PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course
Five dives. One Weekend. A whole lot more ocean
Ages 12+ · 2 days · 5 Adventure Dives · eLearning included · Small groups of 2–6 · From $599
Your Open Water card got you in. Advanced lets you go everywhere.
Open Water certifies you to 60 feet. Plenty of the world's best dives sit below that line — the deck of a wreck, the wall drop-off, the reef where the big animals hang out. Many dive boats and resorts expect Advanced before they'll take you to those sites.
Advanced Open Water fixes that, and it's the most fun course in PADI's lineup. There's no pool session and no exam room. Every dive is a real dive, with an instructor beside you teaching the skills that turn "I'm certified" into "I'm a good diver."
What you walk away with:
- Certified to 100 feet (30 m) — the depth most dive trips are built around
- Real navigation skills — compass, kick-cycles and landmarks, so you finish the dive at the exit instead of a long surface swim
- Better air and buoyancy — longer, calmer, more relaxed dives
- A taste of three specialties — and each Adventure Dive can count as the first dive of that full Specialty course
- The key to the next level — Advanced opens the door to Rescue Diver and, after that, Divemaster
How the Advanced Open Water course works
Study on your couch. PADI eLearning is included. Work through it on your phone or laptop at your own pace — most divers finish before their dive weekend.
Pick your adventures. You'll do 5 Adventure Dives. Two are part of every Advanced course: Deep and Underwater Navigation. The other three are your call, and we'll help you choose.
Dive with us for a weekend. About 8 hours of diving over two days at local Maryland-area quarries, in a small group with your instructor right there.
Get your card. Finish your fifth dive and you're a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver. Your certification never expires and is recognized worldwide.
The two core dives:
Deep Adventure Dive — learn to plan and manage deeper dives: gas, no-stop limits, and how depth affects your body and your thinking.
Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive — sharpen your compass work and natural navigation with kick-cycles, landmarks and time, so you always know where you are.
Choose your three Adventure Dives
This is the fun part. Build your course around what excites you — or what's coming up on your next trip.
Student favorites
| Adventure Dive | Why divers love it |
|---|---|
Wreck | Explore sunken structures safely and learn how to look without getting hurt or lost |
| Night | The same site, a totally different world — lights on, critters out |
| Peak Performance Buoyancy | The single biggest upgrade to every dive you'll ever do. Hover like a pro, use less air |
| Enriched Air Nitrox | Longer bottom times and shorter surface intervals — a must for dive trips. Pair it with full Nitrox certification |
| Search & Recovery | Run search patterns and lift objects with a lift bag. Surprisingly addictive |
| Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) | Ride an underwater scooter. Yes, it's as fun as it sounds |
More ways to customize: Boat · Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) · Sidemount · Underwater Photography · Underwater Videography · Fish Identification · Underwater Naturalist · Project AWARE Dive Against Debris
Some Adventure Dives have age or depth limits for 12–14 year olds. We'll guide younger divers to the right picks.
Planning a trip? Tell us where you're going. Heading to St. Croix, Bonaire, Roatan or other destination with us? We'll build your Advanced course around what you'll see there.
Why divers choose YAY Scuba for Advanced Open Water
- Small groups, real attention. Classes typically run 2–6 divers. You're never a number in a crowd at the quarry.
- PADI Professional for 25+ years, with PADI's 25-year membership award to show for it.
- Safety first, fun always. We take the training seriously so you can relax and enjoy the dive.
- Gear experts in-house. Authorized dealer for Atomic, Oceanic, Hollis, Zeagle and HOG, with in-person fittings and regulator and BCD servicing.
- Advanced students get special pricing on computer, compass, DSMB and light packages.
- A dive community, not just a class. Local social events, conservation cleanup dives and group trips around the world.
- Your Advanced card is your ticket to come along.
- Close to home. Based in Perry Hall, teaching in Perry Hall, Bel Air and local quarries — easy from Baltimore, Towson, White Marsh and Harford County.
Advanced Open Water pricing
| Advanced Open Water | Advanced Open Water + Nitrox | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 | $899 |
| PADI Advanced eLearning | Yes | Yes |
| 5 Adventure Dives with your instructor | Yes | Yes |
| Tanks and weights | Yes | Yes |
| PADI Enriched Air Nitrox eLearning | - | Yes |
| PADI Club membership | - | Free |
| PADI ReActivate eLearning | - | Free |
| YAY Scuba water bottle | - | Free |
| BOOK ADVANCED | BOOK THE BUNDLE |
Not included: scuba gear and wetsuit or drysuit (rentals available), quarry entry fees and quarry air fills. Divers usually own or buy a dive computer, compass, DSMB, cutting tool and, for night dives, a light — ask about our student gear packages.
Why Nitrox? It's the add-on we recommend most. Nitrox gives you longer no-stop times on repetitive dives, which is exactly what you want on a boat trip with three or four dives a day.
Who can take Advanced Open Water
Certification: PADI Open Water or Junior Open Water Diver, or an equivalent certification from other agency
Requirement: 12 years or older. Divers aged 12-14 earn Junior Advanced Open Water and are limited to 70ft.
Course Prerequisites: Open Water Diver/Junior Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification)
Experience: none beyond Open Water. You can start right after your Open Water checkout dives.
Time: eLearning at your own pace, plus about 6-8 hours of diving activities over two days
Gear: Compass, DSMB and optionally lights if you are doing the night dive.
What gear do I need?
You'll need standard scuba gear (rentals available) plus a compass, a DSMB (surface marker buoy) and a dive knife or cutting tool. Some Adventure Dives use extra gear — a dive light for Night, a lift bag for Search & Recovery, a camera for Photography. We'll tell you exactly what you need once you pick your dives.
Upcoming Advanced dates
Our local open-water season runs spring through fall and on most of our trips.
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
Can't make these? Contact us — we can often schedule private or small-group weekends. Sign up now, finish eLearning over the winter, and be first in the water in spring.
Ready to go Advanced? Here's how to sign up
1. Book and pay below. Choose Advanced ($599) or the Advanced + Nitrox Bundle ($849). Your PADI eLearning access arrives by email.
2. Complete two quick forms. Read the Diver Medical Questionnaire carefully (page 3 is only needed if the form says you need a physician's sign-off), then fill in the Diver Information Form.
3. We'll call you to schedule. We'll lock in your dive weekend and help you pick your three Adventure Dives.
Questions first? Call or text 443-379-4450 or email info@yayscuba.com. We're happy to talk it through.
You already proved you can dive. Now go see what's down there. Book Your Advanced Course
FAQ
Do I need to be an experienced diver to take the Advanced Open Water course?
Nope! You can start right after earning your Open Water Diver certification. The Advanced Open Water course is designed to build confidence, enhance skills, and help you try new types of diving—even if you're still pretty new.
What’s included in the course with YAY Scuba?
Your course fee includes:
- PADI eLearning
- Five open water Adventure Dives (two required: deep & navigation + three of your choice)
- Tanks and weights
Not included: personal scuba gear, wetsuit/drysuit, and quarry entry fees (gear is available to rent).
What kind of dives can I choose from?
In addition to deep and navigation dives, you get to choose three from a fun list like:
- Wreck diving
- Peak Performance Buoyancy
- Night diving
- Rescue
- DPV - Diver Propulsion Vehicle
- Fish ID
- Search and Recovery
…and more! Your instructor will help you plan a path based on your interests.
What gear will I need?
All divers will need:
- Compass
- DSMB (Surface Marker Buoy)
- Dive knife or tool
Optional gear depends on your dive choices (e.g., dive light for night dives, camera for photography). We offer discounted gear packages for our students!
How long does the course take?
The course typically takes two days and about 8 hours total in-water time. Study time for eLearning is flexible—most students complete it before the first dive weekend.
Is there an age requirement?
Yes. You must be at least 12 years old and a certified PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent). Some Adventure Dives may have age or depth restrictions for younger divers, so we’ll help guide appropriate choices.
How do I sign up and get started?
Easy! Just sign up through our website or contact us directly. You'll receive your PADI eLearning access and a link to our diver forms and medical questionnaire. Once that’s complete, we’ll help you schedule your dive weekend.