Open Water Diver Certification McHenry County

We offer two options for attending the academic and pool training.

Option 1: Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm. Academic review is 9 am to 12 pm then the pool training is 1 pm to 5 pm both days. This will complete the academic review and pool training in only one weekend. Weekend training is limited to 6 students and there is a 45-minute lunch break at noon on both days. The fee for this format is $388.00.

Option 2: Two consecutive Tuesday nights for academic review and two consecutive Thursday nights for pool training. Weeknight courses are from 6:30 pm to 10 pm, finishing in 4 weeknights. Weeknight training is limited to 2 students. There are no meal breaks during the weeknight format. The fee for this format is $438.00.

Either option includes:

• Lifetime access to Scuba School International (SSI) digital training materials. The training materials must be completed before your class starts. The digital training materials can be accessed via a web browser, tablet, or smartphone (use the app for tablets or phones). Along with the training materials, you’ll have access to a digital logbook, digital certification cards, locations of dive sites worldwide, and more.
• Use of premium scuba equipment.
• Referral certification to take with you on vacation if needed.

Proper fitting snorkeling equipment will increase your overall comfort and safety while scuba diving therefore, you are required to have your mask, snorkel, fins, and boots suitable for scuba. Our expertly trained staff will help you select your equipment, ensuring a proper fit. As a student, you will receive our Equipment Satisfaction Guarantee and a $50.00 discount on the course fee when you purchase your mask, snorkel, fins, and boots from Sea Level Diving.

You can register for our academic & pool training by calling or using our web registration. Don’t forget to register for the Open Water Dives too.

Private academic and pool training is available to fit most schedules.

The Open Water Training Dives are completed at Three Oaks Recreation Area, only minutes from the store.

Students meet at Sea Level Diving at 7 am on Saturday to get fitted for scuba equipment. We then load the equipment and students onto our specially designed Scuba Bus and head to Three Oaks Recreation Area. There, we will do two dives which should conclude around 3 pm. When we return to Sea Level Diving, the students will prepare their equipment for Sunday's dives. Sunday, students meet at 7 am and do it all again. When we return to the store on Sunday around 3 pm, students will take care of the equipment while the instructor processes the certification paperwork.

That is it; the students are now certified Open Water Scuba Divers!

The Fee for the Open Water Training dives is $210.00 and includes: 

• Four open water training dives.
• Use of all scuba equipment.
• Certification fees & digital card.
• Three Oaks Rec Area diving fee for two days ($40.00).
• Bus transport to and from Three Oaks.

We will transport you and your equipment to and from the dive site in our SCUBA BUS, eliminating parking hassles, a $5.00 parking fee for non-residents, and wet equipment in your car!

You can register for the Open Water Training Dives by calling or using our web registration.

Private Training dives are available.

We are collecting the park entrance fee when you register for the course to expedite the check-in process at the park. 

*If you are coming to us as a referral from another shop, add $50.00 to the fee. You must call us to register for the dives if you're coming to us from another shop.

There are many Scuba training agencies to choose from. Two of the largest are Scuba Schools International (SSI) and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).

Both agencies are a lifetime certification and are equally accepted worldwide. We recommend SSI because the training materials are less expensive.

We offer these two agencies to accommodate students completing their Open Water Training Dives while on vacation. Because of their popularity, odds are you will find one or the other, if not both, wherever you go.

If you will be completing the Open Water Training Dives locally with Sea Level Diving, register for the SSI course.

If you are completing the Open Water Training Dives with someone other than Sea Level Diving, you’ll must confirm which training agency they use. You must complete the Open Water Training Dives with the same agency as your Academic and Pool Training.

Use the buttons below to confirm which training agency is available at your destination. 

You will choose which agency during registration. 

If you're unsure which to choose, call us at 815-479-0996.