• Telephone
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
× Send
GUE Open Water Diver (Rec 1) course - basic diving training - skills and knowledge necessary to safely and consciously explore the underwater world. Dive House Baltic

GUE Open Water Diver (Rec1)

Comprehensive training for beginner divers

The GUE Open Water Diver (Rec 1) course is a basic diving training designed to equip beginner divers with the skills and knowledge necessary to explore the underwater world safely and consciously. The course emphasizes building a solid foundation building comfort, confidence, and stability in the water.

Course Duration

6 days

Number of dives

Minimum 12

Small groups

2-3 students

Configuration

Single cylinder or twinset

Gas mixes

Nitrox 32

Standards

GUE OWD Training Standards

Entry requirements

  • Age: minimum 12 years old
  • Health: generally good health and being a non-smoker
  • Basic swimming skills

Course price in Poland

4500 PLN

Course fee

+ 95 $

Registration fee:

certificate and access to the virtual learning platform

+ 400-500 PLN

Additionally:

Gas costs and dive logistics depending on the location

Course price abroad

1000 €

Course fee

+ 95 $

Registration fee:

certificate and access to the virtual learning platform

+ 200-400 €

Additionally:

Gas costs and dive logistics depending on the location

Interested in this course? Do you have any questions?

Learn more about the course GUE Open Water Diver (Rec1)

To master the basics of diving, it is necessary to build the appropriate equipment configuration, master stability and propulsion as well as procedures related to general diving safety and emergency responses.

All this requires time spent both in the classroom and underwater. That is why the GUE OWD (Rec1) training lasts minimum 6 days and requires a lot of dedication. The results, on the other hand, are incomparable to traditional OWD training.

It is difficult to compare the GUE OWD training with other Open Water Diver training courses on the market. Basic training at GUE includes many elements that are offered as separate, additional diving specialties in other organizations. During the GUE OWD (Rec1) training, students acquire skills in areas such as:

  • precise buoyancy control, maintaining the right position (trim),
  • propulsion and maneuvering techniques (including backward kick),
  • theory and practice of diving with the use of nitrox 32 as a breathing mixture,
  • compass navigation,
  • basic rescue skills on the water surface,
  • using a surface marker buoy (SMB).
  • Team diving – communication, formations, situational awareness.

By choosing this basic course, you are investing in:

  • High-quality training in accordance with international standards of the prestigious organization – Global Underwater Explorers .

  • Acquiring knowledge and a set of diving skills that will keep you safe and comfortable underwater.​​

  • Joining the GUE diving community, known for its high discipline and commitment to interesting diving projects.

Each GUE course includes a swimming test. In this case, it is:

  • 275m swim in up to 14 minutes.
  • 15m underwater on breath hold.

During the training, you will learn the necessary theoretical foundations about the aquatic environment, equipment, physiology, physics and psychology of diving. Examples of issues discussed during the training are:

  • Introduction: GUE organisation and training system
  • Diving Physics:
    – Breathing underwater
    – Pressure equalization and prevention of barotrauma
    – Buoyancy, position and stability in the water
  • Physical and mental stress during diving
  • Understanding and use of diving equipment
  • Physiology and respiratory gases
  • Decompression Theory
  • What is decompression sickness?
  • Dive planning and gas reserve management
  • Diving with nitrox
  • Team diving and underwater communication
  • Environmental factors associated with diving
  • Diving techniques to protect the underwater environment

The most important element of this training is in-water training. At the beginning of the course, you will practice basic skills in a controlled environment (pool or platform in shallow water). In the second part of the course, you will make at least 6 dives in the so-called open water to gain your first real diving experience.

During the training, you will learn many skills and procedures, such as:

  • Assembling and adjusting your equipment configuration
  • Underwater propulsion and maneuvering techniques
  • Gas Analysis
  • Checking the plan and equipment before diving
  • Basic 5 Diving Skills (Basic 5)
  • Breathing gas tracking
  • S-drill (emergency procedure in case of running out of gas)
  • Cylinder valves handling
  • Responding to an inflator failure
  • Surface marker buoy (SMB) deployment
  • Basic navigation with compass
  • Basic 5 Rescue Skills
I can't devote a whole week to the course. Is it possible to divide this training into two parts, for example?

Yes! You can do the first part of this course first, which is the GUE Scuba Diver program. This is a separate course that lasts 3 days. The knowledge and skills from this training are consistent with the first part of the GUE OWD (Rec1) training. As a GUE Scuba Diver, you can take a shortened (3-day) GUE OWD training at any time.

What is the swimming test during the GUE OWD course?

Each GUE training includes a swimming test, the level of difficulty of which increases with the level of training.

During the GUE OWD course, you must:

  • swim 275 meters in less than 14 minutes,
  • overcome 15 meters underwater on a held inhalation.

Why is physical condition and swimming skills important?

On any diving trip, there is a risk of accidentally falling into the water. At some dive sites, it is required to travel a certain distance on the surface to reach the dive point. Being in good shape is also crucial in emergency situations – for example, when you run out of gas, the ability to hold your breath for a moment and swim to your partner can be the difference between safety.

Therefore, regularly improving swimming skills and maintaining good physical shape is the basis of safe diving.


Do I need to have my own equipment?

No. We will organize a set of equipment for your training. We recommend investing in some equipment before the course (e.g. your own mask), but you absolutely do not have to buy all the equipment before the training starts.

Will my certification be respected by other dive centers?

Yes. GUE certificates are recognized all over the world, and each of them precisely defines the competence of a diver at a given level of advancement. It is not necessary to have a physical version of the certificate; just log in to your account on the gue.com website, where digital versions of the certificates are available. Global Underwater Explorers is certified by the European Underwater Federation (EUF) to meet European safety standards. Certificate number: EUF CB 2013001 .

Can I dive with divers from other organizations after the GUE OWD course?

Yes. It’s always a good idea to discuss differences in hardware configuration, how to respond to emergencies, and how to communicate. However, you will quickly realize that your high level of training will allow you to match up with divers trained in other organizations.

Interested in this course? Do you have any questions?

What distinguishes GUE training?

Standardization of equipment and procedures
Standardization of equipment and procedures
A unified configuration and consistent procedures increase our security and efficiency.
Conscious Team Diving
Conscious Team Diving

Cooperation, communication and consistency of activities in the team are the foundation of the GUE philosophy.

Diving as a tool for exploration and environmental protection
Diving as a tool for exploration and environmental protection

wykorzystujemy nurkowanie do badań i działań na rzecz eksploracji, dokumentacji i ochrony środowiska podwodnego.

High precision and training discipline
High precision and training discipline

Stringent requirements ensure excellent stability, responsiveness, and situational awareness.

Standard gases from the beginning
Standard gases from the beginning

Nitrox 32 is introduced at the basic level and trimix is also available for recreational divers.

Elite instructors
Elite instructors

A selective process of recruiting instructors, requiring experience, extensive knowledge and intensive practice outside of training.

Reviews

What after this course?

Zapisz się na kurs

GUE Open Water Diver (Rec1)

Skontaktuj się z nami

Sign up for the course

GUE Open Water Diver (Rec1)

Contact us