Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

We regularly add new questions on Scuba diving in Gran Canaria to this page. If your question is not yet covered below, or in our information centre, then please contact us directly by email.

Accommodation and Travel to Gran Canaria

Underwater Photography in Gran Canaria

Scuba Divers Questions about diving in Gran Canaria

More about Davy Jones Diving

Q.Where are the best places to stay in Gran Canaria for SCUBA diving?

Scuba diving sites Gran Canaria The popular resorts of Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas, Meloneras, San Agustin, Bahia Feliz and Sonneland (collectively known as 'Sur' or South)are only 15-20 minutes by minibus from our Diving School in Arinaga. There are estimated to be over 100,000 hotel and apartment beds in this area giving a huge choice of style and cost of accommodation. This is the best place to stay if you want to SCUBA dive as you can then access the dive sites on both the East and West Coasts.

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Q.Can you recommend any accommodation for us ?

Scuba diving sites Gran Canaria Yes we can but please tell us what you want!. Prices and standards vary from 5 star luxury down to basic self-catering apartments and bungalows. Your best option is usually to talk to your local travel agent who can also look after special dietary or family needs as well. We have some more information on our accommodation page or information on Seven Islands Apartments in Arinaga.

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Q.Can you arrange travel for us ?

No, we do not offer this service as we believe that the Travel Agents in the UK have better access and can help with issues such as local airports in the UK, car hire and insurance more effectively than we can.

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Q.Do I have to fly from Gatwick or can I use a regional airport?

You can fly direct to Gran Canaria from most of the UK's regional airports, including Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, and East Midlands

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Q.Do you dive in winter or is the centre closed?

Scuba diving in Winter in Gran Canaria Yes, we are open all the year around. Gran Canaria has long been recognised as a warm destination for winter sun and relaxing, and with subtropical sea temperatures which never drop below 18C we continue to dive all the year around. You can find out more about Winter diving in Gran Canaria.

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Q.As we are diving in the Atlantic, do I need a drysuit?

No, the Canaries are warmed by the Gulf stream, the waters are subtropical! Temperatures rarely drop below 18C in the winter. We use 7mm wetsuits all the year around, and have extra thermal undershirts for those who feel the cold.

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Q.Do you dive from a boat or from the shore?

Scuba diving in El Cabrón Gran Canaria All our dives in the marine reserve are shore based, as all the diving sites are close in to the shoreline. This is one of the reasons that El Cabrón is so popular, as there are no long rides to sites and we can return to the dive centre between dives. We transport you the 2km from our dive centre in Arinaga into the off-road area of the marine reserve using our more rugged vehicles. If you hire a car on the island you should note that most insurance policies do not cover you for off-road driving and you may not be covered if you take your own vehicle into the marine reserve.

We can also arrange boat diving in either Mogan, or Las Palmas, but there are minimum requirements for these dives.

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Q.I want to complete my PADI course by undertaking a referral dive - can you help me?

Scuba diving referral courses in Gran Canaria Yes, you can complete either a PADI course with us and undertake your training in the marine reserve where the waters are warm and the visibility excellent.

You can find out more here about Referral dives for PADI Courses in Gran Canaria.

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Q.Can you collect me from my Hotel ?

Scuba diving pickups Gran Canaria Yes, we run a daily collection and return service which is FREE and covers hotels and apartments in Playa del Ingles, Maspalomas, Meloneras, Sonnenland, San Agustin, Puerto Rico and Arguineguine and Bahia Feliz. Other local towns also have free collection - Arinaga, Vechindario, Aguimes, Pozo Izquierdo, El Doctoral, Juan Grande, Ingenio, Carizal. We can sometimes collect from Puerto Mogan and but may charge a small supplement. For collections from the North (Las Palmas, Telde) please contact us in the first instance.

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Q.Is the El Cabrón Marine Reserve a good place for underwater photography?

Scuba diving sites Gran Canaria Yes, it is in fact an excellent place, with several professional photographers regularly using this area for photo shoots. The waters are clear, the area teems with life, and the light and current can be ideal for underwater photography.

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Q.Can I take a single-use camera or a Go-Pro or other action camera underwater with me.

Yes, you can take any kind of camera underwater with you, but we always recommend that it is on a lanyard, or attached to your jacket. Wrist mounted, mask mounted cameras and cameras on headbands are all much more difficult to manage.

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Q.Have you any advice for using cameras underwater ?

Underwater Photography in Gran Canaria Yes, we have a sheet of the top ten tips for using cameras underwater. Please ask for a copy in the dive centre.

If you want to improve your underwater photography you can always take the PADI Digital Underwater Photography course, where you will learn to get the most out of your digital camera.

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Q.Are there any decompression chambers on Gran Canaria?

Scuba diving sites Gran Canaria Yes, a new Hyperbaric facility opened in Gran Canaria in may 2018 in Las Palmas, and there are rumours that there is a second due to open in 2019, also in Las Palmas.

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Q.What is the normal weather and visibility?

Temperatures in Gran Canaria rarely fall below 20C in the main resorts, reaching high 30's in summer. Arinaga is usually a couple of degrees cooler, due to a persistent northerly wind. Visibility is usually in the range 15-20m, but as with any dive site can drop occasionally if we have a strong storm, or are effected by a strong swell. We only have to cancel diving approximately 4-5 days per year, and rarely for more than 2 consecutive days.

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Q.Can I use Nitrox in Gran Canaria?

Scuba diving with NITROX Gran Canaria If you have a suitable Nitrox qualification then it is possible to obtain this gas, however most dive sites do not require the use of this gas as particularly in the Marine Reserve at El Cabrón, the underwater topography allows multi-level dives of up to 45 minutes without entering decompression. You can also take your PADI Enriched air NITROX course, where you will learn to use this gas safely.

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Q.What sort of adventure dives can I do with Davy Jones Diving?

You can do guided adventure dives in the El Cabrón Marine Reserve every day, and based on demand can also offer wreck dives in both the West and North of the Island, boat dives on offshore reefs, and night dives in the marine reserve.

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Q.What are the prices for qualified divers ?

Our current prices are shown on our pricing for diving in Gran Canaria page.

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Q.Do you do any night dives in Gran Canaria?

Scuba diving sites Gran Canaria Yes, we can offer night dives if there is sufficient demand - we love these as we get to explore the marine reserve when it is quiet and you see species at night which are never visible during the day, such as red-legged octopus, golden balearic congers, sea hares, squid, sand crabs, and we can often find predators like rays, anglesharks and stargazers in water only 2-3m deep. have a look at the night dive simulator!

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Q.Do you do any dives from boats?

Yes, we can organise dives either in Las Palmas (on the wrecks there) or on the west coast on both wrecks and reefs. These are organised based on demand.

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Q.Can you organise diving for a group of divers ?

Yes, we have organised diving weeks for groups which have included scenic diving, wreck diving, snorkeling, night dives and celebration dinners at the end. These are always tailored to the group and ensure that all the group skill levels are well supported.

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Q.Can we hire diving equipment as part of our package?

Yes, If you book a dive with us we can provide as little or as much equipment as you need. We charge by the day so if you do two dives the price is the same. All diving packages include tanks and weights. You can hire out wetsuits, boots, BCD's Regulators, mask fins, snorkels etc.

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Q.What languages do you speak?

Between us we speak English, Spanish, Dutch and German and offer all courses and activities in these.

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Q.I am visiting Las Palmas on a Cruise around the Canaries, can I come diving in the marine reserve ?

Yes, we can by special pre-arrangement collect you from the foot of the gangway of your cruise ship in Las Palmas, bring you down to the Marine Reserve, and then undertake two dives before taking you back to your ship.

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Q.What are the opening hours of your shop?

In the morning we are open from 9.00am to about 12.30am, and in the evenings until 4.00pm. There will usually be staff in the shop at other times depending on the days' diving schedule. We are open six days a week, and rest on Sundays. Our main phone (00 34 699 721 584) is a mobile and is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Q.Can I pay by Credit Card?

Yes, we can accept cards from Visa, Mastercard, Switch/Maestro (but not American Express or Diners Cards. Note also that the banks charge us even more on travellers cheques (six percent!) so we advise our customers to change them first in their hotel.

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