In an ideal world, most of us scuba divers would be underwater every chance we get. But the reality is that sometimes life happens and we need to step away from diving for a bit. The COVID-19 pandemic is one life event that definitely sidelined a lot of divers for longer than we’d like, but there’s no need to worry. With a PADI ReActivate course, you can brush up on any skills that may have gotten dusty during your time off and get back to diving safely and comfortably.
What is a PADI ReActivate course?
The PADI ReActivate course is a program that’s designed to help existing certified scuba divers who’ve been inactive for a period of time, to refresh their skills and begin diving again with confidence.
Similarly to many other PADI programs, there is a knowledge component and an in-water skills refresher. Divers can complete the knowledge review material quickly and easily online (you can even complete it from your smartphone!). Following the completion of the assessment, divers can move onto the in-water portion, in which an instructor will process the ReActivated certification card online.
Benefits of a PADI ReActivate course
The PADI ReActive course provides a lot of benefits for divers, regardless of how much experience you have under the water. The course allows divers to build up their confidence in the water, which is especially important after some time out of the water.
And since the PADI ReActivate course is available online and on tablets, it’s easier than ever to incorporate your scuba training into your everyday life. The prescriptive course format also allows you to maximize your time by focusing on the skills that are most important underwater, so that you can get back to diving ASAP — and back to furthering your scuba education with more courses!
What you’ll learn
The PADI ReActivate course covers some of the foundational diving skills to help you get back on your feet after a break from diving.
During the knowledge component you’ll envision yourself in various scenarios and make decisions that test your understanding of important dive safety concepts, dive planning essentials, and problem management.
The five main skills that you’ll refresh during the in-water session are:
- Remove, replace and clear your mask
- Become neutrally buoyant and hover
- In shallow water too deep to stand in and with a deflated BCD, release and drop enough weights to become positively buoyant
- Use an alternate air source to ascend to the surface and establish a positive buoyancy
- Practice any other skill the instructor feels needs improvement
Prerequisites for a Refresher course
The only prerequisite that you need in order to take the PADI ReActivate course is to be a certified diver. However, if you’re wondering how long you’ll have to have been out of the water before a refresher course is necessary, PADI recommends that any diver who has not completed a dive in six months needs to take the course.
Experienced divers who have not been diving in over six months are usually their own best judge if they need a formal course to regain their scuba skills. However, every diver who has not dived in two years should seriously consider the course. Divers who have been out of the water any longer than that should consider re-taking the PADI Open Water Diver course.
You can sign up for ReActivate courses through Scuba.com:
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Your PADI qualification never expires. When you become a certified diver, you are certified for life.
One of the best things about the PADI refresher course is that it can be completed very quickly and according to your schedule. The knowledge portion of the course takes about two hours and you can expect to spend up to six hours in total on the course.
Conclusion
The PADI ReActivate course is an effective and flexible way for divers who’ve been dormant for a while to brush up on their skills and build up their confidence before getting back into the water.
