One of the diving communities great weaknesses is not how Open Water is taught, but how it is promoted. Many dive centres are so focused on bringing new and entry level divers into the community they forget about the continuing education and higher levels and further education courses. This is especially common in Resort areas, holiday and vacation destinations.
While the diving community like all “Ecosystems” needs new entry level divers and beginners. Those beginners often don’t stay in diving. After completing their basic open water move on to another hobby. There are thoughts that  the reason for this is the attitude of instructors or just modern life in general or the expense of entry into Scuba.

It is obvious that for many the challenge of completing an entry level Open Water course is often a life changing, dream come true, bucket list adventure.  To be in amongst the fishes and watching all the beautiful colours of a coral reef.

I have always said the most incredible gadget for me would be the ability to scuba dive and have Sir David Attenborough narrate the animal behaviour as you experience and see it live underwater. Not being able to ensure Sir David, possibly the most important Knight of the Realm, was there to accompany me personally on all my dives. Is something I have just had to come to terms with.

Almost all agencies have an entry level Open Water course that is a confined session, four open water dives and a certification that qualifies you to dive to 18m/60ft. This is the backbone of the entry level course across the world. Regardless of how it is taught, badly, well, eight to a class or like us a maximum of four to a class.

The Open Water Diver course is often sold and promoted as a stand alone course. “All you will ever need” to go Scuba diving. It is for the vast majority. The perfect entry level course. Especially if taught diligently, neutrally buoyant and working beyond minimum standards.

We believe that the minimum goal of any diver. Be that a diver that dives one or two weeks of the year on vacation or diving as often as possible and at every opportunity. Everyone should be aiming to get to a minimum of Rescue Diver with some specialties. The time frame with which you do this is down to time, money and your bucket list of dives.