Freediving Courses

Freediving at Dive Azores is available both as structured courses and as guided fun dives for already-certified freedivers. The same team that runs the scuba operation handles the freediving, and the same marine biology background applies: briefings are detailed, the sites are matched to the participants' level, and the surrounding marine environment is the actual draw.

Faial's underwater terrain — steep walls, volcanic arches, seamounts and caves — works well for freediving as well as scuba. The variety of depths and topographies within a short boat ride from Horta means that training sessions can be adapted to different stages of the certification progression. The blue water shark diving and Princess Alice Bank expeditions also have a freediving component: advanced freedivers holding AIDA 3, SSI 2 or Apnea Academy 2 certification can join both of those offshore expeditions.

For the shark diving, freedivers enter blue open ocean water alongside the scuba divers, with blue sharks typically encountered at 1.5 to 3m length circling in open water. For Princess Alice Bank, the mobula rays — often found between the surface and 30m — are accessible to freedivers throughout the surface interval and during the structured in-water time. Both expeditions require the relevant advanced freediving certification and a check-out evaluation beforehand.

Water temperatures for freediving on Faial peak at 23ºC in August–September, dropping to 16ºC in February–March. The best months are July through September, coinciding with the peak visibility windows and the offshore expedition seasons.