Travel Adviser : Deeply dippy in False Bay

Why do a dive course?
Developing diving skills and experience under supervision allows you to dive safely and have fun. Reputable dive operators and clubs will insist you have a qualification for the type of diving you intend to do and won’t allow uncertified people to dive, hire equipment or fill cylinders. Recreational scuba diver training organisations using professional instructors include the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), American Canadian Underwater Certifications (ACUC), Scuba Diving International, Scuba Schools International (SSI) and National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). PADI is the recreational diver-training organisation with the world’s largest membership.

Course outline
The PADI Open Water Diver course qualifies you to dive with a buddy independent of a professional. It involves five theory sections, five swimming-pool sessions and four open-water dives. There’s an easy, multiple-choice test at the end. You can do the course in four full days or spread over several weeks. You can also do the knowledge and pool sessions before you go on holiday and complete the openwater dives through a dive centre at your destination.

What it costs
R2 900 including one boat dive, three shore dives, all dive equipment during the course and PADI registration fees.

Other courses
PADI Discover Scuba Diving is designed for people who want to try diving before doing the open-water course. It’s not a qualification, but can count as a credit. It includes a theory session, a pool dive and a sea dive. The course takes one day and costs R750. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver is the next step after your open-water qualification. The course includes five adventure dives – with deep diving and navigation required – and costs R2 100.

Where to book
Pisces Divers in Glencairn near Simon’s Town offers the full range of PADI courses, as well as equipment hire, shore dives, boat dives and night dives at sites around the Cape Peninsula. The shop stocks a range of dive gear and provides a dive report, equipment servicing and an on-site airfill and nitrox station. Tel 021-782-7205, e-mail info@piscesdivers.co.za or web
http://www.piscesdivers.co.za.

The vehicle
Getaway drove a Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced petrolelectric hybrid vehicle. With a consumption of 5,3 litres/100 km, it’s also the most fuel-efficient and ecofriendly car on sale in South Africa. To stand a chance of winning one, enter the competition at http://www.hybridsynergydrive.co.za or http://www.cartoday.com. To calculate your car’s carbon footprint, visit http://www.brightgreencar.co.za.