Have you always wondered what it feels like to breathe underwater, but you are not ready to commit to a full diving course?
Discover Scuba Diving Plus (DSD +) is our two-day introductory programme designed to give complete beginners a relaxed, structured and memorable first experience of scuba diving. The minimum age to participate is 10 years old.
Rather than entering the sea shortly after a briefing, you will spend the first day learning about the equipment and practising essential skills in a swimming pool. Once you feel comfortable underwater, you will travel to Marina del Este the following day for two guided open-water dives.
This gradual approach gives you more time to build confidence, understand how scuba equipment works and enjoy your first dives without feeling rushed.
Table of Contents
How does DSD work?
The programme takes place over two days.
Day One: Pool Training
Your first session takes place in the controlled environment of a swimming pool.
Before entering the water, your instructor will explain the most important safety principles, including:
- How to breathe underwater
- How and when to equalise your ears
- The purpose of the main pieces of scuba equipment
- The hand signals used to communicate underwater
- How to stay close to your instructor
- How to respect marine life
Your instructor will help you put on and adjust your equipment before introducing you to breathing underwater in shallow water.
You will then practise essential scuba skills, including:
- Breathing through a regulator
- Clearing water from your regulator
- Recovering your regulator
- Clearing water from your mask
- Equalising your ears
- Inflating and deflating your BCD at the surface
Once you feel comfortable, you will have time to swim underwater and become familiar with how your body and equipment behave beneath the surface.
The purpose of the pool session is not to rush through a list of skills. It gives you the time and support needed to feel more relaxed before progressing to the sea.
Day Two: Two Dives at Marina del Este
On the second day, you will travel to Marina del Este for two guided open-water dives.
Marina del Este is one of southern Spain’s best-known diving areas, offering a rich underwater environment and an exciting setting for your first dives in the sea.
Before each dive, your instructor will explain the dive plan, entry and exit procedures, underwater communication and what you can expect during the experience.
Your instructor will remain close to you throughout the dives, monitoring your comfort and air consumption while guiding you around the dive site.
During the Discover Scuba Diving programme, open-water dives can reach a maximum depth of 12 metres. However, reaching the maximum depth is never the objective. Your actual depth will depend on your comfort, the conditions and your instructor’s judgement.
The priority is to help you feel safe, relaxed and able to enjoy the underwater environment.
Who is DSD ideal for?
Complete beginners and nervous first-time divers
No previous experience is required. You will learn how the equipment works and practise essential skills in the pool, giving you time to become comfortable before diving in the sea.
Anyone considering the PADI open water diver course
The programme allows you to experience scuba diving before committing to a full course. You will practise fundamental skills and complete two open-water dives, helping you decide whether you would like to continue your training.
Discover Scuba Diving Plus is an introductory experience, not a diving certification, and does not qualify you to dive independently.
People who want more than a quick trial dive
A dedicated pool session followed by two open-water dives gives you more time to build confidence and enjoy the experience. By the second dive, the equipment and underwater environment should already feel more familiar.
Holidaymakers, friends and families
Discover Scuba Diving Plus is a memorable way to experience a different side of the Costa del Sol together. Everyone progresses at their own pace, with support from our instructors throughout the programme.
People interested in marine life
During your dives at Marina del Este, you can observe marine life in its natural environment while learning how to explore responsibly.
Is DSD suitable for everyone?
Participants must complete the required medical screening and meet the programme’s health and safety requirements. Some medical conditions may require approval from a doctor.
Contact us before booking if you have questions about your health, mobility or water confidence.
What happens if you struggle with a skill?
Not everyone feels comfortable with every scuba skill immediately. You may need several attempts to clear your mask, recover your regulator or equalise your ears and that is completely normal.
Your instructor will demonstrate each skill and give you time to practise in shallow water. Progression to the open-water dives depends on completing the required skills and feeling comfortable enough to continue.
What can you do after DSD Plus?
After completing the programme, you may decide that you simply wanted to experience scuba diving once—or you may discover that you want to continue.
The natural next step is the PADI Open Water Diver course, which develops your skills further and leads to an internationally recognised diving certification.
Discover Scuba Diving Plus helps you make that decision based on real underwater experience.
Why try DSD Plus with Diving with Nic?
We believe your first experience of scuba diving should feel exciting, supportive and never rushed.
Beginning in the pool gives you time to become comfortable before completing two guided dives at Marina del Este under close professional supervision.
Whether you are nervous, curious or considering becoming a certified diver, Discover Scuba Diving Plus offers a gradual introduction to the underwater world.
Your first breath underwater could be the beginning of an entirely new adventure.
Contact us to learn more about Discover Scuba Diving Plus and take your first step beneath the surface.
