We are a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Centre offering the full range of dive experiences and scuba diving courses, from Try Dives to Learn to Dive courses, and onwards to Advanced, Specialty and professional levels. We have a fully stocked shop for all your dive equipment needs. Air and nitrox fills to 300 bar at the best prices around together with equipment servicing are coupled with true customer service. We also run regular diving trips to UK and overseas destinations catering for all levels of diving and experience, so there`s something for everyone. We offer honest, friendly and impartial advice whatever type of diving it is you`re interested in. Most importantly of all, we like to think we`re the friendliest dive centre around - come in to the centre and see why so many people keep coming back, time after time. The Dive Connection was first set up in June 2001 with the aim of getting people who have always wanted to try diving into the water. In the Spring of 2003, we developed into permanent premises in Portsmouth so we could provide additional services to our customers, such as equipment sales and hire, used equipment sales, servicing and air/nitrox fills. Most importantly, we still aim to offer the same friendly and personalised service that our customers have come to expect and enjoy. The Dive Connection provides a full range of dive instruction, from Try Dives in the comfort of the local swimming pool, through the PADI Open Water Diver course and Advanced and Specialty courses which take the qualified diver on to experience new challenges and learn new diving skills. We also provide dive trips for the qualified diver both in the UK and abroad. Our facilities: *We have a bright and comfortable classroom with TV, video and whiteboard. *There`s tea and coffee free of charge available along with snacks and cold drinks to purchase. *Our shop area has a wide range of diving equipment and accessories from major brands such as SEAC Sub, Typhoon, Beuchat, Greenforce Torches, Weezle undersuits, Beaver, Tigullio and more with new products being added all the time. *We are the only stockists in the Portsmouth area for certain brands and items, so if you`re bored looking at the same kit in every dive store, pay us a visit and see what we can offer. *We have teamed up our L&W 260ES compressor with two custom-built mixing and filling panels and can fill cylinders to 300 bar and offer nitrox fills too. *Air cylinders are filled on a while-you-wait basis and nitrox mixes are usually turned around within 24 hours. *Our prices are some of the cheapest around and are not just an opening gimmick, they`re here to stay! We are fortunate to have a group of excellent, experienced Divemasters who you will see around the Dive Centre, assisting on our various courses and also out and about enjoying their diving. They are always very willing to help and provide assistance, so if you need anything, don`t be afraid to ask one of them!
Throughout the year, we organise dive trips to various different destinations, both in the UK and further afield. We cater for both students looking to complete their Open Water Diver courses in warm and clear water and experienced divers wanting a challenge to their existing skills or to enhance their diving knowledge. Also, for those just looking for easy diving where they can relax and enjoy being in the water, we know where to find that too. There are a great many dive destinations around the world, and the choice can be bewildering - where to go, when to go and who to go with? At The Dive Connection, we can take some of these worries away. This is especially important if you are new to diving and are still finding your way. Our main destination throughout the year is Dahab, in the Red Sea. Dahab has a fantastic climate where the water temperature rarely dips below 21C. During the long summer months, the warm, clear waters make for an ideal diving destination where we regularly see lionfish, barracuda and sometimes even sharks. All types of diving are catered for - reefs, shallow dives, deep dives, easy to more technical - Dahab has it all!
Dive sites: *Mulberry Harbour Remnant of the WW2 D Day landings. this 200m long concrete barge is a haven for crabs, lobster, cuttlefish and various species of fish, which shelter in the nooks and crannies. A great dive for the inexperienced diver. *Nab Tower A remnant of Britain`s sea defences. A good dive for the less experienced with lots of sea life, with depths down to 20m. *Mixon Hole Some believe it to be the flooded site of a Roman Amphitheatre, others a natural seabed fault. Stunning sea life and scenery. *Bembridge Ledges Drift dive over rocky ledges and gullies, which are home to numerous crabs and lobsters. Many ships have ended their days here and it is not unusual to come across wreckage. *Solent Forts Three separate forts can be found in the east of the Solent which are diveable at most states of the tide. Built around 1880 they offer a good rummage dive. *Bracklesham Bay Good shallow drift diving over a sandy and rocky seabed. *Landing Craft As yet unidentified and first discovered in 1984. An intact tank landing craft upside down in 8m. 22mm shells are still to be found scattered around on the seabed *Francis Aimee French Collier of 699 tons which sank in 1918 after a collision with the Royal Navy patrol boat HMS P35. Now lying in 13m she stands 3m high. Her bow is buried but her stern is intact. *Camswain 3,500 ton British Steamship sunk in 1917. She was dispersed with explosives in the 1920’s but still stands an average of 3-4m off of the seabed. A fantastic rummage dive covering a massive area. Sheltered in Sandown Bay, this is a good option during bad weather.
