Open Water Diver

Open Water Diver (OWD) is an entry-level autonomous diver certification for recreational scuba diving.

Although different agencies use different names, similar entry-level courses are offered by all recreational diving agencies and consist of a combination of knowledge development (theory), confined water dives (practical training) and open water dives (experience) suitable to allow the diver to dive on open circuit scuba, in open water to a limited depth and in conditions similar to those in which the diver has been trained or later gained appropriate experience, to an acceptable level of safety.

[1] The "Open Water Diver" certification name is used by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI),[2] Scuba Schools International (SSI),[3] the National Academy of Scuba Educators (NASE) Worldwide,[4] Professional Technical and Recreational Diving (ProTec),[5] International Scuba Certification (ISC),[6] and the Sub-Aqua Association (SAA),[7] which is recognised by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) as a CMAS 1-star certification.

[9] The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) entry-level course is called Scuba Diver.

[citation needed] The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) calls its equivalent qualification 'Ocean Diver'.