Markethill Scuba

The winter XR track starts here.You bought the drysuit. You want to keep diving through winter. Now is the time to build the skills that will make the most of your kit.SSI Extended Range Foundations — Twinset runs on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 at Markethill Scuba Quarry. Across four focused training sessions, we’ll take you from your first twinset setup through buoyancy, trim, precise finning, valve drills, gas sharing and team communication.Never dived a twinset? You’re welcome here. This is the starting point for experienced recreational divers who want to move towards XR training. You’ll learn in shallow, controlled water, with a maximum of four divers in the group.£595 per diver, including tuition, SSI registration, quarry entry, twinset hire and air fills. Bring your own other diving equipment; additional rental can be arranged. Private 1:1 training is also available for £1,050.You’ll need an Open Water certification (or equivalent) and at least 24 logged dives. Message Oceanauts to discuss your kit and reserve a place.Build the foundation this winter. Dive the twinset with confidence next season.

Take the next step after Foundations. Extended Range Nitrox develops the planning, gas-switching and team skills needed for limited decompression diving. Training takes place in a twinset with a stage cylinder. On successful completion, the SSI certification permits dives to a maximum of 40 metres, using decompression gas mixtures up to 100% oxygen and no more than 15 minutes of accumulated required decompression, with an equally or more qualified buddy.The planned training dives use a 50% stage gas. Certification depends on meeting every academic and in-water requirement; it is not awarded simply for attending.Who can join?You must be 18 or older, have at least 24 logged dives, and hold Deep Diving and Enriched Air Nitrox 40 certifications, or recognised equivalents. You should already be comfortable and in control in your twinset. We’ll complete the required medical screening before training and advise you if physician clearance is needed.The three-day courseDay 1 — Markethill Scuba: Equipment configuration, theory and at least one hour of confined-water skills, including stage handling and gas-switching drills.Day 2 — Markethill Scuba: The first two open-water training dives, planned within no-decompression limits.Day 3 — Portroe Quarry, Tipperary: Two qualifying dives in one full day. Both include staged-decompression training; at least one must reach approximately 35 metres. The course limit is 40 metres and no more than 15 minutes of required decompression per dive.You’ll also complete the SSI academic work and final exam, and independently prepare a dive plan using the Extended Range Dive Planning sheets. The group is limited to four divers.Price and inclusionsGroup course: £995 per diver, VAT-inclusivePrivate 1:1 course: £1,695, VAT-inclusiveThe course price includes instruction, SSI registration and digital certification on successful completion, two days of Markethill entry, use of an Oceanauts stage cylinder, one planned 7 L 50% stage fill, and the planned twinset back-gas fills. Your Portroe entry is paid directly to the quarry and is currently €30 per diver.Bring your own twinset, drysuit and thermal protection, other personal diving equipment, logbook and suitable multi-gas dive computer. Additional equipment rental can be arranged and quoted separately. Travel, food and any accommodation are your own costs; accommodation arrangements can be discussed case by case.Portroe is around three hours’ drive from Rostrevor, so the final training day will be a long one. The training locations and conditions will be confirmed when arranging your course.Contact Oceanauts to discuss your twinset setup or arrange training.

Build on your technical diving skills and learn to plan and conduct staged-decompression dives in a twinset. On successful completion, the SSI Extended Range certification permits dives to a maximum of 45 metres, using decompression gas mixtures up to 100% oxygen and no more than 25 minutes of accumulated required decompression, with an equally or more qualified buddy.Already certified in SSI XR Nitrox? Your four training dives may count towards Extended Range dives 1–4 when they meet SSI’s credit requirements. That gives you a shorter upgrade route focused on the remaining skills, assessments and two qualifying dives.PrerequisitesYou must be 18 or older, have at least 50 logged dives, and hold Deep Diving and Enriched Air Nitrox 40 certifications, or recognised equivalents. You should be proficient in the twinset configuration you’ll use for training. XR Nitrox certification provides possible dive credit; it does not replace the 50-dive requirement.We’ll complete the required medical screening before training and advise you if physician clearance is needed.Choose your routeFull Extended Range course — four teaching daysTraining begins with equipment configuration, academics, the XR Water Fitness Evaluation and at least two hours of confined-water skills. You’ll complete six open-water training dives: the first two at Markethill Scuba, followed by four dives over two consecutive days at Portroe Dive Centre. The final two dives include staged-decompression training, must total at least 90 minutes, and include at least one dive to 40 metres.Upgrade from XR Nitrox — two teaching daysWe’ll review your XR Nitrox training record and equipment configuration to confirm which dives can be credited. You’ll complete any outstanding Extended Range academic, fitness and confined-water requirements at Markethill, then complete dives 5–6 at Portroe. The upgrade route depends on your previous dives meeting SSI’s credit conditions and your readiness for the final dives.Certification is awarded only after all academic and in-water requirements are met. Additional training may be needed if skills, dive times or conditions do not meet the required standard.