COURSES
OPEN WATER DIVER
This is the first level of a dive course designed to teach you the skills and knowledge you need to start diving.
The course runs for a minimum of 3 days in which you will complete all requirements to be finally certified for diving up to 18m depth.
DAY 1: Meet your instructor, theory session, learn about the equipment and complete the pool session
DAY 2: 2 Open Water Dives up to 12m and theory session
DAY 3: 2 Open Water Dives up to 18m and theory session followed by the final exam
Prerequisites: 10 years old (10 to 14 years old earn a Junio Open Water Diver certification)
ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
Welcome to the next step after your Open Water Diver certification. You will extend your knowledge and skills in diving to be finally certified for diving up to 30m depth.
The course runs over 2 days including 5 adventure dives which focus on specific skills. 2 dives are set and mandatory, the other 3 dives can be chosen by you.
Mandatory dives: deep dive up to 30 meters & navigation dive.
For scuba diving in the Galapagos, we then recommend you choose from a drift dive, a buoyancy dive, a fish ID dive, a photography dive or a boat dive.
Usually 3 dives are performed on the first day. Second day is followed by 2 dives.
There is no exam, just chapter questions to complete and review with your instructor.
Prerequisites: (Junior) Open Water Diver certification
RESCUE DIVER
DIVEMASTER
In this course you will learn to recognize, prevent, and overcome smaller issues while diving before they become big problems. It is designed to improve your self-confidence, leadership skills, and become a better dive buddy through fun-role playing and skill practice.
The course runs for a minimum of 2 days in which you will complete all requirements to be finally certified as a Rescue Diver.
DAY 1: Meet your instructor, theory session, equipment check and complete the pool session.
DAY 2: 2 Open Water Dives, theory session followed by final exam
Prerequisites: 12 years old, EFR Primary and Secondary Care training within 24 months (can be done together with the rescue diver course on request)
This course is the first step into a professional dive career to work in the scuba diving industry.
You will learn how to lead underwater tours, assist with scuba classes and inspire others to care about the ocean. Along the course your skills and knowledge will improve to a next level.
Doing the course in the Galapagos is definitely a special experience. Please note that the course must be adapted to local laws and requires flexibility in terms of teaching classes.
Prerequisites: Rescue Diver certification, 18 years old, logged 40 scuba dives, EFR Primary and Secondary Care training within 24 months (can be done together with the Divemaster Course), medically evaluated and cleared for diving by a physician within 12 months
REFRESH YOUR SKILLS
REFRESH COURSE
Has it been a while since your last dive and you feel a bit rusty? As diving can be sometimes challenging in the Galapagos, we recommend a refresh especially when your last dive has been 6 months ago. You can either do it in one of the day tours or in a pool, always together with an instructor.
Option 1: Meet your instructor, equipment check and refresh session in a pool
Option 2: Meet your instructor onboard and refresh in confined waters in open water before starting your dive
SPECIALTY COURSES
ENRICHED AIR (NITROX) DIVER
Enriched air, also known as Nitrox or EANx, contains less nitrogen than regular air. Breathing less nitrogen means you can enjoy longer dives and shorter surface intervals. It is one of the most popular specialty courses and especially recommended when doing consecutive diving days.
This course is a so called "dry"- course. An open water dive is not required but can be scheduled on request.
Usually the course is done in 1 day by completing theory and practical exercises.
Prerequisites: (Junior) Open Water Diver, 12 years old
EMERGENCY OXYGEN PROVIDER
Knowing how and when to administer emergency oxygen is a valuable skill to have in a dive emergency. This course prepares you to offer aid and teaches you to recognize scuba diving injuries and illnesses requiring emergency oxygen.
Gain experience assembling an oxygen unit, learn when and how to administer oxygen and aid for diving and water-related injuries.
Usually the course is done in 1 day by completing theory and practical exercises.
There are no age restrictions or water sessions required.
PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY
Excellent buoyancy control is what defines skilled scuba divers. Gliding effortlessly, using less air and ascend, descend or hover almost as if by thought. You can more easily observe aquatic life without disturbing your surroundings.
Learn how to refine your buoyancy within this course by doing fun exercises and improving step by step your air consumption. Ideal for photographers and anyone who wants to improve their control.
Prerequisites: (Junior) Open Water Diver, 10 years old
DEEP DIVER
Reach new depths, discover new dive sites and extend your knowledge about deep dive planning, dive limits, gas management as well as how to identify and deal with gas narcosis.
Furthermore, you learn about buddy contact procedures, safety considerations and buoyancy control at depth.
This course is conducted in 2 days in which you will complete theory and 4 open water dives.
DAY 1: 2 Open Water Dives, max. 30m depths and theory
DAY 2: 2 Open Water Dives, max. 40m depths and theory
Prerequisites: Adventure Diver Certification, 15 years old
SHARK CONSERVATION DIVER
Do you love sharks? Are you scared of them? Or do you like to know more about sharks and their importance in our ecosystem? Then Galapagos is the place to enroll in this course. Here you have the chances to spot a variety of different sharks while diving.
Discover the values of sharks to the marine ecosystem throughout this course, learn why they are vulnerable, the importance of a healthy shark population, managing threats and how to take action to protect them.
This course is conducted in 1 day by completing theory and 2 open water dives.
Prerequisites: (Junior) Open Water Diver, 12 years old
SELF-RELIANT DIVER
For experienced divers who want to learn how to dive safely without a buddy. Ideal for divers in remote areas. Focus on redundancy and self-reliance.
This course is conducted in 2 days in which you will complete theory and 3 open water dives.
DAY 1: Meet your instructor, equipment check, theory and skill assessment.
DAY 2: 3 Open Water Dives followed by finalizing theory
Prerequisites: Advanced Open Water Diver, 18 years old, 100 logged dives
DIVE AGAINST DEBRIS DIVER
Here in Galapagos it is very important to keep the ecosystem clean and healthy. So it is the perfect place to learn about how ocean plastic and trash cleanups not only keep your local dive sites healthier, but also how to contribute to a global database that documents our planet’s marine debris problem.
The course runs for 2 days in which you complete theory and 2 open water dives.
DAY 1: Meet your instructor, equipment check and theory
DAY 2: 2 Open Water Dives
Prerequisites: (Junior) Open Water Diver, 10 years old
ADAPTIVE TECHNIQUES DIVER
This course focuses on increasing awareness of varying diver abilities and explores adaptive teaching techniques to apply when training and diving with physically and mentally challenged divers. It is designed for dive professionals that want to become more aware of individual considerations when working with people who have physical or mental challenges.
DAY 1: Meet your instructor, equipment check, theory and pool session.
DAY 2: 2 Open Water Dives followed by finalizing theory
Prerequisites: Divemaster, 18 years old