Give winter a brighter ending: join the Oceanauts Winter Dive Academy

Lead photograph: Mahmoud Habeeb / USAID · Public domain (United States). Red Sea reef imagery illustrates the destination, not a particular Academy dive.

There comes a point in an Irish winter when you start wondering whether daylight has become an optional extra.

You leave the house in the dark, come home in the dark, and the diving equipment starts looking at you accusingly from the corner.

Our Winter Dive Academy gives you something rather more exciting to work towards: learning new skills at home, then heading to Egypt to put them into practice among the reefs of the Red Sea.

We’re planning a week at Roots Red Sea, near El Quseir, from 20–27 February 2027. Whether you want to learn to dive, develop your skills further or accompany someone as an already-qualified diver, there’s a way to join us.

Explore the Winter Dive Academy and register your interest →

Start learning this winter, with something to look forward to

I love diving at home. Irish waters have given me some incredible experiences, and there is plenty to enjoy here throughout the year.

But I also understand that, for someone taking their first steps into diving, the prospect of learning in cold open water might not be what gets them out of bed on a Saturday.

The Academy brings together preparation in Northern Ireland and a focused week of diving abroad. Beginners start with digital learning, academic preparation and four pool evenings here at home. We then travel to Egypt to complete the open-water part of the training.

That gives us time to get to know each other, work through questions and build familiarity with the equipment before the trip. Your first introduction to a BC/BCD doesn’t need to happen while you’re also wondering where your airport transfer has gone.

It also gives winter a purpose. Each session brings you closer to the moment when you can settle into the water, look around and start discovering what diving is all about.

A classroom with rather better scenery

The Red Sea is a wonderful place to become interested in the underwater world. There is colour, movement and activity at every scale.

Around El Quseir, coral gardens, reef walls and sandy habitats support a remarkable variety of marine life. Roots’ own diving guide describes reefs with anemones and their resident fish, bannerfish, morays, angelfish and large Napoleon wrasse.

The attraction goes well beyond a list of species. A reef becomes more interesting the longer you watch it: fish sheltering among coral branches, others moving across the reef, and small details you completely missed on your first look.

An anemonefish defending its patch can provide quite a performance for an animal that would fit comfortably in your hand. Confidence clearly isn’t measured in centimetres.

No wildlife encounter is guaranteed, and the creatures haven’t agreed to our itinerary. That uncertainty is part of the pleasure. You enter the water knowing there will be something to discover, without knowing exactly what it will be.

Learn to understand what you’re seeing

One part of this trip I’m particularly excited about is that SSI Marine Ecology is included in every package.

Learning to dive opens the door. Understanding a little about the reef helps you appreciate what’s on the other side.

We’ll connect what we see underwater with discussions about marine ecosystems, relationships between organisms and responsible diving. You don’t need a biology background or an ability to pronounce every scientific name without taking a run at it.

Curiosity is a very good starting point.

It also gives practical skills a clear purpose. Improving your buoyancy and fin control helps you observe marine life without touching the reef or disturbing the bottom. Being able to stay still becomes much more rewarding when there is something fascinating to watch.

What will the week feel like?

This is a land-based training camp, with Roots as our base and its house reef central to the week.

For students, expect briefings, skills practice, feedback and time to put what you’re learning into use. The aim is to build understanding and confidence, with opportunities to ask questions and revisit things that need more work.

There is real effort involved. Learning to dive is hugely rewarding, but it does require attention and practice. Nobody becomes comfortable underwater simply because their suitcase has arrived somewhere sunny.

There should also be plenty to talk about between dives. Comparing sightings is part of the fun—even when one person’s detailed description amounts to “the blue fish beside the other blue fish”.

February is winter in Egypt too. We’ll discuss suitable exposure protection and what to bring so you can stay comfortable during repeated dives and between sessions. Pack for a diving week, rather than assuming a swimsuit and optimism will cover everything.

Three ways to join the adventure

Open Water Explorer is for beginners who want to earn their first diving qualification and continue exploring under supervision after successfully qualifying.

Zero to Advanced Explorer offers a more intensive progression for beginners who want to take their learning further. Moving into the advanced training depends on completing Open Water successfully and being ready for the next step.

Reef Explorer lets already-certified divers join the trip, making it an option for a partner, friend or family member travelling alongside someone learning.

You can share the experience without everyone needing to follow the same training programme. Individual diving arrangements will reflect qualifications, experience and the schedule.

The Academy page explains the packages, prices, inclusions and travel arrangements.

Come home with more than holiday photographs

What I would love people to take away from this week is a lasting enthusiasm for diving: greater confidence, a better understanding of the underwater world and a reason to plan the next dive.

For some, it could be the beginning of a completely new hobby. For others, it could be the opportunity to share something they already love with someone close to them.

Either way, February could end with considerably more colour than it started.

Find your place on the Winter Dive Academy →

Register your interest and tell me where you’re starting from and what you’d like to achieve. We’ll talk through the right package, preparation and practical details together.

The departure is subject to sufficient bookings and final confirmation. Flights are booked separately. Registering interest does not commit you to a booking or reserve a place.

Dain McParland
Oceanauts Diving