PADI eLearning Open Water Course

Overnight schedule – Day 1:

9am: Check in at our Dive Centre at 319 Draper St, Cairns for your day of pool and theory. Remember to bring your luggage for your overnight experience

5pm: Finish your training, shower and change before heading back to your accommodation

Day 2:

8am: Board our dayboat ReefQuest

8.30am: Depart for the reef and Dive 1 briefing

10.15am: Dive 1

12 Noon: Lunch is served and Dive 2 briefing after

1pm: Dive 2

2.45pm: Transfer to the overnight boat if choosing the overnight option

3.30pm: Dive 3

6.30pm: Dinner is served!

7.30pm: Enjoy our Sharks in the Dark experience as a snorkeller, or from on deck

10pm: Bar closes

Day 3:

The vessel will move to a new location early in the morning with a chance to see the sunrise.

8.30am: Breakfast time! Fuel up – today you’ll become a certified Open Water Diver!

9.15am: Dive 4 briefing

9.30am: Dive 4 – congratulations, you’re now an Open Water Diver!

11.15am: Dive 5 briefing

11.30am: Dive 5 (fun dive)

1pm: Lunch is served

2.30pm: Transfer back to ReefQuest or if a Sunday, OceanQuest begins the return trip to Cairns

4-4.30pm (approx): Arrival back in Cairns

On arrival in Cairns we will offer a complimentary luggage drop off to your hotel or our dive centre.

• Minimum age 10 (or 12 if completing Advanced Open Water)
• When enrolling in an entry-level recreational diving certificate you must complete the following self-assessed medical declaration forms before starting your training. The forms are similar and both are a Queensland code of practice requirement.

Medical Declaration for Entry Level Divers

Diver Medical – Participant Questionnaire

• Medical certificate if required.
• Ability to pass a 200m swim and 10 minute treading water test

• Snacks and beverages
• Photo purchases
• Digital camera hire
• Quality souvenirs

• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
• Swimsuit and towel

For overnight option:

• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
• Swimsuit and towel
• Overnight bag with changes of clothing, including warm clothing and socks for overnight wear
• Toiletries

Bedding and bath towels are supplied on board. Excess baggage can be stored at our Draper Street office at check in.

OceanQuest has the following accommodation options:

• 4 Double Cabins with a queen size bed and en suite bathroom (minimum 2 passengers)
• 18 Twin Cabins each with two single beds and en suite bathroom

Due to current social distancing regulations:

• Shared cabins are only available to guests in a travel bubble (travelling together)
• A mandatory sole occupancy surcharge of 25% applies to solo travellers
• The sole occupancy surcharge will be refunded if restrictions are lifted before departure

All scuba participants must meet medical questionnaire requirements. Some conditions or medications may prevent you from diving.

Currently the rules state that for a single no decompression dive, you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 12 hours, or 18 hours after multiple dives. Divers Den recommends waiting a minimum 24 hours whenever possible. These are guidelines only, there is no guarantee that these recommendations will prevent decompression sickness. There are no current guidelines regarding diving after flying.

Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. Certain other tourist attractions around Cairns and Tropical North Queensland involve travelling to altitude. These include the Atherton Tablelands and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, so we recommend a gap between booking these experiences and any dive course or trip. Under normal circumstances, you should be out of the water on your last dive by 12pm (midday) on our overnight trips and 2pm on our day trips.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Had an absolute blast doing my Open Water and Advanced course on board OceanQuest – it was everything I dreamed it would be on the Great Barrier Reef. My incredible instructors were amazingly knowledgeable Everyone was so helpful and welcoming. Thanks so much, I will definitely be back again!”

– Alex