Two drysuit divers at the surface off a rocky shore on a local guided dive

Discover Local Diving

Name: Discover Local Diving
Brand: PADI
SKU: DLD001
Price: 650.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

SKU DLD001

R 650.00 ZAR

Product variants

You're already certified. You've just never dived here before.

Being a competent diver somewhere warm and clear doesn't automatically make you a competent diver at Bass Lake in July. Different visibility, different temperature, different entry, different altitude, and a set of local particulars that nobody writes down anywhere.

Discover Local Diving is the answer to that. It's a guided programme, run by a Divemaster or higher, that orients you to a site and its conditions before you're expected to dive it on your own. Think of it as local knowledge, delivered in the water rather than over a counter.

It's particularly useful if you've just moved to Gauteng, if you learned to dive abroad and have never dived inland, or if you're coming back to diving and would rather do the first one alongside someone who knows the site.

What It Is, And What It Isn't

It isn't a course and there's no certification at the end, because you already hold one. What you get is a proper briefing on the site, its conditions and its hazards, and a guided dive with someone who can point out what's worth seeing and what's worth avoiding.

You'll need a PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver certification or higher, and to be at least 10 years old. If you're not certified yet, Discover Scuba Diving is the programme you want instead.

New to diving here? Book Discover Local Diving below, or get in touch with our team and we'll suggest a site to start with.

What This Course Entails

You'll start with a thorough briefing on the site: its layout, depths, typical visibility and temperature, entry and exit points, the conditions to expect on the day, and anything specific worth knowing, including altitude considerations at our inland sites.

From there it's a guided dive with a PADI Divemaster or higher, who'll set the pace to suit you, point out what's worth seeing, and keep an eye on how you're getting on. If you're rusty, say so beforehand and we'll plan accordingly.

There's no certification at the end because you already hold one. Equipment can be included or you can dive your own. Site entry and any boat fees are quoted separately.

Prerequisites

Certified PADI Scuba Diver or Junior Scuba Diver, or any higher certification, including qualifying certifications from other training organisations.
Minimum age is 10 years old.
Complete a basic health screening questionnaire to confirm you're fit to dive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Discover Local Diving for?

Certified divers who want to dive somewhere unfamiliar with someone who knows it. It's the sensible option if you've just moved to Gauteng, haven't dived an inland site before, or are certified elsewhere and want an orientation before diving here on your own.

What certification do I need?

A PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver certification or higher, and a minimum age of 10. So Scuba Divers, Open Water Divers and anyone above that all qualify.

Is this a course or a certification?

Neither. It's a guided programme, run by a Divemaster or higher, designed to orient you to a site and its conditions. There's no certification at the end, because you already hold one. What you get is local knowledge and a dive that doesn't involve guesswork.

Which sites do you run it at?

Usually Bass Lake Adventures or Miracle Waters, the two established inland sites nearest Johannesburg, though we can arrange others. Tell us where you're planning to dive regularly and we'll orient you to that site specifically rather than a generic one.

Do I need my own equipment?

Either way works. Equipment can be included if you don't have your own yet, or dive your own kit if you'd rather. If you're new to inland diving, using ours for the first outing is often sensible, since exposure protection needs here differ from what you may be used to.

Are air fills included in the course price?

No, and that is deliberate. Air is charged as you use it, per fill, and invoiced to you after your session. Every diver breathes differently, and a nervous first-timer will get through considerably more air than someone on their fourth qualification dive. Building a worst-case air allowance into every course fee would mean the lightest breathers subsidising the heaviest, so instead you pay for the air you actually use and the course price stays lower for everyone. We confirm the current fill rate with you when we book your dates, and you are welcome to ask us for it at any point before that. Dive site entrance fees are also paid separately, at the site on the day. Everything else, including your PADI eLearning, your instruction and the use of all scuba equipment, is covered by your course fee.