Dive training

You don’t need to have ever put on a mask

Our fully qualified PADI Instructor takes complete beginners from zero to Advanced Open Water in the first one to two weeks of the expedition, and every dive from then on is built around conservative, safety first dive profiles designed specifically for repeated reef survey work, not standard resort diving. Already qualified? You'll do a review dive with our instructor before joining the survey team, and can add extra PADI courses on top.

The pathway

  1. Non-diverweek 0
  2. Open Waterweeks 1–2
  3. Advanced Open Waterweeks 1–2
  4. Reef Check certifiedweeks 2–3
  5. Emergency First Responseflexible
  6. Rescue Diverflexible
  7. Divemaster7–8 weeks min

Already qualified? You do a review dive with the instructor before joining the survey team, then add courses on top.

Two divers working a transect line laid across a coral reef, one of them recording on a survey slate
Where the pathway ends: two divers on a transect line, one writing up the reef on a slate.

Courses and timing

CourseBarefoot feePADI feesTypical timing
PADI Open Water Included in expedition fee (non divers) ~£100 First 1–2 weeks of expedition
PADI Advanced Open Water Included in expedition fee (non divers) ~£100 First 1–2 weeks of expedition
Scuba review dive Included (qualified divers) — On arrival
PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) Free ~£60 Flexible, on request
PADI Rescue Diver PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) first £220 ~£100 (requires EFR completed first) Anytime after EFR
PADI Divemaster PADI Rescue Diver first £370 ~£270 (crew pack, price may vary by courier) 7–8 weeks minimum (qualified divers); 12 weeks recommended (non divers, start to finish)
A shallow reef seen from underwater: soft corals, table coral and small reef fish
Soft corals and table coral on a shallow reef — the sort of ground a Reef Check survey records.

Equipment rental

Per week, on site.

ItemPer week
Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) £20
Full regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage, octopus, SPG) £20
Mask & snorkel £15
Wetsuit (3mm shortie) £15
Fins & dive boots £20
Dive computer mandatory for all divers if not own one; £150 refundable deposit applies £25

Tank, weights and weight belt are included in every expedition fee at no extra cost. Dive torches are no longer available to rent, so bring your own if you want to join the night dive at Arborek jetty. A delayed SMB and reef hook are also strongly recommended kit to bring with you. Rental items may need to be shared between volunteers during busy periods, so indicate what you need on your booking form to guarantee availability.

Diving standards

What's the typical diving schedule?

Two dives a day when conditions allow, Monday–Friday for surveys, Saturday for fun dives, Sunday off entirely. Night dives roughly every 1–2 weeks. There's no guaranteed dive count: weather, tides and community events can affect the schedule, and safety always comes first.

How safe is the diving?

Safety is the top priority: conservative, survey specific dive profiles, experienced local boat crews who know the currents, on site medical kit (oxygen, first aid, AED).

What if my qualification isn't PADI?

No problem. Equivalent qualifications from other agencies (to PADI Advanced Open Water level) are accepted.

What diving equipment do I need?

BCD, regulator, mask, snorkel, wetsuit, fins, dive boots, dive slate, dive computer, reef hook, torch and delayed SMB. Tank, weights and weight belt are provided. Most other gear can be rented on site (see Dive Training section for costs); just flag it when booking, as availability isn't guaranteed on arrival. Note that dive torches can no longer be rented, so this one you'll need to bring yourself.

Forms and documents

What to read before you travel, and what to bring signed.

  • Barefoot diving standards

    Barefoot’s own diving rules: depth and bottom-time limits, buddy procedures, equipment and emergency measures. Eight pages.

  • Diver medical questionnaire

    The PADI Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire, July 2020. Answer every question honestly; a “yes” means a doctor signs you off before you dive, not that you cannot come.

  • Liability release

    PADI’s Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Agreement, made out to Barefoot Conservation. It is a legal agreement — read it in full before you sign it, and bring it with you.

Zero to Advanced Open Water in your first fortnight.

Our PADI Instructor takes complete beginners from no experience to survey-ready.

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From £1,895
4–5 weeks

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