Course overview

Step into the first professional rating with the PADI Divemaster course based at Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, where supervising divers in genuine Galapagos currents builds rare skills fast. You shadow instructors, guide certified divers and run scenarios at sites ranging from gentle Santa Fe to the demanding hammerhead crater of Gordon Rocks. You finish certified to lead dives and assist on courses worldwide.

What you’ll learn

• Lead and supervise certified divers in cool, current-prone conditions
• Conduct thorough dive briefings for sites like North Seymour and Gordon Rocks
• Assist instructors with student divers in confined and open water
• Master dive-theory, the RDP and risk-management planning
• Demonstrate the 24 core skills to professional standard
• Map dive sites and run search-and-recovery and deep-dive workshops

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent)
• PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent)
• Emergency First Response (CPR and first aid) within 24 months
• At least 40 logged dives to begin and 60 to certify
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Theory & watermanship

   Divemaster knowledge development plus stamina and watermanship assessments at Puerto Ayora.
2. Day2
   Skills & rescue

   Polish the 24 demonstration-quality skills and complete the rescue scenario assessment.
3. Day3
   Practical workshops

   Dive-site mapping at a local site, plus deep-dive and search-and-recovery workshops.
4. Day4
   Supervised internship

   Shadow instructors and guide certified divers at sites such as North Seymour, Mosquera and Gordon Rocks, building current-management experience.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Galapagos.

Frequently asked questions