ISE Openwater Diver

Purpose A critical course in the ISE curricula as it’s the first impression of SCUBA diving that a student will have the ISE Recreational Diver curriculum is dedicated to cultivating comfortable, competent, and confident divers from the beginning that do not impact the environment. It allows them to maximize aquatic fun and safety. This course is designed to give them a good foundation and mindset and to prepare them for continued education like the ISE Recreational Diver Level II. These standards define the minimum requirements for training, evaluating, and certifying ISE Open Water Divers. They ensure that all candidates meet the performance, safety, and knowledge expectations consistent with the ISE philosophy of precision, competence, and responsibility. Duration: Minimum of 3 days (minimum of 4 theoretical lectures, Pool or confined water for comfort building and skin diving, and at least 4 Open Water dives)

Prerequisites • Minimum age for certification: 16 years (Students below 18 require parental consent) • No upper age limit
• Students younger than 16 who meet all performance standards may receive a restricted certification, valid only when diving under the supervision of a certified adult diver • Physical Conditioning & Watermanship: All candidates must demonstrate baseline aquatic competence through one of the following evaluations: o Continuous 200‑meter surface swim without equipment and a10‑minute survival float/swim without equipment o Continuous 300‑meter swim using mask, fins, and snorkel or 10‑minute survival float/swim without equipment
If an exposure suit is worn, the student must be neutrally buoyant at the surface. • Medical Fitness o Students must complete the ISE medical questionnaire prior to any in‑water activity
o Any abnormal or significant medical history requires unconditional written clearance from a licensed physician
o Self‑signed medical approvals are not accepted
o Students must comply with all medical requirements before continuing training

Risk Acknowledgment Students must be informed of the inherent risks of scuba diving and must sign all required ISE documents, which may include: o Liability releases
o Assumption‑of‑risk statements
o Safe diving practice agreements
o Standards of conduct and understanding
For minors, a parent or legal guardian must sign all required forms.

**Course Limits: ** • 6 meters for confined water drills, • 18 meters for training dive • Instructor to student ratio: 1. Pool 1:4 or 1:6 with an ISE training assistant 2. Confined water 1:2 or 1:4 with an ISE training assistant 3. Open water 1:2 or 1:3 with an ISE training assistant • Single back mount configuration only • Certification Limits: 18 Meter Max Depth, Single Gas

Knowledge Review Students must: • Use ISE‑approved training materials in their primary language when available
• Demonstrate understanding of: o Equipment configuration and function
o Diving physics
o Diving‑related medical considerations o Dive tables and/or computers (Minimum Decompression Strategy) o Dive Planning (Minimum Gas, Gas Planning)
o Situational Awareness (Personal, Equipment, Team and Environmental awareness)
o General diving knowledge
o Confined‑water and open‑water skill requirements
• Students must pass an oral or written examination.

Skill Requirements Students must demonstrate all required confined‑water and open‑water skills to ISE performance standards.
1. Basic Scuba a. Equipment Assembly b. Breathing and Buoyancy c. Propulsion (Frog Kick) d. Simplified Circle of Basics (Regulator Removal and Replacement, Mask Removal and Replacement) e. Submersible Marker Buoy Deployment f. Limited Visibility 2. Basic Navigation a. Compass Use for General Orientation b. Environmental Cues 3. Rescue Skills a. Out of Gas b. Dealing with Cramps