Scuba diving is the only way left to find hidden treasure, befriend a nautical skeleton, or strap a huge tank to yourself. Explore the possibilities with today's Groupon: for $199, you get a PADI Open Water Diver certification course at Beach Cities Scuba (a $575 value). The classroom portion of the certification may be performed at locations in Cypress, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach, while the pool portion must be performed at the Cypress or Laguna Beach location. The Cypress location is currently closed for construction, but will reopen January 21.
Helmed by a team of talented divers, Beach Cities Scuba's semiprivate Open Water Diver course certifies aspiring aquanauts to explore the salty ocean. After a brief Wednesday-night orientation, in-depth diving experience is imparted over the course of three weekends, which can be consecutive or spread out to fit each student's schedule. The first weekend starts with a classroom session, which covers the basics of equipment usage and quizzes students on the Latin names of all known fish, before taking to the safe confines of a pool where divers can get their gills wet for the first time. Two subsequent sessions take place amid the great waves of the open ocean, giving each student the chance to make four dives off the edge of a boat or from the beach. Upon completing their final class, students receive full PADI Open Water Diver certification, giving them opportunities to explore the depths of the nearby watery expanse. Students must provide their own mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, boots, gloves, PADI logbook, and golden diving monocle, which can all be brought from home or purchased at a discount through Beach Cities Scuba's store.
Beach Cities Scuba
The instructors and professional staff at PADI five-star instructor center Beach Cities Scuba introduce students to the big blue with PADI-certified diving courses for divers of all levels. They certify newbies with basic open-water courses and teach advanced divers in specialty courses such as Deep Diver, Rescue Diver, and Shark Therapist. They operate out of five convenient locations and sling necessary gear in onsite stores, from wetsuits and facemasks to spear guns. Beach Cities Scuba also connects divers through its dive club and hosts exotic dive trips to locations such as Indonesia, Fiji, and Cozumel.
