Scuba Diving Course in Cabo de Palos with Certification

What it is and isn't This is the full entry-level course -Open Water Diver, in either PADI or SSI- that certifies you for life and qualifies you to dive down to 18 m at any dive centre in the world. It isn't a one-off trial dive: it takes several days, there's theory to study and an assessment. If you just want to know what it feels like before committing, what you want is the discover dive, done at the same site in a single morning. And if you're already certified, what you're after are the guided dives to the reefs and wrecks.

How it's structured Three blocks. The theory, with a manual and videos covering pressure, buoyancy, safety and dive planning. Confined-water practice, where you rehearse clearing your mask, recovering your regulator and controlling buoyancy until it becomes second nature. And four open-water dives, usually spread over two days, where you repeat those skills and do some real diving. Expect three to four days in total, depending on the centre and your pace.

Where you dive In the Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve: about 19 km² protected between the lighthouse and the islets, with seagrass meadows, orange coral and large groupers that approach without fear. In 2015 its waters were voted best dive destination in continental Europe. At your level you'll dive spots like El Descargador, a submerged island that never goes past 18 m, Cala Escalerica, and the upper part of the Naranjito wreck, which lies between 12 and 22 m. The big reefs -Bajo de Fuera, with the Sirio wreck- and the deep dives are left for later certifications.

Requirements From age 10 for the junior version, with lower depth limits, and from 15 for the adult certification. You need to know how to swim and pass a simple swimming and floating test. Before starting, you fill out a medical questionnaire and, if you answer yes to anything -heart, asthma, epilepsy, recent surgery, pregnancy- you'll need a medical certificate. You can't dive with congestion or if you've flown in the previous 24 hours.

When to do it The course runs year-round, but the water calls the shots: it ranges from about 16 °C in winter to 26 °C in late summer. May to October is the most comfortable stretch for the open-water dives; in winter you dive in a thicker or semi-dry wetsuit, with fewer people in the water and often better visibility.