Start your SDI Open Water Scuba Diver eLearning course and master all the important academic information. You can complete this phase through self-study, at your own pace, in the convenience of your home or office. All eLearning courses work on mobile and tablet devices too.
The next step will be to complete your in-water skill-development training. This takes place in a swimming pool or similar body of confined water, under the supervision of an SDI Instructor.
The final step is to complete the required number of SDI Open Water training dives under the supervision of your SDI Instructor. Here you will apply what you have learned during your academic and skill-development sessions, while learning practical lessons that can only be gained through real-world experience in open water.
Taking your first breath underwater is an indescribable experience. By earning your SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification, you will be free to explore an entirely new world…one teeming with life, with history, and with weightlessness. We at Blue Dog Divers promise to give you the absolute best beginner diving experience. Our experienced instructor will guide you on your journey and help you discover this new and enchanting world.
The owner of Blue Dog Divers, Wayne Leinen, has been diving since 2009. He immediately fell in love with the ocean and everything in it, particularly deep wrecks, beautiful picturesque reef lines and sharks! To perfect his skills, mindfulness, and safe practices in the water, he then turned to the challenges of technical diving. It was here that Wayne learned everything from Advanced Wreck Penetration to Decompression Diving, TriMix to Full Cave Diving. This love of all things SCUBA then naturally turned to teaching and sharing his love of the sport with others.
At Blue Dog, we pride ourselves on offering a different kind of instructional experience. Our class sizes are deliberately kept small – oftentimes offering one-on-one, one-on-two, or family sized instructor to student ratios. You will not get lost in a crowded classroom full of students! Our classes are very flexibly scheduled. Also, unlike many "diver factories" out there, you will not get rushed through your Confined Water (pool) training. We spend as much time as is necessary for you to feel comfortable and safe in the water. We don’t move on to the Open Water phase of training until both you and your instructor are ready. Lastly, your actual Certification Dives are done in the actual ocean. You would think this would be the norm, but many dive shops on the west coast of Florida actually utilize LAKES for their certification dives. At BDD, we feel that diving in a lake does NOT properly prepare you for diving in the ocean. All of our certification dives are done either on the beautiful east coast in Pompano Beach, or in the Florida Keys. So there it is! Ultra-small and flexible classes, patient and safe instruction, and real-life training environments!
In addition to Open Water Diver, your first venture into SCUBA, we can also safely train you in many other certifications and specialties. Some of these include Advanced Diver, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, Computer Nitrox Diver, Night Diver, Wreck Diver, Deep Diver, and many more.
There is so much to learn and experience in SCUBA. We hope you’ll begin your journey with us!
| Interactive eLearning Course |
| Accompanied Basic Gear Purchase(Mask, Fins, Snorkel, Boots) |
| Academic/Gear Review |
| Water Comfort Evaluation |
| Confined Water Classes(As Many As Needed, Flexibly Scheduled) |
| BCD, Tank & Regulator for Confined Water Training(Paid by Student) |
| BCD, Tank & Regulator for Open Water Certification Dives(Paid by Student) |
| Open Water Dives (4) Required for Certification(Paid by Student) |
| Certification Card |
| Professionally Produced Video Of Student’s Dive Training(Available at Additional Cost $400) |
| Interactive eLearning Course |
| Accompanied Basic Gear Purchase(Mask, Fins, Snorkel, Boots) |
| Academic/Gear Review |
| Water Comfort Evaluation |
| Confined Water Classes(As Many As Needed, Flexibly Scheduled) |
| BCD, Tank & Regulator for Confined Water Training(Provided for and Transported By Blue Dog Divers) |
| BCD, Tank & Regulator for Open Water Certification Dives(Provided for and Transported By Blue Dog Divers) |
| Open Water Dives (4) Required for Certification(Included!) |
| Certification Card |
| Professionally Produced Video Of Student’s Dive Training(Included!) |
For anyone who is hesitant about learning to dive, stop thinking about it and sign up today! SCUBA diving opened up a whole new world for me and allowed me to experience so many types of adventures. Exploring a shipwreck, marveling at the creatures you can find on a beautiful coral reef, learning underwater photography...I never expected to do these things, but now I can't imagine life without it. You just need to start with a patient, experienced, and calm instructor, in order to build your comfort level when you are a beginning student. Let my forever dive buddy, Wayne, be your instructor, and he'll show you what you've been missing all these years on land.
Laura Leinen, DVM
Advanced Diver, Computer Nitrox Diver
The flexible scheduling, high safety standards and thorough instruction offered by Blue Dog Divers are second to none. I've had some fantastic experiences learning and diving with Wayne! Next step? Advanced Diver!
Devon Schragen
Open Water Diver, Computer Nitrox Diver
Diving had always been on my list of things to do. My girlfriend and I chose Blue Dog Divers for our Open Water Certification. Wayne made learning a breeze! He’s extremely knowledgeable, patient and made sure that we were ready before ever going into the ocean. When we went to get certified we felt completely ready and confident that we knew what we were doing. What an amazing experience! I can’t wait to dive again! Thanks Wayne, for being an excellent instructor!
Bryan Zarbhanelian
Open Water Diver
I just completed my first night/wreck dives with Scuba Diving Instructor Wayne Leinen. We started on the dock with a thorough review of the plan, conditions, and underwater communication. Then we boarded the boat and assembled our gear together, side by side. Wayne is humble and kind, but direct and competent. Safety is #1, which translates to a successful dive, and a great experience. I’d recommend Wayne to all friends, family, ages and levels.
Chip Burtner
Open Water and Nitrox Diver
I was initially on edge about obtaining my dive certification due to a healthy fear of open water. Training with Wayne at Blue Dog Divers helped instill the confidence I needed to finish the certification by teaching me the fundamental skills, and how to dive with safety in mind. Wayne ensures that you are comfortable with all skills prior to hitting deep water and will spend any time necessary to make sure you are proficient with all skills, knowing your gear and how to properly use it, and how to dive with safety and confidence. I thoroughly enjoyed my time training with Wayne and look forward to future training. I would highly recommend anyone considering obtaining their certifications to contact Blue Dog Divers, you will not regret it.
Kurt Peterson
Open Water and Nitrox Diver
We had an awesome experience! My husband and I both wanted to get certified. Wayne’s instruction was top notch and we felt very comfortable for our check out dives. If you are considering getting certified, Wayne is the instructor you want!
Lisa & Jim Petruska
Open Water Diver
I recently obtained my dive cert through Blue Dog Divers and had the best experience imaginable. Wayne was my instructor the whole time and provided great instruction and knowledge. Made me feel secure and safe while making it a lot of fun! Wayne provided 1 on 1 instruction and did not hesitate to provide further education if needed. Had a blast and would highly recommend to family and friends.
Esvin Staiger
Open Water Diver
My son and I recently completed our diving certification with Wayne. He was a fantastic instructor! My 10 year old feels confident and knowledgable underwater, which is the most important thing for me. Thanks Wayne!
Ashley & Caleb Santana
Open Water Diver
I completed my SCUBA and Nitrox certifications with Blue Dog Divers. It was very nice to learn from somebody who is so passionate about diving. Wayne is very knowledgeable and has a calming presence. He always made sure I felt comfortable through every step of the training. There is now a whole new world that I have access to explore now, thanks to Wayne! I would highly recommend Blue Dog Divers and Wayne to anyone looking to get SCUBA certified or pursue advanced SCUBA training!
Kristin Wendelburg, DVM
Open Water Diver
If you’re looking to become scuba certified, do yourself a favor and call Blue Dog Divers! Recently, my wife and I decided to finally become certified open water divers. From the initial online training, through the multiple pool sessions, and ultimately the open water certification dives, Wayne makes the entire process convenient, straightforward, and most importantly, safe and fun! Initially, we were scheduled to do our open water certification dives in October, but unfortunately we had to cancel due to Hurricane Ian. Because of storm damage, the certification just wasn’t a high priority. Once we rescheduled, Wayne spent hours with us reviewing all the practical skills, and even came to our house to practice in the pool, since the training facility was damaged as well. By the time we did our certification dives, we felt completely comfortable and loved the experience of actually scuba diving! Wayne truly has a passion for the sport, and his professionalism is well known throughout the industry. Give Wayne a call, and we promise you won’t be disappointed. Dive the world!
Andrew Marcus
Open Water Diver
My husband and I recently did our open water certification with Wayne and Blue Dog Divers. We loved the experience so much that we decided to get our two daughters certified as well (our son still isn’t old enough yet). To be honest, we were a little nervous about having them get certified because we are still new divers ourselves. However, Wayne put our minds completely at ease. From the very beginning, Wayne said that the girls would do as many pool sessions as we needed to make sure we all felt comfortable, and that by the time they did open water they would be totally proficient at all of their essential skills. Well, our girls just did their open water certification this past weekend, and they completely rocked it! We can’t thank Wayne enough, and are so excited for our family diving adventures together. If you and your family have any interest in scuba, call Wayne and Blue Dog Divers without hesitation. You’ll be so glad you did. Dive the world!
Kristine Marcus
Open Water Diver
