Discover SCUBA Diving Experience
Curious about scuba diving but not ready to commit to the full PADI® Open Water Diver certification?
Our Discover Scuba® Diving Experience lets you try scuba in SUNY Oneonta’s pool with a highly trained PADI® Instructor. You’ll be guided through the basics, provided with all the necessary gear, and have the chance to ask questions as you go.
In just a short time, you’ll master simple skills and experience the unforgettable feeling of taking your very first breaths underwater.
And if you love it? You can take the next step by registering for our next PADI® Open Water Diver certification course which begins Sept. 27—the perfect opportunity to turn your first breaths underwater into a full certification.
Requirements
- Complete the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire
- Students must be at least 15 years of age by Sept. 13.
- Students under 17 must have their parent/guardian present for the entire duration of the course and may not be a participant.
Cost
$30
Schedule
The Discover SCUBA course has 2 components:
- PADI eLearning - prior to Sept. 13, students must complete this component on a computer or mobile device to learn diving safety fundamentals (information and instructions for PADI DSD eLearning™ will be provided by the instructor after you register).
- Saturday, Sept. 13, SUNY Oneonta Pool - the total experience will last 1.5 hours. 30-40 minute dive slots will be scheduled between 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Registration
Review the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire to verify that this is for you.
A payment of $30 is due at the time of registration.
Once registered, you will be contacted by course instructor David Turner to schedule a specific time slot to dive on September 13 between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and information and instructions on accessing the PADI DSD eLearning™ system.
Open Water Diver SCUBA certification
PADI® Open Water Diver is the first SCUBA certification level. A highly trained PADI® Instructor will teach you how to SCUBA dive in a relaxed, supportive learning environment. By the end of the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to dive at home or abroad.
Requirements
- Must be 15 years of age by Sept. 26, 2025, and in good health
- Must be comfortable in the water and able to swim 200 yards and float for 10 minutes
- Students under 17 must have their parent/guardian present for the entire duration of each part of the course and may not be a participant
- Prior to registering, please review the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire to verify that this is for you
Costs
- $500 for course instruction, diving equipment and maintenance and lifeguard (due at registration)
- $280 for PADI® course materials (due at orientation)
- $200+ for open water dive (multiple options--see Cost Details below)
- $180+ for exposure equipment (wetsuit, boots, gloves--see Cost Details below)
Course Cost
$500, paid at time of registration, includes:
- Course cost
- 3 required pool sessions
- Lifeguard
- Diving equipment and supplies:
- Buoyancy Compensation Device (BCD)
- Regulator
- Mask/Snorkel
- Fins
- Weights
- Cylinders
- Hooded vest (exposure equipment)
PADI® Course Materials
$280, paid at orientation, includes:
- PADI® eLearning with Digital Manual
- Digital Recreational Dive Planner
- Student Skills Slate
- Certification Fee
Open Water Dive
Amount varies based on dive location:
- Instructor-led dive locally at Otsego Lake, additional registration and payment of $200 will be required for students choosing this option.
- Instructor-led trip to Grand Cayman, separate from this SUNY Oneonta course. All fees, airfare, accommodations, meals, and dive to be paid separately by students in coordination with instructor.
- Instructor referral to another dive location, separate from this SUNY Oneonta course, anywhere in the world that offers the certification. Cost of this is dependent on the referral dive operator.
Exposure Equipment
SUNY Oneonta has limited wetsuits for use. Condition is okay and sizes are limited, so it is strongly recommended that you purchase or rent the following:
- Wetsuit
- Boots
- Gloves
Prices range from $600-$800 for a wetsuit and hood, $100-$150 for boots, and $70-$120 for gloves. It is suggested that you speak to the instructor before making purchases.
Schedule
The next course begins in September, and has four components:
- Orientation: held at the SUNY Oneonta Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, 1-3 p.m. During orientation, we will answer all of your questions about the course, complete paperwork (medical and liability forms, including the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire), and register for the online learning. Bring a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to ensure that you can access the class materials. Fees due at orientation: $280
- Self-study of PADI® course: self-paced online learning, consists of five modules and takes approximately 12-15 hours to complete. The first module must be completed before the first pool session.
- Pool Sessions: 3 required sessions are held at the SUNY Oneonta pool on the following dates from 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Saturday, Oct. 11, Sunday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 25.
There will be a makeup day on Sunday, Oct. 26 for a student who may face an extenuating circumstance causing a missed pool class. If a makeup pool class is required, the cost to cover a lifeguard will be absorbed by the student needing the makeup class. Communication is required in advance if a make-up pool session is required. - Open Water Dive: An Open Water Dive is required for certification; pick one of the following options:
- Instructor-led dive locally at Otsego Lake, tentatively Nov. 1 and 2, from 10 a.m. until mid-afternoon both days. Additional registration and payment of $200 will be required for students choosing this option.
- Instructor-led trip to Grand Cayman, separate from this SUNY Oneonta course. All fees, airfare, accommodations, meals, and dive to be paid separately by students in coordination with instructor. Tentatively set for Feb 14-22, 2026.
- Instructor referral to another dive location, separate from this SUNY Oneonta course, anywhere in the world that offers the certification. Cost of this is dependent on the referral dive operator. Typical cost ranges from $250 to $350.
Note: This course requires a minimum of two students to run
Registration
Review the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire to verify that this is for you.
A payment of $500 (the course cost) is due at the time of registration.
About the Instructor
Having learned to dive himself in a similar course over 30 years ago, David Turner enjoys nothing more than sharing his passion with others through teaching them to dive. He has been a SCUBA instructor for over 10 years. He earned instructor certifications from Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI®), Divers Alert Network (DAN), and Disabled Divers International (DDI), and has helped hundreds of new divers reach their goals for entry and advancement in the sport of SCUBA.
Contact Us
Learn more about the Extended and Community Learning Center by contacting us at one of our two locations.
SUNY Oneonta Campus Location
215 Hunt Union
108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States
Downtown Oneonta Location
4 Dietz Street
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States