Aquatic Explorers is proud to offer a Groupon
to assist you and your family to join our diving family.
Please take the following steps to begin your AES Dive Adventure!
Register Groupon for each participant
Complete the registration, including the medical waiver and release.
click here for REGISTRATION
How to get Certified with Groupon Deal:
1. Enter Groupon information into AES registration system.
2. Pick the month for your training course including choosing a checkout destination
- Lake Keowee/Lake Jocassee
- High Pressure Dive Shop, Orange Beach, FL
- Grand Bahama Island
- Almost any AES dive destination ask for details
4. Upon completion of the online portion, Voucher holder will be admitted into the pool sessions portion of the SCUBA certification (see set calendar for Groupon dates based on location subject to participation)
5. At the pools session, Voucher holders will be able to test all dive equipment to determine the fit, comfort and safety of each piece. Upon decision and confirmation with instructor, gear can be rented or purchased for the second phase of certification. Please allow us to price match and offer the best deals. Outside equipment will require approval of the instructor for quality and fit. Gear must be used for the pool sessions to use in second phase of certification. Gear over 10 years old will not be allowed in pool or checkout session. Gear that requires annual service will be prohibited without proper service records. All gear selections must properly fit and be safe for student.
5. With Instructor approval, Voucher holders will be recommended to begin the second phase, open water portion of the SCUBA Certification at location chosen by the Voucher holder. Rental or purchase of gear is required at this time.
6. Once online portion has been issued, Voucher Holders have 6 months to complete the certification process or additional fees may occur.
7. SCUBA Certification will be awarded to Voucher Holders that successfully, effortlessly and with Instructor approval complete all skills required, as well as effectively plan and execute a dive plan with a buddy.
Cancellation Policy:
- 10 days advanced registration to begin course, additional fees apply for late entries
- Failure to complete online training sessions prior to pool sessions, will prohibit participants from beginning pool sessions (and additional fees will apply to reschedule)
- Missed or tardy to any session including checkout dives for any reason will incur additional fees
- additional training required outside designated training times allotted will required additional fees
- Checkout dives requested when Lake or Ocean water temperature below 55-60 degrees will require drysuits or change of checkout locations, additional fees will apply.
- Certification check out dates are also subject to participation, weather and successful completion of the online, classroom and pool session.
- Spaces are limited at each facility and boat location.
Gear Requirements
SKIN Diving Gear: Skin gear is included in pool session of the course and consists of Mask, snorkel, boots, fins, underwater timing device and wetsuit pending water temperature. DO NOT BUY PRIOR TO TAKING COURSE. AES staff will allow you to learn about each individual piece of gear required to dive safely. Then staff will provide an opportunity for you to try all brands stocked to ensure you receive the best fitting pieces of equipment available on the market today. Packages of various price and quality level are available. It is recommended to purchased gear with guarantee and support during training. Gear purchased outside AES training is subject to inspection and approval by the instructor to be used in class. Aquatic Explorers offers very competitive pricing and will price match brands of equal value.
SCUBA GEAR: AES will provide regulator, buoyancy compensator, wetsuit, tanks, weight belts and weights for the pools session of your training. We recommend if you can not budget to purchase gear, rent this gear until you can determine what type diving you intend to pursue and afford. The AES gear trained in, is top of the line. AES offers discounts for returning divers to rent gear for their own excursions as well as build rental credits toward purchase. The more you are familiar with your gear the less user error you will have, making the dive experiences more enjoyable. Base SCUBA gear for Groupon pool session of the scuba course includes Buoyancy-control device (BCD), regulator and alternate regulator, gauges for depth and air monitoring, tank and weights, equipment bag.
Students are responsible for rental gear used for certification, rental agreements will be required and fees will be assessed if gear is damaged or lost based on replacement or repair of gear.
Lost or Stolen Items
AES or facilities used during training are not responsible for lost or stolen items, including rental gear. Should a student loose or should the gear get stolen, AES staff will apply the amount appropriate for the the replacement of rented gear.
Pool Dates:
AES Dives provides several locations for first phase of certification the pool sessions which are subject to availability and a minimum participation for each location. Entry into the pool session requires complete paperwork submitted and online portion of the course 100% completed. All pool sessions are required in full, no tardies or early departure (fees apply to make up time). Skills presented are a pass or fail type scenario. AES staff will work with all students to achieve skills. In the event, skills are not mastered during the average set training sessions, additional hours will be required. Additional training will be determined by the instructor and will be available based on instructors schedule. Students will not be allow to participate in the second phase of the open water check out sessions until said skills have been mastered. Students are required after pool sessions to check off skills completed during pools session to be eligible to participate in the open water phase of certification. Students are to notify instructor or AES owners of any problems. See Calendar for exact dates and locations. Location dates and times are subject to change pending, participation and pool facility activities.
CHECK OUTS are required for Certification. Universal referrals to other destinations or agencies is available for AES Groupon offer.
Lake Lanier Check out:
The required checkout open water dives will be 5 dive: One skin diving and surface rescue skills, followed by 4 scuba dives for a minimum of 2 hours total bottom time. Certification requires successful mastering of skills learned in pool performed in the open water with only a prompt from the instructor. If students can not perform skills, instructor may required additional check out dives to complete the mastering of the required skills. 4 Scuba dives are to be complete over 2 days. Lake Lanier boat check outs have morning and afternoon options. (First come first serve). A log book must be completed after each dive. Once the dives are completed, students much check off the skills were complete before a virtual certification card can be issued.
Other Tropical locations are available, see staff for details.