Continue your adventures in SCUBA diving with the PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER Course!

Deep Diving ‘Manta Arch’ at South Solitary Island, we passed six Grey Nurse Sharks on the way to 30 metres!” -25 Jan 2014 .

Whilst Drift Diving along ‘Boulder Wall’, we saw two Huge Cuttlefish pulsating amazing Colours” -28th May 13.

On our Navigation Dive at ‘South Solitary’, we saw three Turtles!” -1st August 15.

During a Fish ID Dive at ‘Shark Gutters’ we counted six rare Black Cod” -4th March 14.

There is so much more Adventure in Diving at the Solitary Islands, perfect for the PADI Advanced Course.


What is the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

The Advanced Open Water Course is perfect for enhancing and improving your scuba skills! Descend to new depths, practice your underwater navigation, and focus and improve on your buoyancy skills! Then enjoy choosing between elective dives and exploring topics such as drift diving, underwater imaging, fish ID, underwater naturalist, and shark awareness. You can even add on an Enriched Air specialty that allows you to dive on Enriched Air Nitrox – an air blend with a higher oxygen percentage.

Being Certified as an Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver gives you the credentials to dive to depths of 30m. Plus, you’ll get to experience sites like Manta Arch when diving with us at South Solitary.

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course requires five dives (we give you a bonus one FREE) and teaches important skills to help you become a more independent diver. This course is when you begin to THINK LIKE A DIVER.

What does Jetty Dive’s Advanced Open Water Course include?

  • Your PADI Advanced Open Water Certification, registered in the PADI database, and digital certification card (E-Card)
  • Five Specialty boat dives at the Solitary Islands Marine Park, aboard our world-class boats, plus one bonus FUN dive Free!
  • E-Learning in your personal PADI library that you can access for life!
  • Small group, 5-Star PADI training, for a more personal experience.
  • All equipment hire.
  • Plenty of fun and adventure!
  • The option to add on the Enriched Air Specialty and dive on Enriched Air Nitrox (Additional cost and theory). This provides you with an Enriched Air Nitrox Certification.
  • We’ll provide the ADVENTURE, you bring your swimmers, towel, Reef-Safe Sunscreen and a sense of humour!

Course Content:

 Required dives:

  • Deep Dive: to a depth near 30m, potentially demonstrating the effects of nitrogen narcosis.
  • Navigation Dive: learning to use a compass and the surroundings to get around.

Then YOU select from a wide range of Elective Adventure Dive choices for the remaining three dives – options include:

  • Peak Performance Buoyancy (highly recommended as Dive 1)
  • Underwater Digital Imaging (includes U/W photography and videography)
  • Drift Diving
  • Underwater Naturalist
  • Fish ID
  • Shark Awareness
  • Night Dive*
  • Wreck Dive*
  • Enriched Air Nitrox specialty dive**
  • Search and Recovery (special arrangements needed)

Your sixth dive is a fun dive. For this dive we usually let you lead and manage your own dive.

*these dives on special trips only.

** Enriched Air Nitrox can be combined in the Advanced Course as one of the dives.

Is there any classroom time in the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

The theory component of the Padi Advanced Open Water course is all self study of the relevant chapter/module. The PADI Advanced theory is done through E-Learning on the PADI portal. There is an option of a physical book for your theory, but you will be required to complete all knowledge reviews and submit them to our instructors for marking prior to certification.

When can I start the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

Now! PADI Advanced Open Water Courses can start daily with every charter dive trip to the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Bookings are essential!
The PADI Advanced Open Water course takes a total of 3 days to complete. We can fit it into even the busiest of schedules: you could spread your course over a number of days or weekends, and can be combined with other charter trips.

The Solitary Islands Marine Park on New South Wales’ North Coast offers fantastic advanced diving all year round! As for the Shark Awareness dive, we get the most Grey Nurse Sharks in winter.

A PADI Adventure Diver course includes 4 Advanced Dives for those who that only have 2 Days available. Please get in touch with us if you’d prefer this option.

How much is the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Prerequisites

  • Medical questionaire showing no major health concerns.
  • A minimum certification of PADI Open Water Diver or Equivalent is required to commence this course (you must provide proof of certiifcation)
  • The minimum age to start the Advanced Open Water Diver course is 12.

What’s next after the PADI Advanced Open Water course?

Booking Conditions

  • The Solitary Islands half day Dive Trips rely on minimum numbers, and have maximum limits too, so prior bookings are essential! Be early in busy times!
  • A deposit is required to secure your booking. Deposits are fully refundable if 48 hours notice before the trip change of date or cancellation is given. (If we cancel trip due to weather we can also provide a full refund. Refer to part 29 of our terms and conditions for more details)
  • Trips are weather dependent, and may be cancelled  if unsuitable sea conditions prevail. This is a decision made by Jetty Dive Centre Staff, we will not go ahead if conditions are unsafe. Rain does not constitute for bad weather – it can often lead to better diving with more abundant fishlife!
  • Plan for SeaSickness! Even if you do not usually experience sea-sickness, we recommend taking travel sickness medication as it is better to be safe than sorry. We do not recommend using ginger. We CANNOT provide any medications.
  • We have adopted a ‘Reef-Safe Sunscreen Only” policy for our trips. If you will be getting in the water, please ensure you wear only reef-safe sunscreen. For more guidance, and to check your sunscreen, please read our post about our Reef-Safe Sunscreen Policy.
Green Sea Turtle (S Jessop July 2023)
Grey Nurse Shark at Shark Gutter (L Devery August 2023)
Octopus at Cleaner Station (T Angerson June 2023)
diver and anemonefish
Leopard Shark and Diver cuddle (L Devery April 2023)
diver in shark gutter
Green Sea Turtle at The Gap with Students (L Devery March 2023)
grey nurse shark
Students in the ocean for PADI Open Water Scuba Diver Course (January 2021)
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course
Grey Nurse shark and happy diver
Several Grey Nurse Sharks in frame, with the ocean floor and blue water behind.
Blue-lipped Anemone with diver
Grey nurse sharks in gutters and diver Tara

Where to find us.

OFFICE LOCATION

Jetty Dive Centre Dive Shop is at 398 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450. This is where you begin your experiences with us! All Scuba Dives and Snorkelling must check-in before moving to departure point.

BOATS DEPARTURE POINT

All our boats leave from the Public floating pontoon wharf opposite the “Attitude Burgers “ building.

Jetty dive google maps with markers for priority locations