Oceanauts Winter Dive Academy — Roots Red Sea, Egypt

Saturday 31 October | Meet at 1pmFree event — booking requiredJoin us at Greencastle Shore to help give some care back to a site we love diving. Friends from the wider diving community are welcome.The cleanup is open to certified divers only. Places are limited, so please book one place per diver to help us manage numbers.Oceanauts will provide cylinders, weights, mesh bags and gloves. Please bring your remaining dive kit. Equipment hire is free for Oceanauts Dive Club members.After the cleanup, we’ll gather and weigh what we’ve collected, then report the results to SSI/Blue Oceans and the local council to help raise awareness of marine waste in the Lough.When booking, let us know if you need a cylinder and weights. If your plans change, please cancel your place so another diver can join us.Let’s finish the season with cleaner shores!

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.

20–27 February 2027 · Seven nights · Packages from £795 per personFrom the Irish Sea to the Red SeaDiscover Egypt’s underwater world with Dain and Oceanauts. Learn to dive, take your training further, or join us as a certified diver for a week of reef exploration at Roots Red Sea.This land-based trip combines diving, marine ecology and good company, with shared Deluxe Chalet accommodation beside the Red Sea. Come on your own, learn alongside a friend, or bring a certified partner along for the adventure.Start at home. Finish on the reef.For beginners, the adventure starts in Northern Ireland with SSI digital learning, academic preparation and four evenings of pool training. Get comfortable with your equipment and practise essential skills before travelling.In Egypt, complete your qualifying dives on the house reef, then continue exploring under the Academy’s supervision once certified. Throughout the week, our included SSI Marine Ecology programme helps you understand the coral reefs, fish and relationships you discover underwater.Choose your experienceOpen Water Explorer — £1,595 per personYour introduction to scuba diving, with preparation in Northern Ireland followed by SSI Open Water training in Egypt.Four pool evenings before departureFour qualifying Open Water divesFurther supervised diving once successfully certifiedSSI Open Water and Marine Ecology training and certificationScuba equipment hire for six diving daysZero to Advanced Explorer — £1,895 per personEverything in Open Water Explorer, plus:SSI Advanced Open Water training and certificationFive Advanced training divesOne Zodiac diving day with two divesProgression depends on successful Open Water completion, individual readiness and suitable conditions. Certification requires meeting SSI requirements.Reef Explorer — £795 per personAlready certified? Join the same adventure and enjoy eligible house reef diving, standard air fills and SSI Marine Ecology.Equipment hire, Zodiac excursions and any additional guiding are charged separately. Unguided diving requires at least 25 logged dives and is subject to Roots’ requirements. Discuss your experience and guiding needs with us before booking.Included in every packageSeven nights in shared Deluxe Chalet accommodation at Roots Red SeaSoft all-inclusive meals and refreshmentsReturn transfers between Hurghada airport and RootsResort pool and facilitiesStandard air fills and scheduled or eligible house reef divingLocal diving taxes for scheduled diving daysSSI Marine Ecology training and certification on successful completionTravel and additional costsFlights are booked separately. Coordinate with Oceanauts before purchasing flights so we can discuss the group’s travel arrangements.Visa, travel and diving insurance, UK airport travel, alcoholic drinks, personal purchases, optional Nitrox and excursions beyond your package are additional.Prices are per person sharing. Tell us whether you’re travelling alone or with someone so we can discuss rooming arrangements.Share the adventure — save £100Book two places together, including at least one training package, and receive £100 off the combined booking.The discount applies once per qualifying pair. Two Reef Explorer places do not qualify.Deposits and paymentTraining packages: £150 per person, including immediate access to your digital learning materialsReef Explorer: £100 per personRemaining balance due 30 days before departurePayments can be spread before the final balance deadline; agree your arrangements with OceanautsBefore bookingDeparture is subject to sufficient bookings and final confirmation. Training participants must complete their pre-departure preparation and meet the relevant SSI age, swimming and medical requirements.Diving schedules depend on conditions, qualifications and student progress. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.Contact Dain at Oceanauts to discuss your package, rooming preferences and next steps.Full trip details: https://oceanautsdiving.com/pages/winter-dive-academy