Category Archives: Courses

“Challenging” and “rewarding” best describe the PADI Rescue Diver Course

Learn how to turn yourself into the best buddy, increase your safety, recognise problems before they occur

Our next Emergency First Response course will be running on Sunday 8th October.

Our next PADI Rescue Course will be running over the weekend of the 21st and 22nd October.

Most divers cite the Rescue course to be the best course they took, whilst serious and testing, you will learn so much to improve your dive skills, and learn to look out for your fellow dive buddies.

First aid and CPR are good skills for anyone to learn, especially those involved in adventure sports – just in case. Build your confidence and learn the skills you need to step up if an emergency situation were to ever happen.

The Emergency First Response course meets the necessary First Aid training required as part of the PADI Rescue Diver course.

If you are a rescue diver who’s First Aid course was over 2 years ago, you will need to do an update, so why not join us on this course.

If a member of your family was taken ill, or a fellow diver had an emergency, you will be able to step up and help them, knowing you can help those you care about is a reassuring feeling. PADI Instructors are also Emergency First Response Instructors!

Call a member of the team, or email us to secure your space, click on the picture to take you to our dedicated Rescue diver Page with further details.

The Team at Ocean View Diving

Learning to Dive

On a chilly afternoon in November 2009 I phoned a shop in Lancing to enquire about learning to dive. I spoke to a very helpful chap called Graeme and recounted the traumatic tale of when I attempted to learn in Egypt a few years earlier. I was invited to come in to the shop for a chat, so a week later I was sat with Graeme listening to him explain how Oceanview could help me overcome my fears.

After about 45 minutes I was signed up for my Open Water course + Dry Suit Specialty to start in January and reserved a place on the club liveaboard to Egypt in August to do my Advanced Open Water course!!……

I have happy memories of my Open Water training in Brighton Marina, in February, the water a chilly 2 degrees and ice on the ground!!………

In January 2011, as part of an Oceanview Club event I attended a “Discover Instructor Experience” with Platinum Course Director Steve Prior and Janet Prior…… I was hooked….. I wanted to be a Scuba Instructor and I wanted Team Prior to teach me!

 Starting My IDC

Nearly 6 years and 500+ dives later and with the guidance, training and support of the Oceanview team, on 10th September 2016 I started my Instructor Development Course with Steve and Janet. Also, joining me on the course were Jen and Dan but this wasn’t just an ordinary IDC…. we were among the first to participate in the new combined PADI IDC (thx to casinos-uk.org tips) and OCR Level 3 Diploma in Management! Learning to instruct AND run a dive business….. why do anything by half……

Over several days and weekends (and with lots of late nights of self-study) Team Prior coached, encouraged and guided us through all the materials, questions, standards, Physics (yuk!) and practical’s to equip us with the skills and knowledge we needed to become awesome dive instructors. We learned about teaching students to perform skills neutrally buoyant (aka swimming about), how to deliver a briefing that was …. brief…… but covered what was important, cutting out the irrelevant and focusing on the necessary.

We got to design, price and plan the marketing of our own course and really get to understand what it would be like to run a dive business ourselves. Incorporating the OCR Level 3 Diploma in Management requirements gave it a different edge and Steve was really excited about new elements we could bring to briefings, debriefing and classroom presentations etc.

The Instructor Exams

Finally the weekend of judgement had arrived….. The Instructor Exam (IE) weekend…….

Confined Water

Saturday, the official start of the IE, five candidates with associated Course Directors, Staff Instructors and general moral support teams, all sat in a room at PADI headquarters in Bristol at 7.30 am eagerly awaiting the orientation briefing!!!!! The briefing detailed the weekends schedule and I began to realise it would be a long weekend!

First up was dive theory…… The dreaded physics paper. …….. I went through the paper twice…… fresh v salt, gauge v absolute, ‘the effect’, flexible v inflexible………. all the things I needed to make sure I had doubly checked and read to ensure I answered the question correctly.

Next was the pool…….confined water briefing, skill teaching and then debriefing……. gosh the pool was cold…. I would have worn my dry suit if I had known it would be this cold……

Once complete and dried off it was back to the classroom for the Standards exam followed by a Classroom presentation scenario. Phew! It was intense but strangely good fun too.

Open Water

Sunday was open water day. The brief was to be at Vobster at 7.45……… I arrived at 7.20 and one of the Course Directors and 2 candidates where already in front of me in the queue. We waited and waited…… It was cold…..the car temperature was showing 1 degree…… the frost was thick on the ground…….. brrrr….. finally the gates were opened and we got ready for the orientation briefing.

The morning started with open water briefings. As soon as people started to finish their briefings they were whisked off to do their rescue scenario demo. When everyone was finished, we descended on the platform for the in water teaching skills. It seemed to take ages and the 8 degree water was starting to freeze my fingers and toes. Finally, it was my turn…… I was the last to go….. I signalled skill 1, the students performed their skills with various problems which I identified and corrected. On to skill 2, more problems, corrections and congratulations. Finally, the cut signal came from the examiner and we were up and out of the water to warm up.

All that was left was the debrief with the examiner…… my mind was racing….. had I missed something, would I fail……… I delivered my debrief and congratulated my mythical students on doing so well. The examiner then stretched her hand out across the table towards me and with a big smile, shook my hand and said ‘Congratulations Natasha, you have passed, well done!’…….. what a rush of emotions…… I had to apologise to the examiner for blubbing like a baby……. it was over….. I had realised my long term dream of being a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor!!!!

The Future

Just a few last bits to complete on the OCR Level 3 Diploma in Management and that will then hopefully give me an NVQ Level 3 in Management as well!!!!!

I am really looking forward to teaching with the fabulous Oceanview team and gaining more confidence and experience. Who knows, in a few years I could be running my own dive centre in a tropical paradise somewhere……

I look forward to seeing you on a course at Oceanview soon!!

PADI IDC at Ocean View

We are once again fortunate to have the amazing Steve Prior conduct a PADI Instructor Development Course at Ocean View Diving in August this year.

Here’s what Steve has to say and one of his past students…

“Join me for the most modern PADI IDC in the world! Passing the PADI Instructor Exam is only the first step! You will want to be the most exciting PADI Instructor that you can be. The PADI IDC Ocean View will show you how.”

“Your teaching is dynamic and full of energy. It is also fun for your students” – Katrina, Sheffield

Further information

You can read all about the details of the course, costs and itinerary on Steve’s website, plus a whole load more useful information about being a PADI Professional.

Book your place now!

You can book your place directly with Steve or Contact Us here at Ocean View Diving.

There is something mysterious about the depths of the ocean. Once you’ve completed a few dives, you’ll no doubt be wondering what secrets the depths might share – from unspoilt wrecks to a whole new world of underwater life. With the PADI Deep Diver specialty course, you’ll be able to extend your diving range up to 40 meters (130 feet) so you can explore the deep and find out what really lies beneath your fins.

Deep Diver

By Su-Li Wong

“I remember the feeling of excitement gathering among the divers on board the boat.  These divers are all making their final checks, ready to jump into the ocean with their buddy to dive the Maine.  The Maine is a British steamship which lies between 30-35 metres approximately a mile offshore from Bolt Head in the UK.  It is one of Devon’s most popular dive sites!

As we make our controlled descent down the shot line, the huge wreck comes into view.   As we move deeper we notice of the loss of light and the change in colours.  I’m aware now that the red patches on my dry suit have turned brown and in the distance the divers gradually fade in with the blue colour of the ocean. Looming out of the shadows things become clearer; we see more of the largely intact wreck which captures our gaze and is truly fascinating.

As we are diving deeper, we know our no decompression limits are short and so we’ve briefed each other to dive and explore just a small area of the wreck. Due to the depth we also use our air much more quickly, so my buddy and I are regularly checking our gauges and signalling to each other that we are OK.  We’ve already methodically planned each dive on a different area of the wreck, one dive at a time, to ensure our dives are relaxed. Checking my air and my dive computer it’s time to prepare to head back to shallower depths.  Having learned on our PADI Deep Diver specialty course how to control the more extreme buoyancy changes, we compensate for the extra air required at depth to stay neutrally buoyant; by venting enough air regularly we slowly and steadily reach our safety stop and safely deploy our DSMB. We smile to each other as we wait at 5 metres, taking in the enchanting view from above The Maine and already looking forward to our next deep dive.”

What you’ll learn on the PADI Deep Diver specialty course:

Deep dives are exhilarating and appeal to the adventurous side of divers, but greater depths bring a greater risk for untrained and unaware divers. The PADI Deep Diver specialty course will prepare and teach you to make recreational deep diving safe and fun, including:

• Techniques for diving in the deeper range of 18-40 meters / 60-130 feet
• Deep scuba diving equipment considerations
• Experience in planning and organising deeper dives
• Theoretical knowledge about physiological and physical factors
• Emergency procedures
• Progressively developed your skills by making at least four deep dives under supervision

Who can take the PADI Deep Diver specialty course?

The PADI Deep Diver specialty course is open to divers who are 15 years of age or older and who are certified as a PADI Adventure Diver or have an equivalent certification from another training organization.

Make the most of your deeper dives with further PADI training:

 Once you’ve completed your PADI Deep Diver certification, you might like to book the following courses to help expand your skills and further enhance your deeper diving experiences:

• PADI Wreck Diver –  many shipwrecks are found in deeper water – take this course and you’ll be able to explore even more environments when you’re in deeper water.
• PADI Enriched Air Diver – using enriched air nitrox gives you longer no decompression times, meaning you can spend even more time enjoying your deeper dives
• PADI Digital Underwater Photography –as you dive deeper and light lessens, photography beings to require a little more expertise to get the perfect shot – this course will help you do just that
• PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy – by perfecting your buoyancy you’ll feel more confident that you will be able to keep neutrally buoyancy and stick within your limits on deeper dives.

Ocean View provides a great way to further your training, for further details on PADI courses click here.

Book now to become a deeper diver!

The PADI Deep Diver specialty course teaches you techniques for diving in the deeper range of 18-40 metres and builds your experience in planning, organising and conducting deep dives.

Book today to complete your PADI Deep Diver specialty course with Ocean View

Each month, we’ll be featuring a different PADI specialty course as PADI Specialty of the Month – ask us  about which Specialty of the Month courses are coming soon!

You start to descend, but suddenly you’re sinking deeper and faster than intended; a quick burst on the BCD inflator hose (once you’ve managed to press the right button) rectifies the problem… but a few seconds later, you start floating towards the surface. By the end of the dive, you’re exasperated and wonder how you managed to use quite so much air!

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there – beginners and experienced alike. Learning to perfect your skills so that using your BCD inflator hose is second nature and rising above obstacles just by taking a deeper breath may feel like a distant dream at the start. But why is it so important to stick with it and learn to maintain neutral buoyancy – where you are neither sinking nor floating? The benefits extend beyond the comfort factor – here are a few to consider….

Learn to fly

OK, perhaps not in the literal sense – but the weightlessness of being neutrally buoyant is often compared to a sensation of flying, and is akin to the holy grail of scuba diving skills. Add the PADI Drift Diver course to the mix, and you’ll feel like superman in no time.

Safety, safety, safety

Learning to keep control of your buoyancy means you will stay relaxed, confident and safer in situations where monitoring your depth is crucial – from hovering on safety stops through to avoiding hazards such as dangerous marine life or sharp edges – and even wall diving where the seabed could be hundreds of meters below your fins.

Look, don’t touch – even by accident

The underwater world is filled with beautiful yet incredibly fragile living organisms, from corals and sponges to exotic marine creatures. Just one tiny bump from your fin or a slight brush of hand can destroy in seconds what may have taken decades to flourish. Keep control of your buoyancy you’ll be helping to preserve these stunning waterscapes so that you – and others- can enjoy them time and time again. Project AWARE’s top 10 tips for divers highlights buoyancy control as an important aspect of looking after the marine environment whilst diving – read more about the tips here.

What’s that supposed to be?!

If your photos are regularly turning out as nothing more than a watery blur, then maybe it’s time to look at how your buoyancy skills might be a contributing factor. If you master the skills of staying perfectly still in the water, hovering silently until the perfect shot is composed, then you’ll be taking prize-winning pictures in no time (especially if you’ve completed the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course).

What’s your air out?

Confused how your buddy only uses 50 bar of air when you manage to use everything but 50 bar? If you’ve not perfected your buoyancy skills and find yourself constantly fighting the ups and downs of your dive, then this could be one of the biggest factors contributing to a higher air consumption rate. By perfecting your trim and learning how to make adjustments to your position just by breathing in and out, you’ll spend less time putting air in and out of your BCD, and more time enjoying longer dives.

Seeing clearly

If you are continually kicking your fins against the seabed, you’ll no doubt be stirring up vast clouds of silt, turning what was once perfect visibility into a murky soup. So if you want to remain popular with your buddies, make sure you learn how to hover and fin carefully so that everyone can enjoy the view.

PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Course

Book onto the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course and not only will you reap the benefits above, but you’ll learn all-important skills which will make you a better, more confident diver.

You’ll learn how to:

• Trim your scuba gear so that you are perfectly balanced in the water
• Determine your weighting so that you’re not too light or too heavy
• Streamline to save air and move more smoothly through the water
• Hover effortlessly in vertical and horizontal positions

After taking the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course, diving will become more enjoyable, allowing you more time to take in your surroundings. You’ll be able to take better photos as well as help to preserve the marine life – and you’ll be hovering like a Pro on your next safety stop!