After people read what the Open Water course actually involves, the next WhatsApp is almost always the same: what should I bring to the pool?
Not much. We loan you the scuba kit for the course. Your part is to show up in something you can swim in, with a towel and dry clothes for the ride home. If you can work through some of the SSI online material before day one, even better — the pool clicks faster when you already know why the regulator behaves the way it does.
This list is for your first pool session, including a try dive in the same pool.
The short list
Bring a swimsuit, a towel, and a change of clothes. Sandals or flip-flops help on a wet deck. A water bottle is a good idea; pool skills are more tiring than they look from the side.
If you wear contact lenses, bring spares or glasses for afterward. If you need a mask that fits over glasses, tell us before the session — we will sort something out.
Enrolling in the full course? Send a clear face photo for your SSI certification card on WhatsApp before your first session, or have one ready on your phone. We ask for that at registration anyway.
That is genuinely most of it.
Before you get in the water
Eat something light. A heavy meal right before you strap a tank on is uncomfortable. Coffee is fine for most people; if caffeine makes you jittery, skip it.
Arrive a few minutes early. We size you for gear, walk through how the session runs, and answer questions before anyone gets wet.
If we send you forms or a medical questionnaire, fill them in honestly. Some conditions need a doctor’s sign-off for scuba — that is normal everywhere, not something unique to us. When in doubt, message us first.
Your own mask and fins
We provide full kit for pool training and for the Pramuka trip. You do not need to buy anything to start.
If you already own a mask, snorkel, fins, or a thin wetsuit that fits you, bring them. Gear that seals on your face and does not pinch your feet is noticeably nicer than “close enough” rental kit.
A rash guard or UV shirt is optional. The pool is outdoors; long sessions add up in the sun.
Please do not rush out and buy a full scuba setup before your first breath underwater. Most divers buy a mask first, much later.
What we have ready for you
For pool sessions we set you up with BCD, regulator, tank, weights as needed, and mask or fins if you are not using your own. Sessions are private — you and your instructor, not a crowded weekend slot in a public pool.
You start in the shallow end, about 1.5 metres, until the basics feel natural. Later you use the deep end, about 3 metres, for skills like equalizing under control. We wrote about that here.
What you do not need on day one
You do not need a dive computer for Open Water training at this stage. You do not need an underwater camera on session one — learn buoyancy and mask skills first; photos come later.
You also do not need a dry bag full of gadgets for Bogor pool days. Keep it simple.
Try dive or full course — same bag
A try dive is one pool session: first breath underwater, no course commitment. Pack the same swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. We still provide the gear. If you sign up for Open Water afterward, nothing on this list changes.
Pramuka is a different packing day
Your ocean dives are a separate weekend. When you get there, we still loan course equipment. You will add toiletries, reef-safe sunscreen, any medication you normally take, dry clothes for the boat, and a little cash for extras on the island. The full trip breakdown lives in the Open Water course article — you do not need to pack for Pramuka on your first pool day.
Still unsure?
Message us before your session. Showing up with a swimsuit and a towel is most of the job; we handle the rest.