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Choosing the right buoyancy compensator (BC/ BCD) can dramatically shape your underwater experience. You’ve probably heard of jacket-style BCs and backplate & wing (BP/W) setups, but what’s best for you? We’re diving into both options and exploring which BC should you use based on comfort, performance, and travel needs. At Ocean Tribe, we stock both—but for those seeking peak performance, we encourage trying backplate & wing—even from day one of your training. No pressure. Just options.
A jacket-style BC wraps around your torso like a life vest. Its air bladder encircles your chest, sides, and back. That design offers a sense of security and familiarity. Many divers rent these on holiday dive boats. They’re comfortable, with built-in pockets and integrated weight systems that hold accessories and diving essentials easily. This convenience makes them ideal for beginners who want simplicity and ease of use.
Jacket BCs are widely available at dive resorts and local shops, making gear rental quick and hassle-free . However, that bulk adds weight to travel luggage and increases drag in the water. The inflated bladder can push you upright, affecting trim, positioning you slightly vertical instead of horizontal. This while annoying underwater is beneficial at the surface. Plus, most jacket BCs aren’t modular: a broken buckle or bladder often means replacing the entire unit .
Backplate & wing separates the system into modular parts: a rigid plate (usually steel or aluminum), a harness, and a bladder (wing) positioned behind your back . This design gives you a streamlined profile and superior trim, letting you glide horizontally through the water with less drag . Weight distribution is smarter too—you can use the backplate’s negative buoyancy and position trim weights for a balanced setup . And if something breaks, you replace that piece—not the whole BC .
Travelers especially love BP/W: choose an aluminum plate and compact wing, and it packs flat—ideal for carry-on luggage . Steel plate users get built‑in ballast and solid durability, though they carry extra weight . Some worry about setup complexity or lack of storage pockets, but once you fine-tune your harness and trim setup, that precision feels unbeatable .
If you’re a dive traveler, backplate & wing is a standout choice. Aluminum plates and compact wings fit neatly into carry-ons, cutting checked baggage size . They dry quickly and strip down easily, ideal for trips. Yes, steel plates add weight, but that smart ballast placement means less lead in your pockets overseas.
If your goal is simplicity, rental‑ready gear, and comfort on every dive, a jacket‑style BC is a reliable, easy choice. It’s familiar, forgiving, and perfect for casual or resort diving.
But if you want precision trim, modular gear, travel efficiency, and performance that grows with your skills, give backplate & wing a go. It demands a little effort upfront, but the payoff is control and confidence underwater.
Ocean Tribe stocks both systems as rental BCs. For peak performance, we recommend trying backplate & wing, even early in your dive journey. It’s not mandatory, just an invitation to experience a pro-level setup if it suits you.
So, when asking which BC should you use, remember: jackets bring comfort and familiarity; backplate & wing delivers performance, flexibility, and travel benefits. Try them. Experiment. Choose what enhances your dive—and we’ll support you either way.
| Feature | Jacket-Style BC | Backplate & Wing (BP/W) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort & Ease | Feels familiar and intuitive; easy to put on—great for beginners and resort rentals | Requires setup and harness adjustment, but once fitted it’s comfortable underwater () |
| Storage & Pockets | Built-in pockets and weight systems for tools and accessories () | Minimal storage; you’ll need extra pouches or belt accessories () |
| Trim & Buoyancy Control | Inflated front bladder can push you upright—harder to maintain horizontal trim () | Promotes excellent horizontal trim; backplate weight supports balanced posture () |
| Modularity & Repair | Less flexible: components aren’t easily upgraded—break one, replace all () | Highly modular: harness, wing, and plate are interchangeable and replaceable () |
| Travel Friendliness | Bulkier and heavier, making packing for trips more challenging () | Compact and lightweight: excellent for carry-on travel with aluminum plates () |
| Durability & Longevity | More prone to failure; non-modular parts mean entire unit may need replacing () | Built to last; fewer parts to break and easy to repair or replace () |
| Cost | Affordable and widely available—ideal for beginners () | Comparable or often cheaper in the long run; initial setup takes effort () |
Ocean Tribe offers both. While jackets are a reliable choice, we believe for optimal performance and progression, backplate & wing is worth trying, even at the start of your diving journey. No pressure—just exploration and support.
Have you ever wondered why you always feel the urge to pee as soon as you enter the water, even if you just went? You’re not alone. Many swimmers and water lovers experience this, and it has a scientific name: immersion diuresis.
Immersion diuresis is the increased urine production that happens when your body is submerged in water. When you enter cold water, blood vessels in your arms and legs constrict. This pushes blood toward your core to keep you warm. Your body senses this extra blood volume in your chest and central organs. It thinks you have too much fluid on board. In response, your kidneys filter out more water from your blood, creating more urine. That’s why you feel the sudden urge to pee.
This reaction is part of your body’s natural defense mechanism to maintain a stable fluid balance. By making you urinate more, your body can reduce what it sees as “extra” fluid and keep your blood pressure under control. While it’s most noticeable in cold water, immersion diuresis can also occur in warm water. Any form of immersion triggers this effect, just more strongly when it’s chilly.
For most people, immersion diuresis is not dangerous. It’s a normal physiological response. However, it can contribute to dehydration if you don’t replace the fluids you lose. Dehydration can increase the risk of fatigue, cramps, and a general feeling of weakness after being in the water. That’s why it’s crucial to hydrate well before and after any water activities, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
The best way to handle immersion diuresis is to accept it and prepare. Drink enough water beforehand, but avoid overloading on fluids right before diving. Make sure to hydrate steadily throughout the day. Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and energy drinks before going into the water. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which means it makes your kidneys produce even more urine. Combined with immersion diuresis, this can lead to dehydration more quickly and increase the risk of cramps and fatigue. Wear appropriate exposure protection to reduce excessive heat loss, which can lessen the severity of immersion diuresis. And most importantly, don’t hold it in! Trying to ignore the urge can make you uncomfortable and distract you from enjoying your time in the water.
Immersion diuresis is one of those funny and slightly annoying parts of being in the water. It’s your body doing its job to stay balanced in an unusual environment. Next time you feel that urge to pee, remember. It’s completely normal!
Guitar rays, also known as guitarfish, are one of the ocean’s most curious hybrids—combining the flat body of a ray with the sweeping tail of a shark. Divers in Diani Beach, Kenya are sometimes lucky enough to encounter these bottom-dwelling creatures gliding across sandy flats or resting near coral reefs. But what exactly are guitar rays, and why are they worth watching out for?
Guitar rays belong to the ray family Rhinobatidae, a group often referred to as shovelnose rays. With a long, flattened snout, wing-like pectoral fins, and a muscular tail, their silhouette closely resembles a guitar—hence the name[^1].
They typically grow to about 1.5–1.8 meters in length, although some species remain smaller. Their backs are sandy brown or olive, mottled for camouflage against the seabed, while their undersides are pale. Though closely related to rays, they swim like sharks, using their tails in a side-to-side motion rather than flapping their fins[^2].
Guitar rays prefer warm, shallow coastal waters, especially tropical and subtropical seas. They thrive over sandy and muddy seabeds, seagrass meadows, and the edges of coral reefs[^3].
In East Africa, and particularly around Diani, these habitats are found in abundance. The Diani–Chale Marine Reserve offers a combination of fringing coral reefs, sandy channels, and seagrass beds—an ideal environment for guitar rays to feed and hide[^4].
Guitar rays are bottom feeders, using their keen senses and flattened bodies to detect prey buried in sand. Their diet includes:
They often forage by stirring up sand with their fins or lying in ambush, waiting for prey to pass by[^5].
Guitar rays are typically solitary and shy. During the day, they rest motionless on the seabed, partially buried. At night, they become more active, foraging under the cover of darkness.
Unlike stingrays, they do not possess venomous barbs and are generally harmless to divers. While they may appear elusive, patient observers may see one gliding slowly away if gently approached[^6].
Guitar rays reproduce through internal fertilisation, with females giving birth to live young after a long gestation period. This method, called ovoviviparity, involves embryos developing in eggs inside the mother’s body until they hatch and are born.
Due to their slow reproductive cycle and low birth rates, guitar rays are especially vulnerable to population declines[^7].
Many species of guitar rays are now considered threatened or endangered. The IUCN lists several as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered, largely due to:
Some guitarfish are even caught for their fins, which are sold in international shark-fin markets[^8].
Diani’s reef and sandscape make it one of the best places in Kenya to see guitar rays. The marine reserve’s protected status and rich biodiversity increase the likelihood of sightings, especially in sandy channels between coral outcrops or during night dives.
Local dive operators, including Ocean Tribe, report occasional sightings of resting guitar rays, particularly in deeper reef areas or near seagrass beds. Their ability to camouflage makes them easy to miss—but extremely rewarding to find[^4].
Guitar rays may not be as famous as manta rays or whale sharks, but they’re just as remarkable. As indicator species, their presence tells us about the health of coastal marine ecosystems. Seeing one on a dive is a special moment—and a reminder of why marine protection matters.
Next time you’re diving in Diani, keep an eye on the sand—you might just spot a shadow that looks a little like a shark, a little like a ray… and completely unforgettable.
[^1]: Last, P.R., et al. (2016). Rays of the World. CSIRO Publishing.
[^2]: Compagno, L.J.V. (2002). Sharks of the World. FAO Species Catalogue.
[^3]: McEachran, J.D., & de Carvalho, M.R. (2002). Biology of Skates and Rays.
[^4]: Kuria, M. & Eijkelenboom, G. (2019). Diani–Chale Marine Reserve Biodiversity Report. Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.
[^5]: Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (1986). Smiths’ Sea Fishes.
[^6]: Ocean Tribe Dive Log Archives, 2022–2024.
[^7]: IUCN Red List. (2023). Rhinobatos spp. Retrieved from iucnredlist.org
[^8]: Dulvy, N.K., et al. (2021). Overfishing Threatens Sharks and Rays. Nature, 589, 233–237.
Scuba diving is one of the most thrilling ways to explore our planet. But despite its popularity, there are still plenty of myths floating around that stop people from taking the plunge. Today, we’re busting five of the most common scuba diving myths so you can dive in with confidence.
You don’t need to be an Olympic-level swimmer to become a scuba diver. You just need to feel comfortable in the water and be able to swim a short distance. During your Open Water Diver course, you’ll do a basic swim test and a float test — that’s it! Good buoyancy skills and proper training matter much more than raw swimming power.
Diving is for everyone. We’ve seen people in their 70s and even 80s discover the joy of diving. You don’t have to be a top athlete — you just need to be in reasonably good health. With medical clearance, even people with certain conditions can dive safely. There are also adaptive diving programs for divers with disabilities, proving the ocean is truly for all.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions. Sharks are not interested in humans. In fact, most divers feel lucky to even spot one. Sharks usually avoid us, and seeing them underwater is a magical experience, not a dangerous one. The media has exaggerated shark attacks for decades, but in reality, you’re far more likely to get injured doing household chores than diving with sharks.
While scuba diving does involve some investment, it’s often more affordable than people think. Entry-level courses, local dive trips, and rental equipment make it accessible. Once certified, you can choose how often and where you dive, fitting your budget and travel plans. Many dive centers also offer package deals and loyalty programs to make it even more affordable.
Tropical islands aren’t the only places with amazing diving. You can find great diving spots close to home almost anywhere in the world. Lakes, quarries, and local coastal waters often hide incredible underwater life and unique experiences. Even if you do love traveling, you can combine diving with other adventures, like safaris or cultural tours.
Diving opens up a whole new world — one that is peaceful, full of life, and surprisingly accessible. Don’t let myths hold you back. Whether you’re curious about taking your first breaths underwater or ready to sign up for a course, now is the perfect time to start your adventure.
If you’ve ever dreamed of breathing underwater and gazing upon vibrant coral reefs, the SSI Open Water Diver course with Ocean Tribe in Diani Beach, Kenya, is your passport to an unforgettable underwater adventure.
SSI (Scuba Schools International) is a world-renowned training agency recognized in every corner of the globe. Its free MySSI digital learning platform offers comprehensive theory modules, quizzes, and e-logbooks, all accessible on your smartphone or tablet at your convenience . SSI’s standards align with ISO and WRSTC, ensuring your certification is globally respected.
This course welcomes anyone aged 10 and above (10–14 as Junior, 15+ as Adult) with basic swimming ability and general good health. Whether you’re an adventurous gap-year student, a family seeking a bonding experience, or a seasonal traveler, if you can swim and are medically cleared, you’re ready.
Your journey unfolds in three immersive stages over three days:
Once you register, you’ll receive access to SSI’s MySSI platform, complete with interactive videos, reading materials, quizzes, and progress tracking. This flexible learning allows you to absorb diving fundamentals. Physics, equipment, safety protocols, decompression, and marine awareness, on your own schedule, leaving room to ask questions during the later class and in-water sessions.
In Diani, we teach the confined water training session in our dive pool to guide you through critical dive skills . You’ll learn buoyancy control, mask clearing, regulator recovery, air-sharing, emergency ascents, and underwater navigation. Over six sessions you’ll notch confidence and comfort in taking your first breaths underwater.
Next come four open water dives on Diani’s stunning reefs . The first two dives typically go to maximum 12 m, letting you practice new skills in a real ocean setting. The final two reach up to 18 m, testing your proficiency under instructor supervision and revealing spectacular marine life including turtles, reef fish, and perhaps even reef sharks or eagle rays. This is where your skills click. The thrill of weightlessness, air control, and authentic interaction with the underwater world.
Yes, your SSI Open Water certification is permanent and accepted globally. You can dive with a buddy anywhere in conditions similar or better to those in which you were trained, with depths up to 18 m, thanks to SSI’s ISO-aligned standards. No matter where your travels take you, you have the freedom to dive the world’s reefs.
Ocean Tribe offers a range of expertly curated combos that align with your diving ambitions:
Ocean Tribe structures these combos thoughtfully to ensure seamless progression—from Open Water fundamentals through advanced depth, buoyancy finesse, enriched-air awareness, and rescue capability. You avoid booking piecemeal; instead, you progress logically with expert guidance .
Come down and see us at Ocean Tribe in Diani, Book online or talk to us more on WhatsApp to find out more.
For extra course information see the Open Water Diver course page
Whether you’re just starting or planning to upgrade quickly, our packages offer flexibility, depth, and value. Take the plunge. Your dive adventure starts here.
If your schedule is tight or you’re just testing the waters, you can still start your dive journey with shorter, flexible options. The SSI Scuba Diver course is a condensed version of the Open Water Diver course. It takes just two days and includes theory, pool training, and two open water dives. You’ll earn a certification that allows you to dive to 12 meters under the supervision of a professional. It’s ideal for holidaymakers with limited time or those wanting to ease into scuba at a slower pace.
Alternatively, the SSI Basic Diver experience is a one-day introduction that includes a short academic session, shallow pool skills, and two guided ocean dives to 12 meters. It’s not a certification course, but it gives you a safe, exciting taste of the underwater world, and even counts toward your full Open Water certification if you decide to continue later.
How can I dive the wreck in Diani? The iconic MV Alpha Funguo wreck lies between 22 m and 30 m deep off Diani Beach. Because it exceeds the typical 18 m limit of an Open Water certification, to dive the wreck in Diani you must already hold a qualification that permits dives to at least 30 m. In practice that means Advanced Open Water (or an equivalent rating) or a Deep Diver specialty. Either one gives you the depth range to explore MV Alpha Funguo safely .
Advanced Open Water Diver raises your maximum depth to approximately 30 m, covering the deepest parts of the wreck itself. A Deep Diver Specialty not extends your range further than this to 40m, but also teaches hazard‑management—gas planning, narcosis control and deeper emergency protocols. This is critical for safe dives on deeper wreck sites like this one . Most agencies require you hold at least one of these before attempting deeper recreational sites like the MV Alpha Funguo.
Absolutely—you can begin the moment you’re ready. We offer same‑day enrollment into either the Advanced Open Water (Advanced Adventurer)course, Advanced Alternative Package (Deep/Navigation and Enriched Air Diving) or Deep Diving Specialty courses. Theory is delivered through e‑learning modules that you can complete online before your first dive. If you decide to start the program on the way to the dive sites, no problem. We can get you signed up ont he boot and you can complete the digital learning following the dive day.
To truly unlock the ability to dive the wreck in Diani with confidence, supplementing your depth certification with a Wreck Diver Specialty is ideal. This course focuses on non‑penetration techniques, underwater mapping, risk management around wreck structures and site‑specific navigation. Some centres offer this as a one‑day course directly on MV Alpha Funguo .
For those intrigued by limited penetration—the brief entry into safe interior sections—SSI Advanced Wreck Diver training is the next step. While the Deep or Advanced level clears you for depth, an advanced wreck specialty teaches you to manage lines, enter safe overhead areas within the light zone, respond to lost‑line scenarios, and further your gas‑management skills under overhead‐environment protocols. You will be introduced to specific equipment for wreck diving and how to use it safely.
These wreck courses are simply an introduction to wreck diving. There are many further courses in Extended Range Diving and wreck penetration from a number of agencies. These will assist in your development as a safe wreck diver.
We’ve designed an all-in-one pathway so you can confidently dive the wreck in Diani. Every specialty in our Mission‑Ready Diver package is engineered to equip you fully to dive the wreck in Diani:
The Deep Diving specialty extends your depth limit up to 40 m, teaching narcosis awareness, gas planning, and emergency ascent skills crucial for operating at MV Alpha Funguo’s circa 29 m depths.
The Advanced Wreck Diving course introduces overhead‑environment procedures. These include static‑line deployment, careful light‑zone penetration, lost‑line recovery drills and confined‑space buoyancy.
Nitrox training enhances your no‑decompression bottom time at depth, giving you a longer, more comfortable window to inspect the wreck while minimizing stress of worrying about your no decompression limit.
Diving with a sidemount configuration sharpens trim, reduces drag, and teaches cylinder‑redundancy management. This ideal for threading through tighter apertures and gives you an amazing trim as well as more air sources.
Together, these specialties raise your legal depth allowance, deepen your wreck‑diving skills, extend your bottom time, and optimize equipment handling—so you’ll be fully mission‑ready to dive the wreck in Diani with confidence, safety, and precision.
Originally a 45 m fishing trawler, MV Alpha Funguo was intentionally scuttled by a dive centre in Diani on 21 February 2002 to create an artificial reef just off Diani Beach . The wreck now rests on its side on a sandy bottom, with its highest point at 22 m and its lower reaches at around 30 m deep. Over nearly two decades it’s become a thriving underwater habitat: groupers, rays, turtles, and sometimes sharks now call it home, making it an ideal and visually rich training site for deep and wreck diver specialties .
In summary: to dive the wreck in Diani, you must hold either Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) or a Deep Diver Specialty—i.e., any certification allowing dives to 30 m or deeper. For greater confidence, add the Wreck Diver Specialty (non‑penetration) and, if desired, advanced wreck courses for limited interior access. Training can start today via online theory and continue with in‑water modules arranged at your convenience. Our Mission‑Ready Diver package bundles all necessary steps so you can set sail confidently toward MV Alpha Funguo within days.
Let us know when you’re ready: enrolment opens immediately and we can kick off your online modules within hours so you’ll be diving the wreck in Diani before you know it.
The SSI Dive Log Challenge 2025 is here—and Ocean Tribe divers have a golden opportunity to win prizes, get featured worldwide, and even score a dive holiday in Thailand. Running from July 1st to September 30th, 2025, this exciting global event rewards divers for logging and verifying their dives in the MySSI app.
Whether you’re SSI certified or trained with another agency, if you dive with Ocean Tribe and log at least two verified dives per month, you’re in the running.
The SSI Dive Log Challenge 2025 is a three-month global campaign encouraging divers to log every dive they make between July 1st and September 30th, 2025. Only dives logged and verified in the MySSI app during this time period count as valid entries.
Each dive gives you another chance to win—and you don’t need to be SSI-certified to join. The challenge is open to all certified divers who use the app and have their logs validated by a professional, like your Ocean Tribe instructor or guide.
Every month during the challenge, SSI will randomly select winners from the pool of logged dives:
At the end of the challenge, one Grand Prize winner will be selected from all entries to win an exclusive liveaboard dive trip to Thailand, sponsored by LiveAboard.com.
It’s one of the most exciting scuba giveaways of the year—and it only takes a few logged dives to enter.
Getting involved in the SSI Dive Log Challenge 2025 is easy when you’re diving in Diani with Ocean Tribe:
Even if your certification is from PADI, RAID, NAUI, or another agency, you’re welcome to participate. The only requirement is to use the MySSI app for logging and verification.
Your dive stories can also earn global recognition. To be featured in the SSI Hall of Fame, share your underwater photos or videos on Instagram or Facebook, tag your Ocean Tribe guide, and use #divelogchallenge or tag @ssi_international.
This is your chance to celebrate your growth, your memories, and the incredible people you meet underwater. Whether it’s your first turtle, a wreck dive, or a stunning coral reef, let your story be seen around the world.
The SSI Dive Log Challenge 2025 is more than a prize draw. It’s about building good dive habits, tracking your progress, and becoming part of a global community of divers who value safety, skill, and shared experiences. And every dive logged is another moment to remember—and another chance to win.
Dive with Ocean Tribe. Log your adventure. Be part of something bigger.
Becoming a scuba instructor doesn’t just give you a career. It gives you a passport to the world. With your certification in hand, you can work anywhere there’s water, from tropical islands to luxury liveaboards, teaching, guiding, and exploring.
It’s a life of freedom, global movement, and meaningful connection. And the journey begins right here with Ocean Tribe’s Diving Instructor Internship Program in Kenya.
Your scuba instructor certification is recognised around the world. That means you can work across continents, from Europe’s sun-drenched coastlines to Southeast Asia’s island chains and the Caribbean’s turquoise shallows. Dive centres in Thailand, Australia, the Maldives, Egypt, and Mexico all rely on travelling pros. We even have a centre in the Philippines which happily takes seasonal pros following their graduation at Ocean Tribe
You won’t be tied to a desk or a single location. Many instructors live on dive boats, rent beach bungalows, or stay in seasonal crew housing. Resorts and liveaboards often offer contracts that last just a few months, giving you the flexibility to move between jobs and countries at your own pace.
Dive work follows the sun. In Europe, countries like Spain, Greece, and Italy see high demand from May to September. These scuba instructor jobs often include accommodation and offer competitive wages. When the European season ends, you can head to places like Thailand, Indonesia, or the Caribbean, where the peak runs from October to March. Kenya, Egypt, and other parts of Africa also offer year-round work with busy holiday peaks.
By timing your moves with the seasons, you can cover most of the year with back-to-back contracts. It’s a rhythm that balances earning, exploring, and growing as a diver.
Being a dive instructor gives you more than teaching skills. You develop leadership and risk management, learn how to control groups in the ocean, and gain experience in first aid. These are valuable in many areas of marine tourism, from eco-tours and fishing trips to resort operations.
You also build customer service skills, gear knowledge, and potentially even technical skills like underwater photography or video editing. If you learn local languages along the way, your employability skyrockets. A few words of Spanish in the Canaries or Thai in Koh Tao can make a big difference when applying for jobs.
To make the most of this mobile lifestyle, pack smart. Prioritise a compact regulator and mask that fit into carry-on luggage. Choose a travel-friendly BC/BCD such as a dedicated travel lightweight model or a backplate and wing and light fins that are easy to transport. Rashguards and undersuits should be quick-drying, and a good dive computer is essential for both diving and teaching.
You don’t need to carry heavy tanks or weights, as most centres provide these. Stick to a waterproof travel bag that holds only what you need, including a laptop or tablet for bookings, student records, and communication.
A lightweight laptop or tablet keeps your teaching life organised. You can manage schedules, track student progress, and edit photos or videos for social media. Many dive computers now link directly to logbook apps or training agency platforms like MySSI or DiverLog.
Using apps to learn basic local language phrases will help you integrate more easily and stand out to employers. Staying active on platforms like WhatsApp and social media also helps you keep in touch with other dive professionals and stay informed about job openings around the world.
Every new dive contract brings a fresh reef, a new landscape, and a different culture. The skills you carry with you are transferable to a wide range of roles within the marine tourism industry. Seasonal work also builds in natural breaks that let you travel for yourself, explore new regions, and reconnect with why you started this journey in the first place.
This isn’t just a job. It’s a lifestyle built on freedom, curiosity, and a love for the ocean.
Scuba instructing pairs perfectly with other flexible, remote-friendly jobs. Many dive professionals also work as content creators, travel bloggers, or influencers, sharing their underwater adventures online. Others take on freelance roles in photography, writing, or graphic design between dive seasons. The digital nomad lifestyle complements dive work well—you can teach by day, edit videos or write travel blogs at night, and build a personal brand that grows as you travel. Your office might be the beach, your classroom the reef, and your clients from around the world. It’s a career path limited only by your creativity and drive.
Based in Diani Beach, Kenya, Ocean Tribe offers one of East Africa’s most comprehensive instructor development pathways. Whether you’re starting from scratch or already a certified Divemaster, our Diving Instructor Internship Packages take you from student to professional with real-world teaching experience, guided mentorship, and access to an SSI Instructor Trainer on staff.
You’ll gain internationally recognised certifications, hands-on experience with real students, and exposure to conservation and accessibility diving. The program includes visa support, affordable accommodation, and job placement assistance. You’ll also be introduced to a network of partner dive centres to help you line up future contracts. It’s not just training, it’s the first step into a nomadic lifestyle as a global dive professional.
If you’re already a Divemaster, Ocean Tribe can help you complete your Instructor Training Course with expert guidance and mentorship. If you’re starting from scratch, join our full internship program and progress from Open Water all the way to Instructor. Along the way, you’ll gain practical experience, refine your dive skills, and build the confidence to teach in real-world environments.
You’ll also receive support with work visas, job hunting, and planning your first overseas contracts. We’ll help you prepare for a life of travel, both in and out of the water.
Ocean Tribe doesn’t just train instructors. We launch global diving careers. If you’re ready to explore the world reef by reef, start with us in Kenya. Your future is out there—floating over coral, drifting in currents, and meeting people from every corner of the globe. Let’s dive in.
If you’re looking to stay underwater longer and feel more in control of your dives, the solution is simple: improve your air consumption. It’s not just about breathing less. It’s about moving more efficiently, staying relaxed, and developing better habits in the water. Below are key areas every diver should focus on, along with courses offered at Ocean Tribe that turn those actions into instinct.
The fastest way to improve your air consumption is to relax. Tension raises your heart rate, increases your oxygen demand, and leads to shallow, fast breathing. Instead, focus on calm, steady breaths and smooth movements. The more at ease you are, the slower you breathe, and the longer your tank lasts. Divers who master this calm state often see a noticeable increase in bottom time on every dive.
Trim is your body’s position in the water. A diver with proper trim stays horizontal and balanced, gliding through the water with minimal resistance. When your body is angled or out of balance, you kick harder and breathe more. Proper trim reduces drag and helps you move more naturally, which can significantly improve your air consumption on every dive.
Learning to control buoyancy with your lungs—rather than constantly inflating or deflating your BC—makes a major difference. When you rely on small shifts in breath volume to make micro-adjustments in depth, you stay more stable and conserve air. Add in deep, diaphragmatic breathing with slow, controlled exhales, and you’ll find your breathing becomes both more efficient and more comfortable underwater.
Improving your air consumption is also about how you set up your gear. Unsecured hoses, bulky accessories, or poor trim can increase water resistance and force you to work harder to move. Streamlining your equipment setup helps reduce drag, keeps your profile clean, and allows for more efficient propulsion with fewer wasted breaths.
The way you kick has a direct effect on your breathing rate. Large, rapid flutter kicks require more effort and spike your oxygen use. Switching to slow, deliberate frog kicks or modified back kicks helps you cover distance with less effort. Efficient propulsion means less muscle fatigue, a lower heart rate, and ultimately, better air consumption. Short story. The more you move the quicker you use your air. Make yourself efficient to maximise your air.
Your overall fitness, comfort, and thermal protection all influence how much air you use. A cold or unfit diver will naturally breathe harder. Staying fit, hydrated, and properly equipped for conditions will improve your baseline efficiency and help you avoid unnecessary stress that leads to higher air consumption. It’s also critical to ensure your gear is well-maintained, with no leaks or inefficiencies that waste air before you even notice.
At Ocean Tribe in Diani, we offer SSI specialty courses specifically designed to help you improve your air consumption by building better in-water habits and planning techniques.
Perfect Buoyancy is the starting point for most divers looking to dive longer and more efficiently. You’ll learn how to adjust your trim, control your buoyancy through breath, and glide effortlessly underwater. The skills you build here have a direct impact on air use and comfort.
Deep Diving takes it further by teaching you how pressure affects your breathing rate and how to plan dives using Surface Air Consumption (SAC) calculations. By understanding how your gas usage changes with depth, you can better manage your air and avoid unnecessary stress during deep dives.
Freediver courses are the best way to work on air management. They teach you about minimal movement for maximum efficiency and breathing techniques. An invaluable skill set to have even as a scuba diver.
Courses might help on some tips but the real way to solve it is dive experience and working on the techniques shown above.
To improve your air consumption, start with small changes. Breathe slowly, stay streamlined, master your buoyancy, and move with intention. If you wish, build on those habits with structured training through courses like Perfect Buoyancy and Deep Diving at Ocean Tribe.
You’ll not only dive longer. You’ll dive better.
Diving into scuba for the first time is thrilling—and picking the right first dive computer can make that experience safer, more comfortable, and ultimately more fun. A dive computer isn’t just a gadget; it becomes your underwater partner, constantly measuring depth, time, ascent rate, and dissolved‑gas loading—then using a decompression algorithm to guide your safe return to the surface . As you prepare to choose your first dive computer, this guide leads you step‑by‑step through the features that matter.
At its core, every dive computer tracks depth versus time to calculate no‑decompression limits, warn you of ascent‑rate excesses, and log your dive profile . Unlike tables, the computer adapts to what you actually do underwater—real‑time data, dynamic guidance, fewer risks, and far more confidence . For a diver’s very first dive computer, intuitiveness, reliability, and safety-critical clarity should come first. Everything else—compass, air integration, gas switching—is icing on the cake as your diving grows.
When you plunge into your first open‑water dives, the essential screen data you need are depth, elapsed time, and remaining no‑decompression time . Beyond that, every reliable first dive computer should track ascent rate, manage enriched‑air (nitrox) if you’re already trained, and display battery status and surface‑interval warnings . You want that information simple, unambiguous, and easy to read even if stress levels rise underwater .
For your dive computer, beginners often benefit from a basic, all‑in‑one unit: depth, time, safe‑ascent guidance, nitrox support, and a rugged, easy‑to‑read display. A first dive computer like the Mares Puck or Suunto Zoop Novo fits this profile: straightforward menus, user‑replaceable batteries, large digits, and rock‑solid reliability. As one Reddit diver explained, “You can go for [a cheap computer], wireless AI is a nice gadget, but you can keep it for later” .
When you’re ready to step up—adding features such as air integration, tilt‑compensated compass, rechargeable battery systems, and mixed‑gas support—mid‑range first dive computers like Shearwater’s Peregrine TX or Tern TX, or Suunto’s D5, offer flexibility without overwhelming new divers.
Air‑integration allows your first dive computer to show cylinder pressure and calculate air‑time‑remaining—comforting and convenient, but only critical once you’re diving nitrox or planning multiple dives per day .
Digital compasses eliminate the need for a separate navigation tool underwater—ideal for clear, drift, or wreck diving scenarios. Many models include compasses built‑in; base variants skip them to keep cost and complexity down.
Your first dive computer will either use a rechargeable lithium‑ion battery (sealed, USB‑charged) or a user‑replaceable coin cell. Replaceable types (common in budget units like Zoop 2 or Mares models) are easy to swap in the field and preferred for remote travel. Rechargeable units (in Suunto D5, Shearwater Peregrine TX, Shearwater Teric) offer day‑to‑day convenience, but need reliable charging before each trip .
Your first dive computer should feel comfortable from dive one, but not box you in for dive fifty. If you’re considering sidemount, nitrox or technical courses down the line, choose a model that lets you upgrade firmware, switch gases, or add air‑integration later. The Garmin Descent 3, Shearwater Perdix 2 or Teric series supports full tech features—gas switching, trimix, adjustable algorithms—making them ideal first dive computers for future tech divers.
Some divers treat their first dive computer as a trusty daily smartwatch too. Apple Watch Ultra/Ultra 2, when paired with Oceanic+ app, and Garmin Descent Mk3 deliver dive‑ready modes, fitness tracking, and smartwatch convenience. For beginner divers not exceeding recreational limits, these can serve as capable first dive computers—especially if you already use them on land.
In today’s dive‑tech ecosystem, the relationship between your first dive computer and mobile ecosystem matters nearly as much as the device itself. Whether or not your first dive computer has a corresponding app, or links to agency logbooks or third‑party platforms, impacts how smoothly you’ll manage your dive data, training records, equipment logs and share adventures.
Brands like Suunto offer a strong logbook connection: the D5 wirelessly uploads dive data via Bluetooth into the Suunto app, which doubles as a clean, well‑designed logbook interface and syncs to desktop tools like DM5 . Shearwater’s Teric and Tern models connect via Bluetooth to Shearwater Cloud and third‑party apps like Subsurface or MacDive—owning both hardware and app ecosystem lets users effortlessly sync profiles, share notes, and review dive data later . Likewise, Garmin’s Descent series integrates tightly with the Garmin Dive app and Garmin Connect, where surface GPS mapping, gear tracking, and detailed dive analytics—including gas usage—are available .
Beyond manufacturer apps, a vibrant third‑party landscape—such as DiveMate, Deepblu, Subsurface or Divelog—supports data imports from multiple brands and log‑file formats, plus features like photo‑rich dive sharing, buddy lists, and certifications syncing . Some training agencies (SSI, PADI etc.) provide their own logs—SSI’s MySSI app even integrates Mares connectivity and SCUBAPRO LogTRAK dives directly to agency records .
Every first dive computer should excel at the basics: clear depth‑time‑no‑deco readouts, safe ascent guidance, enduring battery, and intuitive operation. Start with a simple, rugged model if you’re dipping toes in holiday‑style diving. If your ambition lies in advanced nitrox or technical diving, invest in a machine built for upgradeability from day one—ideally with air integration and compass options.
Your first dive computer becomes your underwater partner—one that should fit your current experience level, grow as you grow, and always keep you safely headed toward the surface. Match features to your plans, balance budget and aspirations, and pick the model that helps you dive with clarity, comfort, and confidence.
Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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