provided during the reef tour days only. This includes morning tea (mini muffins), a hot and cold buffet lunch, and afternoon fruit. Meals are not included on the classroom and pool training days.
Bring swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes each day. For reef days you should also bring sunscreen, a hat and a small day bag. Motion sickness medication is recommended if you are prone to seasickness.
These courses start every day of the week except Wednesday.
Your Dive Instructor will provide additional guidance, time and support where needed. Divers Den is committed to supporting their dive students.
All seasickness medication is a prevention not a cure. If you’re worried about getting seasick, then it’s best to take the medication before getting on day boat. There’s lots of options and considerations to ensure you can still have the best time. We know, because we get seasick; which is why we’ve written a post on our top tips to prevent seasickness.
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