Orca Diving Center
Carrer Romeu de Corbera, 1, L'Escala, Girona, Spain, L'Escala, Girona, ESP
Sobre o Centro
El Centro de Buceo Orca Diving, situado en el Club Nàutic de l'Escala, es un establecimiento familiar dedicado a ofrecer experiencias de buceo de calidad. Con una dilatada experiencia, se distingue por su atención cercana y personalizada, adaptándose a las necesidades y al tiempo de cada cliente para garantizar un servicio de máxima calidad. Sus instalaciones están pensadas para la comodidad de los buceadores, ofreciendo un entorno acogedor.
Orca Diving ofrece una completa gama de cursos de buceo, certificados por SSI y CMAS/FFESSM, desde el Descubrimiento de Buceo hasta el Curso de Desarrollo de Instructores. La escuela pone un fuerte énfasis en la seguridad y la confianza, contando con instructores experimentados que personalizan la formación según las necesidades individuales de los alumnos. Se ofrecen formaciones en técnicas como el uso de aire enriquecido NITROX, buceo nocturno y buceo profundo.
El centro organiza salidas de buceo diarias en grupos reducidos a los puntos de inmersión más espectaculares de la zona, como el Parque Natural del Montgrí, las Illes Medes i Baix Ter, y el Cap de Creus. Estas inmersiones están guiadas por profesionales acreditados que garantizan una experiencia segura y enriquecedora. La oferta incluye diversos entornos submarinos, como pináculos, paredes, pecios y cuevas, además de la posibilidad de realizar buceo nocturno. También se dispone de alquiler de equipo y cargas de NITROX.
Además, Orca Diving facilita el descubrimiento del mundo submarino con su programa "Bautismo de Buceo", una experiencia segura y divertida para aquellos que desean probar el buceo por primera vez. El deseo de regalar experiencias memorables se refleja en los vales regalo, que permiten compartir cursos o salidas de buceo con familiares y amigos. El centro también promueve el ahorro con bonos de buceo para 6, 10 o 20 inmersiones.
Cursos Disponíveis
17 cursosOpen Water Diver
The SSI Open Water Diver at Orca Diving is the standard entry certification that allows independent diving to 18 m. The course runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala using the centre's equipped classroom for theory and the Janity for open water dives. Groups are kept small, and the centre's stated approach is to personalise instruction to each student's pace and confidence level. Open water sessions take place in the centre's operating zones — the Costa de l'Escala, the Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, and the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus. Sandy bottoms are available for initial skills sessions; the Medes and Cap de Creus areas provide more varied terrain for later dives once buoyancy and basic skills are stable. Both are protected marine parks, which means the underwater life is denser than on unprotected coastline. The BAHUER compressor fills cylinders on site. Cressi-Sub rental equipment covers full kit for students without their own. The classroom is used for theory sessions and the centre also runs marine biology talks in the same space, so the learning environment goes beyond the certification syllabus. At 480€, the Open Water Diver is the full pathway to an internationally recognised SSI certification. The centre is also affiliated with FEDAS and FFESSM, which may be relevant for students who need their credentials recognised under those federations in addition to SSI. After certification, students can join the centre's daily guided dives or purchase a dive bono for the season.
Scuba diver
The SSI Scuba Diver certification at Orca Diving is the first formal credential on the SSI pathway. It runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala, using the fully equipped classroom for theory and the Janity for open water sessions. The course is delivered in small groups, which the centre flags as a deliberate format choice — the instructor can track each student's progress individually rather than managing a large class. Open water dives take place across the centre's three operating zones: the Costa de l'Escala, the Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, and the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus. The specific sites chosen depend on conditions and the group's progression through the skills. Sandy bottoms and sheltered spots in the l'Escala area are available for early sessions. SSI elearning is part of the standard SSI pathway, and the centre uses an equipped classroom for in-person theory and practical briefings. Cylinders are filled on site using the BAHUER compressor. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available for students who don't have their own gear. The Scuba Diver is a stepping stone — it certifies for dives with a professional down to the relevant SSI depth limit for this level. Students who want to continue toward the full Open Water Diver can do so, as the Scuba Diver forms part of that track. At 340€, it sits between the entry-level Bautizo and the full OWD, reflecting the intermediate scope of the qualification.
Bautismo de Buceo
The Bautizo at Orca Diving is the first contact with scuba equipment for someone who has never breathed underwater. It runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala, with the Janity moored fifteen metres from the centre, so the transition from briefing room to boat is short and relaxed. The guide ratio in small groups means the instructor is in the water alongside you the whole time, adjusting the experience to how you're moving and breathing. The waters around l'Escala offer a forgiving introduction — the text mentions sandy bottoms among the available environments, which is a common choice for first immersions where buoyancy control is still new. The Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter and the Costa de l'Escala provide sheltered options depending on the day's conditions. The centre selects the site that fits the group's comfort level. There is no prior experience required and no certification needed — this is an introductory experience, not a course leading to certification. At 100€ it can also be purchased as a gift voucher, sent as a personalised PDF. The centre also offers a Bono system for certified divers who want to return for more dives later, though the Bautizo itself is a standalone session. Oscar Diving's accredited guides handle the in-water support while the classroom facilities at the base cover the short pre-dive safety briefing. The whole operation — gear, boat, guides — is on site and ready without requiring the participant to organise anything independently.
Advanced Adventure
The Advanced Adventure course at Orca Diving is the logical next step after the Open Water Diver. It introduces certified divers to a wider range of diving environments and techniques across multiple adventure dives, each covering a different speciality area. The course runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala using the Janity and the centre's three operating zones. The Costa Brava setting is well suited to an advanced course — the area offers sandy bottoms, pinnacles, walls, wrecks and caves within reach of l'Escala. Different adventure dive modules can be matched to the terrain available: a wreck dive on one of the local sites, a deep dive toward the depth limit of the course, a navigation dive on a sandy bottom. The mix depends on which modules are selected and conditions on the day. Small groups mean the instructor can give real feedback on each dive rather than managing a crowd. The centre's accredited guides also lead the daily guided dives, so the team knows these sites well enough to choose the right conditions for each module. Cressi-Sub rental gear is available for students without their own equipment, and cylinders are filled on the BAHUER compressor on site. At 380€, the Advanced Adventure extends a certified diver's range both in terms of depth and environment type. It sits alongside the speciality menu — divers who want to focus on a single discipline (wreck, nitrox, dry suit) can go directly to those courses, while the Advanced Adventure is for those who want a broader sampler across multiple areas.
Divemaster
The SSI Divemaster at Orca Diving is the first fully professional certification in the SSI pathway. It trains candidates to work as dive professionals — leading certified divers, assisting instructors during courses, and managing dive operations. The programme runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala base with the Janity and the centre's three operating zones as the working environment. Oscar Diving's daily guided dive programme provides a realistic context for Divemaster training. Candidates work alongside the centre's accredited team across the Costa de l'Escala, the Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, and Cap de Creus — environments that include every bottom type from sandy flats to walls, wrecks and caves. That variety means the practical component of the Divemaster covers genuinely different scenarios rather than repeating the same site. The classroom is used for the knowledge development component. The centre is affiliated with SSI, FEDAS and FFESSM, so the qualification carries recognition across those frameworks. Candidates will typically have completed Stress & Rescue (or equivalent) before or during the Divemaster programme. At 800€ the Divemaster sits between the Dive Guide specialty (700€) and the Assistant Instructor (900€). The centre runs all three, making Orca Diving a viable base for a complete professional development track from initial certification through to instructing.
WRECK
Wreck diving features explicitly in the list of dive types available from Orca Diving's home zones. The centre's daily guided dives include wrecks among the environment types — along with sandy bottoms, pinnacles, walls and caves — which means the Wreck Diving specialty is taught in the same waters where the guides take regular dive groups. The Janity handles transport from the Club Nàutic. The course covers wreck navigation, penetration principles and safety protocols around artificial structures. Theory runs in the centre's equipped classroom; open water sessions use local wreck sites accessible from l'Escala or the surrounding protected marine park zones. The instructor is an accredited guide who also leads the regular wreck dives, so familiarity with the specific sites is built into the teaching. Small groups are the standard format. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available for students without their own kit, and cylinders are filled on the BAHUER compressor. At 200€, Wreck Diving sits comfortably in the mid-range of the speciality menu and is one of the more popular options given the wreck sites available in the area. For divers who want to continue after the course, the centre's guided dive programme and bono system (6, 10 or 20 dives) allow repeated visits to the local wreck sites across the season.
Enriched Air Nitrox
The Enriched Air Nitrox specialty at Orca Diving covers the theory and safe practices for diving with oxygen-enriched gas mixtures. The centre has the equipment needed to support nitrox use on site — the BAHUER compressor and their operational setup handles cylinder fills. At 180€ it is one of the most straightforward specialities to add to a certification record. The course is primarily theory-based — analysing nitrox mixes, calculating maximum operating depths, adjusting dive planning for higher O2 fractions. The classroom at Club Nàutic l'Escala is used for the academic sessions. The practical component, where students analyse their own cylinders and plan accordingly, runs alongside the centre's normal dive operations. For divers doing multiple dives per day on the Janity across the Medes or Cap de Creus zones, nitrox extends no-decompression limits on repetitive dives — a practical advantage for anyone running a bono package across several days. The speciality is relevant both for the local diving programme and for travel to destinations where nitrox is standard. The Nitrox certification is accepted across SSI, FEDAS and FFESSM affiliated operations. Combined with the centre's BAHUER compressor setup, certified students can continue using nitrox on subsequent dives at Orca Diving through the season.
Deep Diver
The Deep Diving specialty at Orca Diving takes certified divers to the deeper sites in the l'Escala area and beyond. The centre operates across the Costa de l'Escala, the Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, and the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus — all three zones have deeper profiles available, including walls and pinnacles that drop into blue water. The Janity handles transport from the Club Nàutic, fifteen metres from the centre door. The course covers the physiological and practical aspects of deeper diving: gas consumption at depth, nitrogen narcosis awareness, bottom time planning. Theory runs in the centre's equipped classroom; open water sessions take place at appropriate sites chosen by the instructor based on conditions. Small groups are the standard format across all Orca Diving courses. Cylinders are filled on the BAHUER compressor on site. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available for students without their own gear. The instructors are accredited and run the daily guided dives as well as speciality courses, so they know the local deep sites and their conditions in detail. At 230€, Deep Diving is mid-range in the speciality price list. It is a common follow-on from the Advanced Adventure for divers who did a deep adventure dive and want to formalise their skills and extend their depth range with a dedicated qualification.
Night Diver
Night diving and limited visibility work are taught together in this specialty at Orca Diving. The course covers the specific skills needed for low-light and zero-visibility environments: torch use, buddy communication, navigation by feel and reference, and the adjusted safety protocols that apply after dark. Theory runs in the classroom at Club Nàutic de l'Escala before heading out on the Janity for evening sessions. The Costa Brava's protected marine zones offer a different experience at night — the Medes Islands area and the l'Escala coastline have nocturnal marine activity that is simply not visible on daytime dives. The centre's accredited guides know the local sites and conditions and choose sites appropriate for night diving depending on the season and swell. At 210€, Night and Limited Visibility sits just above Wreck Diving (200€) and below Deep Diving (230€) in the speciality price list. Small groups apply across all Orca Diving courses, which is especially relevant here — a large group at night with multiple torches creates its own visibility problems and night courses work significantly better in smaller numbers. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available including torches if needed, and cylinders are filled on the BAHUER compressor. Gear can be stored at the centre between the daytime briefing session and the evening dive.
React Right
React Right is Orca Diving's first aid course for divers, covering emergency response protocols for diving-related incidents and general first aid scenarios. It runs from the centre at Club Nàutic de l'Escala using the fully equipped classroom. At 170€ it is the most accessible of the safety courses on the menu, below the Stress & Rescue course at 380€. The course is classroom-based for the most part, covering response procedures that apply both in and out of the water. The centre's instructors run it alongside the broader safety curriculum — React Right and Stress & Rescue are both listed as core safety offerings, and divers working toward the professional track will typically complete both. Oscar Diving's classroom is described as fully equipped with the space and materials needed for courses of this type. The centre also runs SSI-affiliated courses and is affiliated with FEDAS and FFESSM, so the certification sits within a recognised training framework. At 170€, React Right is a standalone course that can be taken without proceeding to the full Stress & Rescue. It is a practical addition for any certified diver who spends regular time in the water, particularly on boat dives where emergency response needs to happen quickly and without outside help nearby.
Navigation
The Navigation specialty at Orca Diving covers underwater orientation using a compass and natural references. The l'Escala area offers varied terrain for this kind of training — sandy bottoms with clear reference points in the shallower zones are a standard setting for navigation exercises, and the centre has access to those environments through its three operating zones. The course runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala. Theory is covered in the fully equipped classroom; practical sessions go out on the Janity to appropriate sites. The centre's instructors adapt the course to each student, which matters in navigation — spatial awareness underwater varies considerably between divers and the teaching approach needs to match. At 180€ the Navigation specialty is one of the more accessible options in the speciality menu, priced the same as Perfect Buoyancy and Enriched Air Nitrox. It is often taken as part of a cluster of specialities by divers building toward the Advanced Adventure or working through an SSI speciality programme. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available and cylinders are filled on site. The centre stores gear between sessions for divers staying in l'Escala, which is practical for multi-day course formats.
Perfect Buoyancy
Perfect Buoyancy is one of the more practical specialities in Orca Diving's course menu — it directly improves air consumption, comfort and environmental interaction on every subsequent dive. The course runs from Club Nàutic de l'Escala, with theory in the equipped classroom and practical sessions in the water using the Janity. The l'Escala area's varied terrain is useful for buoyancy work. Sandy bottoms at moderate depth are a standard environment for hover and trim exercises; once those are stable, the instructor can move the group to more varied topography. The centre's small-group format means the instructor can give feedback per diver rather than calling corrections across a group. At 180€, Perfect Buoyancy is among the more accessible specialities on the menu. It is often recommended for Open Water Diver graduates who are newly certified and want to solidify their buoyancy before joining regular guided dive groups. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available for students without their own BCD and weights. The centre's daily guided dive programme and bono packages allow students to practice the skills taught in the course over multiple dives across the season, in the same waters where the course ran.
Dry Suit Diving
The Dry Suit Diving specialty at Orca Diving is relevant in the Costa Brava context — water temperatures in the area drop to single digits in winter and rarely exceed the low twenties in summer, which makes dry suit use practical for a significant portion of the year. The course covers the specific buoyancy and trim adjustments required when diving in a dry suit compared to a wetsuit. Theory runs in the centre's equipped classroom; practical sessions go out from Club Nàutic on the Janity to appropriate local sites. The instructor adapts to each student's experience level — dry suit buoyancy is a specific skill set that takes focused practice, and the small-group format at Orca Diving means the instructor can monitor each student's air-and-suit management without losing track of the group. At 220€, Dry Suit Diving is mid-range in the speciality list. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available, though students will typically want to practise in their own dry suit if they own one — the rental kit option means the course can run even for students who haven't bought their own suit yet. For divers who want to extend their diving into the colder months on the Costa Brava or travel to colder destinations, this certification is the standard qualification needed by most operators. The centre stores gear between sessions and cylinders are filled on the BAHUER compressor.
Science of Diving
Science of Diving is the lowest-priced course on Orca Diving's menu at 110€. It covers the academic foundations behind scuba: physics of pressure and gas behaviour, physiology of diving, the aquatic environment, and dive equipment theory. The course is classroom-focused and runs in the centre's fully equipped classroom at Club Nàutic de l'Escala. Oscar Diving already runs marine biology talks and species monographs from the same classroom space — a detail from the centre's own description that suggests the environment is set up for this kind of academic content. The Science of Diving fits naturally into that programme, giving students a more structured framework for understanding what they've been observing in the water. At 110€ it is often combined with other specialities, particularly for divers on the Divemaster track where this academic content is a standard component. The SSI Science of Diving certification also carries credit toward higher-level programmes within the SSI pathway. No open water dives are required for this course. Students can complete it during periods of poor weather or as a standalone module between dive days.
Assistant Instructor
The SSI Assistant Instructor course at Orca Diving is the top of the professional track offered at the centre, priced at 900€. It trains qualified Divemasters to take on a teaching role under the supervision of a full instructor — running confined water sessions, assisting with open water training dives, and supporting the full course delivery process. The Club Nàutic de l'Escala setting provides the infrastructure: a fully equipped classroom for academic and presentation skills development, the Janity for open water sessions, and the centre's three operating zones covering the Medes, Cap de Creus and the Costa de l'Escala. Candidates work in the same environment where the centre runs its everyday course programme, which means the transition to working as an Assistant Instructor in real conditions is direct. Oscar Diving's affiliation with SSI, FEDAS and FFESSM means the qualification carries recognition across those frameworks. The centre runs the full professional pathway — Dive Guide at 700€, Divemaster at 800€, Assistant Instructor at 900€ — which allows candidates to progress through each step without changing base. The instructors at the centre hold the accreditations needed to supervise and certify at this level. The small-group teaching model that runs throughout the centre's recreational courses applies here too — the candidate receives direct mentorship rather than being absorbed into a large professional training cohort.
Stress & Rescue
The Stress & Rescue course at Orca Diving covers recognition and management of stress in the water and the skills needed to assist or recover another diver. It runs from the Club Nàutic de l'Escala using the centre's classroom for theory and the local waters for practical sessions. The centre lists it alongside React Right as part of their safety-focused course offer. The l'Escala setting provides calm and sheltered water options for practising rescue scenarios, with the Janity available for open water sessions when needed. Small groups are the standard format across all Orca Diving courses, which is particularly relevant here — rescue training works better when the instructor can watch and correct each student individually rather than running drills across a large group. The BAHUER compressor fills cylinders on site and Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available for students without their own kit. The classroom is used for the theory component, which covers stress recognition, problem prevention and rescue techniques. The centre's accredited instructors run both this course and the React Right first aid course, so the two can be combined if scheduling allows. At 380€, the Stress & Rescue is priced identically to the Advanced Adventure, positioning it as an intermediate-level investment. It is a standard step for divers working toward the Divemaster track, though it is also taken by recreational divers who want a more rounded skill set.
Dive Guide
The Dive Guide specialty at Orca Diving is listed in both the speciality and professional sections of their course menu, which reflects its dual nature — it is an SSI speciality certification but also the first step toward the professional track. At 700€ it is the highest-priced non-Divemaster course on the menu. The course trains divers to plan and lead dive groups in a guide capacity. Oscar Diving's three operating zones — Costa de l'Escala, Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, Cap de Creus — provide a realistic working environment for a guide course. The different bottom types (sandy, pinnacles, walls, wrecks, caves) and the variability of conditions across those protected marine zones mean students learn to make real decisions about site selection and group management, not just textbook scenarios. The centre's instructors are themselves accredited guides who run the daily dive programme, so the teaching draws directly from working experience in these waters. Small groups across all Orca Diving courses mean the student-to-instructor ratio is kept workable. Cressi-Sub rental equipment is available and cylinders are filled on site. For divers who complete the Dive Guide and want to continue, the Divemaster at 800€ is the logical next step on the SSI professional pathway. The centre runs both, and the combination forms a clear progression toward an Assistant Instructor qualification at 900€.
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What people ask before booking
They cover three areas: the Costa de l'Escala, the Parc Natural del Montgrí Illes Medes i Baix Ter, and the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus. Bottom types across those zones include sandy flats, pinnacles, walls, wrecks and caves.
Courses are run under SSI. The centre is also affiliated with FEDAS and FFESSM, which covers certification needs for Spanish and French federation divers.
Yes — rental gear is Cressi-Sub. They also have a workshop for equipment servicing and annual cylinder and regulator inspections.
Yes. The text explicitly states that all facilities, including access ramps and dock areas, are equipped for people with reduced mobility.
Three options: 6 dives for 264€, 10 dives for 410€, or 20 dives for 780€. All bonos are valid across the full season and can be used at your own pace.
Yes, dive insurance is a requirement for all certified divers. The centre links directly to an international policy that can be arranged through them.
Yes — the centre offers equipment storage for the duration of your stay in l'Escala, so you don't need to move tanks and wetsuits back and forth each day.
The team works in Catalan, Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.