AIRE ENRIQUECIDO NITROX

The PADI Enriched Air Nitrox course at ZOEA is the most direct way to extend bottom time on the southwest Mallorca dive sites without changing depth profiles. The course is short — it can be completed in two mornings, or one morning and one afternoon — and the theory portion is available online via PADI eLearning before the centre session. That makes it a realistic add-on at the start of a dive holiday rather than something that eats into the week.

The practical content covers how to analyse a tank before a dive, configure a dive computer for Nitrox, and manage oxygen exposure across multiple dives. A knowledge review with an instructor confirms the theory, and then one open water dive applies the protocols in the water. The dive happens in the Santa Ponsa area, on one of the sites ZOEA uses for its regular scheduled departures.

At €205, the price includes one open water dive, all course materials, full equipment rental, and PADI certification fees. ZOEA produces Nitrox on site via a KAESER membrane system, so the infrastructure is already in place — after certification you can request Nitrox fills on any of the centre's standard boat trips. The more than 200 tanks the centre maintains include Nitrox-ready options in multiple sizes.

Entry requires Open Water Diver certification or higher and a minimum age of 18. The Nitrox certification is also a prerequisite for the PADI Tec 40 course, which ZOEA offers for €505. For divers working toward the technical track, getting Nitrox done early in the week and accumulating enriched air dives before the Tec 40 entry requirements are assessed is a logical sequence.