The center itself has everything a dive shop should have and is laid out in a very organized fashion. There is free underground parking just steps away from the marina and dive center, making it very easy to find Easydivers. Upon entering, we walked through their well-equipped dive shop, filled with wetsuits, spear guns, GoPros, fins, and all other diving gear and accessories. We were then warmly greeted by the staff who helped us promptly check-in, get sized-up for gear, and begin our gear assembly.
We were then taken to the second room of the shop, where we had all of our gear neatly laid out for us. We got changed into our wetsuits in their change room which was equipped with locked lockers for our bags and clothes as well as a private bathroom. After changing, we were instructed to assemble our BCD and regulators. Now, as neither of us completely remember every step of how to properly put our gear together, we were nervous that we would look foolish. After looking uncertain of what to do next, our dive guide happily came over and offered some assistance without making us feel dumb. He was extremely helpful as he gave us tips on what to do next without directly telling us every step of the process. As soon as all of our gear was ready, we were ready to head to the boat.
With wetsuit and boots on, our hood, goggles, fins, and gloves in hand, we headed to the docks with our BCD on and tank on our back. After a quick walk, we were at the boat, helped aboard by the captain. After we all got settled in and our equipment secured on the racks, we headed to the first dive site. The short 15-minute boat ride was nothing but clear skies and smooth seas. Upon arrival, we suited up, went through a quick dive briefing and then we were good to go. We sat on the edge of the boat and did our first ever back-roll into the water!
On each dive, we grouped together and began our descent to our max depth of 18m using the tow line as a guide. Upon reaching the bottom, the first thing we noticed was the temperature: it was COLD. We’ve only explored warm, tropical waters up to this point, so jumping into this water was, I guess a bit of a shock to the system. The cold water of the Eastern Atlantic is completely foreign to us and while different, it was still beautiful. Colour was not as prominent as in the waters of Hawaii, but we saw new and unique life. We were lucky enough to see numerous octopus, triggerfish, sea stars of all sizes, cuttlefish, eels, a stingray, and a few large crabs.
Unfortunately, Emily came up just before the thirty-minute mark of her first dive because she was shivering from the cold. The shivering caused her to run through her air supply a lot faster than usual, so she decided that surfacing early to get warm was the safest option. She did not take part in a second dive, instead deciding to stay on board the boat to get warm and chat with the captain.
After Emily had warmed up from her hour of tanning on the boat deck, and I had completed my second dive, we motored back to the marina. Unloading the boat was the same as loading it, we put our BCD on and carried our various other gear back to the shop with us. After disassembling our BCD, tank, and regulator, we threw all of our gear into the large, fresh water tanks that they use to wash with after every dive session. Additionally, they have a bathroom equipped with a shower that can be used to get the salt off of you before heading out. Once we were showered and changed, we headed to the front desk where all of our dive information ready for us. We filled out our dive books with all necessary information and had them stamped by the dive center before being on our way!
We couldn’t come up with a single negative thing to say about these guys. The only comment I have that should be noted is that the water in Portugal is COLD. Keep this in mind if you’re like Emily and don’t fare too well in cooler conditions.
The guides from Easydiver were always smiling and more than happy to accommodate any request we had, and continuously checked in with us to make sure we were comfortable. Even after Emily decided not to take part in the second diver they checked up on her to make sure she was warm and doing alright. They were more than professional and knew how to keep scuba diving fun and relaxed while ensuring our safety. We loved how they reinforced our ability to assemble our gear because it is a worthwhile skill to have and maintain! Overall an extremely well organized, and well-staffed dive center and we will definitely book with them again next time we’re in the Algarve.
Book your dive trip with Easy Divers HERE.
2 Dives + Equipment Rental = 80€
Airplanes & Avocados was welcomed as a guest of Easydivers. All opinions are my own.
