You're going on vacation in the tropics and dream of dipping your fins in heavenly waters. How do you choose the diving center you will use to jump into the water? How can you be sure that you'll have a great time without any inconvenience or risk? Here are some tips before you sign up.
The trio that you have the right to expect from a diving center is based on three basic ingredients: the quality of the equipment and the training, the safety with a serious and rigorous protocol and the pleasure of dives in selected sites with good observation conditions. You will find excellent diving centers in Australia, to observe the biodiversity of the coral reef, or in Thailand (Koh Tao, Kho Phi Phi, Koh Lanta), in Corsica or in Martinique, etc.
First requirement: the quality of the welcome
First of all, the welcome you receive must be pleasant and respectful. You must be taken into consideration and be effectively informed about the registration procedures, rates, schedules, etc. No vagueness! This is a professional's office, not a friend's! At the very least, you must have a room or a site that is comfortable enough for you to be comfortably equipped. If possible, find out in advance about the seriousness of the center and the quality of the dives by consulting the center's website and reviews, or even social networks. On the spot, ask divers, customers or not, who seem to be regulars of the site. Also rely on your intuition: a bad atmosphere in a center can be noticed quite quickly!
The nerve of the war: the equipment!
At the very least, the equipment must be in good working order. It must be compliant, well maintained and stored in a sufficiently ventilated room. Check the flexibility of the regulator, the wear and tear of the wetsuits and booties. Is the equipment properly disinfected between each client? You must also be sure that you can rinse yourself and your diving equipment between dives. Also beware of lack of equipment. Everyone must have their own suit! You don't change it between two dives...
Sites that correspond to your level of diving
You are here to enjoy yourself. Choose a dive center that offers a wide variety of dive sites so that everyone can find what they need and have fun diving. Novices will be happy with easy and quick access sites, while experienced divers will appreciate more spectacular, deep and technical dives. Your level 3 allows you to explore a beautiful wreck at a depth of less than 40 meters
Experts for the briefing
A good and correct briefing before diving is essential. This briefing should be done with a good connoisseur of the sites who will explain to you in detail what you will be able to observe. You must know what you are expecting to see. For each site, the best itinerary according to your diving level should be explained. Should you dive on the port or starboard side to quickly reach this striped pass?
The importance of the boat
This is an important element of comfort. An overcrowded boat quickly spoils the pleasure! The range is wide, from the classic Zodiac to the super catamaran with an elevator for divers. And when the engine is not allowed, the small fisherman's boat has its charm as long as you are not crammed in and can give an exotic touch to your dives..
Safety on board is another non-negotiable point. At least your dive center must provide you with a quantity of oxygen (or even better Nitrox) that corresponds to the number of divers, an efficient radio, ideally coupled to the GPS, visual or audible signaling devices in case of distress, etc.
Back-to-back dives, the wrong idea
The time between two dives should be reasonable and the rotations correct. It is not recommended to make a series of dives. Be careful, some centers suggest that you make your dives grouped together in a row, usually in the morning. By limiting the number of dives with the boat, the center saves money. Moreover, the divers themselves sometimes benefit from this, since the rest of the day can be devoted to other activities and to tourist visits. However, it is known that safety decreases if dives are made too close together. Too little desaturation time is inefficient and puts you at increased risk of DCI. One or two hours should be allowed between dives depending on the depth of the dives. Don't be in too much of a hurry and take the time necessary to practice this hobby safely.
Conviviality and small attentions
The good memories will not only be those of your most beautiful dives. There is also the atmosphere of your diving course, the good times shared on the boat and on the way back. The reputation of your dive center also depends on these moments of conviviality and good memories. Small things make the difference. Fresh water and a snack on the boat, sweets and fresh local fruits, coconuts for example for the dives in Polynesia, a small aperitif to say goodbye to the diving center on the last day of the course, a planter concocted by the boss for a diving course in Guadeloupe.
Choose an eco-responsible center
Opt for the slow-diving attitude by choosing a center where diving is respectful of the underwater environment, committed to the protection of the environment and biodiversity, as it is the case, for example, for some diving centers in Bali. Ideally, this one will have a hybrid boat. Sailing with electricity allows to reduce pollution, including noise pollution in areas frequented by underwater fauna. The eco-responsible dive center recovers and stores rainwater to feed the rinsing tanks, uses ecological cleaning products, limits, recovers and recycles waste. Longitude 181, an association for the protection of the ocean, publishes a guide to eco-responsible diving centers throughout the world's oceans.
