Diving for beginners
If you like the ocean and snorkeling, the chances are you’ll love diving – so why not take your first step into the blue with us on Maafushivaru!? Ever imagined how it would feel to be immersed in a giant aquarium of color, light and life or even swim eye to eye with a turtle or a huge manta ray? Well – if you’ve dreamt of any of the above, in your mind you’re already a diver!
We have many beginner courses for guests who are completely new to diving and children can even start from just 8 years of age.
Beginner courses
DISCOVER SCUBA / TRY SCUBA DIVING
DISCOVER SCUBA is perfect if you just want to try Scuba diving and see how it is to breathe and swim underwater. Join us in our shallow, sandy lagoon for a short and shallow dive. (Please note: If you wish to continue and make the boat dive described below in the next section (DSD), that performance of the basic skills of mask clearing and regulator recovery are required.)
Requirements: Min. age 10 years; fit to dive;
Location: Lagoon
Usual duration: 1 hour (30 minutes in water)
Max. Depth: 5 meters
Price: please see pricelist
DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING (DSD) / TRY SCUBA DIVING
If you enjoyed your Discover Scuba and now wish to make a real boat dive and see much more marine life, this is a great option for those not wishing to get certified.
Requirements: Min. age 10 years; fit to dive; completion of Discover Scuba and Discover Scuba skills.
Location: local beginner dive site
Usual duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (up to one hour diving)
Max. Depth: 12 meters
Price: please see pricelist
If you liked your DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING / TRY SCUBA DIVING experience, then take the opportunity to continue onto the SSI OPEN WATER DIVER or SSI SCUBA DIVER / PADI OPEN WATER DIVER or PADI SCUBA DIVER COURSE.
You have in effect already started both courses by doing the DSD which is equivalent to the first lesson and first dive of both courses!
THE SSI SCUBA DIVER COURSE / PADI SCUBA DIVER COURSE
THE SCUBA DIVER COURSE is a 2 day course (including the DSD) and includes one dive off the boat. This diver certification allows the holder to dive to max. 12m, but always accompanied by a SSI / PADI professional. The course is effectively the first half of the Open Water Diver course and is upgradeable to the OWD any time in the future. This course is perfect for guests who are short of time, but still want to get a certificate so next holiday they do not have to restart as a total beginner. This qualification is valid as a stand alone certificate without any time restriction and of course the possibility exists to upgrade in two days to the full Open Water Diver. Duration: 2 days including the DSD; the Course price (please see the pricelist) includes all equipment, two open water dives, confined water/lagoon lessons, instruction, certification, student materials, and logbook.
THE SSI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE / PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE
The OPEN WATER DIVER (OWD) course takes four days including the DSD. With three dives off the boat on the outside reef (and one in the lagoon) you have a great opportunity to see turtles, rays, sharks, morays and numerous other reef fish. Duration: four days including the DSD; the Course price (please see pricelist) includes all equipment, four open water dives, confined water/lagoon lessons, instruction, certification, student materials and logbook.
THE SSI / PADI NITROX COURSE
Have you heard about nitrox? Nitrox is a great safety option for every diver and this is why we offer the OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE combined with the NITROX COURSE for a very special discounted rate. Please ask your instructor for more information about nitrox and its great advantages.
REFRESHER COURSE/SCUBA REVIEW
Finally, if you did a diving certification course sometime in the recent past or even in the distant past and it has been a year or five since your last dive, no problem! We offer a regular REFRESHER COURSE to put you back into dive mode. We ease you back into diving with some basic skills and a shallow lagoon dive with one of our instructors and the option exists to complete this with a nice, easy dive in a beautiful ocean off the boat. Please see our pricelist for prices.
AFTER YOUR CERTIFICATION COURSE
Congratulations! – if you have done a certification course, you are now a certified diver. Maybe you are now addicted to scuba diving and feel the need to do some more dives. If so, if you did the Open Water diver certification you may consider enrolling on the Advanced course (five dives–minimal theory), a nitrox course or even a specialty course like the popular Digital Underwater Photographer. Alternatively, if you feel you would just like to make a couple of more dives, then speak to your instructor who will recommend some great sites.
STILL UNCONVINCED?
Still not convinced about scuba diving? Stop by at the Dive Centre or and have a chat with one of our friendly instructors – they will show you how easy it is to breathe underwater!
