Open Water Diver

This course is designed for those that wish to obtain the knowledge to safely dive with a buddy up to the maximum depth allowed for recreational divers. The minimum age is 14 years old and there is no maximum age. Being certified as an ACUC Open Water Diver also allows you to take more advanced and specialty courses.

LSSC runs two twelve week courses per year with a maximum of twelve students per course. They are Wednesday nights at Carling Heights pool. Classroom sessions are from 7 pm to 8:30 pm, and we are in the pool from 9 pm to 10:30 pm. Both classes then attend the Open water checkouts (part of the certification process) at Innerkip the Saturday before the long weekend in May, and at Tobermory on the long weekend in May. Attendance is mandatory at open water checkouts. Our certifying agency is ACUC (American and Canadian Underwater Certifications). You need no diving experience to take our course. We are a not for profit organization and our teaching philosophy centres around teaching people to dive safely. One of our goals is to have people continue to dive once they complete the course and are certified.

Our instructional staff (5 Instructors, 2 Assistant Instructors, 8 Divemasters), all teach as volunteers. Because of the number of people involved in instruction, we often work one on one with students. In that way, you can move through the course at your own pace, within reasonable limits. Our training is a little more comprehensive than most other certifying agencies as we include snorkel skills, self rescue and diver rescue skills, and include some training exercises that are designed to give you confidence in open water.

Student's are given membership in our club (London Skin and Scuba Club) for the year. The club currently has around 100 members from London and area. It offers dive opportunities throughout the year, and other social events. The cost of certification is $399.00. This includes tank fills for classroom sessions, the use of buoyancy compensator and regulators for the duration of the course, and a one year membership in our club and the Ontario Underwater Council. Each student is expected to provide fins, snorkel, mask, weights and weight belt, and is responsible for tank fills during the Open Water Checkout portion of the course, and their own accommodation in Tobermory. We encourage students and instructional staff to stay at The Coach House Inn while in Tobermory (but this is not mandatory if you prefer other accommodation). We get a group rate from the Coach House, and our predive meetings are held there, and we hold a pot luck BBQ on the Sunday evening at the Coach House in Tobermory when we give the students their certificates.

Basic Life Support and First Aid

This program is designed to teach basic life support and first aid in five to six hours. Basic Life Support, or BLS, includes airway management skills such as the log roll and recovery position, one rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and additional skills like caring for a choking patient, controlling bleeding and caring for a patient in shock. The first aid portion of this program includes key skills such as illness and injury assessments, bandaging and splinting skills and emergency moves.

This program meets current American Heart Association and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) guidelines on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care. It is an instructor-led program featuring skills demonstrations, both in video and live, and skill practice with manikins.

Register for Training

We recomend that all students complete the Basic Life Support and First Aid. If you do not want the course you can register for only the Openwater Diver. To Complete the online registration, click on the registration forms below. Minimum deposit required to register for any course is $50.00, indicate how much and when you will be paying for the deposit and balance for the course. Until your cheque is received you will not be registered in the course. Please make your check payable to London Skin and SCUBA club and send to the Treasurer at the listed address or arrange to drop off by calling Richard at (519) 438-7711.

London Skin and SCUBA Club
Richard Fortin
420 McKenzie Ave
London, ON
N6C 1V4

Open Registrations



• Openwater Diver
  Cost: 399.00 (+ 70.00 for optional BLSFA) CDN
  Dates: February 1, 2012 to May 2, 2012
  Openwater: May 12, 2012 Innerkip and May 19-21, 2012, Tobermory
  Prerequisites: Minimum age: 14 years old, know how to swim and compelte medical screening.


Minimum deposit required to register for course is $50.00. No dive experience needed. By registering for the course you are committing that you will be attending all classes and openwater dives. Additional charges apply for students that do not make openwater dives.