PADI’s Discover Scuba Diving program is a fantastic way to test the waters and give diving a try. Here at NDS, we offer a thorough and relaxed experience to make sure that your diving adventure is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The whole experience takes around 2.5 hours from start to finish, and can be done in the morning or afternoon, 7 days a week.
If you’ve ever thought about giving scuba diving a go, or you’re not sure whether it’s for you, then read on to find out.
CONTENTS:
- The e-learning
- The dive
- What next?
The e-learning
We start off with some online theory and videos, which can be completed any time before your first diving session. PADI’s Discover Scuba Diving e-learning offers an introduction to the fundamentals of scuba diving, making sure you are properly prepared. Using a combination of video, text, and quizzes, and available in many different languages, the e-learning is a great tool to allow you learn at your own pace, without any time pressure. This means less time in the classroom and more time in the water.
Curious? You can start the e-learning yourself, now, free of charge and with no commitment. Simply email us to let us know you’re interested and we will send you your free download instructions.
The dive
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to go diving. Upon arrival, we will introduce ourselves and show you around our cozy dive centre. We’ll have a briefing and show you how the equipment works to make sure you understand everything, and then head down to our beautiful house reef, right on our doorstep at St Paul’s Bay. We have a perfect little “pool” for practicing the basics needed to be safe and comfortable while diving. Now that you're on the surface, it's time to take your first breaths underwater.
Feeling a little nervous? Don't worry, our instructors will will fully explain and show you the skills before practicing them in calm, shallow water. Once you are comfortable and happy, we can then we can simply swim out and explore the rest of the site here at St Pauls Bay.
The most common question we get asked is “what will I see?”. Well, the answer is... loads!
Our dive site is naturally split into three distinct areas. First we have a sand patch, which is perfect for when you still need to practice your buoyancy control. Here we can see goatfish, plaice and sea cucumbers enjoying the sand, and if you’re really lucky, flying gurnards (pictured) can make an appearance. There is also a statue of St Mary, particularly interesting for seeing how the sea life so quickly takes over underwater.
Next, we swim over sea grass. Often overlooked, sea grass is an amazing and vital part of our ecosystem – not just for the ocean, but for the whole planet. Worldwide, sea grasses are able to store carbon dioxide at a rate 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, absorbing a massive 10% of the ocean’s carbon every year, thus playing a vital role in combating climate change. They are also home to a huge amount of marine species, and help prevent coastal erosion.
In and around the sea grass we are likely to see large shoals of chromis – the bright blue juveniles, up to the larger black adults. We can also see shoals of cow bream and banded bream, plus the occasional painted comber.
Moving on to the final part of the dive, we finish over a rocky area. Full of tiny nooks and crannies, this is the best place for finding the more shy critters such as crabs, yellow-spotted moray eels, and – my personal favourite – octopuses.
What next?
Once completed, your experience will be logged with PADI, so there will be a permanent record of completion.
So what happens afterwards? Most people ask when they can next dive and we have a few options.
There are many beautiful sites in Malta, from the clear waters and beautiful reef wall of Cirkewwa to the historical wreck of the WWII battleship HMS Maori (pictured). Once you have completed your first Discover Scuba Diving session in St Paul's Bay, then we can take you on subsequent dives to some of these fantastic sites, to a maximum depth of 12m.
If you want to take your diving to the next level, then the PADI Open Water Diver course is the next logical step. Successful completion will qualify you to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres, all over the world, with any other certified diver - opening up a wealth of new dive sites for you to explore.
If you feel like you don't want to commit to the full course, then the PADI Scuba Diver option is a good half-way house - basically the first half of the full course, with a 12 metre qualification and a stipulation that you must always dive with a professional guide. This course will only require 1 additional days training, so great when time is limited. After the PADI Scuba Diver course, when you are ready you can simply complete the 2nd half of the full Open Water course using the theory you'll already own from the Scuba Diver course.
As an added bonus, if you book on to your Scuba Diver or Open Water Diver course within 1 week of completing your Discover Scuba Diving experience, we will knock the cost of the initial experience off your total course fee.
At NDS we strive for every person who dives with us to feel comfortable and safe, and that is our highest priority. With a focus on small group sizes, we make sure every diver feels welcome and looked after.
If you have any questions at all, or would like to book one of our scuba diving sessions, please contact us on ndsmalta@gmail.com. We look forward to diving with you soon :D
