The mini-dive is a new addition to the confined water section of the new PADI Open Water Course skills. This is where student divers plan a simulated dive in a controlled environment with the assistants of their instructor. To make dive planning even easier, students now have the dive planning slate that walks them through all the steps of dive planning.

During confined water dive 5, in the swimming pool or in confined open water, students have the chance to preform a simulated dive to make sure they are all prepared for the open water dives.

Using the dive planning slate, students plan the “dive” with their buddy, choose the proper entry/exit techniques and swim around with emphasis on neutral buoyancy and making an effort to avoid contact with the simulated sensitive bottom. During this simulated dive, students will also need to respond to simulated common problems such as; leg cramps, out of air and sharing air, freeflow regulator, mask flooding or regulator recovery.

After completing the mini-dive, students are ready to jump into the open water, armed with the skills of dive planning, neutral buoyancy and more prepared for common problems. Thanks to the mini-dive students find the transition from the swimming pool to the open ocean even easer.