Discover Scuba Diving
This allows you to dive in open water under direct supervision. It is designed to encourage exploration and allow people to satisfy their curiosity about scuba diving. The programme consists of a short video followed by a classroom session where we teach you the skills you will need for your first dive. This is followed by a simple quiz. We will then familiarise you with your equipment. You are now ready to swim with the fish at our shallow water reef. Minimum age 10yrs.

PADI Scuba Diver
This is our first level of certification. The course comprises three academic sessions, three confined water sessions and two open water dives. You are then qualified to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI professional.

Open Water Diver
To advance from PADI scuba diver you must complete two academic sessions, two confined water sessions and two more open water dives. Once completed you are qualified to dive anywhere in the world with a buddy.

Adventure Diver
Advanced Open water Diver: If you are an enthusiast then this is your next step. This course requires you to do five adventure dives. It is required for you to complete a navigation dive. This will teach you how to navigate underwater to a pre-defined location. Our most commonly used site for this dive is the gully and cave outside the harbour (See dive site map). The second mandatory dive is a deep dive. This can be done at the entrance to the swim through at the south side of Inisgalloon. You can then choose three of the following

• Wreck Dive
• Night Dive
• Dry Suit Dive
• Multilevel Dive
• Drift Dive
• Peak performance buoyancy dive
• Search and recovery dive
• Underwater naturalist
• Underwater photography
• Underwater videography

Rescue Diver
This course will introduce you to common problems and scenarios that may arise throughout your diving career. It enables you to fine tune your self-rescue and manage emergencies involving other divers. We take a flexible, conceptual approach to performing rescues. A rescuers relative size and strength, for example, as well as environmental factors dictate what rescue technique may be most effective.

• Course Goals
• Expand diver knowledge in preparation for PADI leadership training
• Teach effective diver rescue and first aid skills
• Prepare divers to manage realistic rescue situations
• Increase awareness of dive safety
• Encourage divers to anticipate and prevent problems.

Master Scuba Diver / Specialities
Is the highest non-professional rating a diver can achieve. We recommend this course for people who do not want to maximise their knowledge, gain respect from fellow divers and without the responsibility of supervising other divers. To achieve this qualification you must be a qualified rescue diver with specialities in five of the following areas.

• Cavern Diver
• Deep Diver
• Equipment Specialist
• Ice Diver
• Night Diver
• Research Diver
• Search and Recovery Diver
• Underwater Hunter Diver
• Underwater Navigator Diver
• Underwater Photographer Diver
• Wreck Diver
• Distinctive Speciality
• Master Scuba Diver
• Altitude Diver
• Boat Diver
• Drift Diver
• Dry Suit Diver
• Multilevel Diver
• Underwater Naturalist
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Underwater Videography
• Enriched Air Diver
• Diver Propulsion Vehicle
• Project AWARE Speciality
• AWARE - Fish Identification
• Dolphin/Atlantis Semi closed Rebreather
• Ray Semiclosed Rebreather

Divemaster
The first professional qualification available. Up until this you will have been affiliated to PADI. On completion of the Divemaster course you will be a full member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. The PADI Divemaster course is divided into three modules

• Knowledge Development module
• Water Skills and Stamina module
• Practical application module

We have found that the most effective method of teaching the third module is internship. This is where the student takes part in actual course training and gains hands on experience in dealing with real life problems as they may arise. This helps the Divemaster gain respect from their students and gives them a more professional appearance. The advantage of spending time with Achill Dive Centre is along with the Divemaster qualification you gain in depth knowledge of the various dive sites we visit, advanced boating skills and what we call "respect for the sea".

Assistant Instructor

Instructor Course

Instructor Examination