Courses

Have you always wondered what it's like to breathe underwater? If you want to try scuba diving, but aren't quite ready to take the plunge into a certification course, Discover Scuba Diving is for you.

Unlike most other dive operators we run this program from one of our beautiful beaches where you get a true experience of what our sea's have to offer. While not a scuba certification course, Discover Scuba Diving is a quick and easy introduction to what it takes to explore the underwater world. No prior experience with scuba diving is necessary, but you need to be in reasonable physical health. Are you ready to try it out?

The PADI Scuba Diver course is a subset of the PADI Open Water Diver course. If you're short on time but really want to become a diver, the PADI Scuba Diver rating might be right for you. Particularly if you expect to go scuba diving primarily with a dive guide. This course is an intermediate step for earning an Open Water Diver certification, if that's your ultimate goal.
PADI Scuba Divers are qualified to:

Dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional to a maximum depth of 12 metres

Obtain air fills, rent or purchase scuba equipment and participate in dive activities as long as properly supervised.

Continue dive training by completing the PADI Open Water Diver certification and taking certain specialty diver courses.

PADI Open Water Diver is the first scuba certification level. Our highly trained PADI Instructor will teach you how to scuba dive in a relaxed, supportive learning environment. As all of our dives will be in the sea you'll quickly learn new skills and put these into practice in a real life environment. Not only will this make you a better diver now but you'll pull on this experience in years to come!

You'll begin to learn about scuba diving principles and terminology using e-learning. This package is full of content, videos and can be accessed on any device (even offline). We'll then learn basic scuba skills in confined open water (or pool-like environment depending on the weather). When you're ready, we'll make four dives in an open water environment (the Atlantic ocean) with your instructor supporting you every step of the way.

By the end of the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to dive at home or abroad and be an ambassador for the underwater world.

The Advanced Open Water Diver course is all about advancing your skills.

You'll improve your knowledge using e-learning before we hit the water. This package is full of content, videos and can be accessed on any device (even offline).

When it's time for your course we'll practice navigation and buoyancy, try deep diving and make three specialty taster dives of your choosing (it's like a specialty sampler platter). For every specialty dive you complete, you can earn credit toward PADI® specialty certifications. Whilst these are not the full specialities it gives you some solid experience, helps you improve your diving and allows you to try different specialities of interest.

Out of the 5 adventures dives you'll complete Deep and Navigation as standard. You can then pick 3 elective adventure dives from the below:

Adaptive Support, Delayed Surface Marker Buoy, Dive Against Debris, Dry Suit, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search & Recovery, Rescue and Wreck Diver.

If you enjoy these taster adventure dives then make sure you speak to us about doing the full speciality. Remember these adventure dives to do not qualify you for respective limits / activities of these specialities. For example to dive to 40m you must complete the Deep Speciality course OR to dive on a wreck you must complete the Wreck Speciality course etc.

The PADI Rescue Diver course will change the way you dive – in the best possible way. Learn to identify and fix minor issues before they become big problems, gain a lot of confidence and have serious fun along the way.

Learn how to think like a rescue diver through home study using an incredible e-learning package and in water skill practice with an instructor. All PADI courses are flexible and performance-based. You'll practice basic rescue skills and then show you can effectively apply them in open water.

Discover why countless divers say Rescue Diver is their favourite scuba course.

In fact we still love this course so much; even as an Instructor I remember this course! We'll aim to make it fun, informative but critically ensure you leave prepared to deal confidently with potential dive related incidents.

Our instructor is also current RNLI Boat Crew on the local lifeboat so you can be sure that the skills you learn are current and practical for UK waters.

Share your passion for scuba diving by becoming a PADI Divemaster (DM). As a divemaster you'll supervise scuba diving activities and assist with scuba classes. PADI Divemaster is the first step in your diving career.

Be a leader who mentors and motivates others. Gain dive knowledge, supervision abilities, and become a role model to divers around the world.

There is nothing like doing your Divemaster course in the UK; you'll put all of your diving skills and experience to the test as we complete this course at a pace to suit your needs. Often 1:1 we can tailor your experience to fit your commitments and future aspirations; so whether that's an intensive 6 day course or spread over a few months we can help you achieve your goal.

The PADI Divemaster course is your first level of professional training. Working closely with a PADI Instructor, you’ll fine-tune your dive skills, like perfecting the effortless hover, and refine your rescue skills so you anticipate and easily solve common problems. You’ll gain dive knowledge, management and supervision abilities so you become a role model to divers everywhere.

As a PADI Divemaster, you’ll lead others as you supervise scuba diving activities and assist with diver training. PADI Divemaster's are respected dive professionals who are aligned with the largest and most respected dive organisation in the world – PADI.

Divemaster's are now also able to Instruct a range of PADI specialties that we are able to teach you such as Coral Reef Conservation and Project AWARE Specialist.

For those who successfully complete the DM course with us we welcome you to play an active role on other courses and gain experience alongside our Instructor by assisting on live courses as a Certified Assistant.

If you're thinking of taking your first step as a PADI Professional then give us a call today!

Emergency First Response primary and secondary care training teaches you what to do in the critical moments between when a life-threatening emergency occurs and when emergency medical services arrive.

The Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (First Aid) course combines flexible online self-study and in-person training. It's your course at your pace. Practice a skill until you feel confident before moving on to the next one.

Learn how to perform CPR, provide first aid that eases pain, assess a variety of injuries and illnesses and practice bandaging and splinting.

We also look at Defibs (AED's) and ensure you leave this course comfortable and prepared to administer basic life saving first aid. We focus in on general first aid here and not just dive related. If you want to learn dive specifics then ensure you join us for the PADI Rescue Diver course.

*Please note this is not the 3 day HSE First Aid at Work Course*

Do you want to learn how to best support a dive buddy who has a physical or mental challenge? The PADI Adaptive Support Diver course will increase your awareness of divers' varying abilities, and explores adaptive techniques to apply while diving or freediving with a buddy with a disability.

Through knowledge development and two diving workshops - one in confined water and one in open water - you'll learn useful techniques that will increase your ability to become a better dive partner to a diver with a disability.

Are you a PADI Professional who wants to become more aware of individual considerations when working with people who have physical or mental challenges?

PADI Professionals have a long and successful history of working with divers with disabilities. PADI's approach to diver education is (and always has been) inclusive: Everyone who meets a course's prerequisites is welcome to enrol. The PADI Adaptive Techniques Specialty course builds on that foundation by enhancing the training PADI Professionals receive, and preparing them for student-centred and prescriptive approaches when adapting techniques to meet diver needs.

The course consists of knowledge development, two confined water skill development workshops and two open water workshops. In addition, a subset of this course, PADI Adaptive Support Diver, will interest divers who want to learn how they can best support dive buddies who have physical or mental challenges.

The PADI Adaptive Techniques Specialty course focuses on increasing awareness of varying abilities, and explores adaptive teaching techniques to apply when training and diving with physically and mentally challenged divers.

Unlike wetsuits, drysuits are filled with air. During your drysuit course, your instructor will teach you how to control the air in your drysuit along with your buoyancy.

Your learning begins with e-learning which you can do at home or on the go using the PADI App. During one confined water session and two open water dives, you'll learn how to comfortably and confidently dive in a drysuit. An experienced instructor will help you dial in your buoyancy and shorten the learning curve.

You'll also learn about different types of drysuits, basic drysuit repairs and maintenance.

During the PADI Deep Diver course, you'll learn how to plan deep dives, manage your gas supply and how to identify and manage narcosis.

When you dive below 18 metres, there are special safety considerations. If you're ready to expand your boundaries, a PADI Instructor will help you gain the skills and confidence to explore to a maximum depth of 40 metres.

You'll learn about buddy contact procedures, safety considerations and buoyancy control at depth.

This course is an absolute must if you plan to do your Wreck Diver Speciality or have a boat/liveaboard dive coming up.

Be the scuba diver everyone wants to follow because you know where you are and where you're going. The PADI Underwater Navigator course fine-tunes your observation skills and teaches you to more accurately use your compass underwater. If you like challenges with big rewards, take this course and have fun finding your way.

It’s easy to get disoriented underwater if you don’t know how to use a compass or natural navigation clues. Learn how to easily find your way back to boat or shore without returning to the surface and avoid long, exhausting swims.

You'll begin with some e-learning which you can start at home or on the go before we head out into the water. You'll have plenty of time to practice your skills on the underwater treasure hunt which you'll map and repeat by yourself (under our supervision) before we make it a tad more complex to help you master this skill.

This course is one of the most popular because you'll use these skills on EVERY dive; even on guided dives you should know how to get back to the shore or boat so make this your go to Speciality before all others!

The thought of dipping below the surface at night seems mysterious, yet so alluring. Although you've been scuba diving at a site many times before, at night you drop into a whole new world and watch it come to life under the glow of your dive light.

The scene changes as day creatures retire and nocturnal organisms emerge. If you've wondered what happens underwater after the sun goes down, sign up for the PADI Night Diver Specialty course.

Can Open Water Divers night dive? Yes, but proper training will make your first night dive more enjoyable. You’ll learn how to navigate in the dark, where the most interesting creatures hang out, and gain night diving tips from your instructor. You'll begin at home with some e-learning before we head to the water for our first night dive!

Trust us when we say there is nothing more mesmerising and calming than a night dive - we still remember the nerves before we did one for the first time; now it's our favourite type of dive!

Excellent buoyancy control is what defines skilled scuba divers. You've seen them underwater. They glide effortlessly, use less air and ascend, descend or hover almost as if by thought. They more easily observe aquatic life without disturbing their surroundings. You can achieve this, too. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course improves the buoyancy skills you learned as a new diver and elevates them to the next level.

We'll begin with e-learning which you can access at home or on the go via the PADI app before completing two open water dives to practice your skills.

Buoyancy control is essential to becoming a confident, relaxed diver. Being perfectly balanced allows you to float effortlessly, use air more efficiently and deftly approach skittish marine life to get a closer look.

The next time someone loses an item underwater, you can be the hero that finds the missing object. When we say 'hero' trust us you really will be viewed as one!

Finding items underwater is both challenging and rewarding. You need to know how to gather information, organize a search and choose an effective underwater search pattern. Your PADI Instructor will give you practice scenarios to build and hone your skills.

In the PADI Search and Recovery course, you’ll learn how to find lost objects underwater. You’ll practice different types of underwater search patterns and learn how to use a lift bag as you plan and execute mock search operations.

We'll begin with e-learning which you can begin at home or on the go using the PADI app. We'll then move on to in water training using realistic scenarios and equipment.

One of the most rewarding courses this speciality puts you in great stead for your future diving development as well as day to day diving activities.

Whether purpose-sunk as an artificial reef for scuba divers, or lost as the result of an accident, wrecks are fascinating windows to the past. Ships, airplanes and even cars are fascinating to explore and usually teem with aquatic life. Each wreck dive offers a chance for discovery, potentially unlocking a mystery or spying something others have missed. The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty course is popular because it offers rewarding adventures while observing responsible wreck diving practices.

Every wreck is different. During the PADI Wreck Diver course, you’ll learn how to explore different types of wrecks by investigating their layout, history and hazards, and practice specialized wreck diving skills. You'll kick this off with interactive e-learning which you can begin at home or on the go via the PADI app.

The purpose of the PADI RNLI Diver Sea Survival Specialty Diver Course is to cover the knowledge and skills to enable divers to be better prepared and skilled to dive in the UK environment.

Between 2011 and 2015, there were 50 scuba fatalities in UK waters*. Sadly, many of these losses could have been prevented with improved diving preparation and personal diving skills.

Knowing what to do if something goes wrong at sea can make the vital difference between life and death. You could be rescued more quickly – or may not even need rescuing at all.

This course is delivered by our Instructor and current RNLI Boat Crewman so you're in for a totally unique experience. Unlike anywhere else delivering this course we go way beyond just the course content as we're so passionate about the importance of sea safety. Our course also includes:

- Visit to local RNLI Lifeboat station to become acquainted with the Atlantic 85 B-class SAR unit. We'll even let you pose for a photo on the helm...
- Spend time understanding how the skill's you've learnt play into the equipment we use onboard the lifeboats.
- On occasion we will also run this course to co-inside with actual training where you may be fortunate enough to experience a real life recovery and put your hard learnt skills to the test.
- Course delivered in UK coastal waters in real life conditions; not a swimming pool insight.
- A portion of the course fee is also donated to the RNLI

*RNLI analysis of WAID UK fatalities accidental and natural causes only 2011-15 coastal dataset

Boats and currents are two common factors associated with many dive sites. Boaters don't always recognise that divers are in the area and current can carry you further than expected. Launching a delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) before you surface can alert others to your location in advance of your ascent.

Adding another layer of safety, you can also use the DSMB line to complete your safety stop, which is advantageous in a current or when there are no other visual references. Take this course to learn about all the beneficial uses of a DSMB.

Marker buoys serve a range of purposes and you'll learn about common types of DSMB along with the reels used to control them.

In the UK this is an essential skill whether diving from a boat or the shore. We'll begin with some e-learning which you can do at home or on the go via the PADI app. Then we'll hit the water for two training dives for skill practice, look at different types of DSMB/SMB's and then master this skill in midwater.

Do you want to make a difference on every dive but are not sure where to begin? Gain the knowledge and skills to activate your inner citizen scientist by taking the Dive Against Debris Specialty. You'll learn to complete Dive Against Debris surveys under the guidance of a PADI Professional and help keep you your local dive sites healthier by removing rubbish.

Pay the ocean forward by helping clean it up on your next dive. Learn about the problems of marine debris, conducting Dive Against Debris surveys, and how divers are a part of the solution to keeping our oceans clean.

We'll begin with some theory learning about different types of marine debris, setting up surveys and recording. During your one open water dive, you will conduct a Dive Against Debris survey, including weighing, sorting, recording, disposing and reporting your marine debris to the PADI AWARE Foundation.

The Project AWARE Specialty course is an introduction to the global AWARE movement for ocean protection. It focuses and expands on the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet. Through interactive discussions, you'll learn how you can make a difference for ocean protection every time you dive or travel. A dry, ‘fins off' course, this specialty is ideal for divers and none divers alike to gain insight into how decisions above and below the surface impact our water planet.

Everyone likes to scuba dive or snorkel in warm, clear water on a vibrant coral reef, yet many people know little about what they're seeing or the importance of reef ecosystems. The Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course helps you appreciate the complexity of these habitats and teaches you how you can help conserve these vital systems.

Anyone who has an interest in the aquatic world can take this course. There are no prerequisites or age restrictions and no water sessions are required to earn this non-diving certification.

ReActivate is the engaging, efficient way to refresh your scuba skills. Move quickly through topics you know well, dive deeper on topics where your knowledge may have lapsed.

You'll start with a knowledge refresh via e-learning before scheduling in an open water practice with a dive professional. Afterwards you'll receive a new card that recognizes your new "ReActivated" date.

Why? Your PADI certification never expires; but if you haven't been diving in a while, it's better to be over-prepared than risk a problem because you forget something important. Dive shops also appreciate seeing a recent ReActivated date on your certification card.

This is a great course if you're a bit rusty or need to rebuild your confidence after some time out of the water. You'll be with a PADI Pro the whole time so you can make this safe and enjoyable; we'll even help with the logistics

You may remember your PADI Instructor saying, “If you travel to a new location or visit an unfamiliar dive environment, get a local orientation.” Its good advice and easy to do. Just ask us for a Discover Local Diving experience.

Scuba diving with an experienced local dive professional lets you relax and better enjoy the adventure. We know our local waters and can help you get the most out of your time on Arran.

For example, if all your diving has been in warm water on coral reefs and you travel to an area with cooler water and kelp forests (like Arran), Discover Local Diving is for you.

Or, if the majority of your experience is from dive boats, and you have the chance to do a shore dive with an entry through mild surf, sign up for a Discover Local Diving experience.

Have an experienced dive professional help you understand a local dive environment so you can better enjoy the dive adventure.

If you feel like you need a refresher before the dive, ask about doing a ReActivate dive.

Join the best of the best in recreational scuba diving and live the dive life as a PADI Master Scuba Diver. The Master Scuba Diver (MSD) rating places you in an elite group of respected divers who have earned this rating through both significant experience and scuba training. Fewer than two percent of divers ever achieve this rating. When you flash your Master Scuba Diver card, people know that you've spent time underwater in a variety of environments and had your share of dive adventures.

Join the best of the best, the elite group of respected divers who have earned this rating through both significant experience and scuba training.

Holding the MSD rating shows that you're a dedicated diver committed to improving your own skills and take diving seriously. You'll find dive centres around the world will treat you differently when you show them this certification!

Once you have met all the pre-requisites for this rating we'll help you complete the paperwork for you to submit to PADI.

If you haven't quite yet met all the pre-requisites speak to us today and we'll help you reach this prestigious rating.