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Unforgettable aquatic adventures for kids – Go underwater and discover the wonder of Snorkel, Scuba, Mermaid, and Freediving Explorer programs
The SSI Classified Diving program has been created to enable persons with disabilities who might not be able to earn full certifications the ability to dive and get certified with different safety parameters. Learn to work with disabled divers.
Dive insurance can be provided through most travel insurance packages. You should make sure you check how much you are covered for though. Items to be checked should be regarding to dive limits, type of diving and depth.
We recommend Divers Alert Network (DAN), who can provide dive insurance packages up to professional level and the top packages will cover you for non-diving related conditions. Click on the link below to register for a Sport Member Package.
For divers who are enrolled on our professional dive courses such as the PADI Divemaster Course and the PADI IDC, you can look at Professional Dive Insurance. This is a requirement to work in a number of countries following on from your dive training and to be an active PADI member. It is recommended for all dive professionals, no matter where they are working.
For both Sport and Professional dive insurance policies, non-diving activities and considerations can be covered.
It is a good idea to carry insurance in the unlikely event that anything were to happen to you, you are definitely covered.
A medical to dive is required for all divers with any pre-existing medical conditions, which might be contradictions to diving safely
When you arrive here before you start your training we will ask to fill out the Medical Statement either physically or via our online medical declaration. This will then be assessed to see if a doctor’s approval is required for diving. For your diving professional programs, we require a medical form signed and stamped by a licensed doctor.
We recommend that you print off and get the medical to dive evaluation done and a couple of copies signed by your family doctor before coming to Kenya. The Medical Statement applies to every course and can be downloaded here. Genuine medical statements, not copies have to be submitted to PADI for the IE and Instructor Application.
SSI diving qualifications are globally recognized, allowing you to teach and work anywhere in the world. Whether you become an Instructor or Divemaster, your SSI certification opens doors to exciting career opportunities in the dive industry.
The SSI Open Water Instructor (OWI) is the first professional instructor level in SSI. During training, candidates refine their teaching skills, watermanship, and diving knowledge, while mastering SSI standards, procedures, and methods.
After passing the SSI Instructor Evaluation (IE), Open Water Instructors can introduce new divers to the underwater world through various SSI programs.
Teaching Status Includes:
✔ Conducting SSI Try Scuba Diving sessions.
✔ Teaching Open Water Diver to Divemaster courses.
✔ Leading non-specialty programs (specialties require additional certification).
The SSI Divemaster certification is the first professional membership level in SSI. Divemasters play a crucial role in supervising certified divers, assisting instructors, and leading snorkeling and skin diving sessions.
✔ Develop expert diving and rescue skills.✔ Gain professional-level dive theory knowledge.
✔ Assist instructors and supervise dive activities.
✔ Lead fun dives and help certified divers explore safely.
How Long Does My Dive Training Take? Assuming that you will want some time away from diving and a day or two off a week then you need to allow yourself time to fit in all of your courses and get the dives that you need in. The guides provided from each starting level for each internship give a good indication of how much time you will need although in certain cases they can be done quicker.
The full Beginner to Instructor Internship lasts 7 months to allow you time to acclimatise when you arrive and complete your SSI Open Water Diver Course.
There must be a period of at least 6 months between the completion of your Open Water course and your SSI ITC/IE so this allows you to meet this requirement if you are starting from the beginning. During this time you complete the other programs and rack up a large number of dives. Some of our interns leave will well over the required amount of 100 dives.
As a guide to “how long does my dive training take?” Here are the rough time periods.
40 Logged Dives are required to start the SSI Divemaster Course
60 Logged Dives are required as part of the SSI Divemaster Course certification.
100 Logged Dives are required to enter a SSI Instructor Evaluation
Regarding vaccinations to travel to Kenya, we recommend that you ask your doctor about this before coming.
Generally, Hepatitis, Typhoid, Polio and Tuberculosis shots are required. Yellow Fever inoculations are also required by many countries when arriving from Kenya so it is a good idea to have them.
You might want to consider taking anti-malarial tablets for the duration of your stay. It is a good idea to consult your doctor about this 4-8 weeks prior to coming to Kenya. If you take prescribed medication then bring enough with you. Make sure these are clearly labelled with a doctor’s prescription/ Although it is fairly easy to get most medicines in Kenya, it will provide you with peace of mind with proven medicines.
A Flight to Kenya from the UK or Europe should be around £500 GBP. This can vary depending on the time of year and how soon in advance you book it etc.
Either go directly to the airline’s websites listed below or visit sites such as www.momondo.com.
The airport you need to fly to is Nairobi (NBO).
From Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or Wilson Airport, you can get a short flight down to Ukunda Airport (UKU). The Ukunda Airport is located minutes from the dive centre.
Wilson Airport is located about 10km from JKIA and about a 15-minute taxi ride. You should pay attention to the connection times as in many cases an overnight stay in Nairobi might be required, depending on the arrival time of your international flight.
Alternatively, some international carriers fly directly to Mombasa AIrport (MBA) and you can travel from Mombasa Airport to Diani which is about 40km.
Ocean Tribe can also arrange your flight to Kenya for you and cover all logistics. Contact us for more details.
International Airlines- Kenya Airways, British Airways, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian, Lufthansa, Air France/ KLM, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Saudia, Egypt Air, South African Airways, Air Kenya, Rwandair
Kenya Domestic Airlines- Jambojet, Safarilink, Fly 540, East African, Skyward Express, Kenya Airways
For those dive professionals out there seeking diving jobs, Ocean Tribe in Diani Beach, Kenya are seeking a female diving instructor to join our growing team in East Africa.
Ocean Tribe is a growing PADI 5 Star IDC Center based in Diani Beach, which is 30km to the south of Mombasa in Kenya. The company presently operates 2 dive bases in the area. However, we are looking to grow our business in the time following the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A majority of our diving is done on the local dive sites in Diani Beach and Kisite Marine Park off Shimoni.
The successful PADI Instructor is responsible for: Teaching to agency and Ocean Tribe standards, dive guiding daily dives and deck handing for a great underwater experience, safety, and customer service.
Instructors are Expected to Work 5 ½ Days a Week based on a rolling roster.
The diving season in Kenya normally lasts between October and April. We are looking to make this a long-term position. However, that being said, we have no objections for instructors who would like to work in seasonal positions during our low season between May and July
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the start date of the position is not yet confirmed until Kenya’s international borders reopen (due August 1st), We are hoping that this should be around October/November. Only shortlisted applications will receive a reply.
Please forward to our PADI CD Mark Slingo Email hr@oceantribe.co .
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email to arrange initial interviews. Interviews will be held over Zoom. Other communication methods will include WhatsApp.
Ocean Tribe is a fun company to work for and a family-like atmosphere. Unfortunately, the pandemic has stretched us financially so at first a basic living salary and accommodation is the package for instructors. Commissions are also offered on every sale made for the company.
What should I bring for my diving course? Coming to learn to dive with us in Diani can be done as a standalone experience or as part of a larger safari adventure. While we encourage you to carry all the standard travel garb with regard to clothing, swimwear, sunglasses, hats etc, there are a couple of things we recommend you also have, depending on the dive course/ experience you are doing.
While your smartphone and charger are everyday items that you carry everywhere, you might also want a larger device for doing your SSI eLearning for your diver course on. The materials look much better on iPads (where they can be viewed offline) or laptops. This is especially important for those doing dive professional training where a majority of the teaching materials are now digital.
We have free WiFi in the Ocean Tribe dive centre and free WiFi is available in almost all bars/restaurants and cafes in Diani. We can also take you to get a local SIM for your Smartphone/portable WiFi.
Passport
Visa
Certifications
Log Book
Flight Tickets
Travel & Dive Insurance
Credit Card/Debit Cards
Those are the most important things, you really shouldn’t forget! Also talk to your bank if your credit card is working here! For the visa, we will provide assistance to pick the correct one and also with the extension process (which you might need, depending on the program you are on).
While standard health and hygiene products are available from local pharmacies and supermarkets you should try and make sure in addition you have reef-friendly sunscreen and consult your physician about anti-malarial medicine. Any prescription medication you require, you should bring along with you in case of availability here. It is also a good idea to get the diver medical completed before you come in case of any contradictions that your doctor needs to verify are ok for diving.
By Air
Flights run daily from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Ukunda (Diani Airport). There are also flights from Nairobi Wilson to Ukunda Airport.
The airlines which fly the route are:
By Rail
Take the SGR Mandaraka Express from Nairobi to Mombasa. You can then get a taxi or shuttle from the SGR terminus at Mombasa to Diani. Ocean Tribe can arrange taxis and transfers too.
By Road
You can catch an overnight bus from Nairobi to Ukunda. This is a long trip taking around 12 hours but normally the most cost effective way to get to Diani.
If self driving then follow the Mombasa road from Nairobi to Mombasa then cross the ferry at Likoni from Mombasa Island and drive to Ukunda before taking the road to Diani Beach.
To get to Diani from Mombasa if you have arrived by the SGR railway from Nairobi
By Air
Despite it only being 30km away the Likoni ferry can add substantial time to a journey so if you are connecting from Mombasa Airport there are a couple of carriers who fly from Mombasa to Ukunda. But given waiting times this is often not worth it.
By Road-Self Driving/ Riding Matatus
If self driving cross the ferry at Likoni from Mombasa Island and drive to Ukunda on the main highway to Tanzania before taking the road to Diani Beach. For the more adventurous of you riding matatus, you will need to change vehicles at the ferry and cross the ferry on foot, then change again at Ukunda and get a Tuk Tuk to Diani.
By Road- Taxi
Private cars can be arranged from Mombasa Airport or Mombasa SGR railway terminus to Diani. Ocean Tribe can arrange these cars or you can book online here. Contact us for more information.
It is also possible to get Ubers in Mombasa although the Uber map calculation might not take the ferry into account and calculate a longer route.
The taxi on demand at Mombasa airport and the SGR terminus are also a possibility, but make sure you know the rate before travelling to Diani. This should be between 5,000-7,000 Ksh.
Many students in the SSI Divemaster and Instructor Training Course (ITC) ask, “Can I work to pay off my dive training” While we understand the financial commitment, running a high-quality training program involves significant expenses.
To give you the best learning experience, we invest in:
For these reasons, we do not offer work-to-pay options. However, we support you in finding a job after certification, helping you start your dive career and recover training costs.
Once you qualify as an SSI Instructor or Divemaster, we assist with job placements. In some cases, we offer paid work at Ocean Tribe, depending on demand and individual circumstances.
Many dive centers that exchange training for work often assign menial tasks that don’t contribute to your dive career. Instructors may also prioritize paying clients, giving less attention to trainees.
Becoming a skilled, employable dive professional requires top-tier training from a reputable, professional dive center. High-quality training leads to better job opportunities, higher salaries, and a successful career in the dive industry.
Want to become a sought-after dive pro? Train with the best and start your journey today!
Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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