Open Water Diver

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

It is easy for dive skills to get rusty and to lose confidence when you have not dived for a while. With the SSI Scuba Skills Update, we will get you back in the water and diving with ease in no time. This scuba refresher course allows you to review and practice scuba skills you learned in your Open Water Diver program, under the guidance of an SSI Professional. This is a great course to take just before a dive holiday, so you spend less time worrying about your skills and more time admiring the marine life. If you are a non-certified Open Water Diver student, a Scuba Skills Update is ideal for practicing your dive skills before your open water training dives. With no fixed course duration, you can take your time and focus on the skills you need help with.

Beneath the rugged shores of Greencastle, where the Mourne Mountains sweep down to the sea, lies a world of legend waiting to be explored. Inspired by the myths and folklore of this ancient coast, Giant Underwater Adventure invites you to take your first breath underwater and experience the ocean like never before. Guided by Dain McParland, who grew up exploring these waters, and a team that knows the tales of the selkies, sea giants, and lost kingdoms, this adventure is more than just a dive—it’s your first step into the deep-rooted stories of Northern Ireland’s coast. During this half-day experience, you’ll learn the essential skills needed to explore up to 12 meters deep under the guidance of an SSI Professional. You’ll complete a diving skills session before venturing on a guided coastal dive, where the whispers of the past meet the thrill of discovery.

Step into an extraordinary world and discover the thrill of scuba diving with our Discover The Depths Experience. Guided by expert instructors, you’ll take your first breath underwater in the sheltered waters of Greencastle Shore, surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Ireland’s coastline. Feel weightless, explore beneath the surface, and experience the magic of the sea in a way you’ll never forget. By the end of this unforgettable two-hour adventure, you’ll earn your SSI Try Scuba recognition card—your first step into a lifetime of underwater exploration. The ocean is calling. Are you ready to answer?

WHY TRAIN WITH OCEANAUTS?We don't teach from a script. We teach from the field. Our candidates don’t just learn to guide; they learn to manage.Technical Foundations: Move beyond recreational limits. You will be trained in high-level kit configuration, including Wing, Backplate, and Twinset mastery.Workshop Integration: Spend time at our Warrenpoint HQ. Learn the fundamentals of IDEST (E2) standards, regulator diagnostics, and life-support maintenance.Scientific Rigor: Benefit from a curriculum influenced by years of professional scientific diving—focusing on precision, data-driven safety, and methodical execution.Business Mentorship: As an SSI Instructor Trainer (IT) candidate, Dain provides direct insight into running a successful dive business and transitioning toward an Instructor career.

The SSI Try Scuba program is the best way to try scuba diving for the first time. You will be in confined water and well looked after by your instructor, so you can enjoy those first unforgettable breaths underwater and experience the magic of scuba diving. At the end of this short course, you will have earned your SSI Try Scuba recognition card and undoubtedly want to go diving again. Endless scuba diving adventures are waiting for you and this course is where it all begins. Start today!

Your Open Water certification taught you how to dive. The Advanced course teaches you how to dive well.Designed to build your confidence and expand your underwater capabilities, this course is entirely hands-on. There are no heavy classroom sessions, endless quizzes, or pool drills—just five specialized open-water dives that introduce you to new environments, greater depths, and advanced techniques under the direct guidance of our expert instructors.Whether you are looking to unlock deeper wreck sites, master your trim, or feel more comfortable in dynamic UK conditions, this course is your gateway to elite recreational diving.What You Will ExperienceYou will complete five distinct training dives, logging real underwater time while mastering new skill sets.The Core Foundation (Mandatory):Deep Diving: Safely plan and execute a dive beyond your 18m Open Water limit, unlocking access to deeper wrecks and reefs (up to 30m).Underwater Navigation: Stop relying solely on the dive guide. Learn advanced compass skills, natural navigation, and distance estimation to always know exactly where you are.Your Chosen Specialties (Choose 3): Customize the rest of your course to fit your specific diving goals. Popular choices include:Perfect Buoyancy: Dial in your weighting, master your trim, and drop your air consumption.Wreck Diving: Learn the protocols for safely navigating and mapping sunken vessels.Night & Limited Visibility: Discover how the underwater world transforms after dark and learn specialized communication and light-handling skills.Drysuit Diving: (Highly recommended for our waters) Stay warm and extend your diving season year-round.