Milford YMCA OR Univ of Bpt

Our TDI /SDI Open Water (beginner) courses are conducted over one Saturday (9am-4:00 pm). 9am-11:30am  at Orbit Marine for classroom session. 12pm-4pm at the Milford/Orange YMCA  OR University Of Bridgeport for pool session.

The basic course fee, per person, is $360.00 and includes:  Student Record Folder, Text book, Work book (Homework) & Log Book, all classroom and pool sessions and the use of all SCUBA equipment for the pool sessions. NOT INCLUDED are the student’s mask, fins, booties and snorkel . We advise these items not be purchased until registration, as these items must be fitted! If you want to purchase these items from us, we extend a 10% student discount on the gear we do not supply for class. Or, you can rent your mask, fins, snorkel and boots for $35.00 for the pool session.

To register, please call the shop (203-333-3483) or e mail us (orbitdive@aol.com). Once registered, please stop in at Orbit Marine at least one week prior to first class meeting to pay for the course, pick up a Student record folder, text book, work book (homework) and log book.  Note that there is an easy homework assignment required to be completed prior to course date. Also note our abbreviated  posted shop hours above!

Orbit Marine has a full selection of quality dive gear and our Open Water student receives a 10% discount on his/her class gear purchase! Also not included are four open water training dives, which will be done on two days as soon as possible after the completion of the class and pool sessions (locally..June-October or while student is on a warm location vacation).

Certified SDI & PADI instructors teach you both the theory and the practice of scuba diving. The classroom session teach the science of scuba diving, explain how the equipment works and show how it is used. The instructor goes over the information explained in the manual, helping the student to understand each important point. Students learn the physics of SCUBA diving, how to identify various marine life, different ways to get into and out of the water, and some of the incredible places that divers can explore for themselves.

The pool sessions are skill building confidence exercises, and allow the student to get used to the equipment and the underwater environment. In the pool, underwater exercises allow the student to develop the skills needed to be a safe diver, and gain confidence in the ability to handle underwater experiences carefully and successfully. You can view a sample of  confined water sessions by going to youtube and looking up Scuba Diving International (SDI) Open Water Scuba course videos.

After about 2.5 hours of classroom homework review, and another 4 hours of pool exercises, it is time for the open water checkouts with the instructor, where the students demonstrate their pool skills in our local waters or at vacation destinations.

To get an idea of what the course entails, please go to youtube.com and search for SDI Open Water scuba course videos. These five videos will correspond to your student text book and work book.

Open Water Training Dive Procedures

Unlike most of our competitors, we believe in keeping our students local to complete their training dives. All of our training is done aboard one of three “ORBIT DIVER” boats here in Long Island Sound, which gives the student supervised experiences in diving from a boat, and handling the cool water and lower visibility found in many real world diving locals. Not to mention that these dives can be completed on just two mornings or afternoons in the Bridgeport/Fairfield area! No need to travel away for the weekend!. The confidence that comes from knowing that you have handled cool water with reduced visibility, gives you confidence everywhere else that you dive. Students also find that salt water marine life is more interesting and more varied than freshwater life, and the student can meet and view marine life in it’s natural habitat.

The fee for all four local training dives is $230.00. This includes two half day boat trips, two training dives a day w/instructor, all rental scuba gear (except student’s mask, fins, booties, snorkel & gloves) & SDI or PADI Open Water Diver registration. Students from another shop with a referral, please add $50.00 referral fee.

Not interested in diving locally? You can complete your training dives on any of our fantastic dive trips or while on your own vacation with a referral letter from your instructor.