At Scubadive West, we conduct all our scuba dive training and introductory tours in our private, sheltered cove.
As divers gain experience they can explore the deeper area at the shore including a wreck lying in 13 metres.
You can dive practically anywhere there’s water – from a swimming pool to the ocean and all points in between, including quarries, lakes, rivers and springs. Where you can scuba dive is determined by your:
- experience
- level site
- accessibility
- conditions interests
For example, if you’ve just finished your PADI Open Water Diver course, you probably won’t be diving under the Antarctic ice on your next dive. But, don’t limit your thinking to the warm, clear water you see in travel magazines. Some of the best diving is closer than you think.
Shore Diving at Scubadive West is the ideal starting point for newly qualified or inexperienced divers, with easy access via our private slipway, there is abundant marine life and a wreck “The 60 Footer’, lying in 13 metres depth.
Our Local Boat Dives are ideal for divers with Open Water diver certification or higher, and recent cold water diving experience. Departures at 10am and 2pm, by prior booking.
We regularly dive the stunning Julia T wreck, which is a mere 10 minute boat trip from Scubadive West.
During the summer months we offer Adventure Day Trips to the beautiful offshore islands of Inishbofin, Inishshark, Caher Island Inishturk, and Clare Island. Ideal for divers with Advanced Open Water diver certification or higher, and recent cold water diving experience.
The only truly important thing about where you dive is that you have the scuba diving training and experience appropriate for diving there, and that you have a dive buddy to go with you. SCUBADIVE WEST can help you organize great local diving or a dive vacation. Visit today to get started.
If you have an appetite for excitement and adventure, odds are you can become an avid PADI scuba diver. You’ll also want to keep in mind these requirements:
Minimum Age:
- 12 years old
- Students younger than 15 years, who successfully complete the course qualify for the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification, which they may upgrade to PADI Open Water Diver certification upon reaching 15. You must be at least 13 years old to take scuba lessons online with PADI eLearning, due to international internet laws. If you’re younger, you can still learn to dive – just have your parent or legal guardian contact SCUBADIVE WEST.
Physical: For safety, all students complete page 1 of a brief scuba medical questionnaire that asks about medical conditions that could be a problem while diving. If none of these apply, you sign the form and you’re ready to start.
If any of these apply to you, as a safety precaution your dive physician (SPUMS) must assess the condition as it relates to diving and sign a 6 page medical form that confirms that you’re fit to dive. In some areas, local laws require all scuba students to consult with a physician before entering the course.
Waterskills: Before completing the PADI Open Water Diver course, your instructor will have you demonstrate basic waterskill comfort by having you:
- swim 300 metres in mask, fins and snorkel. There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.
- float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods that you want.
About Physical Challenges: Any individual who can meet the performance requirements of the course qualifies for certification. There are many adaptive techniques that allow individuals with physical challenges to meet these requirements. Individuals with paraplegia, amputations and other challenges commonly earn the PADI Open Water Diver certification. Even individuals with more significant physical challenges participate in diving. Talk to your PADI Instructor at Scubadive West for more information.
Learning Materials : You can buy your PADI eLearning directly from PADI or from Scubadive West. You can start learning straight away! and complete the quizzes and final exam at home before attending the PADI Open Water Diver course with us.
- You will learn how to use Dive Computers during your course!
- You will also receive your Divers Logbook from us and you will be guided through logging your first dives.
Compared with getting started in other popular adventure sports and outdoor activities, learning to scuba dive isn’t expensive.
For example, you can expect to pay per day, about the same as you would for:
- a full day of surfing lessons
- a weekend of rock climbing lessons
- a weekend of kayaking lessons
- a weekend of fly-fishing lessons
- about three hours of private golf lessons
- about three hours of private water skiing lessons
- one amazing night out at the pub!
Learning to scuba dive is great value when you consider that you learn to dive under the guidance and attention of a highly trained, experienced professional – your SCUBADIVE WEST PADI Scuba Instructor. From the first day, scuba diving starts transforming your life with new experiences you share with friends. And, you can do it almost anywhere there is water. Start learning online with SCUBADIVE WEST and get ready to take your first breath underwater!
SCUBADIVE WEST is proud to be able to offer the PADI Open Water Course for €520 per person.
add the PADI eLearning €185 €179.
Total €699
First you complete the classroom portion online via PADI eLearning. Then you join one of our four day PADI Open Water Courses here at Scubadive West.
Your instructor’s interest is in your learning to scuba dive, not in how long you sit in a class. So, training is based upon demonstrating that you know what you need to know and can do what you need to do. This means that you progress at your own pace – faster or slower depending upon the time you need to become a confident scuba diver who dives regularly. You can start learning to scuba dive online right now with SCUBADIVE WEST and PADI eLearning.
Learning to scuba dive with SCUBADIVE WEST and PADI is an incredible adventure! With PADI as your training organization, your path to breathing underwater is accomplished in three exciting phases:
1. Knowledge Development - Learn the lingo.
During the first phase of your PADI Open Water Diver scuba certification, you develop an understanding of the basic principles of scuba diving. You learn things like how pressure affects your body, how to choose the best scuba gear and what to consider when planning dives. You briefly review what you have studied in the five knowledge sections with your instructor and take a short quiz to be sure you’re getting it.
At the end of the course, you’ll take a longer quiz that makes sure you have all the key concepts and ideas down. You and your SCUBADIVE WEST Instructor will review anything that you don’t quite get until it’s clear.
Knowledge development:
- Start right now and learn to scuba dive online with SCUBADIVE WEST via PADI eLearning at your own pace—anytime, anywhere (great for busy schedules)
2. Confined Water Dives - Scuba Skills Training.
This is what it’s all about – diving. You develop basic scuba skills by scuba diving in the shallow claer waters of our private, sheltered training cove in the sea, at Scubadive West. Here you’ll learn everything from setting up your scuba gear to how to easily get water out of your scuba mask without surfacing. You’ll also practice some emergency skills, like sharing air or replacing your scuba mask. Plus, you may play some games, make new friends and have a great time. There are five confined water dives, with each building upon the previous. Over the course of these five dives, you attain the skills you need to dive in open water.
3. Open Water Dives - Locally or on Vacation.
After your confined water dives, you and the new friends you’ve made continue learning during four open water dives with your PADI Instructor at SCUBADIVE WEST. This is where you fully experience the underwater adventure – at the beginner level, of course. You may make these dives from the shore and out on our boat, departing from SCUBADIVE WEST.
With the necessary training and experience, the limit for recreational scuba diving is 40 metres. Beginning scuba divers stay shallower than about 18 metres unless you are a Junior Scuba Diver then it is 12 metres. Although these are the limits, some of the most popular diving is no deeper than 12 metres/40 feet where the water’s warmer and the colors are brighter.
At Scubadive West, we provide the equipment for you during our training, so you don’t need to buy anything before you start diving
Choosing and using your scuba gear is part of the fun of diving. SCUBADIVE WEST will help you find the right gear. Each piece of scuba equipment performs a different function so that collectively, it adapts you to the underwater world.
When you start learning to scuba dive, you learn about the equipment. As a minimum, you want your own
- scuba mask
- snorkel
- boots
- scuba fins
These have a personal fit, and SCUBADIVE WEST will help you choose ones that have the fit and features best suited to you. Included in the cost of your PADI Open Water Diver course, SCUBADIVE WEST will provide a:
- dive regulator
- scuba BC
- dive computer
- scuba tank
- scuba wetsuit
- weight system and weights
Check with SCUBADIVE WEST to confirm sizing available for your course package. It’s recommended that you invest in your own scuba equipment when you complete your course because:
- you’re more comfortable using scuba gear fitted for you
- you’re more comfortable learning to scuba dive using gear you’ve chosen
- scuba divers who own their own scuba diving equipment find it more convenient to go diving
- having your own scuba diving gear is part of the fun of diving
The kind of gear you will need depends on the conditions where you dive. You will want:
- cold water scuba diving equipment to dive comfortably in Ireland. A thick, two piece semi-dry or a drysuit are ideal for diving here.
No, assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ears. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you’ll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.
Easy. There is no best gear. But, there is the best gear for you. The professionals at SCUBADIVE WEST are trained to help you find scuba gear that best matches your preferences, fit and budget. These professionals can get you set with the right stuff, plus they provide service and support for years of enjoyable and dependable use.
You may also want to talk to other scuba divers in PADI’s online scuba community to get recommendations on particular scuba equipment brands and models.
Does a history of ear troubles, diabetes, asthma, allergies or smoking preclude someone from diving?
Not necessarily. Any condition that affects the ears, sinuses, respiratory function or heart function or may alter consciousness is a concern, but only a physician can assess a person’s individual risk. Physicians can consult with the Divers Alert Network (DAN) as necessary when assessing a scuba candidate.
DAN has information available online if you wish to do some research.
Sun burn and seasickness, both of which are preventable with over the counter preventatives. The most common injuries caused by marine life are scrapes and stings, most of which can be avoided by wearing gloves and an exposure suit, staying off the bottom and watching where you put your hands and feet.
Contact SCUBADIVE WEST for information about exposure protection needed for any of your diving.
Irish waters are very safe and encounters don’t occur with the type of sharks we see in movies!
If you are very luck you may see a Basking Shark at the surface, these toothless sharks are only interested in plankton, microscopic plants and animals.
Diving from Scubadive West we regularly see Dogfish, which are shark family, but smaller and docile, in fact they sleep in the day and hunt for small fish and crabs at night. Their docile nature means that divers can get close to them and get photos and video quite easily. It is a great treat to see their shark like features and swimming style.
Also we see a variety of Ray, namely the Thornback Ray and the Leopard Ray.
In deep water far out in the Atlantic there are Blue Sharks, they are shy of boats. Sport fishermen need to attract them with ‘rubby dubby’ and a lot of patience!
Tropical Waters.There are sharks in tropical waters but incidents with sharks are very, very rare. Most commonly shark encounters involve spear fishing or feeding sharks, both of which trigger erratic feeding behaviour. Sharks main food source is fish and if they can get a free feed they will.
Most of the time, if you see a shark it’s passing through and a relatively rare sight to enjoy.
Some myths, about sharks, that you have heard may be dispelled by checking out Australian Geographic.
That’s not likely because you have a gauge that tells you how much air you have at all times. This way, you can return to the surface with a safety reserve remaining. But to answer the question, if you run out of air, your buddy has a spare mouthpiece that allows you to share a single air supply while swimming to the surface. There are also other options you’ll learn in your PADI Open Water course with SCUBADIVE WEST.
People find the “weightlessness” of scuba diving to be quite freeing. Modern scuba masks are available in translucent models, which you may prefer if a mask makes you feel closed in. During your scuba diving training with SCUBADIVE WEST, your instructor gives you plenty of time and coaching to become comfortable with each stage of learning. Your scuba instructor works with you at your own pace to ensure you master each skill necessary to become a capable scuba diver who dives regularly.
SCUBADIVE WEST keeps classes small so that we can give you more time to get comfortable with the amazing world of diving.
At Scubadive West we have the solution to your diving needs, whether aquaculture, inshore civil engineering, scientific, research, environmental or education.
We offer Commercial Diving, Marine Research Support, Sales, Servicing, Training and Boat Charter.
We are Registered Cylinder Testing House: 6H.
Our Dive support vessel RIB Marlin is licensed by the Dept of Transprt to carry 12 passengers.
Authorised Distributors for all major Scuba diving equipment brands including Interspiro, Ocean Technology Systems, Scubapro, O’Three, BARE, SUUNTO, Fourth Element and Oceanic.
Our highly experienced service technicians are certified to service Interspro, Kirby Morgan, Scubapro and Apex diving equipment.
We repair diving drysuits and surface / rescue drysuits – with a large stock of neoprene and latex seals, drysuit zips, drysuit boots drysuit inflation valves and dump valves.
Scubadive West’s Charter boat ‘The Marlin’ is fully insured and licensed by the department of Transport to carry 12 passengers.
A spacious 7.5 metre long Catamaran hulled RHIB, it is the ideal Dive support vessel.
The Marlin is also ideal for Day Charter / Survey Work / Sightseeing tours.
We also offer Boat Diving trips for qualified recreational divers read more>>
At Scubadive West we offer Sales and Servicing of Commercial Diving equipment.
Authorised Distrubutors for all major Scuba diving equipment brands including Interspiro, Ocean Technology Systems, Scubapro, O’Three, BARE, SUUNTO, Fourth Element, Posiedon and Oceanic.
Our highly experienced service technicians are certified to service Interspro, Kirby Morgan, Scubapro, Posiedon and Apex diving equipment.
Contact us here>>
We can provide a team of 3 Commercial Divers to conduct inspection, survey work and mooring maintenance.
Our team operate in the Marine Civil engineering and Aquaculture environments.
Each Commercial diver is fully qualified and carries their own Public Liability Insurance.
Contact us here>>