What is a “certified” scuba diver and what is a c-card?
You will be a certified diver (mostly called “Open Water Diver”) if you have learned basic diving skills from a licensed scuba dive instructor. You are then qualified to dive with a “dive buddy”; no dive instructor needs to be present anymore. Dive operators will need to see your certification card (c-card) before they let you dive… If you go to a dive shop and want to hire a scuba tank, they will ask you for your c-card too. You should make sure you get certified with a certifying agency, which issues c-cards that are recognised worldwide. Some of them (the most popular ones) are PADI, NAUI and SSI. You will find the vast majority of internationally recognised diving certifications are valid in Australia. It is also recommended that visitors bring their diver’s logbook… see What Certifications Do I Need in Australia.
