Specialty Courses

AWARE - Fish Identification

This course is a 'must-do' for anyone interested in marine biology and conservation. The Fish Identification course goes beyond just being able to identify different types of fish - you will learn how to categorise them by looking at their size, shape, colour, mouth, dorsal (back) and cordal fins (tail) in order to be able to recognise common characteristics and group them by family. You will also find out about basic scientific surveying techniques and strategies. The course is taken over one day, and you will complete 2 training dives to practise the techniques you have learnt. Through an overview of Project AWARE and other preservation and research efforts, such as the REEF Fish Survey Project, you will also learn the importance of your own personal involvement in aquatic environment conservation.

Boat

Although diving in Dahab is mainly shore-based, most diving (world-wide) involves accessing the water from a boat, so the skills that you learn on this course are invaluable. You can complete this speciality whilst out on one of our boat safaris to either Gabr el Bint or the Thistlegorm. The course covers: boat diving etiquette; an overview of emergency and safety procedures; common boat terminology and boat diving laws. During the 2 training dives you will cover some of the various entries and exits associated with boat diving, and we also include a demonstration of how to use a reel and SMB (surface marker buoy) although this is not a part of the PADI course.

Coral Reef Conservation

The AWARE - Coral Reef Conservation course is a half-day, dry (non-diving) course taught in our air-conditioned classroom. This course is great for families as it is open to everyone, and teaches divers, snorkellers and non-divers alike, about the vital role coral reefs play in the marine environment, and how these ecosystems are currently threatened. The course familiarises participants with the current state of the world's coral reefs and explains how individuals can help protect the living reef from further decline.. another 'must-do' for anyone interested in conservation and reef preservation.

Deep

This popular specialty is designed to teach you how to dive safely up to 40 metres, and is a great way for you to be able to explore deeper dive sites. It covers the planning, organisation, equipment required, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of diving in deeper water, including: the effects of narcosis; decompression sickness; and air consumption. You will review the decompression tables, safety stop and emergency decompression procedures. Taken over two days, it consists of four dives if you are not currently at the Advanced Open Water level, and 3 dives if you are AOW qualified.

Digital Underwater Photography

We have everything you need - the cameras, the housings, and the expertise - to make sure you take some great memories home. This course is geared towards anyone with an interest in underwater photography, whether you have your own camera or not. For beginners: it is a great step to boost your knowledge and abilities. For those with your own equipment: It shows you how to get the most from your underwater camera, and improve on your photography skills. With 2 training dives in one day, you will be given some great tips on composition and improving colour, and then get to practise them underwater. We also recommend the Peak Performance Buoyancy speciality, as to complete the photography course, you need excellent buoyancy skills.

For anyone with a more specialist interest in photography who is considering further training, please contact us for more information on a bespoke, individually tailored intermediate or advanced photography course.

Dive Against Debris

You don't have to be an eco-warrior to want to keep things tidy. There is more to picking up rubbish from the seafloor than grabbing at it and shoving it into your BCD. You don't want to take something that is being used as a home or an egg laying site. Learn how to do it properly and not injure yourself or anything else. Log all that you've collected into a database to build a picture of the scale of the problem.

Drift

The Drift Diver speciality is designed to familiarise divers with the skills, knowledge, organisation, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of drift diving. Dahab does not generally have strong currents, however if you are planning on diving elsewhere in the world, this is a perfect opportunity to practise in a safe and supervised environment, with gentle currents and great wall diving either at the Blue Hole or similar site. You will learn about the causes and effects of currents; how to assess a dive site; how to control your buoyancy in a current; how to use a reel and SMB (safety marker buoy); and what to do if you get lost or separated from your dive group.

Enriched Air Nitrox

This course is becoming increasingly popular, as people recognise the advantages of using Nitrox instead of air for recreational as well as technical diving. The main advantages are: increased no decompression limits (especially in the 20 to 30 metre range); or if used on repetitive dives, less time required for off-gassing, so a shorter surface interval. Not only will this course give you a safety advantage in the water, it will also provide you with a greater understanding of diving physiology. We advise anyone planning on doing boat diving to take the Nitrox speciality, however it is a great course for anyone at any level. This is a half-day dry course conducted in our air-conditioned classroom. You will learn how to use Nitrox dive tables, how to analyse your tank and calculate your depth. If you want to, you can add a guided dive to the course to practise diving with Nitrox.

Fish Identification

On this course you will do 2 dives. Fish are grouped into categories and you will learn to see the signs that tell you which fish belong in which group and this will help you to identify the fish. If you have ever asked, "What fish was that?", then this is for you. It will help you to see the shapes and colours of the fish, as well as fin position, mouth orientation, fin shape and size etc.

Night

The underwater world seems very different at night. How do you deal with buoyancy issues? How do you avoid getting lost when you can't easily see where you are? The answers are in this course. You will learn how to signal and communicate at night, how to find your way using navigation techniques, how to deal with disorientation, review emergency procedures, learn skills for buoyancy control, as well as the usual dive planning procedures and organisation. This course includes 4 dives over 4 days, and is a wonderful way to experience the underwater realm at night in a safe, supervised environment.

Peak Performance Buoyancy

We have a purpose-built buoyancy park here in Dahab, in which to practise your buoyancy skills. We recommend this course to every diver (and especially to budding photographers), as there is always room for improvement... the better your buoyancy, the better your air-consumption, and therefore the more time you can enjoy underwater on your dives. In this 2 dive course, you will learn to become a better diver, how to become more relaxed underwater, how to position your weights for maximum comfort and proper weight distribution, streamline your equipment and position in the water, and learn how to use your breath effectively to fine-tune your buoyancy. You will perform a weight check to gauge how much lead you need. By the end you will be hovering at will.

Search & Recovery

In this 2 day, 4 dive course, you will cover a lot of new and useful skills and information.. learn how to tie a bowline knot, improve your navigation skills and find out how to recover lost objects underwater. You will: navigate search patterns (having planned them according to the local contours of the dive site, taking account of currents); raise objects from the sea bed and safely get them to the surface; and hone your skills regarding limited visibility diving (essential if you are ever going to dive in the UK!). Learn to use a reel and SMB (surface marker buoy) and how to plan, organise and execute search and recovery dives. The most fun you'll have had underwater since your Rescue course!

Sidemount

Learn how to position and balance yourself out while diving sidemount. Try 2 tanks on a dive and how to switch between them. Sidemount offers comfort and the peace of mind that comes with having another air supply. This is a 2 day course with only 1 confined water session and 3 open water dives.

Underwater Naturalist

This is a great course to take if you are interested in marine biology and conservation, or if you want to increase your general knowledge of the underwater world. It gives a basic overview of major aquatic life groupings (kingdoms and phyla), the interactions between them, and the symbiotic relationships that exist. This is much more than a fish ID course - you will learn about the whole ecosystem - from plankton to plants and animals, including corals, sponges, anenomes, worms, slugs, octopus, shell fish, as well as fish and larger mammals. Responsible human interactions and correct practise to prevent damage to the environment while diving, as well as possible dangers to humans, are also covered.

Underwater Navigation

If you enjoyed the navigation aspects of the Open Water or Advanced Open Water course, then this is the course for you. As well as covering the usual planning, organisation, procedures, problems and hazards of underwater navigation, you will specialse in learning how to use natural navigation techniques, improve your compass skills, methods of estimating distance underwater, and use navigation patterns. Start at a point and lead your instructor back to the same point - see where you end up!! The skills you learn are invaluable if you are considering diving without a guide in the future.