Scuba Classes

"Want to just try it out
in the pool?" ...

Last Tuesday evening of every month, 6:30-8:00pm.
Only $35
Call Dive Connections to register in advance
(434) 964-9200

Open Water Scuba Diver

Entry level program designed to develop a competent recreational diver. The program consists of 5 classroom sessions and 5 pool sessions where students develop their knowledge and skills under the careful tutelage of our highly trained staff.

Following this training, certification is awarded after completing 4 open water training dives. These dives are usually done on the weekend at one of the local quarries, although they can be accomplished on one of our local or Caribbean trips. We can also refer the student to another instructor at a dive destination of the student's choice.

The cost of the program is $359 to include all course materials, instruction, pool fees and rental scuba gear. Students need to provide mask, snorkel, booties and fins. The cost of the open water dives themselves are not included and depend, of course, on where they are done.

Open water dives done locally run $199 plus quarry fees. We can complete those dives on one of our many Caribbean get-a-ways and the fee will include rental gear for the duration of the trip. We can alternatively provide you a referral package for $39 and even help you make diving arrangements anywhere in the world.

Recruit a buddy to take the class with you and SAVE $25 each!

Tuesday & Thursday Evenings (6pm-9:30pm) for 3 weeks. Classes begin the first Tuesday of every month.

Thursday Evenings (6:00pm-9:30pm) for 5 weeks. Classes begin every five weeks and are held at Crow Pool.

Home Study Weekends Registration required two weeks in advance of class start date in order to fulfill home study requirement. Classes begin on Friday (6pm-8pm) evening and continue both Saturday and Sunday (9am-5pm).

The Flex Plan is for individuals with indeterminate schedules. You study material at home at your leisure and then let us know when you want to review with an instructor. Academics can be handled generally at any time with 24 hours notice and pool availability is most any Tuesday or Thursday evening and weekend afternoons. Additional cost is $100. Please drop us a note. Call 434-964-9200

The National geographic Diver Program consists additional academic, pool skill and open water requirements designed to help you develop the skills and understanding to truly become an underwater explorer. The course sharpens you buoyancy, exploration and navigation skills and focuses on exploration and conservation of our aquatic resources. Any of our basic courses can be enhanced to provide you the National Geographic Diver credentials. Additional costs for materials and instruction is $100.

Master Diver Development Program

This program provides the Advanced Open Water educational material and Certification Card, the Encyclopedia of Diving and entry to our ongoing Tuesday night specialty diving lecture series for one low price of $99. This is an excellent resource package for any diver seeking to learn more about the diving environment

We teach specialty courses in the following specialty areas; altitude, computer, night, deep, search & recovery, dry suit, nitrox, multilevel, drift, fish ID, naturalist, peak buoyancy, photography, videography, navigation, equipment specialist, rebreather, wreck, and boat.

Some specialty courses have some additional material and workshop costs but generally. when you are ready to do specialty dives let our instructors know and you can do the dives on any of our local or international trips for $30 each. When you complete a specialty course dive series, generally 2-4 dives, the certification card costs $31 and that's it. Everything is a la carte!

     NO major commitments!
    NO inflexible schedules!
    NO reason not to start this Tuesday night!

Check out area Master Divers

Diving First Aid

Emergency First Response - A very good all around first aid course including Primary and Secondary Assessment, Adult CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training with particular emphasis on diving related injuries. The course takes one full day (6hrs) and is usually held on the weekend. The course cost is $143 including all course materials and PADI certification card. Refresher classes are $50 plus certification card, if desired.

DAN O2 First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries - As a recreational diver, you can receive training to provide vital first aid that can make a difference to a scuba diver with decompression illness. The DAN Oxygen Provider Course provides entry-level training in the recognition and management of possible diving-related injuries using emergency oxygen first aid. The course cost is $125 including all course materials and DAN certification card.

DAN First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries- Serious hazardous marine life injuries are rare, but most divers experience minor discomfort from unintentional encounters with fire coral, jellyfish and other marine creatures. This course teaches divers to minimize these injuries and reduce diver discomfort and pain. The course cost is $125 including all course materials and DAN certification card.

Dive Leadership Training

Begin your training to become a dive leader. We train Rescue Divers and Divemasters together and encourage them to participate with each other in all aspect of the training and we can start the program for you on any Monday evening other that DEW Scuba nights, the second Monday of each month.

Rescue Diver - Starts the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30pm. This course introduces the student to how to handle and assist in handling dive emergency situations. It sets the stage for leadership training by incrementally encouraging the diver to take responsibility for others in the group and for the diving environment. The course includes academic modules and open water skills development followed by scenario enactment by the candidates to simulate real rescue situations. Medic First Aid is suggested and a current CPR certification is required for certification as a Rescue Diver.

Divemaster - The first step in professional dive leadership. The course starts on the first Monday of every month at 6:30 at Dive Connections. The class focuses on teaching the candidate how to take responsibility for maintaining a safe diving environment. Academic modules are coupled with open water dive training scenarios, skills development and projects, and with both mock and actual experience with student divers.

Assistant Instructor - The next step to preparing yourself for a part-time or full-time career in diving. The course prepares a qualified Divemaster to develop teaching skills and to be able to assist an instructor both in academic sessions and in actual open water dives.

Open Water Scuba Instructor - This is what you want; the culmination of your dive training with the premier dive instructor training agency in the world, PADI. We have been very successful in working with Course Director, Nick Jenny, in developing new instructors and supporting all area instructors with recurrent and upgrade training. Nick and we can provide training for Master Scuba Diver Trainer, IDC Staff Instructor, Emergency First Response Instructor, and many of the Diver Alert Network Instructor ratings

Technical Diving Specialties

We offer a full range of technical diving specialties including solo diving, advanced nitrox, extended range, tri-mix, gas blender, tank inspection, and both closed circuit and semi-closed circuit rebreather among many others. Check with us for times and additional course information.

909 Gardens Blvd
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434-964-9200