Open Water Diver (OWD) is an entry-levelautonomous divercertification forrecreational scuba diving. Although different agencies use different names, similar entry-level courses are offered by allrecreational diving agencies and consist of a combination of knowledge development (theory), confined water dives (practical training) and open water dives (experience) suitable to allow the diver to dive onopen circuit scuba, inopen water to a limited depth and in conditions similar to those in which the diver has been trained or later gained appropriate experience, to an acceptable level of safety.
The OWD training standard of most agencies complies with the minimum requirements of international StandardISO 24801-2. Autonomous diver.[1]
The "Open Water Diver" certification name is used by theProfessional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI),[2]Scuba Schools International (SSI),[3] the National Academy of Scuba Educators (NASE) Worldwide,[4]Professional Technical and Recreational Diving (ProTec),[5] International Scuba Certification (ISC),[6] and theSub-Aqua Association (SAA),[7] which is recognised by theConfédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) as aCMAS 1-star certification.[8]Scuba Diving International calls its equivalent 'Open Water Scuba Diver'.[9]
TheNational Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) entry-level course is called Scuba Diver.[citation needed] TheBritish Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) calls its equivalent qualification 'Ocean Diver'.[10]
