FAQs
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Questions
We’re here to help so if you can’t find the answer to your question here please contact us.
General / Bookings & Policy
We’re located at 10 Belgrave Street, Manly NSW 2095, just a short walk from the Manly Wharf and bus stops.
Please arrive at our shop at the time that is noted on your booking.
Our shop is open every day from 8.30am to 5pm during the week and 8am-5pm on weekends. We typically run courses, dives and snorkel tours daily (especially in summer), with guided shore dives available Monday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday (9am-3pm) all year, and daily in summer. Bookings are recommended in advance.
Full payment is required upfront to confirm bookings. Terms and conditions vary by activity, and details are included with your booking confirmation.
For scuba diving activities, the minimum age is 12 years. For snorkeling, the minimum age is 8 years.
Basic gear (wetsuits, masks, snorkels, fins, BCDs, regulators, tanks, weights) is available for hire. You are welcome to bring personal items (e.g. mask, snorkel) if you prefer.
Yes – we provide full servicing of scuba and commercial dive gear.
Snorkeling
Yes, a basic comfort in water and ability to swim or float unaided is recommended for snorkeling tours.
The guided snorkel tour will include a safety briefing, a guide, mask/snorkel/fins rental (if required) and guidance to the best snorkel spots around local reserves.
Many of our snorkel routes are within the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, right on our doorstep, as well as rocky fringes around Fairy Bower and Shelly. However, we pick a site on the day of the activity depending on the weather and ocean conditions.
Bring swimmers, a towel, sunscreen, sun shirt, water, and any personal snorkel gear (if you prefer). We’ll supply the rest.
Yes, children 8+ can snorkel. However, we assess each participant’s comfort in water and may restrict participation if conditions or ability are not appropriate.
Safety, Conditions & Practical
Visibility varies with weather and tides, often ranging from 5–10 metres at our local sites. Shore dive depths are usually up to 12m in our marine reserve locations. You can see what the conditions and visibility have been like lately on our Facebook page.
Depending on the season, a 5mm or 7mm wetsuit is typical to stay comfortable in Sydney waters.
Our cancellation policy depends on the activity. Refer to your booking confirmation for specific terms. (Full payment is required up front.) Scuba Diving Sydney
We maintain small group sizes to ensure safety and personalised attention.
Maximum Group size:
- Double Guided Shore Dive: 6
- Refresher Course: 4
- Discover Scuba Dive: 2
- Open Water Course: 4
- Advanced Open Water/Rescue Course: 6
- Guided Snorkel Tour: 8
- Snorkel Introduction Course: 4
Yes, always carry proof of your dive certification. Logging your dives is good practice for tracking experience.
Guided Shore Dives
On our dives, you can expect to see some or all of the following marine life: the NSW state fish – the Eastern Blue Groper, colourful nudibranchs, octopus, stingrays, large schools of fish, cuttlefish, Wobbegong Sharks, some tropical species, and occasionally turtles.
Guided dives include a PADI professional dive guide, transport to/from dive site, rental gear (if needed), and two dives.
Yes, for guided shore dives, you must have a recognised scuba certification. For non-certified divers, we offer the “Discover Scuba” experience.
In this experience, you learn how to breathe underwater, familiarise yourself with gear in shallow water, and then enjoy a shallow dive under supervision.
We offer a Scuba Refresher program: two dives at a sheltered local shore site (max 12m), with full gear hire included, to refresh your skills before joining guided dives again.
We often run our guided night dives as we head into the winter season, and our photography-guided dives are available year-round! Private guided dives are also on offer; get in touch with us to schedule your next underwater adventure.
Learning to Dive / Courses
Our PADI Open Water Course is the standard entry-level course for new divers. We offer variants: Standard and Serene (3-day).
It depends on which version:
Standard: 2 days of training
Serene: 3 days, for those who want more gradual pacing
You should reasonably be in good health and able to swim. You’ll complete a medical questionnaire; those with certain health conditions may require a doctor’s clearance (per PADI guidelines).
You will learn dive theory, how to use scuba gear, buoyancy control, underwater skills, safety and navigation – both in confined water (pool) and in the ocean.
Once certified, you’re qualified to dive (up to 18m) anywhere that accepts your certification. You can join our local guided shore dives or plan trips beyond.
Yes – we offer specialty courses, advanced training, rescue courses, and instructor-level programs. As a PADI 5-Star Instructor Training facility, we cover the full range.
Please bring swimmers, a towel, dry clothes and lunch. We provide all the gear.