Academy Journal

Dive Deeper

Training stories, UK diving advice, conservation notes and course inspiration from the Diving Academy team.

399 Stories, 16 Topics — New Field Notes Every Week

399Articles & Field Notes
16Topics To Explore
PADI 5-StarWritten By Real Instructors
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The Full Archive

TravelGozo and Malta: A Diver's Guide to the Maltese IslandsA diver's guide to Gozo and Malta, covering marine life, wrecks, caverns, logistics, and what a typical week of Mediterranean diving looks like.17 May 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →UK DivingStoney Cove: A Diver's Guide to the UK's Top Inland SiteEverything you need to know about diving Stoney Cove in Leicestershire, from depth and visibility to wrecks, facilities, and best time to go.10 May 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →AcademiesInside the Professional Academy: A Guide to Becoming a ProA complete guide to our Professional Academy pathway, from Divemaster through instructor training to Master Scuba Diver Trainer status and beyond.3 May 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →CoursesPADI Digital Underwater Photographer Instructor CourseWhat the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Instructor course really involves, from prerequisites to running your first specialty class properly.26 Apr 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →CoursesUnderwater Naturalist Instructor: Teach Divers to See MoreWhat the Underwater Naturalist Instructor course involves, who it suits, and how it fits into your wider professional diving career pathway.19 Apr 2021 · 7 min readRead Article →Diver TipsYour Easter Diving Season Kickoff Checklist for 2021Easter is the real start of the UK diving year. Here's how to use the holidays to get gear, skills and family plans sorted before summer arrives.12 Apr 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →CommunityComing Back to Diving After Years Out of the WaterA look at what it's really like to return to scuba diving after a long break, and why Easter is a natural time for lapsed divers to start again.5 Apr 2021 · 7 min readRead Article →GearDive Computers Explained: Choosing One Before Spring DivingA practical guide to picking a dive computer that suits UK conditions, from air-integration to cold-water screen visibility, before your season starts.29 Mar 2021 · 7 min readRead Article →ConservationUK Kelp Forests: The Underwater Habitat Divers OverlookWhy the kelp forests off the UK coast matter more than most divers realise, and how Reading divers can help protect them this spring season.22 Mar 2021 · 7 min readRead Article →Diver TipsSMB Deployment: The Spring Skill Worth PractisingWhy deploying a surface marker buoy properly matters, the mistakes we see most, and how to drill it before your first open water dive of spring.15 Mar 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →TravelCozumel Diving Guide: Drift, Reefs and Warm WaterWhy Cozumel belongs on every diver's list - warm drift diving, healthy reef, and a genuinely easy week away from grey UK spring weather this year.8 Mar 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →UK DivingFarne Islands Diving: Seals, Swell and Spring PrepA practical guide to diving the Farne Islands in Northumberland - grey seal encounters, real conditions, and how to prepare gear for spring.1 Mar 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →AcademiesInside the Freediving Academy: One Breath, Real DepthWhat our Freediving Academy actually covers, who it suits, and how the full pathway runs from your first static breath-hold to real open water depth.22 Feb 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →ConservationAWARE Dive Against Debris: Dive With Real PurposeTurn your diving into real citizen science with the AWARE Dive Against Debris specialty at our Reading academy - open to every Open Water diver.15 Feb 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →CoursesMaster Scuba Diver: PADI's Highest Non-Pro Rating ExplainedCurious what comes after Advanced Open Water? Here's everything you need to know about earning your Master Scuba Diver rating with us in Reading, UK.8 Feb 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →FamilyHalf-Term Family Fun: Discover Mermaiding in ReadingLooking for something different this half-term? Discover Mermaid Academy in Reading, a genuinely fun, active way for the whole family to get in the water.1 Feb 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →CommunityFrom Terrified of Water to Certified: A Diver's StoryScared of the water but curious about diving? Here's how nervous beginners typically work through that fear and end up certified, one small step at a time.25 Jan 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →GearChoosing Your First Dive Computer: A Beginner's GuideConfused by dive computers? Here's a practical, jargon-free guide to choosing your first one, written for new UK divers starting out in 2021.18 Jan 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →ConservationMicroplastics and Diving: Your 2021 Ocean ResolutionForget the gym membership. This year, make your New Year resolution about the ocean you dive in, starting with the truth about microplastics.11 Jan 2021 · 7 min readRead Article →Diver TipsMaster Your Trim: A New Year Diving Skills ResolutionWhy good trim matters more than most divers realise, the common mistakes behind it, and practical ways to actually fix it this year for good.4 Jan 2021 · 6 min readRead Article →TravelGozo and Malta: A Diver's Guide to the Maltese IslandsWrecks, caves and warm clear water close to home. What diving in Malta and Gozo is really like, and how to start planning your own week there.28 Dec 2020 · 6 min readRead Article →UK DivingStoney Cove: Diving the UK's Favourite Inland QuarryA proper diver's guide to Stoney Cove in Leicestershire, covering depth, visibility, what you'll see, facilities, and the best time of year to go.21 Dec 2020 · 6 min readRead Article →AcademiesInside the Conservation Academy: Diving With PurposeWhat our Conservation Academy actually covers, the full pathway through it, who it suits best, and why it changes the way you dive for good.14 Dec 2020 · 6 min readRead Article →CoursesPADI Tec 45: The Next Step in Technical DivingThinking about going technical this year? Here's what PADI Tec 45 actually involves, who it suits, and how it fits into a full tec diving pathway.7 Dec 2020 · 7 min readRead Article →CoursesTec 40 Explained: Your First Step Into Technical DivingTec 40 is the bridge from recreational to technical diving. Discover the prerequisites, training days and skills behind this landmark PADI course.30 Nov 2020 · 7 min readRead Article →