Certifications

Discover a whole new world beneath the waves!

You will experience the thrill of scuba diving under the close supervision of a qualified PADI Instructor in ideal conditions. Under the palm trees on the beach, we’ll begin with an orientation and skills session – you’ll be introduced to the basic concepts of scuba diving. Next you’ll learn about equipment, basic skills and safety procedures. Afterwards, you’ll practice those important scuba skills in three to five feet of calm, clear water right off the beach. You’ll continue with your first dive experience off that same beach in 20-30 feet of calm water. Once you’re comfortable with the basic skills, one of our custom dive boats will take you to enjoy your first open water dive. It will be no deeper than 30ft, and you’ll be able to explore one of our amazing reefs with your instructor.

The DSD course is available on all of our programs except Charlie. Students will spend 2-3 sessions with our PADI instructors. In the future, if you decide to become certified, these skills and the open water dives may be credited towards your PADI Open Water Diver course.

Prerequisite: 12+ years of age.

This PADI course is the most popular entry-level dive program in the whole world! Throughout our PADI Open Water Diver course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of safe scuba diving, including dive equipment, techniques, and planning. This certification allows you to rent scuba equipment, obtain tank air fills and also enroll in PADI Continuing Education courses (PADI Adventure Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or even PADI Specialties).

The PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognized worldwide. To earn this rating, we’ll introduce you to eLearning:

• eLearning is an online Open Water course developed by PADI.
• Non-diving “classroom” lessons are completed at home before your summer program starts.
• The online course, averaging 6-8 hours to complete, presents the material in an “easy to use” manner and assures that you thoroughly understand the information. You can divide the course into several separate learning sessions to fit your schedule. No pressure — you set your own pace.
• You can get one-on-one assistance from our professional scuba instructors in the Caribbean — the same instructors that you’ll have during the summer! They are on call by email to answer questions you may have along the way. This is personal attention that might not be available in a larger classroom setting.
• Parents can oversee the sessions and possibly offer assistance.
• The greatest advantage is that when you arrive in the Caribbean your time is spent underwater developing the skills required to become a qualified, capable, and safe diver. You’re not in the classroom! The first thing that you do is take a review test to prove that you’re ready to go diving!

During five confined water training dives, your instructor will demonstrate, and then you’ll practice and master, important diving skills. Finally, applying everything you have learned, you will make four open water dives at favorite dive sites around the British Virgin Islands.

Prerequisite: Must be Open Water certified or equivalent

Recreational diving is available as an option on all of our scuba certified adventures. Ever imagine diving on a coral garden, drifting through a rainbow canyon, or exploring a sunken wreck? You will enjoy recreational diving in the BVI with our own Sail Caribbean Divers Instructors and Divemasters. On Delta in the Leeward Islands, professional dive instructors from each island along with our dive staff take you to gorgeous dive sites. You must provide proof of certification from a recognized agency like PADI, NAUI, YMCA, or NASDS.

For Open Water divers who want to earn the next certification

Divers who are already certified can go to the next level and improve their skills. You will receive your PADI textbook upon arrival in the islands. During the course you will complete interesting and informative knowledge reviews along with navigation, night and deep dives, plus two other dives of your choice in assorted specialty areas for a total of five dives. After the course, you can use your skills to enjoy recreational dives during the remainder of your adventure.

We offer an Emergency First Response course in the Caribbean to satisfy CPR and First Aid prerequisites on 3-week Charlie adventures. However, if you’d like to get in the water sooner we highly recommend that you take CPR and 1st Aid before the program.

About Online First Aid and CPR Courses: Several training providers are now offering first aid and CPR courses that are entirely online and have no face-to-face interaction with, or skill review by, an authorized first aid instructor. These online-only courses do not meet first aid and CPR training requirements for dive courses such as PADI Rescue Diver or PADI Divemaster.

If you are interested in scuba first aid and safety and have already completed advanced level scuba training from a recognized agency.

This is a demanding course requiring strong commitment. The course includes ten rescue exercises and four scenarios designed to enhance self-rescue skills and teach in-water rescue procedures for recreational divers. After you have completed the final exam and rescue scenarios, you will be granted the highest non-professional diving certification available. Advanced Open Water or equivalent is a prerequisite. Current CPR and 1st Aid are prerequisites.

About Online First Aid and CPR Courses: Several training providers are now offering first aid and CPR courses that are entirely online and have no face-to-face interaction with, or skill review by, an authorized first aid instructor. These online-only courses do not meet first aid and CPR training requirements for dive courses such as PADI Rescue Diver or PADI Divemaster.

To earn this certification you must have completed the advanced and rescue certification levels or equivalent, five PADI specialty certifications, and proof of 50 logged dives. This is not a separate course, simply an additional rating a diver is eligible to apply for based on commendable diving experience.

While in training for your Divemaster certification, you will live aboard a monohull yacht with the staff of the concurrently running Charlie Advanced Scuba adventure. You will be able to participate in some of the regular Charlie activities, but to a limited degree.

Prerequisites:

• Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver
• 18 years old
• Logged 40 logged dives
• Completed EFR Primary and Secondary Care training within 24 months
• Medically evaluated and cleared for diving by a physician within 12 months

Exit Requirements

• Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care course completion (or qualifying training) within the last 24 months
• 60 logged dives; documented experience in underwater navigation, night diving and deep diving

Once certified as a PADI Divemaster you are qualified to:

• Assist PADI Instructors in conducting PADI programs
• Supervise participants in PADI experience programs
• Generally supervise both training and non-training related diving activities
• Teach and certify Skin Divers
• Conduct PADI Scuba Review for certified divers
• Apply for PADI’s Divemaster Discover Scuba Diving instructor rating

Enroll in PADI Assistant Instructor or the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)
Newly certified Divemasters have the opportunity to join the Sail Caribbean Divers team in an internship position and build on their development as a dive professional. While living on the Charlie program’s staff boat, you will be directly assisting Sail Caribbean Divers staff with Open Water certifications, Discover Scuba sessions, and co-leading recreational dives.

After the last Charlie program ends in August, Divemasters can join the Open Water Scuba Instructor certification course given at the Hodges Creek facility of Sail Caribbean Divers. Housing will be land-based. See sailcaribbeandivers.com or contact info@sailcaribbeandivers.com for OWSI course dates.

Prerequisites: None

If you’re arriving at Sail Caribbean with prior sailing experience and are very keen on making the commitment to learn more, why not take this opportunity to gain a nationally recognized certification? You’ll participate in seminars and practice your helmsmanship on our big boats, and then demonstrate your sailing and seamanship skills during two to three intensive days on our own Colgate 26’, Opal Bella. The goal of this certification is for the participants to be able to single-hand (maneuver alone) these keelboats. Written and practical exams fulfill the requirements and you’ll have an official certification that’s valid for years to come and a stepping-stone to many other sailing certifications. To learn more about what the course entails, please visit the American Sailing Association.

Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing (ASA101) certification

Demonstrated ability to skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered (outboard or inboard engine) keelboat of approximately 25 to 35 feet length by day in moderate winds and sea conditions. Knowledge of cruising sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather forecast interpretation, safety and seamanship. To learn more about what the course entails, please visit the American Sailing Association.

Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing (ASA101) and Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA103) certifications

Demonstrated ability to skipper a sloop-rigged, auxiliary powered keelboat (or catamaran, if course is conducted on such) of approximately 30 to 45 feet in length during a multi-day cruise upon inland or coastal waters in moderate to heavy winds (up to 30 knots) and sea conditions. Course is conducted as a live-aboard cruise of at least 48 hours. Knowledge of provisioning, galley operations, boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, routine maintenance procedures, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation including basic chart plotting and GPS operation, multiple-anchor mooring, docking, health & safety, emergency operations, weather interpretation, and dinghy/tender operation. To learn more about what the course entails, please visit the American Sailing Association.

Prerequisites: None

This certification is bestowed on any crew member who demonstrates the ability to fully participate in the daily sailing tasks on board and passes a written test proving that they’ve mastered fundamental information on safety, seamanship, navigation and boat handling skills.

Prerequisites: SC Crew

Proving you have an understanding of some of the more advanced sailing theories and demonstrating the ability to participate in sail reefing, timed tacking and jibing, island crossing, advanced navigation, anchoring, docking and de-docking skills along with racing tactics and proper safety techniques will earn you our Bosun certification.

Prerequisites: SC Crew & Bosun

A focus on leadership while underway is the core of this certification. You’ll earn Mate certification if you succeed at assigning crew positions, directing most phases of seamanship and safety drills, demonstrate proper engine, dinghy and equipment use and maintenance, keep an accurate ship’s log and monitor the weather all skills that make you a capable second in command.