Advanced Open Water Course
The next step after Open Water. IDC's Advanced course gets you PADI Advanced certified through five guided specialty dives — with four course levels to choose from depending on how many certifications you want to walk away with.
About this Course
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
The Advanced Open Water course is the natural next step after your Open Water certification — and a practical one. Advanced certification is required for IDC's Thursday and Sunday Eagle wreck charters, qualifies you for deeper dive sites, and builds the specific skills that make every dive safer and more enjoyable.
The course covers five specialty dives completed with an instructor.
Required Equipment
A cutting tool, timing device or dive computer, and compass are required for the course. Dive computers and compasses are available to rent from IDC if you don't have your own. Gear rental is not included in the course price.
Course Levels
Level 1 — AOW certification card5 dives: Underwater Navigation, Deep Water, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Dive Against Debris, Wreck or Drift
After purchase, we'll send a confirmation email with instructions for scheduling your course dives.
How the Course Works
Each level completes the same five core dives but varies in which specialties are included and how many cert cards you receive at the end. Level 4 adds two additional dives and a fourth specialty card.
All dives take place in open water — on Islamorada's reefs and wrecks — not in a pool or classroom. Your instructor is in the water with you throughout.
Course Schedule
What's Covered
What's Next
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do you need to take the Advanced Open Water course?
A: A PADI Open Water certification and a minimum age of 12. From there, the Advanced course builds on what you already know through five guided dives with an instructor. It’s the natural next step — and a practical one, since AOW opens up deeper sites and the wreck charters.
Q: How many dives are in the Advanced Open Water course?
A: Five specialty dives for Levels 1 through 3: Underwater Navigation, Deep, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Dive Against Debris, and either Wreck or Drift. Level 4 adds two more dives and a fourth specialty card. Every dive happens on Islamorada’s reefs and wrecks — never a pool.
Q: How much does Advanced Open Water cost?
A: It starts at $500, which covers instruction and all your course dives. Gear rental isn’t included. You’ll also need a cutting tool, a timing device or dive computer, and a compass — rent the computer and compass from us if you don’t own them.
Q: Do I need Advanced certification to dive the Eagle wreck?
A: You do. IDC’s Thursday and Sunday charters to the Eagle — a 269-foot freighter resting in more than 100 feet of water — require Advanced certification. The Deep and Wreck dives in this course are exactly the training that makes those sites safe and worth it.
Q: What are the four course levels in the Advanced program?
A: Each level completes the same five core dives but differs in which specialties count and how many certification cards you walk away with. Level 1 earns your Advanced Open Water card. Level 4 adds two dives and a fourth specialty cert. Tell us your goal, and we’ll point you to the right level.
Book Your Course Online
Morning and afternoon charters run year-round from Three Waters Marina. Whether you're booking a charter, a course, or just have questions — we're here.