Every diver living in the UAE should be a member of this association if only to help support local diving issues.
All members receive a quaterly magazine on local and international diving.
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Agents for US Divers equipment, Suunto computers and Sea & Sea Photographic equipment
East and west coast diving as well as Musandam, their reputation is one of pack the boat, short dive and back on the boat again, this is tourism diving at its best, run by Nazi DMs who will "allegedly" drag you away from a photographic subject to make sure you are keeping up with the group.
My most recent experience with them was a semi disaster, when I had booked to do two dives on the A300 Airbus from their Atlantis operation. We only did one dive on the A300 followed by a second dive on the Cement Barge .... WTF and What is the Point! They tell lies! I was assured two dives on the A300 .... apart from training for low viz situations Cement Barge is a waste of time and fuel
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Agents for Mares dive equipment
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ATLANTIS DIVE CENTRE - NOW RUN BY AL BOOM
This was a very professional dive centre, great staff, fantastic seven star* facilities with two amazing salt water training pools, hot showers after the diving (fantastic in winter), and sole access to the A300 Airbus wreck. Well that all changed when Al Boom took over!
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East coast diving from Khorfakkan, teamed up with them recently and Danish Karin makes a good cup of green tea. One of my favourite diver operators.
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East coast diving from the Royal Beach Hotel opposite Dibba Rock, single tank boat trips usually three per day to Dibba Rock, on weekends there may be another boat running to Martini Rock etc.
Good friendly crew with a lot of regular customers. Food from the hotel available at lunchtime.
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Another professional dive centre, did my Nitrox course here in 2004. West coast diving mainly, with some east coast dhow trips arranged from time to time.
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Locally run outfit on the east coast, easiest of all east coast operators to access the boat, especially if carrying out lots of photographic gear.
Great friendly staff (Vanjie and Romy), accommodation at the dive centre, but no food after the dive now due to the stingy owner, plus the boat needs a damn good service.
Don't expect any DM on the boat to give a dive briefing either as Vanjie is rarely allowed to dive anymore.
More information
HERE
No longer my favourite place to dive from as I have been banned now since January 2014, no reason given.
First time I have ever been banned from anywhere in my entire life
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SCUBA DUBAI NOW RUN BY AL BOOM
No longer agents for ScubaPro equipment and Ikelite photographic equipment.
Still my main shop for servicing all of my gear (as Stevie is still the technical manager), great staff, and very professional.
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Never had experience with this company.
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There are a few more shops and operators but I have not come across them or used them to comment
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Never ceases to amaze me that many dive centres use photos of diving that are definitely not taken around UAE on their websites.
Is this false advertising?
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All web content and images copyright 1998-2012 Gordon T. Smith
* My rating
