Learn to Scuba Dive

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Scuba!

Learn to SCUBA dive with the professionals at Sonoma Coast Divers! We offer the SSI Open Water Certification Course, an internationally recognized diver certification program that we consider to be the finest in the world. We have been teaching in the Bay Area since 1978 (in our current location since 1998), and have an unequaled reputation for quality instruction. Our instructors teach courses that are fun, but also stress the techniques needed to become a safe and comfortable diver. If you are in good health and free from heart and lung problems, you can learn to SCUBA dive!

Weekend Group Courses require an orientation at least one week before the course date. The Class/Pool sessions will be on Saturday and Sunday from approximately 9am to 5pm.  The Ocean dives are conducted the following weekend on the Sonoma/Mendocino Coasts or Monterey Coast. Please see below for pricing and more details.	Private Lessons are available at your convenience. They can be conducted at our facility (if available), or in the privacy of your own home and pool. The cost varies based on the number of students.

Getting Started!

Step 1: Sign Up and Attend an Orientation 
Courses begin with choosing a class that works with your schedule. Take a look at our Calendar and find a class that works for you, then give us a call or stop by the shop to sign up for your desired class. Upon registration, you will be asked to come in for your orientation. Plan on scheduling a time to come into Sonoma Coast Divers at least one week prior to the start of your course for a 1 to 2 hour orientation and equipment fitting. If you have any of your own personal equipment you plan on using, you must bring it in at orientation to be checked over.

Step 2: SSI Registration and Home Study

All of the required reading is uploaded into your personal SSI student account that you will create. To create your student account you can go to divessi.com or download SSI App on any device, choose "create student account", then follow the prompts; making sure you have completed all the information including uploading a profile picture of yourself, adding your address and choosing "Sonoma Coast Divers" as your local dive center. Once you have signed up for your Open Water Course, we will load your Open Water Course materials onto your account. The online course takes 6-8 hours to read and complete the 6 chapter review sections. *Please make sure you "sync" your account each time you are done working on a device for that period of time.



Step 3: Class and Pool Session
Your training includes 2 academic sessions in the classroom, and 2 days of in-the-water pool sessions to practice the skills learned in the classroom. Pool and Classroom sessions are held on a Saturday and Sunday. 

Step 4: Open Water Dives
In order to become certified, you will need to complete at least four open water dives over a two day period (two on Saturday and two on Sunday). Your instructor will evaluate your skills as you apply what you have learned during your academic and pool training to an open water environment. Our ocean dives are usually conducted on our beautiful North Coast or down in the Monterey Bay.

Once complete your last dive on Sunday, you are a certified diver for life!! 

Our Cancellation Policy
You can change the dates of your course, pool and ocean weekends, up to 3 weeks before the start of the course with no penalty. Within 3 weeks of the start of your course date there is a $50 cancellation or transfer fee. Beginning the Monday prior to your course start date, there are no refunds for cancellations or transfers. All monies paid are forfeit should you choose to move out of the class you signed up for. Please understand that we often have long wait-lists for these classes and the week-of the course we are rarely able to fill cancelled spots. Please give us a call if you have questions about this policy.