DIVING PULA Contact us
DIVING PULA Contact us
How can I book a dive? You can contact us via Email, Viber, WhatsApp, SMS, Contact Form on this website, Facebook, phone call, or just drop by the dive centre. We do prefer the written kind of contact just to have it documented. Sometimes the person you contact is currently diving and so cannot answer the phone but can reply to a message as soon as the dive is finished. All bookings must be confirmed by the staff or are not valid and you won’t have a spot on the boat reserved.
When should I come to the dive centre? You should come one hour before your dive to have enough time to fill out the paperwork and prepare the equipment.
When does the boat leave? The boat leaves at 10:00 for the first dive of the day, at 12:30 for the second dive of the day, and at 14:30 for the third dive of the day, unless otherwise stated by the dive centre staff.
How long is the journey to the dive site? This depends on the dive type. For reef dives it is a 5-20min drive, for wreck dives it is a 35min-2h drive, and for the National park ‘Brijuni’ it is a 40min drive.
What do I need to bring with me? Swimwear, a towel, a bottle of water, and any personal diving equipment you want to use. For the colder months and windy days, we also recommend a winter cap to protect your ears and sinuses.
Is lunch included? No. But we do have some very tasty cookies.
Do you offer transfers from/to hotels/apartments? Unfortunately, no. You can use the public bus service or a taxi.
Is there parking available near the dive centre? Yes.
Is there a toilet or shower nearby? Yes. There are toilets and hot-water showers about 50m from the dive centre.
Can I eat before a dive? Having a light breakfast or lunch before a dive is fine but you should avoid eating heavy meals for at least one hour before a dive. Fatty and sour foods can also sometimes cause some indigestion while diving.
Can I drink alcohol before diving? No. Alcohol is not recommended before a dive. It is also recommended that heavy drinking should be avoided the evening before.
How soon can I fly after a dive? It depends on the type and number of dives. You can fly 12 hours after one Discovery or Try Scuba dive with a maximum depth of 6m. But 24 hours is the recommended amount to wait after longer and deeper dives. When in doubt, wait 24 hours.
Do I need to bring a medical certification that I am fit to dive? If you are planning on doing a beginner’s course, you should bring certification from a doctor of diving medicine that states you are physically fit to dive. If you are just diving, it is recommended to have the same certification. Doing a check-up once a year can help prevent possible problems.
I have an ear infection. Can I dive? It is not recommended to dive with any kind of ear problems, including ear infections. Consult a doctor about treatment and only dive after the infection has completely passed. If not, you may have trouble equalizing the pressure in your ears.
I have a perforated eardrum. Can I dive? It is recommended not to dive if the perforation occurred within the last 3 months. In any case, consult your doctor before doing any diving.
Can I dive if I have asthma or respiratory problems? Yes and no. If you have severe problems and must take medication to control them, the answer is a definite no. If, however, the problem is only mild you can dive with a doctor’s approval. Always have your medication with you.
Can I dive with a cold and cough? You can cough into your regulator while breathing underwater, and if your sinuses are not blocked with mucus, you can dive. If your sinuses are blocked, you will have problems equalizing the pressure in your ears and will not be able to dive. However, it will probably feel better underwater after the cold has passed.
I recovered from Covid-19. When can I start diving? Divers who have tested positive for COVID-19 but have remained completely asymptomatic should wait at least 30 days from the first negative test before applying for fit-to-dive clearance and eventually going back to diving.
– Divers who have had symptomatic COVID-19, should wait at least 30 days from the first negative test, plus an additional 30 days without symptoms (a total of two months) before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted by a diving medicine specialist.
– Divers who have been hospitalized with, or because of pulmonary symptoms in relation to COVID-19, should wait at least THREE months before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted or coordinated by a diving medicine specialist. The clearance should include complete pulmonary function testing (at least FVC, FEV1, PEF25-50-75, RV, and FEV1/FVC), an exercise test with peripheral oxygen saturation measurement, as well as a high-resolution CT scanning of the lungs to verify a return to normal.
– Divers who have been hospitalized with, or because of cardiac problems in relation to COVID-19, should wait at least THREE months before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted or coordinated by a diving medicine specialist. The clearance should include cardiac evaluation, including echocardiography and an exercise test (exercise electrocardiography) to ascertain normal cardiac function.
I don’t know how to swim. Can I dive? Swimming is always preferable, especially if you plan on doing any of the courses that are certifiable. But even if you don’t know how to swim or are a poor swimmer, you can still do a Discovery Dive with one of our instructors.
I want to dive but have never done it before. What can I do? As a first timer in scuba diving, you can choose to do a Discovery Dive or SSI Try Scuba. It is an introductory dive where you get the basic information about scuba diving from your instructor. This ”mini course” is always done one-on-one for safety reasons and is accompanied by a certified instructor.
What is the difference between a Discovery dive and Try Scuba? A Discovery dive is a 20min dive, up to 5m of depth. There is a short theory beforehand where you learn the basics of what to do underwater. This one is very easy with the three most important things to remember: breathe, swim and equalize the pressure.
Try Scuba is the introduction to diving and your steppingstone to doing courses that will earn you a certification. This dive is around 30-40min long, up to 5m of depth. Included in the theoretical part of education is also the description of some skills you will try during the first part of the dive. At the end of it, you will have earned your SSI Try Scuba recognition card. Should you choose to continue on to the Open Water Diver course, this dive can be counted as the first dive of the course.
I am a certified diver but my friend is doing a Discovery dive. Can we go together? You will be on the same boat but will dive separately. Or you can choose to follow your friend during the Discovery dive, and then do another 20min with just the instructor.
What is the minimum number of people for a dive? For reef dives, the minimum is 1 person. For wreck dives and the National park ‘Brijuni’, the minimum is 4 persons. For night dives, the minimum is 3 people. For diving courses, the minimum is 1 person.
At what age can I start diving? The minimum age for Discovery dives and SSI Try Scuba is 8 years old. While it is possible to get certified starting from the age of 10, it is recommended to wait until at least 14 years old to do the Open Water Diver.
I haven’t dived in a while. Do I need to do a check dive? It depends on your experience level and how long is ‘a while’. You will discuss this with our staff and decide then. A check dive can be just a simpler dive to give you time to familiarize yourself with equipment and skills. If you need more instructions then you can do an SSI Scuba Skills Update with an instructor to repeat all the necessary skills.
I am alone. Can you find me a dive buddy? Of course. If we already have an even number of divers in a group or you’re the only one, then your buddy will be our dive guide.
How deep can I dive? SSI Open Water Divers can go to a maximum of 18m. With SSI Deep Diver Specialty you can go to 40m which is the maximum depth for recreational diving. Anything deeper is considered technical diving and requires further training. Associations other than SSI may have different depth limits and you should check with your association or instructor about those.
How long does a dive last? A dive is usually 40-45min long. Longer or shorter dives can be done on request.
I have a physical disability. Can I dive? Yes. Our instructors are specially trained according to the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) standards for diving with handicapped people and understand the specific attention that must be paid in certain situations. You can also choose to get certified if you decide this sport is something you want to continue doing.
What can I see underwater? Depending on the location the most common animals to see are:
Fish: angler, conger eel, damselfish, common two-banded seabream, red scorpionfish, flathead mullet, dusky grouper, black umber, Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, forkbeard, European seabass, Mediterranean moray, etc.
Crabs: spiny and European lobsters, spiny crabs, etc.
Others: sea horses, nudibranchs, octopuses, cuttlefish, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, different sponges, corals, etc.
I want to do a wreck dive. Are there any prerequisites? Yes, there are. Since all our wreck locations are between 30 and 40 meters of depth, you need to hold an Advanced Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent). You can also do these dives while holding an SSI (or equivalent) Deep Diver and (Advanced) Wreck Diver Specialty certification. This will allow you to go as deep as needed for the dive, and to go inside a wreck, if possible. We also recommend having at least 25 logged dives before you decide to dive on wrecks. This is just a safety measure to make sure you have some experience when starting more demanding dives.
I wear glasses/contact lenses. Can I dive with them? You cannot wear glasses underwater because they don’t fit under the mask. The sight is magnified by 1/3 underwater so things will look closer than they actually are. You can dive with soft contact lenses but avoid using hard or medium hard lenses for diving; the eye cannot breathe under them the same way and there is a greater chance of losing them.
Can I bring my camera or GoPro? Yes. You can use your camera or GoPro during all types of dives. You cannot use it only during certain courses unless other specified by your instructor.
What equipment do you rent? We have Mares equipment for rent: 5mm wetsuits with hoods, 2.5mm shorties, neoprene gloves, regulators, 5mm neoprene boots, BCDs, masks, snorkels, fins, weight belts, 10-12-15L tanks with Air or Nitrox.
And specialised equipment: Mares Puck Pro dive computers, dive torches, spools, and DSMBs, compasses
Do you rent cameras and/or GoPro? No. Our dive guides sometimes carry a GoPro and can share the videos with you. You can also ask in advance if it is possible to have a little photo session underwater.
What is SSI? SSI or Scuba Schools International is one of the leading diving associations that offer a variety of recreational, technical, and professional training courses. SSI started in 1970 with a vision of making it possible for anyone to learn to dive. With more than 3,300 Training Centers in over 130 countries and 50,000 plus Professionals, it is easy to go diving with SSI wherever you choose. SSI´s Digital Learning platform makes training easy, fun, and possible to study anytime, anywhere either on your mobile device or computer in more than 30 languages.
SSI´s training programs are globally recognized, and ISO certified. A progressive approach to personalized training and close cooperation of all SSI affiliated Professionals and Training Centres and Resorts around the world ensures you will get the best training possible!
How do I get certified – become a scuba diver? To become a certified scuba diver, you must finish the Open Water Diver course which is the first course on your journey to becoming a proficient diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater.
How long does it take to get certified? It varies from course to course. The Open Water Diver is a minimum of 4 days, specialty courses are 1-3 days, emergency training is a minimum of 3-6 days, and more advanced courses are 6+ days.
What do I do after my Open Water Diver certification? The next step is to choose specialty courses you like that will expand your knowledge and skills in specific areas. You can tailor your learning path based on what you like best. As you keep collecting these, SSI will issue recognition cards accordingly: 2 specialty courses completed and 12 logged dives -> Specialty Diver recognition card, 4 specialty courses completed and logged 24 dives -> Advanced Open Water Diver recognition card, 5 specialty courses completed and 50 logged dives -> Master Diver recognition card, and so on.
Does my certification ever expire? No. Your certification is valid for life, but it is a good idea to renew the knowledge and skills if you haven’t used them in some time. This can be with a check dive or SSI Scuba Skills Update.
Do I need to know/ do anything before starting a course? You should get a medical certification from a doctor of sport/diving medicine that says you are fit to dive prior to starting any course. Knowing how to swim, especially with fins, is crucial and will help you if you have prior knowledge. Otherwise, you will improve it prior to starting any scuba skills during your first course. However, you must be able to swim if you want to learn to scuba dive.
Dive into the stunning blue of the Istrian underwater world with us! Join us in the magical world whose secrets are guarded by fish and crabs but whispered by reefs…
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