SSI Courses

It depends on what pre-existence medical condition(s) you have, sometimes it is not safe to dive. It is good to visit your doctor if you want to participate in diving when you had/have a medical condition. There is a medical form that you need to fill in, prior to start a course. Contact us if you are not sure and you would like to receive the form ahead of time, so that you have time to make a doctor's appointment, if necessary. 

Yes absolutely. One option is to dive in contact lenses – daily disposables are best in case you lose one during some of the mask skills which can happen from time to time. If you are not a contact lens wearer then a prescription mask is a great option.

Yes. The SSI Open Water Diver course is designed to make it accessible to everyone, no matter what your preferred learning style is. The program is not just reading (although there is some), you will also be able to learn the theory through video presentations, practical demonstrations and practice and instructor presentations.

We can also send the SSI course prior to going to the dive center, this way you can start learning before arriving at the island. We do need a deposit though. 

This depends entirely on where you are diving and what you understand by “dangerous”. In some areas there are corals or plants which may sting if you brush up against them. Most marine animals do not attack and have stingers for defensive reasons only. Your instructor will explain to you how to interact with marine life in an observatory way which means you will experience some great encounters with many wonderful species. The golden rule is not to touch anything – most humans would be annoyed if something they didn’t know came into their environment and poked them!

You don’t need to be an Olympic swim champion to learn how to dive, but there are some minimum requirements for safety reasons. For the Open Water Course you need to do a swim and a float.

Swimming: 200 meters without any swim or buoyancy aids, or swim 300 meters using a mask, snorkel and fins. There is no time limit for this exercise, but it must be completed without stopping or standing.

Floating: Float or tread in water too deep to stand for ten (10) minutes without any swim or buoyancy aids. The face must remain clear of the water for the duration of the exercise.

Besides swimming and floating, you will also complete some snorkelling skills. The most important consideration is that you feel comfortable in the water. If you are not there yet, then taking a couple of swim classes will improve your confidence and overall enjoyment.

This one is tricky to answer because it depends on how quickly you breathe your air. Most people have some nerves before their first dive which means beginners use their air faster than experienced divers. Other factors also affect air consumption; body makeup, depth, fitness, sea conditions, how effectively you use your fins and even water temperature! Your first dive should be a minimum of 20 minutes and on average first dives usually range from 25 – 40 minutes but some first timers manage a full hour. You won’t know until you try but one thing’s for sure, your air consumption will improve the more you dive.

Yes, no problem! You may find that you have a one on one program with the instructor who will also be your buddy or you may form part of a group so you’ll meet new buddies. Divers are sociable and welcoming!