Curso Deep Diver

The Deep Diver specialty takes the certified diver to 40 metres and runs 12 to 15 hours. Minimum age is 15. Equipment is included.

On the south coast of São Miguel, deep diving has specific meaning. The Baixa das Castanhetas drops vertically from 18 metres to beyond 45 metres on its south wall — manta rays have been spotted cruising the blue there in summer. Amora bottoms out at 28 metres over sand, where large groupers hold station. These are the kinds of sites where an extended bottom time at depth, which the Deep Diver cert enables, makes a real difference to what you see.

The course follows SSI or PADI standards, covering the physiological considerations of deeper diving, gas management, and emergency procedures. It's listed as suitable for divers with an adventurous streak — the centre's description is direct about that. If the 18-metre Open Water limit has started to feel like a ceiling, this specialty removes it.