Scuba diving is a sport accessible to people of all ages and physical capabilities where each individual sets their own challenges.  Many people opt for calm shallow dives on sunny days within the natural reserve – enjoying relaxed ingravity and silence.  Others prefer adventuring out on an exciting night dive, to visit a wreck in the open sea or a multitude of other options. Sport dives are the closest one comes to ´flying free´ and they allow access to new worlds yet to be discovered. The only requirement to embarcing on this underwater journey is a clean bill of health. It is good practise to consult a doctor before enrolling on a course, especially if you have certain conditions such as: bronquitis; sinusitis; lung disease – specifically neumothorax;  have undergone thoracic, dorsal or vertebral surgery;  mental health issues; epilepsy; fainting;  an inability to do moderate exercise; diabetes; hipertensión; cardiovascular disease; hearing anomalies; hemrrohages or other blood problems; hernias or  recurring back problems (even when lifting moderate weights). In these cases, a medical certificate stating that your health will not present any problems, is required.

The answer is simple: Right away!  OpenWater La Herradura runs weekly courses during the summer and alternate weeks out of season – depending on the demand. We can adapt to your specific timetable & requirements, in small groups of four to eight people.

Courses are mainly practical; the short theoretical elements are taught in the classroom and studied at home with an enjoyable manual. There is no fixed structure of days or timetable, because this depends on the course and the group. We usually programme courses to a specific group or number of participants.

To let us know you are interested in participating on the next course or to find out more information, please contact us via email at info@openwater.es or talk with us directly on:  +34 644 444 314 (ask for Boychi).

You can also add our page to your favourites and periodically consult our main page where courses, dives and trips are announced on the Activity Calendar. Please do Not forget that we deliver courses “à la carte” with dates and timetables arranged for individuals, but if you gather a group of friends you can pick your own dates and beneficiaries plus important discounts.

The duration of an air tank is not the only factor that marks a divers’ limits. There are different sized tanks available and the option to take multiple tanks, other factors such as the thickness of a divesuit influencing body temperature and comfort or the amount of nitrogen absorbed by an individual are also important. The rate of air consumption will be determined by the conditions of the dive such as the depth of immersion – the deeper the dive, the faster the air consumption, so the mayority of dives are planned to last around 45 to 50 minutes.

A basic set of  gear will be enough to enjoy initial dives. Technical diving however, requires both special preparation and specialist equipment.  With advice and guidance it is possible to find good offers in an interesting and active second hand market.  When purchasing ítems it is important to consider future necessities and not only current requirements.

Complete diving kits can cost upwards from 900€.   It is generally unnecessary and unadvisable to purchase everything at once especially having just started diving.  ´Anthias Sub´ offers dive centre students special deals on the purchase of gear.

Our entire body is affected by pressure, but our ears contain a closed air space that frequently needs a little help to adapt to pressure changes in the environment. It is the effect we experience when a plane is landing or we drive through a mountain pass.  The ears feel ´blocked´ and yawning, sucking or chewing gum is enough to ´pop´ your ears. In scuba diving diferent techniques are used, the most common is to gently try to blow air through our nose while holding it with our fingers, it’s equally valid for scuba diving as for snorkelling.

Absolutely NOT. There are no Mediterranean species that attack divers – although it is important not to touch animals that may try to defend themselves if they have no where to hide such as morays or crabs.  It is also advisable to be careful not to prick yourself on sea urchins or spiky fish. Divers generally limit themselves to observing sea life without touching or bothering any animals and the taking shells or stones from the ecosystem is discouraged –  this heritage belongs to all and everybody should be entitled to enjoy it undisturbed.

Not specially, like any other water activity it is necessary to know how to swim, but neoprene suits will usually be used (which float) and also bouyancy compensators (similar to life jackets). Diving does not take place on the surface but underwater and the techniques are diferent, so it isn’t necessary for you to be an expert swimmer to be able to enjoy the activity. A basic level is enough.

Light refraction in water makes us blind or unable to see clearly underwater. Our eyes are designed to focus in a different environment. Diving masks solve the problem but won’t adapt well to our face if we try to wear regular glasses as well.  Short-sightedness people will see better underwater without their glasses, while those with strabismus will see worse.  To correct this problem, it is posible to order a graduated lens for a mask. Contact lenses are also compatible with diving masks.

Remember: The greatest scenery and ecological wealth on Earth are underwater. Over 90% of the planet´s biomass is in the oceans.  Diving allows you to live your own wildlife documentary.

Discover a different landscape . Don’t wait:  START TODAY!   START DIVING!

REMEMBER…

The greatest landscapes and ecological wealth on Earth are underwater. Over 90% of the planets’ biomass are in the oceans. Live your own wildlife documentary.

Discover a different landscape/scenary. Don’t wait.

START TODAY! START DIVING!