Open Water Diver

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation plus a variety of 3 more specialty areas of choice before committing to full specialty training. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. By taking this program you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full Specialty trainings any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

Discover the incredible underwater world of Hermanus on a 2-tank guided shore diving adventure with Black Pearl Diving.Enter directly from the coastline and explore kelp forests, rocky reefs, gullies and marine-rich habitats that make the Cape Whale Coast such a unique diving destination.Your Black Pearl Diving guide will select the most suitable dive site based on the day's weather, swell, visibility and diver experience, giving you the best possible diving experience while keeping safety the priority.Hermanus' shore dives are perfect for divers wanting a relaxed day underwater while discovering the smaller marine life, colourful reef ecosystems and dramatic underwater landscapes hidden beneath the coastline.Your experience includes:Two guided shore divesExperienced dive guideDive briefing and site orientationCylinders and weightsSurface interval between divesSite selection according to the day's conditionsRequirements: Open Water Diver certification or equivalent. Divers should be comfortable with shore entries and exits. Your guide will assess conditions before each dive.Duration: Approximately 3–4 hours Location: Hermanus, Western Cape Price: R800 per person – September SpecialDive locations are selected on the day according to weather, swell, visibility, diver experience and safety considerations. Marine-life encounters and visibility cannot be guaranteed.Why dive from shore in Hermanus?No boat required—just gear up, walk in and start exploring. Shore diving offers a fantastic opportunity to slow things down and experience the kelp forests and reef life of Hermanus up close.