SCUBA Diving & Snorkeling Info
SCUBA diving & snorkeling are key features of this course that provide incredible opportunities for tropical marine research. There is no prior SCUBA diving or snorkeling experience required. All diving & snorkeling is beginner level and there is ample review of skills & safety by highly qualified EcoFS staff. Students must be comfortable in ocean water for up to 1 hour at a time and be proficient swimmers. Students choose whether to do a SCUBA & snorkel option or a Snorkel-only option (the Snorkel-only option is $700 less). The two options are identical in course content and experience and both are incredible at Xpu-Ha. The snorkel option allows students who are unable to get certified, or have physical concerns regarding SCUBA, to participate in the course.
The Caribbean EcoFS course is an excellent opportunity to gain experience with SCUBA or snorkeling. SCUBA dives & snorkels are conducted with short (5-10 minute) boat rides or easy walk-in entries at one of many spectacular locations of the Xpu-Ha coral reef. Dives are shallow (30- 60 feet), slow-paced, & typically without strong currents. For the boat rides we hire boats and captains from our course partner La Playa Xpu-Ha Beach Club. Each dive/snorkel has up to 6 students and 2 staff and with a scientific observation focus. Students can expect to complete 10-12 total class dives including a night dive, plus up to 10-12 optional, independent research dives (conditions permitting). Student divers holding an Advanced certification or higher will have opportunities for deeper dives. EcoFS is a professional member of NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) and partner to their Green Diver Initiative.
The required personal snorkel equipment for all
students is mask, snorkel & fins. All students are provided an underwater writing slate, underwater camera for research, light, & safety signal. The included equipment rental for the SCUBA option is for Scubapro buoyancy control device (BCD), Scubapro regulator with computer & compass, tank & weights/belt. Snorkelers & SCUBA divers will both have opportunity to learn and apply basic free-diving techniques.
SCUBA CERTIFICATION INFO
Students choosing the SCUBA/snorkel option for the course must have a valid, current “Open Water” or “Basic” SCUBA diver certification by the time the class begins. If you are not certified, do not worry as it is an easy & straightforward process conducted by many different training organizations, typically through a local dive shop or university. There are 3 components to an Open Water or Basic SCUBA certification to complete; classroom, pool (confined water) & open water. It is possible do the “classroom” component or “Elearning” online. Here are links to websites of the 3 most common & respected SCUBA training organizations: PADI, NAUI, SSI. They list locations of SCUBA training and also offer on-line classroom components.
Get Certified in Mexico prior to the course:
This training is full for the upcoming May-June course
EcoFS can arrange for completion of the confined water and/or open water dive components of a SCUBA certification to be conducted in Xpu-Ha with our local dive shop partner directly before the course start. Either way students must complete the classroom component prior to the start of the training. This can easily be done online.
The cost for just the open water portion (called a referral) of certification, consisting of 4 ocean dives, is $350 (assuming classroom and confined components have been completed). This option requires 2 days and so students would need to arrive on May 20th to have the 21st and 22nd for training.
The cost for the confined water component and open water portion is $480 (assuming classroom components have been completed). This option requires 3 days and so students would need to arrive on May 19th to have the 20th, 21st and 22nd for training. Also a $30 charge to PADI for certification processing.
There is also additional cost for the extra nights accommodation, airport shuttle, and meals. Contact us for details on this.
