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Jump into… Guided Dives

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Just passed your Open Water course and not sure what’s next? Of course your diver training will have prepared you for diving out with your buddy, but it’s sometimes a daunting thought. Just like when you passed your driving test… remember that first time behind the wheel when the instructor was not there? I totally get it! 

When I first started diving, ALL of my training was done in quarries. Not that there is anything wrong with quarries… I mean, I own the best one in the world! Only joking, other quarry owners… they’re all good in their own way. But, there is nothing like diving in the sea. The thought of literally jumping into the unknown, a place where you cannot purchase the map at the front desk, or know where you need to go down to see the boat and that resident sturgeon. You have the opportunity to potentially see any of the 170,000 marine creatures that the UK is home to and possibly an area that nobody else in the world has dived. That sense of adventure is what we all, as divers, long for. 

With that in mind, I totally get that the flip side of this is scary: being a brand new diver, or a diver with no sea experience, and that’s fine. We all need a hand to start out somewhere. I was not that lucky; the people that I dived around with, all dived at the same time and place each week, and so when I started up alone, I began exploring the UK waters. Learning what times were the best to dive, what spring and neaps meant, where the best entry and exit points would be… and it took a lot of work to become competent in this type of planning. And still does each year that we check out new sites!

That’s the reason that I have made sure that we keep our theme of small, guided dives. Little Viv is coded for a lot more divers than the 4 that we take, but it’s all about that personal touch of being able to take divers to an area that they are all comfortable with, whether they are new or experienced, and guide them to the best locations to witness North Wales at it’s best. The guided dive aspect is one of the main things I love about our centres and probably always will be. Opening up new sites to divers where they don’t have to feel like it is impossible and giving them a helping hand to witness some of the most stunning sites under the UK waters. That’s what it’s all about.

So, if you haven’t done so yet, and I am not just saying this as an upsell for my own business… Wherever you are in the UK, make sure you put at least 1 sea diving location on your tick list for 2022. You will definitely not want to turn back!


Clare began Duttons Divers at just 19 years old and a short while later became one of the world’s youngest PADI Course Directors. Find out more at www.duttonsdivers.com

Clare Dutton, is a PADI Course Director and Director of Duttons Divers and Vivian Dive Centre. At the age of 25, Clare was one of the youngest to be accepted on the PADI Course Director course. Her work in the industry has involved promoting cold water diving, putting sites such as the Menai on the map for divers, and assisting others to chase their ambition as a PADI Pro. Get in touch with Clare at www.duttonsdivers.com

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Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

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idc

Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

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Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability

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scubility

Introduction to Scubility

Being a scuba diving professional, I am always fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world, filled with colorful coral and a variety of marine species. Every dive site around the world has something unique to offer, attracting the diving community to immerse themselves time and time again. The feeling of being underwater is a unique experience, akin to being in space, where you can escape Earth’s gravity to enjoy the freedom of movement. However, water sports are often believed to be accessible only to those with good physical strength, leaving others to only dream of being there.

The Genesis of Scubility

Scubility was developed as a way to help people with disabilities experience the magic of scuba diving or snorkeling. A few years back we became involved in the SDI Scubility program as a way to use our diving experience and knowledge to bring disabled people beneath the ocean. To empower them with a feeling where they can forget their disability and limitations. The image of a Wheelchair Hero from the movie ‘AVATAR’, who could walk and run only in dreams, was the first seed of the idea for a local Scubility program.

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Launching the Scubility Course

Since 2014, my friend has dedicated himself to helping disabled people. Knowing that I am an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, he called upon me to help bring them into the world of scuba diving. Captivated by this idea, I decided to offer a special diving course adapted for disabled people: the SDI Scubility Course. The sole purpose was to bring happiness and a feeling of belonging back to our precious disabled students, by giving them an immersive experience under the sea. Perhaps, the mother ocean has a way of treating us all equally, to rebuild confidence and give hope of being alive.

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Adapting Diving for All Abilities

Initially, most Scubility divers in our programs were wheelchair users. The main challenge was to design a unique technique suitable for each Scubility diver, based on their limitations. To do so, we set up a protocol keeping in mind all the scenarios that could arise during diving, starting from boarding the boat, to diving, and the communication signals during the dive. Training was also provided to volunteer participants, mostly instructors and assistant divers.

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The Scubility Program in Action

In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.

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The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.

Impact and Emotions of Scubility

The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.

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“Scuba Diving for All” Event

The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.

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I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.

As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram  or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.

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