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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.
If you would prefer to just complete the practical side of the IDC in Kenya then it is possible to complete the class PADI IDC online. You would complete all of the traditional classroom parts of the IDC from the comfort of your own home via live presentations over video connections. This means that the time spent in Kenya on the IDC can be shortened for those of you with less time to spare to complete the PADI IDC.
PADI IDC eLearning (to be completed in your own time)- This is the IDC eLearning assigned by PADI which consists of presentations and exercises to get you familiar with the PADI instructor development process. This should be completed before the live presentations from the PADI Course Director and IDC Staff Instructors.
EFR Instructor Course eLearning (to be completed in your own time)- The theory for the EFR Instructor course should be completed before the practical teaching presentations and skills demonstrations, which are done on the main practical IDC section of the program.
Includes schedule for the week and what to expect from your PADI IDC both online and on the practical in-water presentations in Kenya.
This workshop is designed to familiarise you with PADI System components and their uses. You will learn to use the PADI Instructor Manual and the PADI Guide to Teaching and other reference materials such as slates and student manuals, as well as the difference between standards and recommendations.
You will explore how to find what you need to know, do, or reference while conducting PADI programs using your PADI materials
On this workshop you will develop an understanding on the learning and instructional theories and how they are applied to scuba diver training within the PADI system. This includes:
On this workshop we will work on the practicalities of conducting the PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience program. The workshop will include:
This workshop works on training in the classroom. The workshop will include:
This workshop looks at preparing you to set up an schedule your own PADI Open Water Diver course. The workshop will include:
You present your second knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
During this workshop, you’ll be getting creative and using good judgement to choosing and working on confined water training sites. This will include:
In this workshop, we will work together to prepare you for the confined water presentations that you will give on the PADI IDC and on the PADI IE. This will include:
You present your third knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course and will include:
On this workshop we will be examining working with the PADI continuing education system. This will include:
During this workshop, you’ll be getting creative and using good judgement to choose and arrange training sites for open water dives on PADI courses. The workshop will include:
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Rescue Diver course and will include:
This workshop covers the law and scuba diving. It will include:
You present your fourth knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Divemaster course and will include:
This workshop will prepare you for the sales side of being a PADI Instructor and will include:
Knowing your dive theory is an important part of being a PADI Instructor so you are in the position to answer “why”. This workshop will include:
You would then complete the PADI skills circuit, swims, confined and open water presentation practice and evaluation and knowledge development presentations on-site in Kenya, prior to entering the PADI IE (Instructor Examination) immediately following the IDC.
We understand that preparation for the IDC can be daunting with making sure your dive theory knowledge is up to scratch and that you have everything you need for your PADI Instructor course. As such we have created an online learning centre to assist you with your IDC preparation.
Our PADI IDC Google Classroom is assigned to all Ocean Tribe PADI IDC participants and includes:
Ok so now we are all in Diani ready for the practical side of the IDC. Over 8 days in Kenya we will cover.
Confined Water 24 Skills Circuit
On this you will be evaluated on your demonstration of the 24 skills from the PADI Open Water Diver course to prepare you for teaching the skills in your presentations and on the PADI IE.
Rescue Exercise #7 Workshop
In this workshop, we will work on the unresponsive diver on the surface section of the PADI Rescue Diver course. You will practice presenting the skill in demonstration quality in preparation for teaching the PADI Rescue Diver course and the rescue assessment on the PADI IE.
Discover Scuba Diving Practical Workshop
You will build on the classroom Discover Scuba Diving workshop and apply your knowledge to set up and teach the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program in confined water and then discuss how to do the dives in open water.
Confined Water Teaching Presentations
You will give teaching presentations of single confined water skills from the PADI Open Water Diver or PADI Rescue Diver courses to your fellow candidates and PADI staff. On these your will give your briefing, and skill demonstration, problem-solve any issues your students have with the skill, control the scenario, and give the debriefing. You will give at least 4 and possibly more of these presentations on the PADI IDC, in preparation to give a single presentation on the PADI IE.
Rigging and Lifting Workshop
In this workshop, we will build on the Search and Recovery scenario from the PADI Divemaster and PADI Search and Recovery Diver programs to make sure that you can:
CESA Workshop
The Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) is an important skill from the Open Water Diver course which has specific standards and conduct requirements. The CESA workshop will ensure that you are performing and briefing the CESA correctly to standards to use in your teaching presentations and instructional career.
Open Water Teaching Presentations
The final set of teaching presentations you will give is the open water teaching presentations. You will teach a combination of 2 skills from the PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or PADI Rescue Diver courses. During these presentations, you will make sure of control and the students (your fellow candidates) meeting the performance requirements. You will give at least 2 but more likely more of these presentations on the IDC in preparation for the PADI IE.
EFR Instructor Course Practical Skills and Teaching Presentations
This course section builds on the EFR Instructor e-learning and will have you perform all of the skills from the EFR Primary & Secondary Care courses and Care for Children course to demonstration level. You will then give full teaching presentations of skills from those courses before taking the final exam and becoming an Emergency First Response Instructor and able to teach CPR and first aid courses. This is also a pre-requisite for becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.
Dive Theory Exams
To ensure you know your dive theory you will do 2 dive theory exams during the practical part of the IDC. These will be on the 5 sections of Physics, RDP, Physiology, Dive Skills, and the Environment and Equipment and there are 20 questions per section. You will have 1 ½ hours to complete all 5 sections unless you get 45 minutes extra time for learning or language reasons. The pass mark is 75% on each of the sections.
PADI General Standards and Procedures Exams
To ensure that you know how to locate and read PADI standards, you will also take 2 PADI General Standards and Procedures exams. These exams are open book, meaning you can use your PADI Instructor Manual and PADI Guide to Teaching to find the standards. You will have 1 ½ hours to answer the 40 questions unless you get 45 minutes extra time for learning or language reasons. The pass mark is 75% on each.
Embrace a life of awesomeness on a PADI Instructor Training Course like no other in the World!
It is time for your PADI Instructor Development Course (PADI IDC) in Kenya.
Ocean Tribe is offering a once-in-a-lifetime IDC Training course conducted in part on an amazing African Safari. Yes, you get to do your dive instructor training whilst seeing African wildlife in Kenya’s world-famous game parks.
The dry workshops and expert presentations of the IDC will take place around the safari in Tsavo East National Park a few hours drive from our Diani Beach dive base.
The PADI IDC which is being taught to the brand new 2019 updated curriculum incorporating PADI Touch eLearning is with Award-Winning PADI Course Director Mark Slingo.
When it comes to scuba diving coral reefs, Kenya is up there with the best of them.
Ocean Tribe’s dive base in Diani Beach is located on one of the world’s top 10 rated beaches and consistently rated the best in Africa.
The palm tree-lined white powder sands run down to azure waters where the fringing coral reefs can be found only 100m offshore.
The Ocean Tribe PADI Instructor Development Course incorporates the Assistant Instructor Course and the Open Water Scuba Instructor Course.
The whole program takes place over 7-10 days, followed by a 2-day instructor exam, conducted by an incoming PADI Instructor Examiner.
IDC Prep 5-6th May
IDC 7th May-18th May
EFRI 13th May
IE 19th-20th May
MSDT PREP 21-24 May
IDC Prep 18-19 Aug
IDC 20 Aug- 30 Aug
EFRI 25 Aug
IE 31 Aug-1 Sep
MSDT PREP 2-4 Sep
IDC Prep 7-8 Sep
IDC 9-19 Sep
EFRI 16 Sep
IE 20-21 Sep
MSDT PREP 22-24 Sep
IDC Prep 22-23 Nov
IDC 24-3 Dec
EFRI 29 Nov
IE 4-5 Dec
MSDT PREP 6-7 December
We are delighted to announce new Ocean Tribe Dive Club member benefits for our local resident members. Ocean Tribe has partnered with some amazing local bars, restaurants and hotels to give our members even more of a reason to visit Diani Beach for regular dive trips.
Dive club members in addition to their diving privileges can now enjoy a 10% discount at the Funky Monkey Cocktail Bar & Restaurant.To redeem the discount all members need to do is present their membership photo ID to serving staff upon requesting the bill.
The Funky Monkey boasts a fabulous cocktail range with award-winning mixologists and is a great place to enjoy the courtyard atmosphere, tasty food, and regular events such as salsa nights, and regular DJ spots. Located in the central part of Diani next to Diani Sea Resort, it has rapidly become THE place to start your evening in Diani. Call Funky Monkey on +254742794527 now to reserve your table and start using your dive club member benefits.
And that is not everything! Ocean Tribe Dive Club Members are also able to get special rates from Baobab Beach Resort and Spa, Salt Lick Safari Lodge, Taita Hills Safari Resort, and The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel. Contact Ocean Tribe for more details about the offers available.
*- Subject to availability and conditions. Please see brochure for details
Ocean Tribe Dive Club Membership is open to:
To join, renew, or enquire about membership please contact us via email or Whatsapp using the links above.
1 Year Membership $499
1 Year Family (2 Adults/1 Junior) Membership* $1199
Rates are in USD and apply for 2025 Applications
This Easter Ocean Tribe are excited to have an amazing Diani hotel offer in partnership with Baobab Beach Resort and Spa. We have combined packages offering diving courses or dive trips in conjunction with an all-inclusive stay at the amazing Baobab Beach Resort. Check out the offers below and book your Diani hotel offer for dive and stay with Ocean Tribe today. Do something amazing this easter.
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It can be a hard decision, to find the best places to eat in Diani. Mainly because there is so much choice and selection of restaurants. We want our divers to have the best experience of everything Diani has to offer so we have put together a small guide of the best places to eat and drink in Diani.
After your scuba diving and beach activites you want to be able to enjoy the best places to eat in Diani and other activities such as catching a game, live music, and partying
We have tried to be selective about what the best thing that the bar or restaurant has to offer is and categorised below. This list is not exhaustive but is a great start in finding the best places to eat in Diani.
Taking its name from the sails that protect diners from the sun at this spectacular beach-side restaurant, Sails offers a relaxed exclusive dining experience. With under 10 dining tables available, you should book in advance to make sure you can experience the culinary delights served up by top chef Anthony Huth and his team.
Situated on the roadside in the centre of Diani, Belgian-owned Tiki Bar offers a wide range of seafood and popular European dishes including their famous surf and turf steak and prawn platter. Daily specials keep the variety going and live music and sports matches as well as salsa evening dances are regular occurrences. A great bar too. Not to be missed.
Found nestled amongst the palm trees by the powder sands of Galu Beach, Salty Squid offers a great menu of seafood and cocktails in a comfortable relaxed environment. Wine and dine yourself whilst hearing the soothing sounds of the ocean and watching the kitesurfers practicing on the waves.
A great cafe experience for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Kokkos is the one-stop place to grab a quick bite and take in the daily comings and goings in central Diani. A lovely environment where you can get anything from a coffee and croissant, right up to a delicious dinner from local, Asian and European influences.
Check out Kokkos Cafe and Bistro
This one really is a hidden gem. Found on the road to the beach in Galu, close to KFI supermarket and Tequila Sunrise, Colobus Shade is an excellent choice for budget seafood in Diani. You can get the seafood platter which can contain lobster, crab, prawns, and fish fillet, all for the most reasonable prices you will find around. Not to be missed and a hint is to call/stop by to book in advanced so that the barbecued seafood will be ready when you want to come for lunch or dinner.
I know I know we are at the beach and sport shouldn’t be on the brain. But if you want to catch rugby, football, cricket, golf, formula 1, or other sports game, whilst enjoying a drink and a bite then Piri Piries is that place to go. Big screens in the bar offer a great place to catch the action and there is a well-stocked bar with excellent cocktails, as well as a super menu. For those of you with little ones, there is a playground in the courtyard of the restaurant, to keep the wee ones entertained. On certain nights of the week, the bar even organises car park hockey and netball games for interested guests to take part in. Great fun.
Check out Piri PiriesBest Family Restaurant in Diani- Leonardos
Leonardos is the place to head if you are looking for a nice Italian-influenced environment, offering Italian meat and seafood dishes and a superb pasta and pizza menu. The ice cream from Leonardos is also to die for. Amazing. All situated under a large makuti roof around a central bar area with private dining enclosures also available and a children’s playroom, Leonardos really does have it all.
A hard tag to earn with so many great pizza places in Diani, Jolly Bar and Pizzeria is a great option for going out to enjoy large pizzas with a massive selection of toppings and styles. A well catered bar adds to the experience and deliveries are also available if you are looking to chill elsewhere too.
A Diani institution, Nomads is a spectacular location to enjoy a cocktail before tucking into a meal from a menu that offers so much. This includes seafood, curries, great meat options, and even sushi is available. The location is right on the white sands of Diani Beach, offering spectacular views, while you dine. A must-go, at least once during your trip to Diani.
A famous one. Finding the best place for a small romantic dinner in Diani or even a large party, the open-topped Ali Barbour’s restaurant is located in a cave. Offering high-level gourmet dishes, you dine with a candlelight experience, drawing your eyes to the stars in the sky above the open-topped cave. This one really is up there on the bucket list of things to do. Book it early to avoid disappointment.
Check out Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant
Fancy a curry? Then look no further than Shan E Punjab, located next to Diani Beach Hospital at the northern end of Diani. Serving the curries in traditional cooking pots and offering a great Indian menu for both meat-eating and vegetarian pallets, this is the one-stop place to grab an Indian meal in Diani.
Asian-owned Shashin-Ka offers a Japanese experience in the heart of Diani Beach. The cosy restaurant serves sushi and other traditional Japanese food offering another dining option in Diani.
For a superb pasta experience as well as tasty pizzas and authentic Italian vibe, visit Aniello’s. A varied menu (ask for specialities) offers a range of delicious Italian dishes to be consumed in a relaxed atmosphere.
Funky Monkey Bar and Restaurant– Check out Funky Monkey Burgers, Tacos and cocktails!
Apero– Check out Apero Great food, nice cocktail bar.
Havana– Check out Havana Cuban dishes, pizzas bar and live sports.
The K Korean Restaurant– Amazing Korean menu
While scuba diving accidents are quite rare, it is a very good idea to get your own scuba diving insurance. You will be covered as a student with us and our instructors have personal student insurance. Certified divers are also covered under our insurance but there are limitations. We highly recommend getting your own specialist dive travel insurance to account for all eventualities,
Well as mentioned above scuba diving is a very safe sport to take part in. But even if you are a very conservative diver, accidents can happen. Now once an evacuation has occurred, once you reach a hyperbaric chamber, then treatment costs can go through the roof. Standard treatments can start at over $3000 and it is highly likely you might need multiple sessions. The chamber at the Kenya Navy base here in Mombasa will need proof of scuba diving travel insurance before treatment can begin.
As such we highly recommend you have your own cover to expedite the process. Our own policy is a cover-all general policy and it will take longer for approval. In the cases where hyperbaric treatment is required for decompression illness, then it is crucial to get the treatment started as quickly as possible. Your own name on a valid insurance document will speed this up drastically.
Now many standard travel insurances will cover you for scuba diving within the limitations of your training, but you should be very careful. Ensure that you have read your travel insurance document thoroughly as insurance companies might add certain restrictions such as:
It is the business of insurance companies to try and avoid paying out, so please ensure that your policy will cover your diving activities. If you go into environments you are not trained for or to depths you are not certified for then the insurance company will not pay out. As such you should also seek further training if you plan to go into these environments. A good example is experienced Open Water Divers should consider taking the PADI Advanced Open Water, Deep Diver course to extend their ranges and potential insurance coverage.
Yes, there is specialist scuba diving travel insurance available and this is definitely the way to go. The specialist insurers such as our recommended insurer Divers Alert Network (DAN) will be very clear about what coverage is extended and what is not. DAN is made up of divers and research is done by diving doctors. DAN is experienced in getting everything sorted, quickly and efficiently, no matter where on earth you are. Once they have consulted with their specialists they can then guarantee payment to the medical facility where you are receiving treatment.
You can select from a range of lengths of cover with DAN. Annual insurance is superb value for money, but they can also offer short-term packages ranging from single days, weekly, or monthly packages.
We’re a DAN partner so happy to arrange this for you. Get DAN Cover Today
As standard we insure every diver but it’s only up to a lower level limit. In all honesty that should cover most diving accidents but it certainly won’t cover repatriation or any other costs incurred. Insurance in Kenya has a general policy of the claimant paying first and then claiming back from the insurance company. That goes the same with ours. Suddenly there could be a big potential problem here if there is hyperbaric treatment required.
Please check with your insurance company very carefully on what your policy covers. Find out if you are covered before your dive trip, not when you require emergency treatment. We don’t want you to have to start go-fund me pages just to get help. Specialist scuba diving travel insurance is definitely the best course of action, enabling you to dive safe in the knowledge you are covered in the unlikely event anything were to go wrong.
The type and condition rental dive equipment you will use when you go diving with Ocean Tribe is of utmost importance to consider when you are planning your dive trip.
While we do counsel that the goal for a diver should be to have their own dive equipment custom arranged for them, we do appreciate that it is not always faille or within budget for some divers to have this option when they dive with us.
As such we try to keep a good range of well-maintained rental dive equipment for our divers to use when diving with us. All of the equipment is from top scuba brands including Scubapro, Aqualung, Fourth Element, Suunto, Beaver Sports and XS Scuba.
A Standard equipment rental package includes a mask, snorkel, BCD, regulator with octopus, SPG and depth gauge, fins, shorty wetsuit, tanks and weights. Dive computers are also available at an extra charge. To give you a basic idea we list the types of available equipment below
Our rental BCDs are made up of the two workhorse BCDs of the industry. Going in sizes from 3XS-XL we use Aqualung Wave BCDs and Scubapro T-Ones. Both style of BCD offer side pockets for carrying items like Go Pros and are comfortable, wrap-around stabilising jacket styles of BCD.
The Ocean Tribe rental regulators which incorporate 1st stage, 2nd stage, octopus, SPG and depth gauge also are manufactured by Aqualung and Scubapro. From Aqualung we have the Calypso and Titan Regulators, while our Scubapro regulators are the MK2 Evo R195 1st and 2nd Stage with and R095 Octopus. All regulators offer a decent breathing experience and are the number one choices for dive centres around the world. Regulators are available in both DIN and Yoke formats.
For diving in the tropical waters of Diani, we offer shorty wetsuits as our rental equipment option. These come from Aqualung with a 4mm shorty or Fourth Element Xenos Shorty wetsuits.
Catering for a wide range of sizes from kids to very large adult foot sizes we have a range of full foot and open-heel fins. The full foot options are Aqualung Caravelles, while the open-heel options are Aqualung Storm and Scubapro Go fins which are able to be worn without boots.
Our choice of rental masks enables a fit for a wide range of face shapes and sizes. Brands include Beaver, Scubapro, Aqualung and even our own custom Ocean Tribe brand. Snorkels are either ones with easy clear blast vents or bendable freedive snorkels.
The rental dive computers that are available are either Suunto Zoop computers or Aqualung i100, wrist mounted ones. We can also provide guidance on how to use your own rental computers or investing in newer technology like the Apple Watch Ultra.
While we offer 11 litre steel tanks upon request, most of our dive tanks are 12 litre aluminium tanks from Coltri Sub, Catalina or Beaver Sports. For our smaller divers or side mount divers we also have 7 litre aluminium cylinders available. Tanks have interchangeable DIN and Yoke valves.
We are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with top brand Native Outfitters to come up with an awesome Ocean Tribe clothing range. The new gear includes gorgeous sublimated long sleeve SPF50+ sun shirts and hoodies. There are choices for both the ladies and the guys with cool prints on them, reflecting local wildlife and activities.
Native Outfitters are a specialist company based in Florida, U.S.A., and have developed a range of shirts featuring their exclusive DRiQ Fabric Technology, providing safe, comfortable sun protection with immense style and some of the softest shirts in the industry.
The Ocean Tribe range by Native Outfitters includes an awesome Dive, Safari, Adventure shirt, an Ocean Tribe hoodie (probably the most comfortable shirt you’ll ever wear, some awesome turtle wraps, and an amazing lady’s turtle print. Visit our online shop to check them out and get yours today or they are available in both our dive bases at Alliance Safari Beach Hotel and Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani.
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As well as the awesome clothing range in the Ocean Tribe shop we also stock dive equipment and Ocean Tribe souvenirs including coffee mugs, beer glasses, vacuum cups, and even baseball caps. Come down and check it out and get items to remember your dive experience in DIani Beach, Kenya.
How to choose a dive centre in Kenya is a very important process for a diver or potential diver. There are a few operators claiming to be dive centres / diving instructors, yet lacking the qualifications or equipment quality and having no monitoring of their activities. It really breaks our hearts and worries the bejesus out of us when we hear reports from people who have been taken in by these perpetrators. As such we have decided to write a guide to selecting a safe operation to dive with.
1. When you choose a dive centre, ensure that the dive professionals that are working with you are renewed with a recognised training organisation. They should be able to show you a dive card / digital that displays their name, photo, certification number (which you can verify through PADI or SSI dive apps) and that they are renewed as a dive professional for that year.
2. Check that the dive centre you choose is registered with a training organisation such as PADI or SSI. This can be done by going to the dive centre locator on the PADI website or the Dive SSI app. Dive centres that are registered with training organisations are required to keep up standards regarding equipment, professionals on staff and courses offered and are regularly monitored by the training organisation.
3. Check the dive centre level. When you choose a dive centre, if you are looking for specific training there are only certain dive centres that can offer it. This can be found using the dive centre locators on the training organisations. A guide to the different levels of PADI dive centre can be seen here. Seeing this goes a long way to seeing the commitment the dive centre has to providing quality diver training and experiences.
4. Check the equipment that the dive centre will be giving you to use. A good dive centre has the latest, well-maintained and serviced equipment. This includes tanks within visual and hydrostatic test dates, serviced regulators with octopus, depth gauge and SPGs and BCDs that fit and inflate correctly. Do not go with a dive centre you suspect of using sub-standard gear as it will vastly impede your experience and constitute a serious safety risk.
5. When signing up for a dive trip or a course, make sure that you check what is included. All dive courses will require you to have a NEW set of diver materials /eLearning to keep. Do not sign up for programs where the dive centre/ dive instructor offers to loan you materials for a cheaper price. This is not allowed under any major training agency standards and could result in your certification not being able to be processed. As a point in fact all PADI eLearning programs include the cost of the certification as part of the eLearning, so if eLearning is included there shouldn’t be any extra certification costs. For dive trips ask if equipment included and if so what items of equipment and are there any extra costs.
6. Ask what dive sites you will be going to and whether they will be boat or shore dives. While it is sometimes necessary to go to dive sites which are more easily accessible based on safety, if you are booking in for multiple dive trips, check that they don’t go to the same dive site every day and that you will get a varied and exciting dive schedule. Also check that they follow agency guidelines for depth limitations. A dive centre who will take someone who is not qualified, deeper than they should go without being on a course is breaking agency standards. Be careful.
Remember dive centres cost their diving programs and courses according to their costs and expenses to make the fairest price they can. If someone is offering diving programs for vastly lower prices than others you should question whether all of the above questions are being answered satisfactorily. If you follow the above guidelines you can choose a dive centre in Kenya very easily and have a great diving experience in one of diving’s best kept secrets. It is a cliche to say but in a majority of cases you get what you pay for. Do you really want to go cheap and sub-standard on what is essentially life-support equipment? Keep diving safe and enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming you to diving in Kenya.
An Apple Watch Ultra Dive Computer Review from someone who uses dive computers on a daily basis.
When Apple announced the Apple Watch Ultra was going to include a dive computer feature, my first thought as a tech geek was: I must have one. I purchased the initial Apple Watch and sold it very quickly, not needing, out of the features and preferring to wear a dive watch. But here finally was an Apple Watch that I could actually use. Very exciting. So I duly ordered one and with a total gamble sold my air-integrated Suunto D5 and tank pod, to be able to finance some of this.
This brings me to my first point. The Apple Watch Ultra is not cheap. Starting at $799, this begins to compete on price with higher-end diving computers being more expensive than the Suunto D5 and D6, but still cheaper than the dive watches it directly competes with, the Garmin Descent MK2 and the Shearwater Teric. Both of these dive computers have a lot more dive computer features than the Apple Watch Ultra. But to be honest this is not being sold as a stand-alone dive computer. It is being sold as a smartwatch with dive computer capabilities so in reality, you are getting a lot more for your buck, despite having to pay a subscription.
The watch itself is a thing of beauty. It might take you a while to get used to the rectangular shape of the face but it really does allow for more to be fitted onto the screen. The titanium build and crystal face adds robustness to the watch that makes me fully confident it can stand up to the active lifestyle of the busiest diver. It is quite big but the titanium means that you hardly notice it on your wrist, weight-wise although on smaller wrists it will appear quite large.
I purchased the “ocean” strap for the watch and so far it stands up to its workload well, being a more traditional strap style in comparison to the others available for the dive computer. Being an “adaptive” diver I swim with my arms underwater and so far the strap stays in place remarkably well. It’s available in 3 colours midnight blue, white and yellow, depending on your preference, and for sure other straps will be released by third parties and possibly Apple in the future. It also can take any other Apple Watch band so it’s highly customisable.
The usability of the Apple Watch Ultra is excellent. With two side buttons and a track wheel, as well as the touch screen on dry land, it lives up to the Apple mantra. “It just works”. Underwater navigating the dive computer with the track wheel is very simple and compared to dive computers I have owned in the past this is in a league of its own for ease of use. I have yet to test the emergency siren on the side but that does sound like it could be very useful to a diver in peril for attracting attention.
The one downside perceived is the battery life. When using the Apple Watch Ultra as a standard smartwatch I can get a couple of days to use out of it in between charges but when it is used as a dive computer then I have to charge it daily. But that being said it managed 4 dives in a day and still had 40% battery left, so if you get into the habit of charging it when you go to bed then what’s the problem?
After a week or so of diving with the Oceanic+ App on my Apple Watch Ultra, I do have a few remarks. The first thing is that for a recreational diver who is not often pushing the limit of 40m or doing any technical stuff, then this computer is more than enough for you. I love it.
Compared against a number of computers including a Suunto D5, Zoom, Aqualung i200 and a Shearwater Perdix, it maintained excellent accuracy for depth and time (although as an Apple product would we really doubt it?). So no problems with whether it can function as a depth gauge or timing device. A little annoying that you can’t operate a stopwatch underwater at the same time moment but the bottom timer show seconds too so not a problem for when dive students are doing timed tasks.
The readability of the Apple Watch dive computer screen. This is the easiest dive computer screen I have ever had to read, despite the small watch size. The brightness of the screen and the clear colours, writing and even the bright alarms make this a joy to read and view even in direct sunlight, on the standard brightness setting.
As mentioned earlier, even wearing gloves the trackwheel of the Apple Watch Ultra makes it easy to navigate the dive computer between features when you are on a dive. A lot of thought has clearly gone into this and it just works, including compass operation.
On the NDL side of things, the Oceanic+ App uses the Bühlmann ZHL-16C decompression model and it compares favourably to other dive computer limits. You can change the conservatism slightly but all in all, it’s not bad. Setting Nitrox also is a cinch with the easy operation and settings.
The real downer on the Oceanic+ app on the Apple Watch Ultra is the depth limit of 40m. The Apple Watch Ultra is rated to 100m but if you go past 40m on the Oceanic+ app then it shuts you down basically allowing you to make a safe ascent to the surface but not continue the dive. While I understand that 40m is the limit of recreational diving, the device allows for deeper so the app should be able to allow for a few metres of error or just to work with any depth. Very annoying and the potential to put off a lot of divers. That being said for diving well within the limits, this won’t affect you too much.
The alarms on the device are fully customisable with audio and haptic ones a possibility. I love that as haptic alarms on my wrist keep it more subtle than loud annoying beeps that have every diver in the vicinity looking around. You can set alarms for dive time, depth and even temperature (although my body tends to tell me if I’m too cold so this might be overkill). One thing about alarms, alerts and advice is that they are very easy to see and pronounced. Go up too fast and the screen flashes up a red tab. Need to do a safety stop and a bright yellow tab appears. Extra customisation options like safety stops at deeper depths would be cool, but again for most divers, options are covered.
The dive planner app and on-watch logbook are easy to access and use with the Oceanic+ App. It is not a matter of navigating tediously with three or four buttons, trying desperately to locate the dive planner app or logbook to share with other divers. A couple of taps and using the wheel and you are there. Very easy or even easier, to use the Oceanic+ app on the iPhone to access these features.
When it comes to the Oceanic+ iPhone app, it is quite good but there is potential for so much more. The logbook automatically syncs the dives from your Apple Watch Ultra Oceanic+ app so you don’t have to think. You just need to fill in the dive site information and other dive data such as sightings, notes and buddies.
But the GPS feature which captures the dive site location at the beginning of your descent only is activated if you have cellular capability enabled on the Watch or are close enough to your iPhone. Sadly if like me you live and dive in a country where this is not a possibility then often your dive coordinates are not captured. You can’t save your different dive sites either in the same manner you can on other dive logbook apps like Mac Dive. The fact that you can only use the Oceanic+ logbook which is also tied to a subscription might also be a put-off for some divers.
Other downers are that for logging the equipment used, it only allows you to enter equipment from the Oceanic or Oceanic-affiliated brands. If like me your equipment is largely from other brands, this won’t work well.
The subscription model is going to be a big divider amongst divers. Problem is that Oceanic (or any company who develops a dive computer app) will need to make money to replace the sales of the dive computers the app will displace. So while the Apple Watch Ultra is expensive, it is simply the hardware that the dive computer app is installed on. I would prefer a paid app over something that is freeware as in a lot of cases I am afraid you do get what you pay for. Oceanic has made the subscription tally to the amount of diving that you do. But I know there are going to be a lot of people who scream and shout that they have already paid enough. Well in that case they would certainly be happier with a pay once dive computer with fewer features.
Now here is where having an Apple Watch Ultra as a dive computer can be really useful. There are so many apps available in the Apple ecosystem which can be incorporated into your complications on your Apple Watch Ultra for quick access. I use Windy for the wind and water conditions, Tides, for a quick tide gauge and dive planning, the compass and even the UV index so I know how harsh the sun will be. There really are apps and complications for all types of divers and water sports enthusiasts. This after all is a smartwatch which can be used as a dive computer so there is so much more to it.
Other great features include the dive data being integrated with the health app (although this could be further developed and I am sure it will be). This can allow your dive data to be used for both monitoring your own health and for sure dive research in the future. The activity tracker actually pushes me to work harder and exercise more which can only be a good thing. Yes, I do get the notifications to my wrist from my phone which can be annoying even if useful. But they don’t work underwater, which is a relief. The phone feature from the watch would be a super useful feature in an emergency but then again relies on cellular connectivity, so usefulness varies by country.
So is the Apple Watch Ultra a reasonable dive computer. Absolutely. Should all divers buy one. No. It is a wonderful alternative for those who want a smartwatch and dive computer combined and don’t regularly push the recreational limits. For those who want tech diving capabilities it is an absolute no no. But for me who teaches recreationally and dives most days, it is a worthy dive computer and the other features offered by the watch make it absolutely brilliant for me. Sure it was pricey but you are paying for the other features of Apple’s top smart watch not the dive computer.
A subscription for Oceanic+ is annoying but if you want to be getting the constantly updated app with new features as they emerge this will need to be paid for as Oceanic need to recuperate on their app (as theoretically they won’t be selling as many computers).
From a dive professional point of view this will expose so many new people to the possibility of diving it is unthinkable not to like it. Millions buy Apple Watches so there is serious sales potential in in. It might become more of a replacement for the entry level computers for rental or use once a year on holiday.
Fact is I trust the Apple Watch Ultra as a dive computer despite a few flaws which can be improved upon. If they open it up to other developers from Shearwater, Suunto and other dive computer manufacturers to apply their own apps and algorithms then it gets even more exciting. Like everything Apple it is probably going to be a game changer so it will be exciting to go along with it. It is expensive and is not going to replace the dedicated high end devices. If you can afford it then well worth it. It doesn’t have things like air integration and gas switching, but I am still loving how useful it is over all activities not just diving. This is here to stay and I’m excited to see how apps for it develop!
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Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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