Dive Course: Advanced Open Water Diver

Posted on May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Advanced Open Water Diver Course

Advanced Open Water Diver course will help you fine-tune your diving skills, increase your abilities and experience, all while exploring Bali’s best dive sites.

This course is a structured programme that gives certified divers the chance to sample some of diving’s most popular specialities. You will practice navigation and buoyancy, try deep diving and make three speciality dives of your choosing.

You will also gain additional experience and skills with one of AquaMarine’s experienced PADI instructors.

About the Course

AquaMarine Diving – Bali’s PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course is the next step in getting certified to dive in deeper depths and experience the different kinds of adventure diving available.

Students need to complete five dives: Two Core Dives: Deep and Underwater Navigation; and three Elective Dives. The Elective Dives allow divers to sample 3 diving specialities that interest them. At AquaMarine, we offer many PADI Specialities. Here are a few:
– Boat Diver
– Digital Underwater Photographer
– Drift Diver
– Fish Identification
– Enriched Air/Nitrox Diver
– Night Diver
– Peak Performance Buoyancy
– Underwater Naturalist
– Underwater Navigator
– Wreck Diver

After some skill practice with your instructor, you will make five open water dives. There is no exam because this course is truly about having fun and gaining experience.

For every speciality dive you complete, you can earn credit toward PADI speciality certifications.

After completing the course, you will be a more confident diver. With a wide range of dive experience under your (weight)belt, you will be ready to start thinking about the next step: PADI Rescue Diver or PADI Junior Rescue Diver course.

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course

Click below for more PADI Dive Courses Information:

PADI Dive Courses

Banda Islands

Posted on May 9, 2025May 10, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Banda Islands

The Banda Islands are one of Indonesia’s top destinations for divers. Both experts and beginners will enjoy themselves here as the diving ranges from the shallow lagoon between Banda Neira and Gunung Api, to the vertical walls of Hatta Island, the most easterly in the group.

Located in Maluku (Molluca) province, the Banda Islands are 200km from the nearest port town of Ambon, and are made up of 9 islands. Long known for their spices, these islands have attracted regional and international traders for more than 3.000 years. The first Europeans arrived in 1500. The biggest and most valuable commodities were nutmeg and cloves as, at that time, they were only found in the Banda Islands.

Diving in Banda

Set in the heart of Indonesia, the remoteness of the Banda Islands along with the low levels of human population, have meant less fishing and pollution pressures resulting in a vibrant, natural and healthy reef system.

Diving in the Banda Islands offers amazingly colourful walls, drop-offs, bommies and pinnacles!

The very clear and nutrient-rich upwelling waters bring in schools of hammerhead sharks, and pelagics such as sunfish (Mola-Mola), Dogtooth tunas, reef sharks, and sailfish. There are various ‘hammerhead hotspots’ where – at certain times of the year (Sep-Nov is best) – schools of more than 200 hammerheads have been witnessed. Whales also frequently pass through the strait.

Banda Diving Season

Diving is usually comfortable with average visibility of 15-30 meters, mild currents and calm waters. December/January (NW monsoon) June-August (SE monsoon) can have turbulent seas. The ‘best’ months are April and October 🙂

How to reach Banda

The Banda Islands are often included in some liveaboard schedules when crossing from Komodo, Raja Ampat, Alor or Flores.

And of course dive resorts offer attractive diving/accommodation packages. There are domestic flights from Jakarta and Bali to Ambon via Ujung Pandang (Makassar), and from there to the Banda Islands.

For more info on the safari routes and durations at Banda Islands, and to start your planning, please make sure your AMD-B Travel Consultant is aware of your needs. As always, they will be more than happy to offer recommendations and make arrangements to suit your preferences. Contact us on Tours@AquaMarineDiving.com today!

Diving Tips: Different Ways to Equalise

Posted on May 1, 2025May 3, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Equalising is Important for Divers

by Alfari, AMD-B’s 2025 Divemaster Intern

When you’re exploring the underwater world, one of the most essential skills to master is equalising. As you descend or ascend in water, the pressure on your body increases or decreases, affecting air spaces such as your ears, sinuses, and mask. To ensure comfort and safety, divers need to equalise these air spaces to prevent discomfort, injury, or barotrauma (damage caused by changes in pressure). Here are different methods of equalising that you can use to make your diving experience more enjoyable and safe.

Equalisation Techniques in Diving

The Valsalva Maneuver

The Valsalva maneuver is the most commonly used technique to equalise during a dive. It involves pinching your nose shut and gently blowing air through your nose, which increases the pressure inside the Eustachian tubes, allowing air to enter the middle ear.

How to Perform:
– Pinch your nostrils closed;
– close your mouth;
– gently exhale through your nose (not forcefully) until you feel a slight pop or pressure equalisation in your ears.

When to Use: The Valsalva maneuver is typically used during the descent and ascent, especially if you feel any discomfort or fullness in your ears.

The Frenzel Maneuver

The Frenzel maneuver is a more advanced equalisation technique that can be effective for those who find the Valsalva maneuver difficult or ineffective, particularly at deeper depths. It involves using the muscles at the back of the throat to push air into the middle ear.

How to Perform:
– Pinch your nostrils closed;
– close your mouth;
– contract the muscles at the back of your throat (as if you are trying to make a “k” sound) to push air into the Eustachian tubes.

When to Use: The Frenzel maneuver is especially useful for deep diving, as it can be more effective at higher pressures where the Valsalva may not work as well.

Jaw Wiggling and Yawning

For some divers, especially at shallow depths or when equalising isn’t working with traditional methods, jaw wiggling or yawning can help to equalise the ears naturally.

How to Perform:
– Move your jaw up and down or side to side as if you’re chewing;
– you can also try yawning, which helps open the Eustachian tubes.

When to Use: This method can be particularly useful for those who are in shallow waters or when you feel slight pressure changes but don’t want to force any of the other techniques.

Best Practices for Equalising

1. Equalise Early and Often: Start equalising before you feel any discomfort and continue to do so regularly throughout your descent and ascent.

2. Descend Slowly: Descending too fast can make it harder to equalise in time. Always control your decent rate.

3. Do Not Force It: Never force air into your ears if you’re not able to equalise. Forceful attempts can cause injury. If you can’t equalise, ascend a few feet and try again.

In conclusion, equalising is a vital skill for all divers to ensure safe and enjoyable underwater experiences. Different equalisation techniques work better for different people, so experiment with each method and find what works best for you. Always remember to equalise early and often to prevent discomfort, and if you feel any pain or difficulty, it’s important to stop and seek guidance from your dive instructor. Happy diving!

Bali Diving Trip